Over-Ear
Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC
88Outstanding
$430
Full review dataAudeze Maxwell 2 ANC vs STAX SR-X21: 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
STAX SR-X21
63Good
$540
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
- STAX SR-X21
HearWiki score
88
63
Sound
9.3
8.0
Noise cancelling
8.5
-
Battery
8.0
-
Calls
9.0
-
Value
6.5
7.0
Price (USD)
$430
$540
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 STAX SR-X21 (2020). The Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC edges ahead on platform, but only just: ANC type Adaptive against None.
- Maxwell 2 ANC20266 yr newer
- SR-X212020
What differsMaxwell 2 ANCSR-X21
- ANC type
- Adaptive
- None
Platform
Specifications
Maxwell 2 ANCSR-X21
- Type
- Over-Ear
- Over-Ear
- Price (USD)
- $430
- $540
- HearWiki score
- 88
- 63
- Released
- 2026
- 2020
- Availability
- Sold new
- Discontinued
- Driver
- 90 mm planar magnetic
- electrostatic
- Driver type
- planar
- electrostatic
- Driver size
- 90 mm
- -
- Drivers per side
- 1
- -
- Frequency response
- 10 Hz - 50 kHz
- -
- Impedance
- -
- 145000 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
- -
- Weight
- 560 g
- 234 g
- USB-C
- Yes
- -
- Model code
- -
- SR-X1
- 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.
STAX SR-X21
The STAX SR-X1 is a lightweight electrostatic over-ear headphone that pairs a transparent, neutral signature with punchy, detailed sound, making it a compelling entry into desktop Stax setups. It delivers low-distortion performance and strong value for its price, though it requires a dedicated energizer and is best reserved for stationary listening rather than on-the-go use. Its build feels functional rather than premium, and some users may encounter reliability concerns over time.
- Pro:Neutral, transparent tonal balance
- Pro:Fast, low-distortion electrostatic driver
- Pro:Lightweight and comfortable for long sessions
- Con:Requires a separate energizer/amplifier
- Con:Limited bass impact compared to dynamic headphones
- Con:Build quality feels less premium than its sound
Summaries are AI-condensed and paraphrased from published reviews and specs - not original hands-on testing. More on our method.
Compare something else
Swap either side out, or start again from the picker.