Maxwell Wasabi Edition

Will the Xbox Maxwell work with PlayStation (or vice versa)?

Either version is universally compatible using the 3.5mm connection. In low-latency wireless mode or via USB, due to differing hardware, firmware, and licensing requirements, the PlayStation version will not work on Xbox. Xbox version on PlayStation via the USB dongle is not officially supported and may not work. Using the Xbox version on PS via wired USB, there may be some limitations in volume control and other possible loss of functionality. We recommend use of the properly supported version for each console.

What improvements does Maxwell have over Penrose?

Maxwell offers several significant advancements over Penrose. Maxwell has an improved chassis using premium materials for improved durability, a greatly extended battery life (greater than 80 hours from our testing), utilizes the new Bluetooth 5.3 protocol for better wireless range and stability, and allows for hi-res audio playback through its USB mode.

How does the Maxwell's sound differ from Mobius and Penrose?

Maxwell has a brand new driver design that was based on the original Mobius/Penrose design and is going to have a similar sonic signature.

One of the biggest improvements comes from the new housing. In the Penrose/Mobius housing the left and right side were not acoustically balanced due to the presence of PCB on one side, and the battery on the other. Buttons were also mostly on the left. With Maxwell, we have a dual chamber design. There is an inner housing that acoustically isolates the driver from the electronics. This alone makes a huge improvement.

In terms of chipset improvements, the Maxwell uses a newer more powerful dedicated DAC and amp sections. The DSP is also much more powerful compared to Penrose. This gives Maxwell much larger dynamic range and a lower noise floor compared to Mobius and Penrose.

Is there a trade up program for Penrose/Mobius owners?

We have no immediate plans, but we'll consider it for the future.

What kind of materials are used in Maxwell?

Maxwell uses an All-New Reinforced Chassis Built with Aluminum yokes, spring steel headband, and glass infused nylon for other structural parts including the cups.

Does Maxwell take the place of Mobius?

Mobius is designed primarily for the needs of the high-end PC gamer who wants 5.1/7.1 surround sound and head-tracking. However, if you want a high end wireless headset, the Maxwell is your answer.

Will the PS version work with Dolby Access if I have my own license on PC?
Maxwell will work with existing Dolby Atmos licenses. If it was previously enabled on PC, you can continue using it for Maxwell as well.

Why are the drivers 90mm instead of 100mm like the Mobius/Penrose?

The active area is still same. The new dual chamber earcup design takes up some of the space by having two physical earcups, one internal and one external - this helps with noise isolation and acoustics.

Are the headsets cross compatible with the dongles (will PS dongle work on Xbox headset and vice versa)?

The headsets are not cross compatible. You need to pair PS Maxwell with a PS dongle and Xbox headset with an Xbox dongle.

Are the earpads detachable or glued on?

The earpads are detachable. They easily unlock by twisting clockwise.

Will Maxwell have simultaneous dongle/BT playback. Say listening to music on BT while playing a game on dongle mode?

Simultaneous dongle and Bluetooth playback is not possible with the Maxwell chipset, however, USB wired + BT and Aux + BT do have simultaneous playback. If you need to use two audio devices at the same time, please use one of those configurations.

Maxwell will switch between dongle and BT seamlessly via a multipoint Bluetooth connection, however, it will not play back both sources simultaneously. For instance, if you are playing with USB dongle mode and a call comes in, you will be able to answer the call with Maxwell. Once the call is over, you will automatically switch back to USB dongle mode.

How does the Game/Chat function differ from Penrose?

On the Penrose and Penrose X, the Game/Chat Mix was done by pressing the Microphone wheel and then adjusting up and down, as the default scroll action on the wheel was your mic volume. On Maxwell, as there is no microphone volume control (Maxwell uses AGC - Automatic Gain Control) to control the output level of your mic. Game/Chat balance is now the default action, meaning that you only have to adjust the lower wheel up and down to adjust the game/chat balance.

Maxwell also utilizes a dual-end point design for use on PC and Mac. When you plug the dongle in a PC, it appears as two different end points. i.e. it appears as two audio devices. The first one is Maxwell Game and the second one is Maxwell Chat. The applications can choose either of the two audio devices to playback. The rotary button adjusts the balance between the two audio devices/end points.

In short: Game/Chat balance is simply done by adjusting the lower wheel (chat/communication wheel) up and down. Mic gain is now automatically controlled (adjusts microphone volume automatically).

How do I adjust the new headband, and is it fully suspension-style?

To adjust the headband, grab on to the strap near the screw holes and pull the strap holes over the screws. You do not need to remove the screws from the headband to adjust the strap.

For most head shapes and sizes, as long as you don’t need both sides to be on the lowest screws (which maximizes size for the biggest heads), the headband will be suspension style. Do note that while we try to accommodate all head shapes and sizes, there are some limits to the design of any headphone, and some touching of the headband might occur on larger adjustments and larger heads.

What are the inner ear dimensions for the ear pads on Maxwell?

Maxwell has an ear opening on the pads that are: 65mm tall x 50mm wide x 30mm deep (back side) and 20mm deep (front side).

Note: that there may be some slight tolerance differences on a per-pad basis.

As a PC only user, which would be the best version, Xbox or PlayStation Maxwell?

Both the Xbox version as well as the PlayStation version will function identically for PC use. In this case, you can save a bit of money by choosing the PlayStation version. The Xbox version includes a Dolby Atmos license to use specifically with the headset. Note: Existing Dolby Atmos licenses purchased separately through the Microsoft app store, will work with both versions of Maxwell.

Will Maxwell come with a travel case?

While we do not currently have any case options for the Maxwell or MM-100, users have found this case to work well: Geekria Shield Case (on Amazon)

Please note we do not officially endorse this product, so your mileage may vary. Other options may exist online.

In case you'd like to find a different option, the dimensions of the earcups are about 100mm, and the headphones are about 200mm tall. While we do not have an ETA, we do plan on providing a case option in the future.

Is the Aux/3.5mm connection passive? Will it work like a normal headset without the unit being powered on?

Maxwell, like the Penrose and Mobius, requires power as it is an active headset on all connection types. Like those headsets, Maxwell utilizes an internal DSP and houses a balanced amplifier for each driver. We suggest common sense in what you plug the Maxwell into with a 3.5mm/aux cable. If you use an amplifier and don’t set the volume accordingly, you can overcharge the circuitry inside the headset. It is highly recommended you either bypass using amplifiers, or set the volume very low and adjust up until you achieve a good balance between the Maxwell’s volume control, and your source gear. Using external amplifiers may be detrimental to sound quality and potentially add more noise and distortion.

Does Maxwell include ANC?

Maxwell does not include ANC. Like Mobius and Penrose, as well as our other closed back LCD headphones like the LCD-2 Closed, and LCD-XC), it cancels noise passively due to the closed back design. The new dual chamber earcup design offers improved passive noise isolation from outside from our previous models.

Maxwell does have AI powered noise cancelling for its outgoing chat/communications for both internal and external microphones (boom mic).

Why am I hearing feedback noise when I have the boom mic unplugged?

The built-in microphones on Maxwell are directional, and when put in close proximity to the headphone driver, with sidetone on, they can pick up the signal and create feedback. This usually does not happen in normal usage situations when the headphone is worn. The feedback is similar to walking in front of a speaker with microphone in hand.

Feedback is due to sidetone gain on the microphone, amplifying the ambient sounds. Sidetone gain is necessary to provide the real-time voice monitoring users desire.

We implemented higher sidetone gain due to customer feedback that sidetone is not loud enough. However, this led to louder sidetone and higher prevalence of feedback, so in our most recent firmware update we reduced the sidetone gain slightly.

To prevent this feedback issue, either disable sidetone or turn off Maxwell before removing it from your head, or avoid placing Maxwell in such a way that the built-in microphones are very close to the headphone drivers (e.g. one cup rotated 90 degrees relative to the other).