Maxell Maxell Bass13 True Wireless Active Noise Review

The Maxell Bass13 True Wireless ANC Earbuds offer surprisingly good noise cancellation and call quality for under $60, but compromise heavily on sound quality, battery life, and comfort. They're a budget specialist for quiet, not a premium all-rounder.

If you're hunting for budget-friendly ANC earbuds, the Maxell Bass13 True Wireless are likely on your radar. They're a stem-style in-ear design with Bluetooth 5.3, packing active noise cancellation (ANC) and environmental noise cancellation (ENC) for calls. The specs promise 5 hours of battery life per charge, with the USB-C case adding about 15 more hours for a total of around 20. They're priced between $26 and $59, which puts them squarely in the 'affordable ANC' category. For that price, you get a single dynamic driver per ear and a focus on blocking noise and isolating your voice.

Our data shows these earbuds have some clear strengths and weaknesses. The ANC performance is surprisingly good, landing in the 84th percentile. That means they block background noise better than most earbuds in our database, which is impressive for this price. The microphone quality is also strong, hitting the 80th percentile, so your calls should sound clear to the other person. However, the sound quality score is only in the 36th percentile, so the audio itself isn't going to wow you. Battery life is below average at the 38th percentile, and comfort is a notable weak spot at 24th percentile. The 5-hour playtime is fine for a short commute, but you'll need the case for longer days.

At $26 to $59, the Bass13 are one of the cheapest ways to get legit active noise cancellation. You're trading off audio quality, comfort, and battery life for that core feature. If ANC is your absolute top priority and your budget is tight, they're a contender. If you can spend a bit more, even $100 opens up a world of better-balanced options.

This is a crowded field. The Sony WF-1000XM5 and Bose QuietComfort Ultra are the ANC kings, but they cost over $200. The Bass13 can't match their sound or comfort, but they block noise surprisingly well for a fraction of the price. Closer in budget are options like the Jabra Elite 4 Active or Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 NC. Those typically offer better battery life, more refined sound, and often better fitness ratings. The Bass13's main advantage over those is its specific, high-ranking ANC and mic performance, if that's your sole focus.

Skip the Bass13 if you're an audiophile, a frequent gym-goer, or someone who needs earbuds to last all day without a case recharge. Their weak sound, poor fitness score, and short battery make them ill-suited for those uses. If you're in those camps, consider spending a bit more on something like the Jabra Elite 4 Active for fitness or the Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 NC for better balanced performance.

Should you buy the Maxell Bass13? It depends. If you need noise cancellation for calls or commuting on a strict budget, and you're okay with mediocre sound and short battery life, they're a functional choice. The ANC and mic are genuinely good. But if you care about how music sounds, want earbuds for working out, or need longer unplugged time, you should skip these. There are better all-rounders even just a little higher up the price ladder. For a budget ANC specialist, they work. For a daily driver, they're lacking.