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Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC vs Mpow H17: 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
  • Mpow H17
HearWiki score
88
38
Sound
9.3
5.8
Noise cancelling
8.5
4.6
Battery
8.0
6.7
Calls
9.0
5.2
Value
6.5
5.2
Price (USD)
$430
$860

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?

New platform

Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC (2026) against Mpow H17 (2019). The Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC is the newer platform here: Bluetooth 5.3 against 4.1, Top codec LC3 against SBC, LE Audio (LC3) and ANC type Adaptive against Feed-forward. It also adds Multipoint pairing, USB-C, Transparency mode and Companion app.

  • Maxwell 2 ANC20267 yr newer
  • H172019
What differsMaxwell 2 ANCH17

Platform

Bluetooth
5.3
4.1
Top codec
LC3
SBC
LE Audio (LC3)
Yes
No
ANC type
Adaptive
Feed-forward

Everyday features

Multipoint pairing
Yes
No
USB-C
Yes
No
Transparency mode
Yes
No
Companion app
Yes
No

Specifications

Maxwell 2 ANCH17
Type
Over-Ear
Over-Ear
Price (USD)
$430
$860
HearWiki score
88
38
Released
2026
2019
Availability
Sold new
Discontinued
Driver
90 mm planar magnetic
40 mm dynamic
Driver type
planar
dynamic
Driver size
90 mm
40 mm
Drivers per side
1
1
Frequency response
10 Hz - 50 kHz
20 Hz - 20 kHz
Impedance
-
32 Ω
Sensitivity
115 dB/mW
-
Bluetooth
5.3
4.1
Codecs
SBC, AAC, LC3, LC3plus, LDAC
SBC
Multipoint pairing
Yes
No
Wireless range
-
10 m
Battery life
40 h
45 h
Battery life (ANC on)
35 h
20 h
Full charge time
120 min
10 min
Wireless charging
-
No
Active noise cancelling
Yes
Yes
ANC type
adaptive
feedforward
Transparency mode
Yes
No
Companion app
Yes
No
Custom EQ
Yes
-
Wear detection
No
-
Controls
both
buttons
Voice assistant
-
Google Assistant, Siri
Weight
560 g
204 g
Water resistance
-
none
Foldable
-
Yes
Detachable cable
-
Yes
USB-C
Yes
No
Pad material
-
protein-leather
Microphones
2
1
Call noise reduction
Yes
Yes
Call NR technology
AI ENC
cVc 6.0

What reviewers said

Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC

No summary yet - we haven't aggregated enough reviews.

Mpow H17

It’s lightweight and foldable, making it a practical choice for commuters, though its sound signature is dark and better suited for bass lovers than critical listeners.

  • Pro:Long battery life, especially with ANC off
  • Pro:Lightweight and foldable design for portability
  • Pro:Strong bass emphasis for bass-forward music
  • Con:Sound can feel congested and dark
  • Con:ANC performance is only modest
  • Con:No transparency mode or app support

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

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