Over-Ear
Audeze Maxwell 2
88Outstanding
$330
Full review dataAudeze Maxwell 2 vs Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2e: 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
Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2e
78Great
$230
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 7 measures.
- Audeze Maxwell 2
- Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2e
HearWiki score
88
78
Sound
9.5
8.8
Noise cancelling
-
7.5
Battery
9.5
7.3
Calls
9.0
6.5
Value
7.5
8.9
Price (USD)
$330
$230
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 Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2e (2023). The Audeze Maxwell 2 is the newer platform here: Bluetooth 5.3 against 5.2, Top codec LC3 against aptX Adaptive, LE Audio (LC3) and ANC type Adaptive against Hybrid. The Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2e answers on convenience features: it adds Wear detection.
- Maxwell 220263 yr newer
- Px7 S2e2023
What differsMaxwell 2Px7 S2e
- Bluetooth
- 5.3
- 5.2
- Top codec
- LC3
- aptX Adaptive
- LE Audio (LC3)
- Yes
- No
- ANC type
- Adaptive
- Hybrid
- Wear detection
- No
- Yes
Platform
Everyday features
Level on: Multipoint pairing, USB-C, Transparency mode, Companion app.
Specifications
Maxwell 2Px7 S2e
- Type
- Over-Ear
- Over-Ear
- Price (USD)
- $330
- $230
- HearWiki score
- 88
- 78
- Released
- 2026
- 2023
- Availability
- Sold new
- Still sold new
- Driver
- 90 mm planar magnetic
- 2× 40 mm dynamic
- Driver type
- planar
- dynamic
- Driver size
- 90 mm
- 40 mm
- Drivers per side
- 1
- 2
- Frequency response
- 10 Hz - 50 kHz
- 10 Hz - 20 kHz
- Impedance
- -
- 33 Ω
- Bluetooth
- 5.3
- 5.2
- Codecs
- SBC, AAC, LC3, LC3plus, LDAC
- SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive
- Multipoint pairing
- Yes
- Yes
- Battery life
- 80 h
- 30 h
- Battery life (ANC on)
- 35 h
- 30 h
- Full charge time
- 120 min
- -
- Wireless charging
- -
- No
- Active noise cancelling
- Yes
- Yes
- ANC type
- adaptive
- hybrid
- Transparency mode
- Yes
- Yes
- Companion app
- Yes
- Yes
- Custom EQ
- Yes
- -
- Wear detection
- No
- Yes
- Controls
- buttons
- touch
- Voice assistant
- -
- Yes
- Weight
- 560 g
- 307 g
- Water resistance
- -
- none
- USB-C
- Yes
- Yes
- Microphones
- 2
- 6
- Microphone type
- -
- MEMS
- Call noise reduction
- Yes
- -
- Call NR technology
- AI ENC
- -
What reviewers said
Audeze Maxwell 2
No summary yet - we haven't aggregated enough reviews.
Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2e
The Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2e is a premium wireless over-ear headphone that prioritizes refined audio and elegant construction over class-leading noise cancellation. It delivers a detailed, natural sound signature with solid battery endurance and modern connectivity features, making it a strong value, especially when found at a discount. While its ANC is competent rather than exceptional, the overall package appeals to those who value sonic character and build quality.
- Pro:Refined, natural sound with excellent tuning
- Pro:Premium, stylish build quality
- Pro:Strong 30-hour battery life
- Con:Noise cancellation is good but not class-leading
- Con:Lacks water resistance
- Con:Heavier than some competitors
Summaries are AI-condensed and paraphrased from published reviews and specs - not original hands-on testing. More on our method.
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