Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC – Planar Magnetic Gaming Headset with Adaptive Hybrid ANC

The Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC becomes the new flagship of the Maxwell 2 range, adding adaptive hybrid noise cancellation to the existing platform for the first time. Its closed Over-ear construction and claimed attenuation of up to 35 dB are intended to make the headset better suited to tournaments, busy living spaces and use away from home. Beneath those additions remains the same central acoustic proposition as the Audeze Maxwell 2: 90 mm planar magnetic drivers, high-resolution digital audio and support for the principal gaming platforms.

Key Facts Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC

• Closed Over-ear gaming headset in Sony PlayStation and Microsoft Xbox versions
• 90 mm planar magnetic drivers with Fluxor magnet arrays, Fazor waveguides and SLAM technology
• Frequency range from 10 Hz to 50 kHz and maximum sound pressure level of more than 115 dB
• Adaptive hybrid ANC with feedforward and feedback technology plus transparency mode
• USB-C wireless dongle, Bluetooth 5.3, USB-C audio and 3,5 mm TRRS
• Bluetooth with Auracast, LE Audio, LC3, LC3plus, LDAC, AAC, SBC and Multipoint
• Detachable hypercardioid microphone with FILTER AI noise reduction
• 1.800 mAh battery offering up to 40 hours without ANC and 35 hours with ANC

ANC designed around the demands of gaming

Noise cancellation on a gaming headset has a more complicated job than merely suppressing the steady background sound encountered on a train or aircraft. It must reduce outside interference without weakening directional information, altering tonal balance or compromising the timing on which in-game orientation depends.

Audeze LLC. therefore employs a hybrid system with feedforward microphones monitoring the surroundings and feedback microphones measuring noise inside the earcups. The processing continually adjusts the filtering and, according to the manufacturer, can reduce ambient noise by up to 35 dB. Audeze LLC. describes its implementation as “aviation-grade” and states that the headset’s sonic tuning remains consistent regardless of whether ANC is active.

A low-latency transparency mode provides the opposite option when voices or other sounds in the room need to remain audible. The feature set also includes AI-assisted ANC parameters and voice control. Taken together, these functions extend the Maxwell 2 platform beyond gaming in a quiet, dedicated room.

Planar magnetic foundations remain unchanged

The ANC system is new, but the acoustic hardware follows the established Audeze Maxwell 2 design. Each earcup houses a 90 mm planar magnetic driver built around an Uniforce diaphragm, a Fluxor magnet array and Fazor waveguides. The patent-pending SLAM technology is intended to support precise spatial reproduction while maintaining controlled low-frequency performance.

Audeze LLC. specifies a frequency range of 10 Hz to 50 kHz, a maximum sound pressure level exceeding 115 dB and total harmonic distortion below 0.1 per cent at 100 dB. The drivers are powered by two symmetrically operating 1.4 W amplifiers.

Both the USB-C wireless dongle and a wired USB-C connection accept audio at up to 24 Bit 96 kHz. This combination places low-latency wireless operation and high-resolution wired playback within the same architecture rather than treating them as separate operating modes.

Spatial audio across PlayStation and Xbox

The Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC supports Dolby Atmos and Sony Tempest 3D, depending on the connected platform. Compatible applications can also make use of the integrated self-calibrating head-tracking system.

There is an important difference between the two console versions. The Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC Xbox includes a licence for the Dolby Access app on Microsoft Xbox and Windows. The Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC PlayStation can also use the app under Windows, but the necessary licence is not included with that version. Buyers must therefore select the appropriate console model rather than treating the two editions as interchangeable.

FILTER AI for clearer team communication

A detachable hypercardioid boom microphone with a pop filter handles voice communication. Its latest-generation FILTER AI noise reduction operates with twice the previous bandwidth, according to Audeze LLC., and is designed to remove surrounding noise without making the user’s voice sound conspicuously processed.

A separate built-in microphone remains available for chat applications. Volume and other frequently required controls can be adjusted directly on the headset, avoiding the need to leave a game or open the accompanying software for every change.

Four connection routes and two sources at once

The supplied USB-C dongle provides the primary low-latency wireless connection. Bluetooth 5.3 adds Auracast, LE Audio, LC3, LC3plus, LDAC, AAC and SBC, while Multipoint permits connections to more than one compatible Bluetooth device.

Wired listening is possible via USB-C audio or the active analogue 3,5 mm TRRS input. The Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC can also reproduce a wired audio signal and Bluetooth audio simultaneously. A game running through a console or computer can consequently remain active while a second Bluetooth source supplies calls, chat or other audio.

Platform compatibility extends, depending on the selected version, across PC, Apple Mac, Sony PlayStation 5, Microsoft Xbox, Nintendo Switch, Apple iOS and Google Android. The distinction between the PlayStation and Xbox editions remains relevant when choosing the headset.

Revised comfort for a substantial headset

At 560 g, the Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC is not a lightweight design. Audeze LLC. addresses its mass with a wider ventilated headband and redesigned memory-foam earpads intended to distribute pressure more evenly during extended gaming sessions.

The earpads attach magnetically and can be removed without complicated tools or disassembly. Magnetic fittings are also used for the outer earcup covers. Audeze LLC.’s ReSkin system allows these panels to be replaced with alternative designs, with further motifs and limited editions planned.

A new app for both Maxwell 2 models

The launch of the ANC version coincides with a redesigned Audeze App for Microsoft Windows, Apple macOS, Apple iOS and Google Android. Its revised interface brings together sound profiles, ANC adjustment, transparency mode and the headset’s other Smart Audio functions.

The software is not restricted to the new flagship. It supports both the Audeze Maxwell 2 and the Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC, giving the two models a common control environment despite their different hardware capabilities.

Battery life reflects the ANC trade-off

The integrated lithium-polymer battery has a capacity of 1.800 mAh. At a Bluetooth playback level of 80 dBA, Audeze LLC. quotes up to 40 hours of use with ANC switched off and up to 35 hours with noise cancellation active.

Charging takes place over USB-C. A 20-minute charge is stated to restore 25 per cent of the battery, while a complete charging cycle requires approximately two hours. The endurance remains practical for extended use, although the additional processing makes the ANC model markedly less persistent than the standard Audeze Maxwell 2.

The Most Important Advantages at a Glance

• Fewer external distractions: Adaptive hybrid ANC is claimed to reduce surrounding noise by up to 35 dB.
• Accurate spatial information: The 90 mm planar magnetic drivers are designed to preserve directional cues and differentiated reproduction.
• Low-latency wireless gaming: The supplied USB-C dongle carries audio at up to 24 Bit 96 kHz.
• Broad source compatibility: Bluetooth 5.3, USB-C audio and 3.5 mm TRRS accommodate consoles, computers and mobile devices.
• Simultaneous audio signals: Wired playback can remain active alongside a Bluetooth source.
• Clearer team communication: The detachable hypercardioid microphone uses FILTER AI to suppress background noise.
• Interchangeable appearance: Magnetic ReSkin covers allow the outer earcup design to be changed.
• Cross-platform control: The new Audeze App manages sound profiles, ANC and transparency mode under Windows, macOS, iOS and Android.

Price & Availability

According to the distributor, the Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC has been available from specialist retailers since the end of July 2026. The recommended retail price for the Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC PlayStation is € 479,- including VAT.

The Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC Xbox is priced at € 499,- including VAT. Its higher price includes a licence for the Dolby Access app on Windows and Microsoft Xbox.

Getting to the Point

The Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC is not simply the existing headset with noise cancellation attached to its name. Adaptive hybrid ANC, transparency mode and simultaneous wired and Bluetooth playback materially broaden where and how the Maxwell 2 platform can be used.

The compromise is equally clear. Battery life reaches 35 hours with ANC active, compared with more than 80 hours for the Audeze Maxwell 2 without noise cancellation. Anyone prioritising maximum endurance will therefore still find the standard model more appropriate. For players who need to shut out a tournament venue, a shared living space or the noise of travel, the new flagship from Audeze LLC. presents the more relevant combination of features.

Technical Specifications