The new Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC addresses the most conspicuous omission from one of the best-sounding wireless gaming headsets on the market. Following the Maxwell 2’s debut in early 2026 and the recent introduction of interchangeable ReSkin earcups, Audeze is adding active and adaptive noise cancellation, expanded smart-audio capabilities, and new visual accents. More significantly, the Maxwell 2 ANC is the first headset in Audeze’s entire headphone lineup to offer ANC.
The original Maxwell did more than raise expectations for gaming audio. It smashed through the category’s glass ceiling and demonstrated that a high-end headphone manufacturer could build a wireless gaming headset with serious planar magnetic performance without charging $2,000 to $4,000 for admission. There is, after all, a finite supply of audiophiles willing to explain that purchase to a spouse, accountant, or divorce attorney.
Sony Interactive Entertainment has never said that Maxwell convinced it to acquire Audeze in August 2023, but the timing is difficult to ignore. The headset gave Audeze a credible path beyond the comparatively limited market for ultra-premium planar magnetic headphones and into the vastly larger PlayStation, PC, and console-gaming ecosystem. It would be surprising if that potential did not feature prominently in Sony’s calculations.
Audeze gave eCoustics an early listen to the Maxwell 2 at CanJam NYC 2026, and its planar magnetic drivers delivered the detail, impact, and spatial precision that made the original such a category disruptor. The missing feature was ANC. With the Maxwell 2 ANC, Audeze has finally filled that hole rather than hoping gamers would stop noticing it.
Related Review: Audeze Maxwell Wireless Gaming Headphones Review
Audeze Adds Gaming Focused Adaptive ANC to the Maxwell 2
The inclusion of ANC and expanded smart-audio capabilities is a welcome addition to the Maxwell platform, which has already earned considerable attention from the media, esports competitors, and audio professionals.
Audeze’s adaptive hybrid noise cancellation system has been engineered specifically for gamers. It combines feedforward and feedback noise reduction with low-latency transparency, reducing external distractions while preserving positional-audio accuracy. According to Audeze’s internal testing, the system delivers a significant reduction in constant low-frequency noise and outperforms typical consumer ANC headphones during gameplay.
The Maxwell 2 ANC also supports AI-controlled ANC settings, voice-activated commands, an improved transparency mode, and simultaneous wired and Bluetooth audio playback. Combined with the full planar magnetic driver system and SLAM technology carried over from the Maxwell 2, these upgrades position the Maxwell 2 ANC as the most advanced gaming headset Audeze has released to date.
Key Features of the Maxwell 2 ANC
- Adaptive Hybrid Noise Cancellation: ANC microphones embedded within the earcups give users greater control over their listening environment. A low-latency Transparency Mode is also included.
- Voice-Command Control: Voice commands provide faster access to key settings as gameplay conditions change.
- Planar Magnetic Drivers with SLAM: Carried over from the Maxwell 2, Audeze’s planar magnetic driver system and SLAM technology are designed to deliver clearer, deeper bass and more precise sound.
- Improved Comfort: Upgraded ergonomics are intended to reduce fatigue during longer gaming sessions.
- Versatile Connectivity: The Maxwell 2 ANC supports connections with PCs, game consoles, and mobile devices, making it easier to move between gaming and everyday listening.
- Style Highlights: Silver accents give the Maxwell 2 ANC a distinct appearance, while the previously introduced limited-edition ReSkin earcups allow users to personalize the headset.
Comparison
| Audeze Model | Maxwell 2 ANC (2026) | Maxwell 2 (2026) | Maxwell (2023) |
| Product Type | Wireless Gaming Headset | Wireless Gaming Headset | Wireless Gaming Headset |
| Price | For PlayStation: $429 For Xbox: $449 | For Playstation: $329 For Xbox: $349 | For Playstation: $299 For Xbox: $329 |
| Wearing Style | Over-ear, Closed-Black | Over-ear, Closed-Black | Over-ear, Closed-Black |
| Transducer type. | Planar magnetic | Planar magnetic | Planar Magnetic |
| Transducer size | 90 mm | 90 mm | 90 mm |
| Magnet type | Neodymium N50 | Neodymium N50 | Neodymium N50 |
| Magnetic Structure. | Fluxor magnet array | Fluxor magnet array | Fluxor magnet array |
| Diaphragm type | Uniforce | Uniforce | Uniforce™ |
| Phase Management | Fazor | Fazor | Fazor |
| Acoustic management | SLAM | SLAM | – |
| Maximum SPL | > 115 dB | > 115 dB | > 120 dB |
| Frequency Response | 10Hz – 50kHz | 10Hz – 50kHz | 10Hz – 50kHz |
| THD | <0.1% @ 100dB | <0.1% @ 100dB | <0.1% (@ 1 kHz, 1mW) |
| Noise Reduction | ANC | N/A | N/A |
| Bluetooth 5.3 | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codec Support | LE Audio, LDAC, AAC, SBC | LE Audio, LDAC, AAC, SBC | LE Audio, LC3, LC3plus, LDAC, AAC, SBC |
| Bluetooth Multipoint | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Wireless Dongle | USB-C, ultra-low latency | USB-C, ultra-low latency | USB-C |
| Wired connection | USB-C digital, 3.5mm analog | USB-C digital, 3.5mm analog | USB-C with dual-audio endpoints and game-chat mix 3.5mm TRRS active |
| Audeze App | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Battery | Lithium-polymer, 1800mAh | Lithium-polymer, 1800mAh | Lithium-polymer, 1800mAh |
| Battery life | Over 80hr (wireless, 80dBA) | Over 80hr (wireless, 80dBA) | Over 80 hrs wireless playback @ 80dBA |
| Fast charge | USB-C 5v 1.8A max | USB-C 5v 1.8A max | USB-C, 5v 1.8 Amp max – 25% charge / 20min (Full charge 2hr) |
The Bottom Line
The Maxwell 2 was unveiled at CES 2026 and quickly established itself as one of the strongest premium gaming headsets on the market. The Maxwell 2 ANC addresses its most obvious omission by adding adaptive hybrid noise cancellation, improved transparency, and expanded smart-audio features without abandoning the 90 mm planar magnetic drivers, Fluxor magnet arrays, Fazor waveguides, and SLAM acoustic technology that distinguish the platform.
That combination is what makes the Maxwell 2 ANC unusual. Noise cancellation is hardly new to gaming headsets, but pairing gaming-focused adaptive ANC with Audeze’s full-size planar magnetic driver technology is far less common. Its primary competition includes the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Omni ($399), Turtle Beach Stealth Pro II ($349), and the Razer Kraken V4 Pro ($399).
Those rivals offer their own advantages, including lighter designs, hot-swappable batteries, elaborate control hubs, and aggressive competitive-gaming tuning. Audeze’s strongest argument remains sound quality, particularly for gamers who also expect one headset to handle music, movies, voice chat, and everyday listening without sounding like a plastic helmet full of angry bees.
At $429 for the PlayStation version and $449 for Xbox, the Maxwell 2 ANC is aimed at serious console and PC gamers who prioritize planar magnetic clarity, bass extension, positional accuracy, and effective isolation over low weight or bargain pricing. It is not an impulse purchase, but it is considerably less expensive than the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Elite and occupies a rare position between conventional premium gaming headsets and Audeze’s far more expensive audiophile headphones.
Sony’s acquisition of Audeze appears to be paying dividends. Rather than sanding away the company’s audiophile identity, the Maxwell platform is bringing its planar magnetic technology to a much larger audience. The Maxwell 2 ANC is the most complete version of that strategy so far—and potentially the model that finally eliminates the strongest reason some gamers had for buying something else.
Pricing & Availability
- Maxwell 2 ANC for Xbox: $449 at Audeze
- Maxwell 2 ANC for PlayStation: $429 at Audeze
- Maxwell 2 for Xbox: $349 at Audeze | Amazon | Crutchfield
- Maxwell 2 for PlayStation: $329 at Audeze | Amazon | Crutchfield
All models support Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, and Nintendo Switch. The Maxwell 2 ANC will be demonstrated at CanJam London 2026 from July 18-19.
Related Reading:
- Audeze Maxwell 2 At CES 2026 — The Wireless Gaming Headset That Just Reset The Power Rankings
- Audeze ReSkin Lets Maxwell 2 Gamers Customize Their Headset Without Buying A New One
- ASUS ROG Kithara Review: Open-Back Headphones With HiFiMAN Tech For Audiophile Gamers?
- Sony’s Acquisition of Audeze Makes Perfect Sense
