Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC: the planar headset that brings the quiet, put to the test
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French tech site Les Numériques has just published its full review of the Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC. A good moment to take stock of the headset Audeze released this summer: it's the brand's first model with active noise cancelling, and Audeze bills it as the first gaming headset to combine ANC with planar magnetic drivers. Several outlets in France and abroad have now put it through its paces. Here's what stands out.
Cancelling the noise without touching the sound
This is the Maxwell 2 ANC's core promise, and the one planar fans care about most: according to Audeze, the frequency response stays the same whether ANC is on or off. On most consumer ANC headphones, switching noise cancelling on reshapes the curve, usually in the low end. Here, the adaptive hybrid system (feedforward and feedback mics) is rated for up to 35 dB of attenuation, with a Transparency mode to keep an ear on the room. Audeze itself points out that the figure depends on fit, firmware and the kind of noise.
Ruthless on hum and drone
On effectiveness, the reviews line up. German site kopfhoerer.de found it especially strong against steady low-frequency noise: air conditioning, PC fans, anything humming in the background. SlashGear, which regularly tests Sony and Bose flagships, puts the Maxwell 2 ANC in the same league, even if it isn't the most powerful ANC on the market. That's not really the point anyway: this is a gaming and desk headset, not a travel can built for long-haul flights. The already solid passive isolation does a good share of the work.
The mic is the other pleasant surprise
The detachable hypercardioid boom mic benefits from the latest generation of FILTER AI processing, which Audeze says runs at twice the bandwidth of the Maxwell 2's. The result: kopfhoerer.de ranks it among the best mics they've heard on a gaming headset. For chat, streaming or video calls, that's a real selling point.
The catch: weight and battery life
Two reservations keep coming up. First, weight: 560 g on paper, and close to 590 g with the boom mic as measured by kopfhoerer.de, who note you feel the headset as soon as you tilt your head. The ventilated headband and memory foam pads spread the load well, but this is not a light headset. Second, battery life: 40 hours with ANC off, 35 hours with ANC on. That's plenty in absolute terms, but half the 80 hours of the non-ANC Maxwell 2, which uses the very same 1800 mAh battery.
One headset for gaming, music and work
Beyond gaming, the Maxwell 2 ANC ticks a lot of boxes: 90 mm planar magnetic drivers with SLAM technology, Dolby Atmos and Tempest 3D spatial audio with built-in head tracking, a low-latency wireless dongle up to 24-bit/96 kHz, Bluetooth 5.3 with LDAC, LC3 and Auracast, USB-C and a 3.5 mm jack. It even handles wired and Bluetooth audio at the same time, handy for keeping a phone call going mid-game.
PlayStation or Xbox?
There are two versions. The PlayStation version is the one you need for a PS5, with Tempest 3D support. The Xbox version covers Xbox Series consoles and includes a free Dolby Atmos licence for Windows and Xbox. Everything else (PC, Mac, Switch, iOS, Android) is identical across both models.
Key specs
- Drivers: 90 mm planar magnetic, Fluxor, Fazor and SLAM technologies
- Frequency response: 10 Hz – 50 kHz, THD < 0.1% at 100 dB
- Noise cancelling: adaptive hybrid, up to 35 dB, Transparency mode
- Connectivity: 2.4 GHz USB-C dongle (24-bit/96 kHz), Bluetooth 5.3 (LDAC, LC3, LC3plus, AAC, Auracast, multipoint), USB-C, 3.5 mm jack
- Spatial audio: Dolby Atmos, Tempest 3D, built-in head tracking
- Mic: detachable hypercardioid boom, FILTER AI Noise Removal
- Battery life: 40 h (ANC off), 35 h (ANC on), 25% in 20 min of charging
- Weight: 560 g
Price and availability
The Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC is available at Cool Kids Audio in two versions: PlayStation at €499 incl. VAT (€415.83 excl. VAT) and Xbox at €519 incl. VAT (€432.50 excl. VAT). Applicable VAT may vary depending on your status and delivery country.