Over-Ear
Audeze Maxwell 2
88Outstanding
$330
Full review dataAudeze Maxwell 2 vs Bose QuietComfort 45: which should you buy?
Specs, scores and condensed review verdicts for the Audeze Maxwell 2 vs Bose QuietComfort 45, side by side. Where a product has no HearWiki score yet, not enough reviews have been aggregated to rate it.
Over-Ear
Bose QuietComfort 45
Not yet scored
$330
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 6 measures.
- Audeze Maxwell 2
- Bose QuietComfort 45
HearWiki score
88
-
Sound
9.5
-
Battery
9.5
-
Calls
9.0
-
Value
7.5
-
Price (USD)
$330
$330
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 Bose QuietComfort 45 (2021). The Audeze Maxwell 2 is the newer platform here: Top codec LC3 against AAC and LE Audio (LC3).
- Maxwell 220265 yr newer
- QuietComfort 452021
What differsMaxwell 2QuietComfort 45
- Top codec
- LC3
- AAC
- LE Audio (LC3)
- Yes
- No
Platform
Level on: Multipoint pairing, USB-C, Transparency mode, Custom EQ, Companion app.
Specifications
Maxwell 2QuietComfort 45
- Type
- Over-Ear
- Over-Ear
- Price (USD)
- $330
- $330
- HearWiki score
- 88
- Not scored
- Released
- 2026
- 2021
- Availability
- Sold new
- Discontinued
- Driver
- 90 mm planar magnetic
- dynamic
- Driver type
- planar
- dynamic
- Driver size
- 90 mm
- -
- Drivers per side
- 1
- 1
- Frequency response
- 10 Hz - 50 kHz
- -
- Bluetooth
- 5.3
- -
- Codecs
- SBC, AAC, LC3, LC3plus, LDAC
- SBC, AAC
- Multipoint pairing
- Yes
- Yes
- Wireless range
- -
- 9 m
- Battery life
- 80 h
- 22 h
- Battery life (ANC on)
- 35 h
- 22 h
- Full charge time
- 120 min
- 135 min
- Quick charge
- -
- 15 min → 3 h
- Active noise cancelling
- Yes
- Yes
- ANC type
- adaptive
- -
- Transparency mode
- Yes
- Yes
- Companion app
- Yes
- Yes
- Custom EQ
- Yes
- Yes
- Wear detection
- No
- -
- Controls
- buttons
- buttons
- Voice assistant
- -
- Yes
- Weight
- 560 g
- 240 g
- USB-C
- Yes
- Yes
- Pad material
- -
- leatherette
- Clamp force
- -
- 150 g
- Microphones
- 2
- 4
- Microphone type
- -
- MEMS
- Call noise reduction
- Yes
- Yes
- Call NR technology
- AI ENC
- -
What reviewers said
Audeze Maxwell 2
No summary yet - we haven't aggregated enough reviews.
Bose QuietComfort 45
The Bose QuietComfort 45 delivers top-tier active noise cancellation with dedicated Quiet and Aware modes, wrapped in plush leatherette cushions for all-day comfort. With a robust 22-hour battery life, wireless Bluetooth connectivity, and a lightweight 240g frame, these over-ears balance premium sound with practical, everyday usability.
- Pro:Excellent noise cancellation with multiple modes
- Pro:Very comfortable, plush ear cushions
- Pro:Solid 22-hour battery life
- Con:No aptX or LDAC codec support
- Con:Buttons-only controls (no touch gestures)
- Con:Average 9m wireless range
Summaries are AI-condensed and paraphrased from published reviews and specs - not original hands-on testing. More on our method.
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