By: Dipin Sehdev

Audeze has expanded its popular Maxwell gaming headset lineup with the new Maxwell 2 ANC, a more premium version of the Maxwell 2 that adds adaptive active noise cancellation, transparency mode, head tracking, and additional smart-audio features.

The PlayStation version is available now for $429, while an Xbox-compatible model is priced at $449 and is expected to follow shortly.

The launch is notable because the Maxwell family has already earned a strong reputation among gamers and audio enthusiasts. The original Audeze Maxwell received a 93% CE Critic Score and an Elite Award, establishing it as one of the most acclaimed gaming headsets of its generation. The Maxwell 2 followed with an 86% CE Critic Score and an Essential Award.

Now Audeze is hoping the addition of active noise cancellation can make the Maxwell 2 platform more competitive in an increasingly crowded premium gaming headset market.

The Biggest Upgrade Is ANC

The standard Maxwell 2 launched without active noise cancellation, despite competing in a price range where ANC has become increasingly common. The Maxwell 2 ANC addresses that omission with an adaptive hybrid system that combines external feedforward microphones and internal feedback microphones to reduce surrounding noise.

Audeze says the system was engineered specifically to preserve the headset's frequency response and positional accuracy whether ANC is switched on or off. That distinction matters for gaming because poorly implemented noise cancellation can alter tonal balance or make directional cues less precise. The headset also includes a transparency mode for users who need to hear their surroundings without removing the headset.

According to Audeze, the Maxwell 2 ANC is the first full-range planar magnetic headphone to incorporate active noise cancellation.

Familiar 90mm Planar Magnetic Drivers

The Maxwell 2 ANC retains the core audio architecture of the standard model, including Audeze's large 90mm planar magnetic drivers. Planar drivers use a thin diaphragm suspended within a magnetic field, allowing them to respond quickly and produce lower distortion than many conventional dynamic-driver designs.

Audeze also includes its SLAM technology, designed to improve bass extension and dynamics while maintaining clarity.

The company is positioning the headset for gaming, music, entertainment, and professional audio work, with built-in head tracking and automatic calibration intended to improve spatial imaging.

AI Voice Processing and Smart Features

Communication is handled by Audeze's FILTER AI noise-removal technology, which is designed to separate the user's voice from surrounding sounds during multiplayer gaming, streaming, and calls.

The Maxwell 2 ANC also adds:

• AI-controlled ANC parameters
• Voice-activated commands
• Improved transparency mode
• Simultaneous wired and Bluetooth audio
• Compatibility with the Audeze app on desktop, iOS, and Android
• Interchangeable ReSkin magnetic earcup covers

One important limitation remains: the headset does not support simultaneous Bluetooth and 2.4GHz wireless audio. That feature is available on several competing premium headsets and may matter to users who want phone or chat audio mixed with a wireless console or PC connection.

The Price Moves Further Into Premium Territory

The new ANC model carries a $100 premium over the standard Maxwell 2.

That brings the PlayStation version to $429 and the Xbox version to $449, placing the headset firmly among the most expensive mainstream gaming headsets available.

At that level, buyers will reasonably expect excellent ANC performance, strong microphone quality, comfortable long-session wear, and seamless connectivity in addition to the planar magnetic sound that made the original Maxwell so successful. The standard Maxwell 2 remains available for buyers who prioritize sound quality and do not need active noise cancellation.

Can ANC Restore the Maxwell's Original Momentum?

The original Maxwell set a very high bar. Its 93% CE Critic Score and Elite Award reflected a product that felt significantly ahead of much of the gaming headset market at launch.

The Maxwell 2 remained highly rated, earning an 86% CE Critic Score and an Essential Award, but it entered a much more competitive category and lacked some features increasingly expected at its price.

The Maxwell 2 ANC directly addresses one of the largest omissions.

Hopefully, the new ANC system can help bring the Maxwell lineup back closer to the level of acclaim earned by the original. That will depend on how effectively the noise cancellation works without changing Audeze's signature sound, as well as whether the additional features justify the $100 premium.

For now, the Maxwell 2 ANC looks like the most complete version of Audeze's gaming headset yet.

Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC Specifications

Maxwell 2 vs. Maxwell 2 ANC

Pricing and Availability

The PlayStation version is available through Audeze and participating retailers. Audeze has not provided a specific release date for the Xbox version.