Over-Ear
Audeze Maxwell 2
88Outstanding
$330
Full review dataAudeze Maxwell 2 vs Beyerdynamic DT 880 Edition: 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
Beyerdynamic DT 880 Edition
78Great
$200
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
- Beyerdynamic DT 880 Edition
HearWiki score
88
78
Sound
9.5
8.3
Battery
9.5
-
Calls
9.0
-
Value
7.5
8.6
Price (USD)
$330
$200
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 Beyerdynamic DT 880 Edition (2020). The Audeze Maxwell 2 edges ahead on platform, but only just: ANC type Adaptive against None. It also adds USB-C.
- Maxwell 220266 yr newer
- DT 880 Edition2020
What differsMaxwell 2DT 880 Edition
- ANC type
- Adaptive
- None
- USB-C
- Yes
- No
Platform
Everyday features
Specifications
Maxwell 2DT 880 Edition
- Type
- Over-Ear
- Over-Ear
- Price (USD)
- $330
- $200
- HearWiki score
- 88
- 78
- Released
- 2026
- 2020
- Availability
- Sold new
- Still sold new
- Driver
- 90 mm planar magnetic
- 45 mm dynamic
- Driver type
- planar
- dynamic
- Driver size
- 90 mm
- 45 mm
- Drivers per side
- 1
- 1
- Frequency response
- 10 Hz - 50 kHz
- -
- Impedance
- -
- 32 Ω
- Sensitivity
- -
- 96 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
- none
- Weight
- 560 g
- 2.8 g
- Foldable
- -
- No
- Detachable cable
- -
- No
- USB-C
- Yes
- No
- Pad material
- -
- velour
- 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.
Beyerdynamic DT 880 Edition
The Beyerdynamic DT 880 Edition is a wired, semi-open headphone aimed at critical listening and home studio use, offering a neutral-leaning sound with strong detail and a spacious presentation. It features a durable build and plush velour pads for decent comfort, though its bright treble may be sibilant for some. With very low distortion and a 32-ohm impedance, it's technically capable and easy to drive from most sources.
- Pro:Balanced, neutral-leaning sound with strong detail
- Pro:Spacious soundstage and low distortion
- Pro:Durable build with comfortable velour pads
- Con:Bright and occasionally sibilant treble
- Con:Less bass than some alternatives
- Con:Fixed cable, not detachable
Summaries are AI-condensed and paraphrased from published reviews and specs - not original hands-on testing. More on our method.
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