Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC

Wireless planar gaming headset with active noise cancelling

The Maxwell 2 ANC takes Audeze's 90 mm planar magnetic architecture and pairs it with adaptive hybrid active noise cancelling of up to 35 dB. The goal is to keep the definition and dynamics of an audiophile headphone in noisy environments, without sacrificing gaming latency. Two versions are available: a PlayStation version and an Xbox version.

90 mm planar acoustics

Each earcup has a 90 mm planar magnetic driver with a Uniforce diaphragm, driven by a Fluxor array of N50 neodymium magnets. Audeze's in-house Fazor (phase management) and SLAM (acoustic management) technologies shape the driver's behaviour to limit distortion at high levels: THD stays below 0.1% at 100 dB, with a frequency response of 10 Hz to 50 kHz and more than 115 dB maximum SPL. The planar bass goes deep without encroaching on the mids, which remains key for positional cues in games as well as for music listening.

Power comes from a dedicated dual balanced amplifier delivering 1.4 W per channel in balanced mode. The headset supports Dolby Atmos and Tempest 3D spatial audio, with built-in, self-calibrating head tracking that requires no external camera. It is compatible with Embody Immerse Gaming Hive on PC and the Dolby Atmos Renderer.

Hybrid active noise cancelling

Active noise cancelling is adaptive hybrid: it combines feedforward and feedback mics to reduce ambient noise by up to 35 dB, with a Transparency mode to stay aware of your surroundings. An important point for demanding listening: the headset's frequency response remains identical with ANC on or off. The tonal balance does not change with the mode used, unlike most noise-cancelling headphones.

Connectivity and compatibility: PlayStation or Xbox version

The Maxwell 2 ANC connects wirelessly via its ultra-low-latency USB-C dongle, up to 24-bit/96 kHz, via Bluetooth 5.3 (Auracast, LE Audio, LC3, LC3plus, LDAC, AAC, SBC, multipoint), wired digitally over USB-C with dual audio endpoints and game/chat mixing, or analogue via an active 3.5 mm TRRS jack. On PC and Mac, everything is available: wireless, USB-C, jack, Dolby Atmos, game/chat mixing and the Audeze app. Nintendo Switch, iOS and Android are supported via wireless, Bluetooth, USB-C and jack.

The difference between the two versions concerns consoles. The PlayStation version is the one to choose for a PS5: ultra-low-latency wireless, USB-C, 3.5 mm jack and Tempest 3D. The Xbox version covers the Xbox Series with ultra-low-latency wireless, 3.5 mm jack, Dolby Atmos and game/chat mixing. Both versions work with the Dolby Access app for Atmos on Windows, but only the Xbox version includes a free Dolby Atmos licence for Windows and Xbox. The rest of the compatibility (PC, Mac, Switch, mobile) is identical on both models.

Mic, comfort and battery life

The headset comes with a detachable hypercardioid boom mic and pop filter. Processing combines beamforming, physical noise reduction and AI processing (FILTER AI Noise Removal) to isolate your voice from keyboard and room noise. An internal mic takes over for chat when the boom is removed.

The 1800 mAh lithium-polymer battery provides 40 hours with ANC off and 35 hours with ANC on. Fast USB-C charging (5 V, 1.8 A max) gives 25% in 20 minutes, with a full charge in 2 hours. For wearing comfort, the wide ventilated headband and memory foam ear pads spread the headset's 560 g, with a closed-back over-ear structure. Interchangeable ReSkin magnetic covers are available separately.

Technical specifications

• Type: closed-back over-ear wireless gaming headset
• Drivers: 90 mm planar magnetic, Uniforce diaphragm
• Magnetic structure: Fluxor magnet array, N50 neodymium magnets
• Acoustic technologies: Fazor (phase management), SLAM (acoustic management)
• Frequency response: 10 Hz – 50 kHz
• Max SPL: > 115 dB
• THD: < 0.1% at 100 dB
• Amplification: dedicated dual balanced amp, 1.4 W per channel (balanced mode)
• Spatial audio: Dolby Atmos / Tempest 3D
• Head tracking: built-in and self-calibrating, no external camera; compatible with Embody Immerse Gaming Hive (PC) and Dolby Atmos Renderer
• Active noise cancelling: adaptive hybrid (feedforward + feedback mics), up to 35 dB, Transparency mode, identical frequency response with ANC on or off
• Boom mic: detachable, hypercardioid, pop filter included
• Mic processing: beamforming, physical and AI noise reduction (FILTER AI Noise Removal), internal mic for chat
• Wireless: ultra-low-latency USB-C dongle, up to 24-bit/96 kHz
• Bluetooth: 5.3, Auracast, LE Audio, LC3, LC3plus, LDAC, AAC, SBC, multipoint
• Wired digital: USB-C, dual audio endpoints, game/chat mixing
• Wired analogue: active 3.5 mm TRRS jack
• PC / Mac compatibility: ultra-low-latency wireless, USB-C, 3.5 mm jack, Dolby Atmos, game/chat mixing, Audeze app
• Xbox compatibility: ultra-low-latency wireless, 3.5 mm jack, Dolby Atmos, game/chat mixing
• PlayStation compatibility: ultra-low-latency wireless, USB-C, 3.5 mm jack, Tempest 3D
• Nintendo Switch compatibility: wireless, Bluetooth, USB-C, 3.5 mm jack
• iOS / Android compatibility: wireless, Bluetooth, USB-C, 3.5 mm jack, Audeze app
• Difference between versions: both versions are compatible with the Dolby Access app for Atmos on Windows, but only the Xbox version includes a free Dolby Atmos licence for Windows and Xbox
• Battery: 1800 mAh lithium-polymer
• Battery life: 40 h ANC off, 35 h ANC on
• Charging: USB-C 5 V / 1.8 A max, 25% in 20 min, full charge in 2 h
• Weight: 560 g
• Comfort: wide ventilated headband, memory foam ear pads, interchangeable ReSkin magnetic covers (sold separately)
• In the box: Maxwell 2 ANC headset, detachable boom mic with pop filter, USB-C wireless dongle, USB-C to USB-C cable (1.5 m), USB-C to USB-A adapter cable (0.3 m), 3.5 mm TRRS analogue cable (1.2 m)