If you want better Weight comfort
Choose Fractal Design Scape Headset. It scores 4.2 vs 2.1 for Weight comfort, with a 4.0 overall score.
Audeze Maxwell 2 Review
Bottom Line
Choose the Maxwell 2 for exceptional planar detail, precise positional audio, and marathon battery life. Skip it if 560g weight, true Bluetooth-plus-dongle mixing, or consistently polished microphone performance matter more.
Best for
Best for audio-first gamers, especially competitive FPS players and music listeners who value precise imaging, clean separation, flexible EQ, and very long battery life enough to tolerate a heavy headset.
Not for
Skip it if you are sensitive to heavy headsets, need simultaneous phone and 2.4GHz game audio, prioritize ANC or broadcast-grade mic consistency, or already own an original Maxwell that still works well.
Verdict
The Maxwell 2 is built around one overwhelming strength: sound. Its planar drivers deliver superb detail, separation, wide staging, and positional accuracy, while the battery and premium construction reinforce the flagship feel. The tradeoffs are unusually physical and practical. At roughly 560g, long-session comfort varies sharply, the fixed headband adjustment is awkward, and the recessed mute switch is repeatedly criticized. Microphone performance ranges from excellent to compressed or troublesome in Discord, and Bluetooth cannot mix simultaneously with the 2.4GHz dongle. Bass is another preference split: clean and highly EQ-friendly, but not always as deep or forceful as expected. For audio-first buyers it remains exceptional, yet original Maxwell owners have little reason to treat it as an essential upgrade.
Product generations
Audeze Maxwell- Audeze Maxwell
- Audeze Maxwell 2This product
Feature Scorecards
Summary
65 reviewed features-
Very positive 4.5-5.025 (38%)
-
Positive 3.5-4.417 (26%)
-
Neutral 2.5-3.412 (18%)
-
Negative 1.5-2.410 (15%)
-
Very negative below 1.51 (2%)
Pros highlights
-
Overall sentiment is positive because the sound, imaging, battery life, and build are genuinely high-end. Satisfaction falls for buyers who cannot tolerate the weight, need better dual-wireless behavior, encounter reliability problems, or already own the original Maxwell.
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The Maxwell 2’s planar drivers deliver exceptional clarity, detail, and resolution across games and music, making sound quality its most consistent strength. A few listeners prefer a more visceral or less analytical presentation, but fidelity is overwhelmingly praised.
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The detachable boom mic ranges from very clear and near broadcast-like to compressed, distorted, or disappointing depending on software and firmware. In-game chat often fares better than Discord, making mic quality one of the more mixed areas.
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Directional imaging is exceptional and one of the Maxwell 2’s defining strengths. Footsteps, reloads, vertical movement, and distant effects are easy to locate even in crowded competitive mixes.
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The redesigned Audeze app is cleaner, faster, and easier to navigate than the old software, with straightforward access to EQ, sidetone, mic filtering, and updates. A few users still encounter connection or recognition quirks.
-
The 10-band EQ is flexible and the planar drivers respond very well to aggressive tuning without falling apart. Multiple custom profiles make it easy to add bass or tailor the sound, though some users want deeper parametric control.
Cons highlights
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At roughly 560g, the Maxwell 2 is exceptionally heavy and the weight is its most repeated physical drawback. The wider suspension strap distributes the load better, but many users still notice neck, jaw, or head fatigue during long sessions.
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Comfort is highly fit-dependent. The wider strap and plush pads let some people wear the headset for four to six hours comfortably, while others need breaks after one or two hours because of weight, warmth, or pressure.
-
Bass is clean, tight, and well controlled, yet opinions split on how much physical sub-bass slam it delivers. EQ and firmware updates can add weight without much distortion, but some listeners still find deep rumble too restrained.
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The premium price is easier to justify for buyers prioritizing top-tier sound, battery life, and build quality. Value drops sharply for original-Maxwell owners, since many reviews see the second generation as a modest sidegrade rather than a must-have upgrade.
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Reliability is the biggest customer-side concern, with reports of white noise, buzzing, disconnects, freezes, mic glitches, and firmware-related behavior. Some problems improve after updates or replacements, but the frequency of failure reports makes consistency a real caveat.
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This is one of the clearest drawbacks: the Maxwell 2 cannot mix Bluetooth and 2.4GHz dongle audio at the same time. Bluetooth can coexist with wired USB or analog audio, but fully wireless two-source use remains awkward.
Compared With Category Average
Compared with other Headsets, this product is above average in Microphone port design, Build quality, App, near average in Positional audio accuracy, Microphone, below average in Weight comfort, Multipoint connectivity reliability, Headband adjustability.
Comparison summary
63 compared features-
Above average 0.4+ pts higher29 (46%)
-
Same as average within 0.3 pts9 (14%)
-
Below average 0.4+ pts lower25 (40%)
Largest category differences
| Attribute | This product | Category average | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weight comfort | 2.1 | 4.3 | -2.1 |
| Multipoint connectivity reliability | 1.5 | 3.4 | -2.0 |
| Headband adjustability | 1.9 | 3.9 | -2.0 |
| Android compatibility | 2.5 | 4.4 | -1.9 |
| Ear cup swivel/rotation range | 2.1 | 3.7 | -1.7 |
| Portability/foldability | 1.3 | 2.9 | -1.6 |
| Microphone port design | 4.5 | 3.0 | +1.5 |
| Comfort during long use | 3.4 | 4.3 | -1.0 |
Consider This Instead
If you want better Active noise cancellation
Choose Turtle Beach Stealth Pro II. It scores 4.3 vs 2.0 for Active noise cancellation, with a 4.1 overall score.
If you want better Ear cup swivel/rotation range
Choose Logitech G Astro A20 X. It scores 5.0 vs 2.1 for Ear cup swivel/rotation range, with a 4.3 overall score.
If you want better Microphone noise reduction
Choose Razer BlackShark V3 X HyperSpeed. It scores 4.8 vs 3.7 for Microphone noise reduction, with a 4.0 overall score.
Compared in Reviews
Products reviewers directly compared with this model, grouped into quick takeaways.
- Compared: sound, weight, dual-wireless, and price The Maxwell 2 wins on sound, while the BlackShark V3 Pro is lighter, cheaper, and offers true dual-wireless connectivity.
- Worse: cinematic gaming audio The Maxwell 2 is judged more convincing for cinematic game audio than the Sony InZone H9 II.
- More expensive: price The Maxwell 2 is positioned as a substantially cheaper audiophile gaming option than the Arctis Nova Elite.
FAQ
How good is the Maxwell 2 for competitive FPS games?
Very good. Precise positional imaging, strong separation, and easy-to-hear footsteps are among its most consistently praised strengths, even in busy firefights.
Is the Maxwell 2 comfortable for long sessions?
It depends strongly on fit. The wider strap and plush pads help, but at roughly 560g many users still feel head, jaw, neck, or heat discomfort after a few hours.
Does the Maxwell 2 have strong bass?
The bass is clean, controlled, and highly responsive to EQ, but sub-bass slam divides opinion. Some find it satisfying while others want more physical rumble, even after firmware improvements.
How good is the microphone?
The detachable boom can sound clear and excellent, but results are inconsistent across software and settings. Discord problems, compression, distortion, and weaker built-in mics appear often enough to be real caveats.
Can Bluetooth and the 2.4GHz dongle play at the same time?
No. The headset can pair with both, but Bluetooth takes priority rather than mixing both wireless sources; simultaneous audio is available with Bluetooth plus certain wired connections.
How long does the battery last?
Battery life is a major strength, commonly described around 80 hours or more. Fast USB-C charging also adds substantial playback from a short charge.
Is it worth upgrading from the original Maxwell?
Usually not if the original still meets your needs. The second generation improves some sound, comfort, app, and microphone details, but many sources consider the overall change too small for the added cost and weight.
Sample Expert Reviews We Analyzed
These are a few of the reviews included in our analysis.
Video Reviews
YouTube - The Portly Gamer
- Review score
- 4.2
YouTube - AimAdapt
- Review score
- 3.7
Article Reviews
audioadvice.com
Maxwell 2 upgrades Audeze’s wireless headset with enhanced spatial sound, punchier bass using SLAM technology, and a redesigned Audeze app.
- Review score
- 4.3
audiowords.net
Audeze Maxwell 2 review — the consensus of 9 independent reviews, where they agree and where they split.
- Review score
- 3.3
soundguys.com
The Audeze Maxwell 2 review: A great improvement for competitive gaming, but too warm and heavy on my head after extensive sessions.
- Review score
- 3.2
majorhifi.com
Audeze Maxwell 2 Review – Audiophile Sound Meets Wireless Gaming
- Review score
- 4.7
soundapproach.com
Hi everyone and welcome back to Sound Approach! Today, we’re diving into two wireless gaming headsets from Audeze: the original Maxwell, and...
- Review score
- 4.3
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