Over-Ear
Audeze Maxwell 2
88Outstanding
$330
Full review dataAudeze Maxwell 2 vs Audio-Technica ATH-SR50BT: 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 ATH-SR50BT
58Average
$120
Full review dataScore breakdown
Each axis is a 0–10 blend of what reviewers scored, not a lab measurement.
Audeze Maxwell 2 leads on 5 of 7 measures.
- Audeze Maxwell 2
- Audio-Technica ATH-SR50BT
HearWiki score
88
58
Sound
9.5
7.4
Noise cancelling
-
3.2
Battery
9.5
5.2
Calls
9.0
4.2
Value
7.5
-
Price (USD)
$330
$120
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 (2026) against Audio-Technica ATH-SR50BT (2020). The Audeze Maxwell 2 is the newer platform here: Bluetooth 5.3 against 5.0, Top codec LC3 against aptX, LE Audio (LC3) and ANC type Adaptive against None. It also adds Multipoint pairing, USB-C and Custom EQ.
- Maxwell 220266 yr newer
- ATH-SR50BT2020
What differsMaxwell 2ATH-SR50BT
- Bluetooth
- 5.3
- 5.0
- Top codec
- LC3
- aptX
- LE Audio (LC3)
- Yes
- No
- ANC type
- Adaptive
- None
- Multipoint pairing
- Yes
- No
- USB-C
- Yes
- No
- Custom EQ
- Yes
- No
Platform
Everyday features
Level on: Transparency mode, Companion app.
Specifications
Maxwell 2ATH-SR50BT
- Type
- Over-Ear
- Over-Ear
- Price (USD)
- $330
- $120
- HearWiki score
- 88
- 58
- Released
- 2026
- 2020
- Availability
- Sold new
- Still sold new
- Driver
- 90 mm planar magnetic
- 2× 45 mm dynamic
- Driver type
- planar
- dynamic
- Driver size
- 90 mm
- 45 mm
- Drivers per side
- 1
- 2
- Frequency response
- 10 Hz - 50 kHz
- 5 Hz - 40 kHz
- Impedance
- -
- 47 Ω
- Sensitivity
- -
- 100 dB/mW
- Bluetooth
- 5.3
- 5.0
- Codecs
- SBC, AAC, LC3, LC3plus, LDAC
- SBC, AAC, aptX
- Multipoint pairing
- Yes
- No
- Battery life
- 80 h
- 28 h
- Battery life (ANC on)
- 35 h
- -
- Full charge time
- 120 min
- 330 min
- Wireless charging
- -
- No
- Active noise cancelling
- Yes
- Yes
- ANC type
- adaptive
- -
- Transparency mode
- Yes
- Yes
- Companion app
- Yes
- Yes
- Custom EQ
- Yes
- No
- Wear detection
- No
- No
- Controls
- buttons
- buttons
- Weight
- 560 g
- 262 g
- Water resistance
- -
- none
- Foldable
- -
- Yes
- Detachable cable
- -
- Yes
- USB-C
- Yes
- No
- Connector
- -
- 3.5 mm
- Microphones
- 2
- 1
- Microphone type
- -
- condenser
- Mic sensitivity
- -
- -44 dBV
- 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 ATH-SR50BT
The Audio-Technica ATH-SR50BT is a wireless over-ear headphone that combines long battery life with a balanced, flexible sound profile. It offers active noise cancellation, though its effect is modest, and includes a transparency mode for ambient awareness. With a comfortable fit and foldable design, it's a practical everyday choice, though it relies on older micro-USB charging and lacks multipoint connectivity.
- Pro:Long battery life of up to 28 hours
- Pro:Comfortable fit for larger ears
- Pro:Foldable design for portability
- Con:Noise cancellation is moderate, not fully effective
- Con:Uses micro-USB instead of USB-C
- Con:No multipoint Bluetooth pairing
Summaries are AI-condensed and paraphrased from published reviews and specs - not original hands-on testing. More on our method.
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