Audeze Maxwell 2 vs Dan Clark Audio Aeon Open X: which should you buy?
Specs, scores and condensed review verdicts for the Audeze Maxwell 2 vs Dan Clark Audio Aeon Open X, side by side. Where a product has no HearWiki score yet, not enough reviews have been aggregated to rate it.
Score breakdown
Each axis is a 0–10 blend of what reviewers scored, not a lab measurement.
Audeze Maxwell 2 leads on 6 of 6 measures.
- Audeze Maxwell 2
- Dan Clark Audio Aeon Open X
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?
Audeze Maxwell 2 (2026) against Dan Clark Audio Aeon Open X (2018). The Audeze Maxwell 2 edges ahead on platform, but only just: ANC type Adaptive against None.
- Maxwell 220268 yr newer
- Aeon Open X2018
- ANC type
- Adaptive
- None
Platform
Specifications
- Type
- Over-Ear
- Over-Ear
- Price (USD)
- $330
- $500
- HearWiki score
- 88
- Not scored
- Released
- 2026
- 2018
- Availability
- Sold new
- Discontinued
- Driver
- 90 mm planar magnetic
- planar magnetic
- Driver type
- planar
- planar
- Driver size
- 90 mm
- -
- Drivers per side
- 1
- 1
- Frequency response
- 10 Hz - 50 kHz
- 20 Hz - 20 kHz
- Impedance
- -
- 13 Ω
- Sensitivity
- -
- 94 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
- -
- Weight
- 560 g
- 326 g
- USB-C
- Yes
- -
- 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.
Dan Clark Audio Aeon Open X
The Dan Clark Audio Aeon Open X is an open-back planar magnetic headphone that combines a lightweight, portable design with full-size comfort. Its construction uses titanium alloy, aluminum, and carbon fiber, along with a hinge-free titanium headband for durability and a secure fit.
- Pro:Lightweight and portable design
- Pro:High-quality materials like titanium and carbon fiber
- Pro:Open-back planar drivers for detailed sound
- Con:No active noise cancellation
- Con:Requires a dedicated amplifier due to low impedance and sensitivity
- Con:Open-back design leaks sound and lets in ambient noise
Summaries are AI-condensed and paraphrased from published reviews and specs - not original hands-on testing. More on our method.
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