Over-Ear
Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC
88Outstanding
$430
Full review dataAudeze Maxwell 2 ANC vs Audio-Technica Ad2000x: which should you buy?
On aggregated review scores the Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC 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 ANC - Outstanding overall at around $429.
Over-Ear
Audio-Technica Ad2000x
57Average
$700
Full review dataScore breakdown
Each axis is a 0–10 blend of what reviewers scored, not a lab measurement.
Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC leads on 7 of 7 measures.
- Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC
- Audio-Technica Ad2000x
HearWiki score
88
57
Sound
9.3
7.4
Noise cancelling
8.5
-
Battery
8.0
-
Calls
9.0
-
Value
6.5
3.0
Price (USD)
$430
$700
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 ANC (2026) against Audio-Technica Ad2000x (2012). The Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC edges ahead on platform, but only just: ANC type Adaptive against None. It also adds USB-C.
- Maxwell 2 ANC202614 yr newer
- Ad2000x2012
What differsMaxwell 2 ANCAd2000x
- ANC type
- Adaptive
- None
- USB-C
- Yes
- No
Platform
Everyday features
Specifications
Maxwell 2 ANCAd2000x
- Type
- Over-Ear
- Over-Ear
- Price (USD)
- $430
- $700
- HearWiki score
- 88
- 57
- Released
- 2026
- 2012
- Availability
- Sold new
- Discontinued
- Driver
- 90 mm planar magnetic
- 53 mm dynamic
- Driver type
- planar
- dynamic
- Driver size
- 90 mm
- 53 mm
- Drivers per side
- 1
- 1
- Frequency response
- 10 Hz - 50 kHz
- 5 Hz - 45 kHz
- Impedance
- -
- 40 Ω
- Sensitivity
- 115 dB/mW
- 103 dB/mW
- Bluetooth
- 5.3
- -
- Codecs
- SBC, AAC, LC3, LC3plus, LDAC
- -
- Multipoint pairing
- Yes
- -
- Battery life
- 40 h
- -
- Battery life (ANC on)
- 35 h
- -
- Full charge time
- 120 min
- -
- Active noise cancelling
- Yes
- No
- ANC type
- adaptive
- -
- Transparency mode
- Yes
- -
- Companion app
- Yes
- -
- Custom EQ
- Yes
- -
- Wear detection
- No
- -
- Controls
- both
- -
- Weight
- 560 g
- 265 g
- USB-C
- Yes
- No
- Connector
- -
- 3.5 mm
- Balanced connection
- -
- Yes
- Microphones
- 2
- -
- Call noise reduction
- Yes
- -
- Call NR technology
- AI ENC
- -
What reviewers said
Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC
No summary yet - we haven't aggregated enough reviews.
Audio-Technica Ad2000x
The Audio-Technica AD2000X is a lightweight, open-back over-ear headphone designed for high-fidelity listening, featuring a 53mm dynamic driver and an impressively wide frequency response. It is built to be easily driven and offers a balanced connection, though it lacks active noise cancellation and USB-C compatibility. The sound is described as detailed, lush, and organic, with tight bass, but the open-back design means it offers no isolation and it may not be as comfortable as its predecessor.
- Pro:Detailed and lush sound with tight bass
- Pro:Lightweight design at 265g
- Pro:Wide frequency response from 5 Hz to 45 kHz
- Con:No active noise cancellation
- Con:Open-back design offers no sound isolation
- Con:Comfort may be less than older AD-2000 model
Summaries are AI-condensed and paraphrased from published reviews and specs - not original hands-on testing. More on our method.
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