Short answer: the Audeze Maxwell. It ranks #157 of 481 over-ear headphones by sound quality, rated 3.8/5, at $329.99; the FiiO FT13 ranks #210, rated 3.7/5, at $329.99. With prices this close, go by the sound-quality ranking rather than the cost.
Why pick the Audeze Maxwell: The median of 8 hobbyist measurements gives it a very good Harman preference score of 78 with a 1.85 dB spread, and its mids sit within about 0.5 dB of target, so vocals and instruments sound natural. The tradeoff: Treble sits about 4.7 dB low, so it sounds a little dark.
What the FiiO FT13 does well: Closed back, with bass and sub-bass about 1.5 dB above target and a solid 30 Hz extension, so it isolates well and delivers weighty, warm low end. Watch for: An 8.7 dB dip near 4 kHz pulls back presence, so vocals and guitar attack can sound veiled, and the 6 to 10 kHz treble also runs nearly 3 dB low.
Buy the Audeze Maxwell. It is rated higher for sound quality than the FiiO FT13 at the same price, so it is the default pick unless a specific strength of the other one matters more to you.
Want more options? Browse the full Headphones rankings.
The median of 8 hobbyist measurements gives it a very good Harman preference score of 78 with a 1.85 dB spread, and its mids sit within about 0.5 dB of target, so vocals and instruments sound natural.
Amazon $329.99 eBay
Closed back, with bass and sub-bass about 1.5 dB above target and a solid 30 Hz extension, so it isolates well and delivers weighty, warm low end.
Amazon $329.99 eBayPrices on this page were last checked October 16, 2026 at 5:46 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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Specifications Side By Side
| Audeze Maxwell | FiiO FT13 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $329.99 | $329.99 |
| Ranked | #157 of 481 in Over-Ear Headphones | #210 of 481 in Over-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | Over-ear | Over-ear |
| Harman Preference Score | 78 (median of 8 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) | 74 (median of 4 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 1.85 dB standard deviation | 2.06 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.79 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -0.83 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+2.5 dB at 30 Hz) | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+1.8 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Connection | Wireless and wired | Wired |
| Back | Closed | Closed |
| Driver Type | Planar magnetic | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 90mm planar magnetic | 1 x 60mm dynamic |
| Weight | 1.1 lbs (490 g) | 0.8 lbs (356 g) |
| Frequency Response | 10Hz - 50kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 7Hz - 40kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Active Noise Cancelling | No | - |
| Battery Life | 80 hours (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | - |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC, LC3, LC3plus | - |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | - |
| Impedance | - | 32 ohms |
| Sensitivity | - | 98 dB/mW |
Frequency Response Compared
Both headphones’ measurements overlaid on the Harman target. Above the target sounds louder in that range, below it quieter. Each curve is the median of several independent measurements, shifted so its 500 Hz to 2 kHz average sits at 0 dB, so only the tuning is compared.
Measurement data: the Audeze Maxwell from boizoff, capraaudio, daemonxar, gadgetrytech, hadoe, kuulokenurkka, ragnarok and silicagel; the FiiO FT13 from aden, gadgetrytech, sai and superreview, all via squig.link.
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