The Edifier Hecate G5 Max Headset does a lot right. It has fantastic audio output, with deep bass and clear highs for music, and detailed spatial audio to help you stay ahead of incoming threats when gaming. The battery life is generous, and the connectivity options give you everything you could possibly need to connect to virtually every device. The array of mics, across built-in and detachable, gives you solid quality for your voice. While the cup quality itself could be a bit better, overall, the Edifier Hecate G5 Max Headset is a great pair of headphones.
The Edifier Hecate G5 Max Headset has some truly fantastic sound, with 53mm large PENN diaphragm drivers. They pass Hi-Res Audio and Hi-Res Audio Wireless Certifications with LHDC 5.0 and have a 64-ohm high-impedance driver with THD below 1% and a sample rate of 96kHz/24-bit.
While some of that, like the certifications, are more marketing than anything else, the sound quality is inarguable. The bass is thick and low, highs are crisp, audio is crystal clear and detailed, with no distortion or crackling whatsoever. From hip-hop to K-pop to pop-punk, every track I threw at it sounded excellent. The Edifier Hecate G5 Max has become my go-to for music, and switching over to the gaming mode is as quick as a couple of button presses that really does change the sound profile.
Hopping into Marathon, the gameplay sounded punchy and immersive. The Edifier Hecate G5 Max Headset uses THX 7.1.4 spatial audio, co-developed by Hecate and THX, making the sound accurate and completely enveloping the player in the world. Marathon needs an accurate soundscape, where one footstep or shot from the wrong direction can make all the difference.
The mic quality is also really strong, with the Edifier Hecate G5 Max Headset sporting triple mics. Two are built-in to the headset, with a third detachable boom mic rounding out the array. My voice was always clear and understandable, working well across the PS5, my phone, and PC. What’s impressive is the quality drop-off with and without the boom mic. While it’s definitely noticeable, the dual built-in mics do a really solid job of keeping that vocal clarity; it just sounds like you’re farther away with the boom mic unplugged.
The headset also uses dual ENC & AI-powered noise cancellation, bringing you closer to the action while blocking out the outside noise. It does a solid job of filtering out background noise in the mics, where something like a dishwasher or vacuum isn’t coming through much on the other end. While it doesn’t hit as high as some professional mics, the quality sounds like a clear telephone call, working well without any issues.
“The Edifier Hecate G5 Max has become my go-to for music, and switching over to the gaming mode is as quick as a couple of button presses that really does change the sound profile.”
The Edifier Hecate G5 Max Headset gives you plenty of connection options. It includes wired, Bluetooth 6.0, 2.4 GHz USB–C, and 2.4 GHz USB-A. It worked without issue across my Switch 2, Steam Deck, phone, PS5, and PC, easily switching between two devices with a couple of button clicks. As long as one has the dongle, another can be connected with Bluetooth. It unfortunately doesn’t support multiple device connections simultaneously, something I got used to with the JLAB Daybreak headset.
The battery is another strong point, with Edifier claiming that battery life will last anywhere from 227 hours in 2.4 GHz mode, up to 305 hours in Bluetooth. I’ve used the headset daily for 3 weeks now without having to charge it once outside the initial charge, which is really nice. It also supports simultaneous charging and playing, making it easy to use even when the battery gets low.
I have big ears, and the cups are big enough that my ears comfortably fit inside. The adjustable metal headband arms also fit comfortably on my similarly large head, making them a nice fit without any ear pressure or weighing down on my head. They weigh just 305g, making them a light and easy-to-wear headset, even over long hours.
Where the headset does falter is with the cups themselves. I’m not a huge fan of the way they feel. I generally run warm, and I found my ears sweating within half an hour of continued usage. The memory foam feels nice, but the protein leather tends to feel slippery and a bit slimy after continued usage. It doesn’t feel as premium as the rest of the headset, and I do wish the headset came with a second set of cups that had a different feel to them.
Overall, the Edifier Hecate G5 Max Headset is a solid headset that drops the ball a bit when it comes to the feel of prolonged use. The audio doesn’t disappoint, with clear and punchy sounds that sound great across music and gaming. The battery life and mic array are impressive and work well. The cup size and weight of the actual headset are great, even if the feel of the cups themselves doesn’t hold up as well with prolonged use. Despite that, the Edifier Hecate G5 Max Headset is a good choice for those looking for a quality headset.
