Over-Ear
Audeze Maxwell 2
88Outstanding
$330
Full review dataAudeze Maxwell 2 vs Audio-Technica A990z: which should you buy?
On aggregated review scores the Audeze Maxwell 2 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 - Outstanding overall at around $329.
Over-Ear
Audio-Technica A990z
77Great
$250
Full review dataScore breakdown
Each axis is a 0–10 blend of what reviewers scored, not a lab measurement.
Audeze Maxwell 2 leads on 4 of 6 measures.
- Audeze Maxwell 2
- Audio-Technica A990z
HearWiki score
88
77
Sound
9.5
8.2
Battery
9.5
-
Calls
9.0
-
Value
7.5
7.5
Price (USD)
$330
$250
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 (2026) against Audio-Technica A990z (2025). The Audeze Maxwell 2 edges ahead on platform, but only just: ANC type Adaptive against None. It also adds USB-C.
- Maxwell 220261 yr newer
- A990z2025
What differsMaxwell 2A990z
- ANC type
- Adaptive
- None
- USB-C
- Yes
- No
Platform
Everyday features
Specifications
Maxwell 2A990z
- Type
- Over-Ear
- Over-Ear
- Price (USD)
- $330
- $250
- HearWiki score
- 88
- 77
- Released
- 2026
- 2025
- Availability
- Sold new
- Sold new
- Driver
- 90 mm planar magnetic
- 53 mm dynamic
- Driver type
- planar
- dynamic
- Driver size
- 90 mm
- 53 mm
- Drivers per side
- 1
- 1
- Frequency response
- 10 Hz - 50 kHz
- 5 Hz - 42 kHz
- Impedance
- -
- 44 Ω
- Sensitivity
- -
- 100 dB/mW
- Bluetooth
- 5.3
- -
- Codecs
- SBC, AAC, LC3, LC3plus, LDAC
- -
- Multipoint pairing
- Yes
- -
- Battery life
- 80 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
- buttons
- buttons
- Weight
- 560 g
- 335 g
- USB-C
- Yes
- No
- Connector
- -
- 3.5 mm
- Microphones
- 2
- -
- Call noise reduction
- Yes
- -
- Call NR technology
- AI ENC
- -
What reviewers said
Audeze Maxwell 2
No summary yet - we haven't aggregated enough reviews.
Audio-Technica A990z
The Audio-Technica A990Z is a wired, closed-back over-ear headphone built for stationary listening and studio-style use, prioritizing comfort and sound quality over portability. It delivers a spacious presentation with strong detail and a wide frequency range, though its tuning leans bright with a pronounced low end, which may not suit all music genres. Its solid isolation and sturdy build make it a viable option for home sessions and light mixing, but it’s not designed for on-the-go use.
- Pro:Excellent passive isolation for a closed-back design
- Pro:Comfortable fit suitable for extended listening sessions
- Pro:Spacious and detailed soundstage for a closed-back model
- Con:Bright and bass-heavy tuning may not suit all musical tastes
- Con:Wired-only design with no ANC limits portability
- Con:Imaging can be inconsistent, and bass may come across as boomy
Summaries are AI-condensed and paraphrased from published reviews and specs - not original hands-on testing. More on our method.
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