Over-Ear
Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC
88Outstanding
$430
Full review dataAudeze Maxwell 2 ANC vs Grado PS500e: 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.
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
- Grado PS500e
HearWiki score
88
62
Sound
9.3
7.8
Noise cancelling
8.5
-
Battery
8.0
-
Calls
9.0
-
Value
6.5
4.2
Price (USD)
$430
$600
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 Grado PS500e (2020). The Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC edges ahead on platform, but only just: ANC type Adaptive against None.
- Maxwell 2 ANC20266 yr newer
- PS500e2020
What differsMaxwell 2 ANCPS500e
- ANC type
- Adaptive
- None
Platform
Specifications
Maxwell 2 ANCPS500e
- Type
- Over-Ear
- Over-Ear
- Price (USD)
- $430
- $600
- HearWiki score
- 88
- 62
- Released
- 2026
- 2020
- Availability
- Sold new
- Discontinued
- Driver
- 90 mm planar magnetic
- 44 mm dynamic
- Driver type
- planar
- dynamic
- Driver size
- 90 mm
- 44 mm
- Drivers per side
- 1
- 1
- Frequency response
- 10 Hz - 50 kHz
- 14 Hz - 29 kHz
- Impedance
- -
- 32 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
- No
- ANC type
- adaptive
- -
- Transparency mode
- Yes
- -
- Companion app
- Yes
- -
- Custom EQ
- Yes
- -
- Wear detection
- No
- -
- Controls
- both
- none
- Weight
- 560 g
- -
- USB-C
- Yes
- -
- Connector
- -
- 6.35 mm
- 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.
Grado PS500e
The Grado PS500e is an open-back, wired over-ear headphone known for its clear, lively, and well-balanced sound signature. It offers strong technical performance and a studio-leaning character that prioritizes realism and engagement, though its design focuses on audio quality rather than comfort or portability. This model delivers a refined, old-school presentation with modern finesse, making it a solid choice for critical listening at home or in the studio.
- Pro:Detailed and balanced audio reproduction
- Pro:Open, dynamic sound with strong realism
- Pro:Good technical performance for its price
- Con:No active noise cancellation or controls
- Con:Comfort and ergonomics are weaker than sound quality
- Con:Open-back design offers no isolation
Summaries are AI-condensed and paraphrased from published reviews and specs - not original hands-on testing. More on our method.
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