By aspect — in detail
The most-argued sonic aspect. Everyone agrees it's a clean, fast planar low end rather than a boomy one; they split on whether there's enough of it. One camp hears deep, tight, genuinely physical sub-bass; the other hears a shy sub-bass with less slam than the original — a gap that shipped worse and was only partly closed by an early firmware update, so how it lands also depends on which firmware and EQ you're running.
Measured
SoundGuys' frequency response shows a low end that behaves 'as if there's a high-pass filter starting at 35Hz'; 'The huge dip in bass, especially under 30Hz, is felt more than it is heard.' A firmware update shortly after launch lifted the low end — Tom's Hardware notes it 'brought back the thumping bass' but 'it's still not quite as powerful as the bass in the original Maxwell,' and an early owner reported the launch units 'were missing sub bass' until the patch.
⚠ vs. listeners — Both camps are describing the same tuning: a fast, tight, sub-bass-shy low end that a post-launch firmware update improved but didn't fully make up to the original's slam. Whether that reads as 'clean and controlled' or 'thin' is preference — planar bass quality vs the sheer quantity a gaming headset is often expected to deliver.
Where it splits
Deep and tight — real sub-bass weight the original only hinted at, controlled and never bloated.45%
“sub-bass had a weight and presence that the first Maxwell only hinted at, while mid-bass stayed tight and controlled, never bleeding into the midrange.”
NanoTechnos, Headfonia
Light on sub-bass slam — less physical than the original, and it needed a firmware patch to get there.55%
“even with Audeze’s “Slam” technology, basslines can still feel lacking during busy tracks.”
Jhaycee Calvez, SoundGuys
A consistent strength and a point of near-agreement. The midrange is called natural, articulate and well-bodied — carrying some of the tonal realism of Audeze's wired LCD line — with voices and instruments rendered clearly and expressively. A measured lower-mid dip around 200 Hz keeps it from sounding thick.
“Human speech sounds true-to-life, indicating a well-tuned midrange response”
Phil Iwaniuk, TechRadar
“It’s an authoritative midrange resposne that really elevates game audio and music listening equally.”
Alex Schiffer, MajorHiFi
Measured
SoundGuys reads a dip in the lower mids at 200 Hz 'which can clean up some of the muddiness caused by the bass peaks' — the midrange otherwise tracks its preference curve closely.
Sources split on the top end. Most hear it as clean, sparkly and detailed without tipping into fatigue; the two measurement-minded reviewers flag a real peak that makes the stock tuning sound sharp, sibilant and a little metallic — a difference the graph supports, and one EQ only partly tames.
Measured
SoundGuys measures a 'peak in the 7KHz region'; StreamTech's rig reads 'a generally metallic timbre that you cannot remove with equalization.' Both camps are hearing the same upper-treble lift — sparkle to some ears, sibilance to others.
Where it splits
Sharp and sibilant on the stock tuning — a metallic edge EQ can't fully remove.42%
“The peak in the 7KHz region can make some voices feel painfully sibilant, and when paired with a lack of bass, they can make the Maxwell 2 sound bright.”
Jhaycee Calvez, SoundGuys
Broadly described as balanced and neutral-leaning, tuned close to a modern preference curve and very responsive to EQ. The catch, on the stock tuning, is that the shy sub-bass and the 7 kHz peak can tilt the balance bright — so the same headset reads 'even and natural' to most and 'a little bright and lean' to the bass-and-treble-sensitive.
“Overall, the sound signature of the Maxwell 2 is balanced and fairly neutral.”
Delaney Czernikowski, Audio46
“when paired with a lack of bass, they can make the Maxwell 2 sound bright.”
Jhaycee Calvez, SoundGuys
Measured
SoundGuys finds the response 'closely follows SoundGuys' preference curve' apart from the sub-bass roll-off and the 7 kHz peak — a fundamentally neutral tuning with two edges that push some listeners toward 'bright' and others toward 'warm,' both easily shifted in the app's EQ.
Soundstage
Moderate · 6 srcA genuine highlight for a closed-back. Reviewers agree the stage is convincingly wide and open — unusually so for a sealed wireless headset — with instruments spread naturally left to right. The honest limit is depth: it's wide rather than deeply three-dimensional, as you'd expect from a closed design.
“It has a naturally wide stereo field, separating the left and right channels with incredible grace.”
Alex Schiffer, MajorHiFi
“Width was genuinely impressive for a closed-back – instruments spread convincingly across the left-right axis without sounding artificial or processed.”
NanoTechnos, Headfonia
Measured
Headfonia notes the trade-off: 'Depth was more modest, and the overall stage didn't quite reach the three-dimensional layering you'd get from an open-back planar' — fair for a sealed wireless headset.
Imaging
Strong consensus · 6 srcThe standout gaming trait, and the least-contested one. Directional cues are precise and instinctive — footsteps and gunfire place cleanly in space, holding up in busy scenes — which is exactly why the Maxwell 2 keeps getting recommended for competitive shooters.
“The Audeze Maxwell 2 has great separation and precise spatial depth for FPS shooters.”
Jhaycee Calvez, SoundGuys
“footsteps didn’t just register, they carried directional information that felt instinctive rather than processed”
NanoTechnos, Headfonia
A clear strength: fast planar transients and excellent resolution and separation that stay crisp even in chaotic scenes, approaching wired-audiophile territory. The honest ceiling is that the very last bit of micro-detail and air stays out of reach of a closed wireless design.
“These have very fast transient response, excellent separation, and it stays crisp when a match gets chaotic.”
BadIntent, StreamTechReviews
“The clarity and detail the Maxwell 2s have is almost uncanny, especially when playing games like Counterstrike 2.”
r/Audeze owner (via RedditRecs)
Measured
Headfonia puts the ceiling plainly: 'the last few percent of treble air and micro-detail that an open-back planar retrieves effortlessly stayed out of reach' — resolution that lands near a wired LCD-X but not quite there.
Praised for planar speed and snap — the fast transient attack that makes strings, percussion and in-game impacts feel immediate. Macro-dynamic slam is held back a little by the shy sub-bass, and the overall dynamic range, while excellent for a wireless product, doesn't fully match a wired rig.
“The transient speed of a planar driver really lends itself well to instruments like violins.”
r/HeadphoneAdvice owner (via RedditRecs)
Measured
Headfonia: the dynamic range is 'excellent for a wireless product' but 'couldn't quite match what a dedicated wired chain delivers' — and reviewers who wanted more sub-bass note the slam is limited by the low-end tuning rather than the drivers.
The other big argument, and it tracks something physical: weight. At ~560 g the Maxwell 2 is one of the heaviest headsets around and about 70 g heavier than the already-hefty original. A wider headband and roomier cups spread that load, so some reviewers find it surprisingly comfortable — while others (and much of the community) can only wear it an hour or few before it fatigues the head, neck or jaw. Head size, clamp tolerance and whether you add a suspension strap decide which camp you're in.
Measured
Weight lands around 560–574 g depending on the rig and whether the mic is attached; Tom's Hardware measures 560 g, 'about 2.5 ounces (70g) heavier than the original Maxwell, which was already one of the heaviest headsets we've ever tested,' and notes the headband was widened from ~44.5 mm to 70 mm to spread the load. StreamTech adds that the frame length isn't adjustable, only the suspension strap.
Where it splits
Surprisingly comfortable — the wider strap and roomy cups carry the weight well.33%
“Despite its giant (and heavy) earcups, the Maxwell 2 is a surprisingly comfortable headset.”
Sarah Jacobsson Purewal, Tom's Hardware
Too heavy for long sessions — fatiguing after a couple of hours (or less).67%
“Despite weighing 567g, I was only able to wear the Audeze Maxwell 2 for 4 hours before they became uncomfortable.”
Jhaycee Calvez, SoundGuys
A near-universal strength. The Maxwell 2 feels premium and tank-like — aluminium yokes, a spring-steel headband, reinforced cups, magnetic swappable side plates and a solid detachable boom mic, with no creak or flex. The caveats are practical: the earcups no longer swivel flat for travel, and a slice of the community worries about the exposed planar drivers' long-term durability.
“everything feels tank-like, with zero creaks or flex when I twisted the cups.”
NanoTechnos, Headfonia
“The build quality and presentation are also wonderful, like something you’d find waiting for you on an eye-wateringly expensive first-class plane seat.”
Phil Iwaniuk, TechRadar
Isolation
Moderate · 5 srcMixed, and important to understand before buying. As a sealed closed-back it blocks everyday chatter well passively — but the launch model has no active noise cancelling (an ANC version is announced), it does little against low rumble, and a couple of the measurement-minded reviewers notice a faint background hiss in quiet passages.
“do a superb job of passively blocking out external sounds”
Nick Evanson, PC Gamer
“there is an audible noise floor that bugs me only a little bit, which rears its ugly head whenever there are quiet parts in a song.”
Jhaycee Calvez, SoundGuys
Measured
There is no active noise cancelling on the launch units — 'Audeze has announced an ANC version of the Maxwell 2' (SoundGuys), which several reviewers suggest waiting for. StreamTech flags a 'Constant white noise/hiss even with no audio playing' as a con.
The defining argument. Nobody disputes it's a superb-sounding gaming headset; they split hard on whether it's worth buying now. One camp sees a real refinement that extends Audeze's lead. The louder camp — including both measurement sources and most of the mainstream press — calls it a pricey 'Maxwell 1.5': ~$100 more than the still-excellent original, heavier, with the two most-wanted fixes (weight, simultaneous dongle+Bluetooth) missing and an ANC version already announced. Buy the cheaper Gen 1, or wait.
Measured
Priced at $329 (PlayStation) / $349 (Xbox), roughly $100 above the discounted original. TechRadar's bottom line — 'It's practically just as good, and it's available for less. Sorry, Gen 2, but it just makes sense to buy the older model' — and StreamTech's, that with the original's 'two biggest weaknesses' unfixed 'I ultimately just consider this a sidegrade,' capture the majority read.
Where it splits
A real step forward — the best-sounding wireless gaming headset, only more so.30%
“The Maxwell was already the best-sounding gaming headset on the market; the Maxwell 2 simply widened the gap.”
NanoTechnos, Headfonia
A pricey sidegrade — buy the cheaper original, or wait for the ANC version.70%
“It’s definitely an upgrade, but if you already enjoy the original, there aren’t any extras that feel like a meaningful upgrade.”
Jhaycee Calvez, SoundGuys
