Looking for a gaming headset can be a bit of an overwhelming process. The market has never been so oversaturated and competitive. With loads of great options, it can be hard to know what is best to spend your money on.
While a single article is by no means going to be adequate to answer this question, a point of comparison can be a good exercise if you’re looking for something at a particular price point. For $300, there are two clear contenders, both of which I’ve already reviewed on this website: the Audeze Maxwell 2 and the Beredynamic MMX 230. Both sit at roughly the same price point and offer top-tier bang-for-your-buck for a gaming headset. But which one is best for you?
Build, Design and Comfort
These two headphones take differing approaches to this category. For Audeze, sturdiness and build quality are prioritized, creating a great looking headphone that feels nice to hold in your hands. For Beredynamic, comfort is placed above everything else. The headphone feels less sturdy but is much lighter, which makes it fit on your head gracefully. Even after long gaming sessions, you’ll barely notice it on top of your head. The Maxwell 2, however, is much heavier, bulkier, and a bit less comfortable because of it. You may experience some discomfort after long sessions, and you definitely notice it more in general when compared to the MMX 230.
The winner in this category is down to personal preference: do you prefer the look and feel, or do you prefer comfort and practicality. Personally, I’m with the former, but again it is really up to personal preference.
Utility and Versatality
I would say the Maxwell 2 is the clear winner in this category. With its fully removable microphone and its sleek design, it gives more functionality than a purely gaming headphone. I could see myself wearing them on a train or for a walk. I couldn’t see the same for the MMX 230. The mic is not removable and it just looks like a gaming headset. Nothing more and nothing less. If you already have an on-the-go headphone and are looking for something strictly for gaming, this is not a point of contention. If you’re looking for something that’s all-in-one, the Maxwell is likely the better choice.
Both flounder in the noise cancellation department. I noticed a very slight difference when activating it for both headphones, but it was nothing compared to a top-of-the-line bluetooth headphone. Honestly, I don’t know why they bothered including it considering how neglected it is.
For gaming, they both excel, but I’ll get into that at a later point.
Sound For Music
Both headphones handle music nicely, but have differing strengths. The Maxwell 2 has better sound staging and stereo imaging. It sounds much wider and allows room for more depth and detail. Generally, I find that it has a more detailed and clear sound than the MMX 230.
However, the Maxwell 2 has little bass. And I don’t just mean that when comparing it to the MMX 230, I mean that in general. While the MMX 230’s bass isn’t incredible, it is good and is a significant step up over the Maxwell 2 by that virtue. If you’re a bass head, this distinction alone may make the MMX 230 a better choice for you.
Sound For Gaming
In terms of features, these headphones are very comparable. They both have high-quality mics that can easily be toggled on and off while playing. Both have an insanely long battery life that will make you forget their wireless (80hrs for the Maxwell 2, 60hrs for the MMX 230). Lastly, each headphone has a USB bluetooth connection that makes latency a non-issue, making them ideal for fast-paced PvP gaming.
For sound, I would say that the Maxwell 2 wins out for its superior sound staging and imaging. There is a greater sense of space and dimensionality to its presentation. I feel more immersed when playing with them. They also give an advantage in competitive play, allowing you to find your opponents with your ears. In single-player games, it also works nicely, giving you the feel of a surround setup without having to drop a couple thousand bucks on speakers. The MMX 230, on the other hand, while not terrible, doesn’t have the same “wow” factor with the imaging and sounds a bit too narrow for my taste.
Again, the MMX 230 does have better bass, but that just doesn’t matter as much to me personally.
Final Thoughts
Your decision on which of these headphones to buy comes down to what you value more: comfort or sound quality. The MMX 230 is the clear winner in comfort, while the Maxwell 2 wins out in build quality and overall sound (with the exception of bass). They both have great features that lend themselves greatly for gaming, and neither are a waste of money. However, I would personally go with the Maxwell 2 for my money for their edge on versatility and sound quality.
For a console gamer, getting one of these is a no-brainer, but for a PC gamer there are other options. If you’re willing to spend a bit more money on an amp/interface and a separate mic, a wired connection is going to give you better sound. But, if you want to keep it simple and wireless, one of these headphones is still the way to go.
You can buy either of these headphones at Audio 46.
About Author
