Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Stock-Based Compensation and Employee Benefit Plans - Additional Information (Detail)

v2.4.1.9
Stock-Based Compensation and Employee Benefit Plans - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)
In Millions, except Share data, unless otherwise specified
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015
Mar. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2014
May 09, 2014
Jan. 02, 2014
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]          
Percentage of fair value market of common stock 100.00%mxl_ShareBasedPaymentAwardExercisePriceAsPercentageOfCommonStockFairValueMinimum        
Vesting period for new restricted stock units 4 years        
Term of option granted, minimum 7 years        
Term of option granted, maximum 10 years        
Shares Issued upon Settlement of Executive Bonus Plan       600,000mxl_SharesIssueduponSettlementofExecutiveBonusPlan  
Accrued Bonuses, Current $ 3.1us-gaap_AccruedBonusesCurrent        
Common stock, shares authorized (shares) 550,000,000us-gaap_CommonStockSharesAuthorized   550,000,000us-gaap_CommonStockSharesAuthorized    
Class A Common Stock [Member]          
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]          
Common stock, shares authorized (shares) 500,000,000us-gaap_CommonStockSharesAuthorized
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_CommonClassAMember
  500,000,000us-gaap_CommonStockSharesAuthorized
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_CommonClassAMember
   
Voting rights per share 1mxl_NumberOfVotingRightsPerShare
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_CommonClassAMember
       
Number of convertible common stock 1mxl_ConversionOfClassBCommonStockToClassCommonStockShares
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_CommonClassAMember
       
Class B Common Stock [Member]          
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]          
Common stock, shares authorized (shares) 500,000,000us-gaap_CommonStockSharesAuthorized
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_CommonClassBMember
  500,000,000us-gaap_CommonStockSharesAuthorized
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_CommonClassBMember
   
Voting rights per share 10mxl_NumberOfVotingRightsPerShare
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_CommonClassBMember
       
Equity Incentive Plan [Member]          
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]          
Shares authorized for issuance         1,500,000us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardNumberOfSharesAuthorized
/ us-gaap_PlanNameAxis
= mxl_EquityIncentivePlanMember
Employee Stock Purchase Plan [Member]          
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]          
Shares authorized for issuance         500,000us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardNumberOfSharesAuthorized
/ us-gaap_PlanNameAxis
= mxl_EmployeeStockPurchasePlanMember
Contribution of earnings by employees 15.00%us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardMaximumEmployeeSubscriptionRate
/ us-gaap_PlanNameAxis
= mxl_EmployeeStockPurchasePlanMember
       
Percentage of purchase of common stock 85.00%us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardDiscountFromMarketPriceOfferingDate
/ us-gaap_PlanNameAxis
= mxl_EmployeeStockPurchasePlanMember
       
Percentage of common stock on the date of purchase 85.00%us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardDiscountFromMarketPricePurchaseDate
/ us-gaap_PlanNameAxis
= mxl_EmployeeStockPurchasePlanMember
       
RSU and RSA [Member]          
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]          
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Grants in Period, Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value $ 8.22us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsGrantsInPeriodWeightedAverageGrantDateFairValue
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= mxl_RestrictedStockUnitandRestrictedStockAwardMember
$ 9.93us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsGrantsInPeriodWeightedAverageGrantDateFairValue
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= mxl_RestrictedStockUnitandRestrictedStockAwardMember