Over-Ear
Audeze Maxwell 2
88Outstanding
$330
Full review dataAudeze Maxwell 2 vs Philips Fidelio L4: 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
Philips Fidelio L4
72Great
$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 7 measures.
- Audeze Maxwell 2
- Philips Fidelio L4
HearWiki score
88
72
Sound
9.5
8.1
Noise cancelling
-
7.5
Battery
9.5
8.8
Calls
9.0
7.1
Value
7.5
6.5
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?
Same generation
The Audeze Maxwell 2 is 3 years newer, but it is the same generation of hardware: nothing in the radio, the codecs or the noise cancelling separates them. The platform is level; the newer hardware shows up in convenience features instead - the Philips Fidelio L4 adds Wear detection. For 3 years between them, that is a thin return - treat this as a restyle rather than a new platform.
- Maxwell 220263 yr newer
- Fidelio L42023
What differsMaxwell 2Fidelio L4
- Wear detection
- No
- Yes
Everyday features
Level on: Bluetooth, Top codec, LE Audio (LC3), ANC type, Multipoint pairing, USB-C, Transparency mode, Custom EQ, Companion app.
Specifications
Maxwell 2Fidelio L4
- Type
- Over-Ear
- Over-Ear
- Price (USD)
- $330
- $350
- HearWiki score
- 88
- 72
- Released
- 2026
- 2023
- Availability
- Sold new
- Still 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
- 7 Hz - 40 kHz
- Impedance
- -
- 16 Ω
- Sensitivity
- -
- 99 dB/mW
- Bluetooth
- 5.3
- 5.3
- Codecs
- SBC, AAC, LC3, LC3plus, LDAC
- SBC, AAC, LC3, LDAC
- Multipoint pairing
- Yes
- Yes
- Wireless range
- -
- 10 m
- Battery life
- 80 h
- 50 h
- Battery life (ANC on)
- 35 h
- 40 h
- Full charge time
- 120 min
- 120 min
- Quick charge
- -
- 15 min → 14 h
- 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
- Yes
- Controls
- buttons
- both
- Voice assistant
- -
- Google Assistant, Siri
- Weight
- 560 g
- 330 g
- Water resistance
- -
- none
- Foldable
- -
- No
- Detachable cable
- -
- No
- USB-C
- Yes
- Yes
- Pad material
- -
- leatherette
- Connector
- -
- 2.5 mm balanced
- Balanced connection
- -
- No
- Model code
- -
- L4/00
- Microphones
- 2
- 6
- Microphone type
- -
- MEMS
- Mic sensitivity
- -
- 0 dBV
- Call noise reduction
- Yes
- No
- Call NR technology
- AI ENC
- -
What reviewers said
Audeze Maxwell 2
No summary yet - we haven't aggregated enough reviews.
Philips Fidelio L4
The Philips Fidelio L4 is a solid over-ear wireless headphone that balances strong sound, comfort, and long battery life with adaptive noise cancellation. While it doesn't break new ground in design or match the very top performers in ANC, it offers good value for its price.
- Pro:Comfortable fit for extended listening sessions
- Pro:Adaptive ANC and transparency mode for flexible use
- Pro:Multipoint Bluetooth 5.3 for seamless device switching
- Con:No water resistance rating
- Con:Design feels less premium compared to rivals
- Con:ANC performance isn't class-leading
Summaries are AI-condensed and paraphrased from published reviews and specs - not original hands-on testing. More on our method.
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