Over-Ear
AKG N9 Hybrid
86Outstanding
$290
Full review dataAKG N9 Hybrid vs Audeze Maxwell 2: which should you buy?
On aggregated review scores the Audeze Maxwell 2 comes out ahead with a HearWiki score of 88. The full breakdown - sub-scores, specs and what reviewers actually said - is below.
Our pick: Audeze Maxwell 2 - Outstanding overall at around $329.
Over-Ear
Audeze Maxwell 2
88Outstanding
$330
Full review dataScore breakdown
Each axis is a 0–10 blend of what reviewers scored, not a lab measurement.
AKG N9 Hybrid leads on 5 of 7 measures.
- AKG N9 Hybrid
- Audeze Maxwell 2
HearWiki score
86
88
Sound
9.0
9.5
Noise cancelling
8.4
-
Battery
9.8
9.5
Calls
9.1
9.0
Value
9.0
7.5
Price (USD)
$290
$330
Generation & platform
The scores rank quality. This is the other question: is the newer one actually newer technology, or the same platform in a new shell?
Half a step newer
Audeze Maxwell 2 (2026) against AKG N9 Hybrid (2024). The Audeze Maxwell 2 edges ahead on platform, but only just: LE Audio (LC3).
- N9 Hybrid2024
- Maxwell 220262 yr newer
What differsN9 HybridMaxwell 2
- LE Audio (LC3)
- No
- Yes
Platform
Level on: Bluetooth, Top codec, ANC type, Multipoint pairing, USB-C, Transparency mode, Custom EQ, Companion app.
Specifications
N9 HybridMaxwell 2
- Type
- Over-Ear
- Over-Ear
- Price (USD)
- $290
- $330
- HearWiki score
- 86
- 88
- Released
- 2024
- 2026
- Availability
- Still sold new
- Sold new
- Driver
- 40 mm dynamic
- 90 mm planar magnetic
- Driver type
- dynamic
- planar
- Driver size
- 40 mm
- 90 mm
- Drivers per side
- 1
- 1
- Frequency response
- 10 Hz - 40 kHz
- 10 Hz - 50 kHz
- Impedance
- 32 Ω
- -
- Sensitivity
- 98 dB/mW
- -
- Bluetooth
- 5.3
- 5.3
- Codecs
- SBC, AAC, LDAC
- SBC, AAC, LC3, LC3plus, LDAC
- Multipoint pairing
- Yes
- Yes
- Battery life
- 100 h
- 80 h
- Battery life (ANC on)
- 55 h
- 35 h
- Full charge time
- 180 min
- 120 min
- Quick charge
- 10 min → 6 h
- -
- Wireless charging
- No
- -
- Active noise cancelling
- Yes
- Yes
- ANC type
- adaptive
- adaptive
- Transparency mode
- Yes
- Yes
- Companion app
- Yes
- Yes
- Custom EQ
- Yes
- Yes
- Wear detection
- No
- No
- Controls
- touch
- buttons
- Voice assistant
- Google Assistant, Siri
- -
- Weight
- 281 g
- 560 g
- Water resistance
- none
- -
- USB-C
- Yes
- Yes
- Microphones
- 1
- 2
- Call noise reduction
- -
- Yes
- Call NR technology
- -
- AI ENC
What reviewers said
AKG N9 Hybrid
The AKG N9 Hybrid is a versatile over-ear headphone that balances detailed, well-controlled sound with strong adaptive noise cancellation and an exceptionally long battery life. It offers modern connectivity including Bluetooth 5.3, multipoint, and LDAC support, plus a comfortable build suited for music, gaming, and movies. Its feature set makes it a practical choice for users who value both performance and endurance.
- Pro:Very long battery life, even with ANC enabled
- Pro:Adaptive noise cancelling with customizable options
- Pro:Support for high-quality LDAC codec
- Con:No water resistance rating
- Con:No wireless charging support
- Con:Only one microphone for calls
Audeze Maxwell 2
No summary yet - we haven't aggregated enough reviews.
Summaries are AI-condensed and paraphrased from published reviews and specs - not original hands-on testing. More on our method.
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