Over-Ear
Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC
88Outstanding
$430
Full review dataAudeze Maxwell 2 ANC vs HiFiMAN HE 600: 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
HiFiMAN HE 600
81Outstanding
$800
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 6 of 7 measures.
- Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC
- HiFiMAN HE 600
HearWiki score
88
81
Sound
9.3
8.8
Noise cancelling
8.5
-
Battery
8.0
-
Calls
9.0
-
Value
6.5
7.8
Price (USD)
$430
$800
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 HiFiMAN HE 600 (2025). The Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC edges ahead on platform, but only just: ANC type Adaptive against None. It also adds USB-C.
- Maxwell 2 ANC20261 yr newer
- HE 6002025
What differsMaxwell 2 ANCHE 600
- ANC type
- Adaptive
- None
- USB-C
- Yes
- No
Platform
Everyday features
Specifications
Maxwell 2 ANCHE 600
- Type
- Over-Ear
- Over-Ear
- Price (USD)
- $430
- $800
- HearWiki score
- 88
- 81
- Released
- 2026
- 2025
- Availability
- Sold new
- Sold new
- Driver
- 90 mm planar magnetic
- 100 mm planar magnetic
- Driver type
- planar
- planar
- Driver size
- 90 mm
- 100 mm
- Drivers per side
- 1
- 1
- Frequency response
- 10 Hz - 50 kHz
- 8 Hz - 65 kHz
- Sound signature
- -
- neutral
- Impedance
- -
- 28 Ω
- Sensitivity
- 115 dB/mW
- 94 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
- 389 g
- Detachable cable
- -
- Yes
- 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.
HiFiMAN HE 600
The HiFiMAN HE 600 is an open-back planar magnetic headphone that revisits the HE6 concept with a more accessible, lower-impedance design. It delivers a neutral, detailed sound with clean bass and smooth treble, though its strong clamping force may affect long-term comfort. While easier to drive than its predecessor, it still benefits from capable amplification to shine.
- Pro:Neutral and detailed sound signature
- Pro:Clean bass and smooth treble
- Pro:Easier to drive than the original HE6
- Con:Strong clamping force reduces comfort
- Con:Not a major upgrade over the HE6
- Con:Still requires decent amplification
Summaries are AI-condensed and paraphrased from published reviews and specs - not original hands-on testing. More on our method.
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