Over-Ear
Audeze Maxwell 2
88Outstanding
$330
Full review dataAudeze Maxwell 2 vs Grado SR325: 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
Grado SR325
73Great
$350
Full review dataScore 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
- Grado SR325
HearWiki score
88
73
Sound
9.5
8.1
Battery
9.5
-
Calls
9.0
-
Value
7.5
6.4
Price (USD)
$330
$350
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 Grado SR325 (2025). The Audeze Maxwell 2 edges ahead on platform, but only just: ANC type Adaptive against None.
- Maxwell 220261 yr newer
- SR3252025
What differsMaxwell 2SR325
- ANC type
- Adaptive
- None
Platform
Specifications
Maxwell 2SR325
- Type
- Over-Ear
- Over-Ear
- Price (USD)
- $330
- $350
- HearWiki score
- 88
- 73
- Released
- 2026
- 2025
- Availability
- Sold new
- Sold new
- Driver
- 90 mm planar magnetic
- 44 mm dynamic
- Driver type
- planar
- dynamic
- Driver size
- 90 mm
- 44 mm
- Drivers per side
- 1
- 1
- Frequency response
- 10 Hz - 50 kHz
- 18 Hz - 24 kHz
- Impedance
- -
- 38 Ω
- Sensitivity
- -
- 98 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
- 280 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.
Grado SR325
The Grado SR325 is an open-back, wired headphone designed for critical listening, delivering a detailed and spacious soundstage with strong instrument separation. Its lightweight, solid build and high sensitivity make it easy to drive from most sources, though its open design offers minimal isolation and significant sound leakage. This model is best suited for quiet home environments rather than on-the-go use.
- Pro:Clear and detailed open sound with good instrument separation
- Pro:Lightweight yet solid construction
- Pro:Easy to drive with standard audio devices
- Con:Poor noise isolation and high sound leakage
- Con:Can slip off the head easily during movement
- Con:Earpads may come loose over time
Summaries are AI-condensed and paraphrased from published reviews and specs - not original hands-on testing. More on our method.
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