Gaming headsets have come a long way in recent years, with many manufacturers pushing beyond basic communication tools to create products that deliver immersive sound and long-term comfort. As games become more cinematic and competitive, players increasingly expect headphones that can reproduce detailed audio while remaining practical for everyday use. The Audeze Maxwell 2 enters this space with the goal of offering a premium listening experience designed for modern gaming setups. With its blend of advanced audio technology and versatile connectivity, it aims to serve both dedicated gamers and listeners looking for a headset that performs well across multiple platforms.
What You Get
- Maxwell 2 headset
- Detachable boom mic with pop filter
- USB-C wireless dongle
- USB-C to USB-C cable (1.5m)
- USB-C to USB-A adapter cable (0.3m)
- 3.5mm TRRS analog cable (1.2m)
Look & Feel
Audeze’s gaming headphones are already some of the best built on the market. They established this with the original Maxwell, so the Maxwell 2 doesn’t need to change much to still have a top-tier design. They are a solid and composed structure with an incredibly sturdy frame, almost in an industrial manner. While I find the Maxwell 2 just as comfortable earpad-wise as the original, I’m still not a fan of how you adjust the headband. However, I understand that these are already a pretty weighty pair of headphones, and a different headband might cause more pressure to build up when worn. Overall, the Maxwell 2 has a fantastic build and a good level of comfort for long gaming sessions.
Design
The Audeze Maxwell 2 is built around Audeze’s large 90 mm planar magnetic drivers, which are significantly larger than typical gaming headset drivers and designed to deliver detailed, low-distortion audio with strong bass and precise spatial imaging thanks to Audeze’s SLAM technology that has been borrowed from their mainline audiophile headphones.
Microphone Quality
For communication, the headset includes a detachable boom microphone with AI-powered FILTER noise removal that helps keep voice chat clear by suppressing background noise. In practice, the Maxwell 2’s mic quality is very clear, allowing for direct voice clarity through its hypercardioid polar pattern. Noise interference was pretty much a non-factor, and my friends on the other end of my Discord chat had no issue hearing everything I was saying. With that said, recording myself talking into the mic didn’t result in a pleasant timbre. Nothing sounds muffled, but the actual quality of the mic isn’t near broadcast quality if you wanted to use the Maxwell 2 for that.
Bluetooth
You can use the Maxwell 2 wired and wirelessly using two methods. If you want ultra-low-latency wireless connectivity, use the USB-C dongle that works as a multipoint, along with Bluetooth 5.3 with LDAC, LE Audio, and Auracast support. This allows the Maxwell 2 to work with PCs, consoles, and mobile devices seamlessly. This results in a very stable connection with plenty of options; however, using the USB-C or 3.5mm wired connection might offer you better sound quality.
Battery Life
Powering the system is a long-lasting rechargeable battery rated for over 80 hours of playback, with fast-charge capability for extended sessions. If you’re using the Maxwell 2 wirelessly, this will give you multiple sessions of playtime before needing to put the headphones back on the charger.
Soundstage
There’s part of me that enjoys hearing game sounds as they are, and part of me that finds features like spatial audio interesting. I tested the Maxwell 2 as both a gaming headphone and an everyday music listening headphone. The results granted me the best of both worlds, with the soundstage exemplifying that better than any other part of the Maxwell 2. It has a naturally wide stereo field, separating the left and right channels with incredible grace. The Maxwell 2 is very articulate with its spatial positioning, which is equally as important for music as it is for games. Everthing appears cleanly in the mix, each sound element localizing itself in ways that are easy to recognize. This can be critical for all types of games, competitive and immersive.
While playing Resident Evil 9: Requiem, I could more clearly tell where certain roaming enemies were coming from, which was both informative and intimidating. This elevates the soundstage of the Maxwell 2, allowing for striking emergent gaming moments, while maintaining a realistic presentation that can be compared to audiophile closed-back headphones rather than gaming headphones. I believe in the default soundstage and imaging of the Maxwell 2 so much that I thought using 3D sound on the PS5 almost made the experience worse in some ways. The Maxwell 2 does more than enough with its level of depth and channel balance, so using optional 3D spatializers for games makes the headphones feel less natural.
Low End
This is one of the most detailed and dynamic bass responses you can find on a pair of gaming headphones. It’s not the most ferocious and thick tone like other gaming headphones are. Instead, the Maxwell 2 provides a more elegant reproduction of frequencies that ensure clarity and definition over rough texture and boominess. Everything has a clear shape and movement, with throaty sub-bass and punch mid-bass that feels subtle and concise. You will always feel its presence, but its more natural presentation allows for more balance and resolution.
If you’re pining for some more rumble to sweeten gaming sound effects, the Audeze desktop and mobile app has a very effective EQ that will definitely push the bass tone past its threshold. You have Audeze’s default tuning, but also bass boost and immersive presets that help amplify bass frequencies for a more theatrical slam. The Maxwell 2 handles this effortlessly, keeping up with how well Audeze headphones respond to EQ.
Mids
For a gaming headphone, the Maxwell 2 offers more than what’s asked for in the midrange. Instruments, sound effects, and dialogue are very clean, communicating detailed atmospheres and a full musical score that layers nicely in the mix. The Maxwell 2 has a lot of room to showcase, and the sound elements make use of that room well. Everything has a solid weight to it, with helpings of low-mid warmth and upper-mid drive that allow the mids to appear lush and lively. Sound design elements crack and dissipate clearly, while instruments strike down and make the midrange appear very physical. This goes for voices as well, which sound expressive and transparent. It’s an authoritative midrange resposne that really elevates game audio and music listening equally.
Highs
While holding back a bit compared to the bass and mids, the high frequencies still showcase a tight response that expresses height and clarity. The treble extends into some sharp frequencies, but its timbre is always comfortable to listen to. Reverbs have rich tails that decay naturally, with just the right amount of ring to them. Nothing about the highs feels fatiguing, but they’re also not shy.
Summary
The Audeze Maxwell 2 successfully bridges the gap between gaming headset convenience and audiophile-level sound quality. Its massive planar magnetic drivers deliver exceptional clarity, controlled bass, and expansive spatial imaging that make both games and music sound more detailed and immersive than most traditional gaming headsets can manage. Beyond sound performance, the Maxwell 2 excels in connectivity and endurance. With support for low-latency wireless through the USB-C dongle, Bluetooth 5.3 with LDAC and LE Audio, and wired playback options, it adapts easily to PCs, consoles, and mobile devices. The 80-hour battery life further reinforces its practicality, allowing gamers to play for days before needing to recharge.
While the microphone isn’t quite at broadcast quality and the headband adjustment system may not be everyone’s favorite, these minor drawbacks are overshadowed by the headset’s overall performance. Between its durable construction, flexible connectivity, and impressively detailed sound, the Maxwell 2 stands out as one of the best planar magnetic gaming headsets available today. For gamers who want audiophile-grade sound, precise spatial imaging, and long-lasting wireless performance, the Audeze Maxwell 2 is an easy recommendation and a compelling evolution of one of the most respected gaming headsets on the market.
The Audeze Maxwell 2 is available at Audio46.
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