Over-Ear
Audeze Maxwell 2
88Outstanding
$330
Full review dataAudeze Maxwell 2 vs HiFiMAN Ananda Nano: 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
HiFiMAN Ananda Nano
79Great
$320
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
- HiFiMAN Ananda Nano
HearWiki score
88
79
Sound
9.5
8.6
Battery
9.5
-
Calls
9.0
-
Value
7.5
9.5
Price (USD)
$330
$320
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 HiFiMAN Ananda Nano (2023). The Audeze Maxwell 2 edges ahead on platform, but only just: ANC type Adaptive against None. It also adds USB-C.
- Maxwell 220263 yr newer
- Ananda Nano2023
What differsMaxwell 2Ananda Nano
- ANC type
- Adaptive
- None
- USB-C
- Yes
- No
Platform
Everyday features
Specifications
Maxwell 2Ananda Nano
- Type
- Over-Ear
- Over-Ear
- Price (USD)
- $330
- $320
- HearWiki score
- 88
- 79
- Released
- 2026
- 2023
- Availability
- Sold new
- Still sold new
- 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
- 5 Hz - 55 kHz
- Impedance
- -
- 14 Ω
- 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
- 419.6 g
- USB-C
- Yes
- No
- Balanced connection
- -
- 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.
HiFiMAN Ananda Nano
The HiFiMAN Ananda Nano is an open-back planar magnetic headphone that delivers a clear step up in technical performance, with fast transients, strong detail retrieval, and a wide, immersive soundstage. Its low impedance and high efficiency make it surprisingly easy to drive for a planar, even from portable sources, while maintaining a comfortable and well-built design. It's a compelling choice for listeners seeking high-resolution wired audio without the need for powerful amplification.
- Pro:Efficient and easy to drive for a planar
- Pro:Fast transients with excellent detail retrieval
- Pro:Wide and open soundstage
- Con:Clamp force may be tight for some
- Con:Limited accessories included in the box
- Con:Open-back design offers no noise isolation
Summaries are AI-condensed and paraphrased from published reviews and specs - not original hands-on testing. More on our method.
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