Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC review - You should probably get insurance

The Maxwell 2 ANC headset provides an exceptional experience, but is it right for you?

Finding the right headset is a monumental task. You need to balance quality with your individual needs, and that intersection can be tough to find. A headset can have all the bells and whistles that you’re looking for, but until you put it on, there’s no telling if you’ll love it or hate it. The exception being if you’re familiar with a brand or a specific line. The Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC (active noise cancellation) has it all on paper and in practice, but it’s not for everyone.

Cards on the table

The Maxwell 2 ANC comes with the headset itself, a detachable microphone with a pop filter, a USB-C wireless dongle, a USB-C to USB-C cable, a USB-C to USB-A adapter, and a 3.5mm cable. The primary way that I tested the Maxwell 2 ANC headset was by connecting the USB-C to USB-C cable from the headset to my PC. You can skip the adapter if you have an available USB-C port on your PC, and of course you can go wireless by connecting the USB-C wireless dongle either directly to your PC, or into the adapter cable and then your PC, PlayStation, or Switch. If you’re on Xbox, there is a version of the Maxwell 2 ANCs specifically for that console, but the set I tested did not list Xbox as a compatible platform. The headset can also connect to iOS and Android devices using a Bluetooth connection, or to any device that uses analog via 3.5mm cable if that’s your preference. Be mindful, the headset must have a charge for 3.5mm to work.

The Maxwell 2 ANC uses the planar magnetic 90mm drivers that, quite frankly, dummy those you find in less expensive sets. It’s the difference between a Mercedes and Honda CR-V. The CR-V is a fine vehicle if that’s what you like, but let’s not pretend your eyes don’t pop out of your head when you park your butt in luxury. The question is do you need that luxury to get around town and do your grocery shopping? Do you need the luxury of the Maxwell 2 ANCs to sit in your recliner and land 360 no scopes in Call of Duty? The planar magnetic 90mm drivers deliver that luxury. If you’re not familiar with the tech, it’s worth researching before you drop a truck full of cash on headset.

The headset itself has a lot going on physically. There’s an adjustable strap that, when pushed to the max, just fits my extraordinarily large head (7 and 5/8 inches). The left ear cup features volume control, game/chat mix, the 3.5mm jack, the USB-C port, microphone jack, and a button to toggle the various ANC options. The right ear cup features a mute for the microphone as well as the power button. It’s not bad once you get the hang of things, but like any headset there’s a learning curve as you sort out where everything is physically located.

Muting the world

The Maxwell 2 ANCs deliver exceptional sound quality across the board, but that was never in doubt. The star of the show is the active noise cancellation. It works exceptionally well. With my desk facing away from the door, my wife can scare the bejeezus out of me when she comes into my office unannounced. If I’m home alone, I won’t wear the Maxwell 2 ANCs because I’m legitimately worried I might not hear the smoke detector, or a gang of evil doers breaking down my door. That’s either a problem or the most glowing endorsement ANC could get. You decide.

Players that only want to hear what’s going on in their game are going to get unrivaled immersion. My first test for the Maxwell 2 ANCs was Battlefield 6 where hearing footsteps is the difference between losing your tags and pre-firing your opponent. You don’t just hear footsteps with this headset; you hear them from further away and can pinpoint their origin. When I’m not playing BF6 I’m in Stalker 2 to check out the new Cost of Hope DLC and, yeah, I’m not sure I have the stomach for The Zone with the Maxwell 2 ANCs. It sounds incredible, but my heart can’t take that kind of tension. 

If the glove doesn’t fit

When I say the Maxwell 2 ANCs are exceptional, I’m not fluffing them up, but it’s time to circle back to what I said at the onset. A headset can have incredible sound and features and be wrong for you. I’m not entirely certain this one's for me. I typically go for an open back, so the adjustment to a closed back, noise cancellation experience has been jarring. That said, the fact I didn’t immediately swear this set off is another glowing endorsement. That I’m even considering making this my primary headset is absurd. Of course, I could toggle off ANC or use transparency mode, but I don’t love either option. Toggling the ANC off makes it sound like you’re in an airplane, and transparency mode has a white noise that tricks me into thinking my tinnitus got worse.

There’s also the comfort to consider. For starters, wireless headsets are unavoidably heavier than wired. That’s just the way it is if you want that freedom and quality. I’m not a fan of heavier headsets, and the Maxwell 2 ANCs are quite heavy at a listed 560g. Not just heavy, but the pads press into your head a bit more than I like, another side effect of ANC. This leads to my ears getting hot. You know when you step out of a car after a long trip and your senses need a second to adjust? It’s a similar feeling taking off the Maxwell 2 ANCs.

My remaining gripes with the Maxwell 2 ANCs are all minor. The adapter cable is as awkward as it gets, just long enough to dangle off whatever device you connect to, and not long enough to rest on something. The 3.5mm cable is short enough that if you want to go analog you will most likely need to buy your own. I also just don’t see the point in going with 3.5mm on headset designed to be wireless first given that you need to maintain battery charge. Oh, and speaking of the battery charge, it's listed at 80 hours. I'm going to say that's not far off because once I had a full charge I didn't have to worry about it again during my review period.

The verdict

It’s been a couple of weeks since I started testing the Maxwell 2 ANCs, and overshadowing my thoughts on performance is a single question; who are these designed for? The Audeze website has the Maxwell 2 ANC headset listed at $429 USD, which converts to $592 CAD if you’re Canadian like me. But still, I don’t think I know a single console gamer who is going to entertain that price to sit on the couch and play on their PS5, Xbox, or Switch. Obviously, those folks exist, but it feels like the Maxwell 2 ANCs are trying to be everything to everyone. A wireless headset that is also wired and works on all the consoles, phones, and is great for PC players. It has ANC but doesn’t have to if you don’t want it to. The strange thing is that even though I think this headset is trying to do too much, it pulls it off. That’s a testament to the quality that Audeze has delivered here. It’s worth the price, but only if you have money to burn.

A sample unit was provided by Audeze for review. The Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC headset is available for purchase now.

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Review for
Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC
9
Pros

• Unmatched sound quality
• Noise cancellation is superb
• Long battery life
• Fits even my big head
• Planar magnetic 90mm drivers
• Delivers maximum immersion

Cons

• Priced beyond casual gaming
• On the heavy side
• The adapter cable is awkward