Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC (Headset) Review

Audeze is back with another headset, in the Maxwell 2 ANC. And for those who might be looking for quality and features, it’s packed.

Audio accompaniment

We’ve reviewed a whole bunch of headsets over the years here at BG, and I’ve done my fair share of that lot. Most of those have been geared towards gaming, naturally. And when you talk about those leanings, you have to mention Audeze.

A higher end company, Audeze has some truly impressive products out there. I’ve taken a look at some earbuds from them that blew me away, so I’m kind of a believer already. The company is well rounded too, with multiple lines, including one that’s dedicated to the video gaming hobby. And it’s on that note, that we get to the Maxwell 2 ANC, wireless gaming headset.

A part of the category mentioned above, the Maxwell 2 ANC falls right smack, dab in the middle of the company’s offerings. That’s in terms of both features and pricing, though I can tell you that I certainly wouldn’t have guessed either.

That’s because of two things. First, this headset is fairly pricy. And second? It’s also, and pretty easily, one of the most fully-featured ones I’ve ever used. Constructed with “aviation-grade technology” according to Audeze, it delivers tremendous sound, and feels like something special in general. On top of that, it’s usable with just about everything, by one means or another.

I’m probably getting too deep into it for the intro through, so let’s get on with it before I spoil the whole thing.

Setting the stage

Like any higher end headset or pair of headphones, the Maxwell 2 ANC has multiple ways of connecting. Chief among those is, naturally, via Bluetooth. I’m pretty sure that wireless connectivity is still preferred in the modern era over anything else, so if you’re in the group that likes that freedom, you’re good to go with these. Depending.

The version of the headset that I’m taking a look at here in this review is chiefly meant for the PlayStation. That’s not to say that it’s limited to just Sony’s PS5 though, since again, users can connect to just about everything out there. It’s just how that can happen that’ll vary.

First and foremost, there’s the bluetooth option. Anyone with a smart device or a computer should be well versed in that, and activating pairing simply requires a double tap of the power button once the headset is active. I had zero issues linking to my phone in that manner, for example. Packed in with the unit are a host of other options for connectivity though.

Those include a small receiver, that can be used to wirelessly connect to the PS5, a PC/Mac, or even a Switch. Users just have to flip a tiny slider to set it to console or PC, which’ll do the job desired. Said dongle is USB-C in form, so ideally what you’re connecting to will make use of that, hence the PS5. If you’d like to use it with something else though, there’s also an included USB-A converter to facilitate.

Branching out

It’s not the most ideal of things, the converter, since it’s a cable. It’s that long, but it’s also not what I’d call an elegant solution either. Still, if you’re looking to connect to a piece of hardware that doesn’t support USB-C, it definitely comes in handy. And I’m happy to say that the headset simply connects, without any issues that I’ve found, when either of the above options are used. While we’re still talking about connectivity though, I should also mention the stereo cable.

Maybe not the slickest of options, a good old stereo cable will nonetheless get the job done in connecting to a good chunk of sources in a pinch. Among such ‘pinches’ by the way, could be connecting to an XBOX controller. So yeah, with that in mind, the PlayStation version of the Maxwell 2 ANC can pretty much work with everything.

That said though, there is a dedicated XBOX edition of the headset available. So if your preferred platform is a little greener than the PS5, you might want to keep that in mind.

Noise Cancellation

I was trying to think of another headset that I’ve used that had anywhere near as many options as the Maxwell 2 ANC. I’ve used a lot of them over my gaming life, but I really can’t think of one that does anywhere near as much as this bad boy.

Before we get to anything else though, there’s the “ANC” part of the name. And yes, that stands for Active Noise Cancellation. The Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC features several levels of that, and the effects are startling. First and foremost, there’s the sound blocking, which Audeze says cuts out “up to 35dB of background noise”.

While making use of the feature, I could just barely hear anything around me. Other than a low hiss in the headset itself, the effect was fantastic. Granted, I wasn’t exactly in a high traffic area while I was testing them, but the effect was extremely noticeable nonetheless. As I mentioned too, there are also two other modes, including a cool passthrough called Transparency Mode.

That feature allows for sound to pass through the headset while you’re using it. It’s a little hard to explain, but basically, you get ambient sound piped into the ear cups along with the media you’re listening to. That seems like it’d be great if you need to keep aware of your surroundings, like on a walk. Then there’s also the ability to turn off all of the above, in which case you get slightly muffled ambient noise sneaking through the cups, passive style. Nice to have options.

We’re not done yet

Speaking of options, there are a multitude more. The Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC features support for “Tempest 3D” on the PS5, which can deliver a 3D audio effect. I always find that that kind of feature is an acquired taste, but it’s another cool option nonetheless.

Then there’s AI Noise Removal technology as well, which can filter out background sound from the audio-in. That works via an AI system that’s reportedly trained on a monstrous 500k sounds. This can be switched on across a pair of levels, or not used at all. Oh, and yes, I said “mics”. Plural.

While there’s a detachable boom mic that affixes to the front of the unit, there’s also a backup system that’s built into the headset itself. Audeze says this is to provide audio options while you don’t have access to the boom, which I thought was a pretty neat idea. I didn’t actually realize it had the system onboard, and found it by accident while I was wearing it and looking for a switch. I immediately heard my hand brush by it, which was definitely a surprise.

On top of that beastly list too, there are also a host of equalizer features, a smartphone app where you can play around with more settings, and even a mic-monitoring option. I’m not kidding when I say that this set does a heck of a lot.

Looking like a champ

Okay, so the Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC is a fully-featured, audio machine. But how’s it shake out, physically? It’s pretty sharp overall, is my answer to that, as it’s cast in a black and silver motif that I really dig. And the build is extremely solid.

As I mentioned a few times, I’ve tried out a lot of headsets. Those have ranged from heavy to featherweight, and have hit every notch in between. The Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC skews towards the heavier side of the equation, though not uncomfortably so. That’s likely due to the fact that there’s quite a bit of metal that’s been put into the build. And yes, that does give the headset a heft. But I do want to emphasize, that the weight doesn’t mean it’s a burden to wear.

Quite the opposite actually, as I played through the just-released Mafia: The Old Country expansion with them and loved every minute of it. The only issue that I had was that my ears got a little warm from the memory foam cups after a few hours of use. There’s nothing shocking about that though.

Control challenges (sort of)

One big mention that I wanted to get in here, is that some of the controls can be a little hard to get a handle on. Those are mainly mounted on the left ear cup. It’s there that users will find the mics, the stereo-in port, the charging port, and a pair of dials.

Those dials pull double duty, serving primarily to adjust sound volumes. But if you depress them, you’ll run through the options that I mentioned in the section above. You might be wondering what the problem with that is, and it’s that if you’re trying to adjust the volume, you have a good chance pressing the dial in instead.

When I first used the Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC, I thought the volume was seriously stunted because of that. Basically, I’m used to headsets that allow for a heavier touch, so I kept pressing the dial in and running through features, instead of actually turning the wheel. And when I went lighter on it, I was simply gliding across it instead of turning it. That took some getting used to, though I’ll also add that once I did, I had no troubles at all.

Speaking of “no troubles”

Even the best-looking, most fully-featured headset in the world can lose out in the sound department. I can attest to that. It’s the make or break for anything audio related though, and poor quality in that arena can make something that looks cool and sports tons of features into a dud. Fortunately, that’s not the Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC.

Now, I’ll add before we go any further, that I’m not what you’d call an audiophile. I love good sound, and have some quality speakers to that end that I normally make use of. But all the same, I’m not the guy to tell you about some minor sound differences that are all but undetectable.

More or less, if the quality is clear and the bass is detectable to a solid degree, I’m good. That said, this is easily one of the most impressive sounding headsets that I’ve used. The levels of sound detail are go pretty deep with the Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC, and the different modes can all play parts, if you want them to.

Going back to Mafia: The Old Country – Man of Honor, the Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC provided a terrific scope to the audio. Gunshots and explosions were loud and punctuating, while the smaller and quieter noises came across with sharp detail. Walking through the Sicilian countryside for example, I got my fill of natural sounds like leaves crunching underfoot.

The same can be said of Halo: Campaign Evolved, which showcased another terrific range. Everything from its legendary score, to the blasts of the needler came across rich and beautifully detailed. And what the heck, I’ll throw in that listening to my playlist while I work has been a joy too.

Overall

If you’ve read to the end, you have my thanks, as I went on way too long with this review. There’s just so much to say about the Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC, and I wanted to get all the major points in. Obviously though, I really dig this headset. It’s a joy to use, with excellent sound quality and host of really cool features that I actually found myself using at different times. That’s kind of a first for me!

Yes, it does have that heft issue I mentioned, and the headband actually takes a little getting used to as well, as it’s a tad stiff. Otherwise though, this is a tremendous piece of audio equipment that basically works with almost anything. If you’re looking for something that offers that kind of flexibility, while serving up a premium sound experience, give the Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC a serious look.

Audeze provided a sample of the Maxwell 2 ANC for this review

Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC
Platforms: PS5 (reviewed), XBOX Series X|S. Also works with Mac/PC, and Switch
Release date: Available now
Manufacturer: Audeze
MSRP: $429 USD