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Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC vs Beyerdynamic DT-48A: which should you buy?

Specs, scores and condensed review verdicts for the Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC vs Beyerdynamic DT-48A, side by side. Where a product has no HearWiki score yet, not enough reviews have been aggregated to rate it.

Score 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
  • Beyerdynamic DT-48A
HearWiki score
88
-
Sound
9.3
-
Noise cancelling
8.5
-
Battery
8.0
-
Calls
9.0
-
Value
6.5
-
Price (USD)
$430
$530

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

The Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC edges ahead on platform, but only just: ANC type Adaptive against None.

  • Maxwell 2 ANC2026
  • DT-48AYear unknown
What differsMaxwell 2 ANCDT-48A

Platform

ANC type
Adaptive
None

Specifications

Maxwell 2 ANCDT-48A
Type
Over-Ear
Over-Ear
Price (USD)
$430
$530
HearWiki score
88
Not scored
Released
2026
-
Availability
Sold new
Availability unknown
Driver
90 mm planar magnetic
-
Driver type
planar
-
Driver size
90 mm
-
Drivers per side
1
-
Frequency response
10 Hz - 50 kHz
-
Impedance
-
5 Ω
Sensitivity
115 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
-
ANC type
adaptive
-
Transparency mode
Yes
-
Companion app
Yes
-
Custom EQ
Yes
-
Wear detection
No
-
Controls
both
-
Weight
560 g
-
USB-C
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.

Beyerdynamic DT-48A

The Beyerdynamic DT-48A is a vintage wired over-ear headphone, originally designed for audiometric testing and first introduced in 1937. It delivers a very clean, clear, and distortion-free sound with an exceptionally smooth midrange, but its stock round rubber pads virtually eliminate bass response. This is a niche, retro choice for listeners who prioritize midrange clarity over low-end presence.

  • Pro:Extremely clean and clear sound
  • Pro:Smooth, natural midrange
  • Pro:Low distortion even at higher volumes
  • Con:Essentially no bass with stock pads
  • Con:Very low 5-ohm impedance may require a specific amp
  • Con:No active noise cancellation or wireless features

Summaries are AI-condensed and paraphrased from published reviews and specs - not original hands-on testing. More on our method.

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