Over-Ear
Audeze Maxwell 2
88Outstanding
$330
Full review dataAudeze Maxwell 2 vs JBL Live 780NC: 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
JBL Live 780NC
81Outstanding
$200
Full review dataScore breakdown
Each axis is a 0–10 blend of what reviewers scored, not a lab measurement.
Neither pulls ahead overall - they trade wins across the measures.
- Audeze Maxwell 2
- JBL Live 780NC
HearWiki score
88
81
Sound
9.5
8.3
Noise cancelling
-
7.7
Battery
9.5
9.5
Calls
9.0
7.6
Value
7.5
8.7
Price (USD)
$330
$200
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?
Mixed generations
Both shipped in 2026. Neither is straightforwardly newer: the Audeze Maxwell 2 brings LE Audio (LC3), while the JBL Live 780NC answers with Bluetooth 6.0 against 5.3.
- Maxwell 22026
- Live 780NC2026
What differsMaxwell 2Live 780NC
- Bluetooth
- 5.3
- 6.0
- LE Audio (LC3)
- Yes
- No
Platform
Level on: Top codec, ANC type, Multipoint pairing, USB-C, Transparency mode, Custom EQ, Companion app.
Specifications
Maxwell 2Live 780NC
- Type
- Over-Ear
- Over-Ear
- Price (USD)
- $330
- $200
- HearWiki score
- 88
- 81
- Released
- 2026
- 2026
- Availability
- Sold new
- Sold new
- Driver
- 90 mm planar magnetic
- 40 mm dynamic
- Driver type
- planar
- dynamic
- Driver size
- 90 mm
- 40 mm
- Drivers per side
- 1
- 1
- Frequency response
- 10 Hz - 50 kHz
- 10 Hz - 40 kHz
- Impedance
- -
- 32 Ω
- Sensitivity
- -
- 98 dB/mW
- Bluetooth
- 5.3
- 6.0
- Codecs
- SBC, AAC, LC3, LC3plus, LDAC
- SBC, AAC, LDAC
- Multipoint pairing
- Yes
- Yes
- Battery life
- 80 h
- 80 h
- Battery life (ANC on)
- 35 h
- 50 h
- Full charge time
- 120 min
- 120 min
- Wireless charging
- -
- No
- Active noise cancelling
- Yes
- Yes
- ANC type
- adaptive
- adaptive
- Transparency mode
- Yes
- Yes
- Companion app
- Yes
- Yes
- Custom EQ
- Yes
- Yes
- Wear detection
- No
- -
- Controls
- buttons
- touch
- Voice assistant
- -
- Yes
- Weight
- 560 g
- 260 g
- Water resistance
- -
- none
- Foldable
- -
- Yes
- Detachable cable
- -
- Yes
- USB-C
- Yes
- Yes
- Microphones
- 2
- 4
- Call noise reduction
- Yes
- -
- Call NR technology
- AI ENC
- -
What reviewers said
Audeze Maxwell 2
No summary yet - we haven't aggregated enough reviews.
JBL Live 780NC
It supports Bluetooth 6, multipoint pairing, and high-resolution LDAC codec, all in a lightweight 260g foldable design with touch controls and a custom EQ. Its 40mm drivers produce a frequency response from 10 Hz to 40 kHz, making it a versatile option for long listening sessions.
- Pro:Adaptive noise cancellation with transparency mode
- Pro:Supports LDAC and LE Audio for high-quality wireless sound
- Pro:Multipoint Bluetooth 6 for seamless device switching
- Con:No water resistance rating
- Con:No wireless charging support
- Con:Sensitivity and impedance may require higher volume on some devices
Summaries are AI-condensed and paraphrased from published reviews and specs - not original hands-on testing. More on our method.
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