Over-Ear
Audeze Maxwell 2
88Outstanding
$330
Full review dataAudeze Maxwell 2 vs Skullcandy Aviator® 900 ANC: 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
Skullcandy Aviator® 900 ANC
78Great
$180
Full review dataScore breakdown
Each axis is a 0–10 blend of what reviewers scored, not a lab measurement.
Audeze Maxwell 2 leads on 5 of 7 measures.
- Audeze Maxwell 2
- Skullcandy Aviator® 900 ANC
HearWiki score
88
78
Sound
9.5
7.8
Noise cancelling
-
8.3
Battery
9.5
8.8
Calls
9.0
7.3
Value
7.5
7.4
Price (USD)
$330
$180
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?
New platform
Audeze Maxwell 2 (2026) against Skullcandy Aviator® 900 ANC (2025). The Audeze Maxwell 2 is the newer platform here: Top codec LC3 against aptX HD and LE Audio (LC3). The Skullcandy Aviator® 900 ANC answers on convenience features: it adds Wear detection.
- Maxwell 220261 yr newer
- Aviator® 900 ANC2025
What differsMaxwell 2Aviator® 900 ANC
- Top codec
- LC3
- aptX HD
- LE Audio (LC3)
- Yes
- No
- Wear detection
- No
- Yes
Platform
Everyday features
Level on: Bluetooth, ANC type, Multipoint pairing, USB-C, Transparency mode, Custom EQ, Companion app.
Specifications
Maxwell 2Aviator® 900 ANC
- Type
- Over-Ear
- Over-Ear
- Price (USD)
- $330
- $180
- HearWiki score
- 88
- 78
- Released
- 2026
- 2025
- 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
- 20 Hz - 20 kHz
- Impedance
- -
- 36 Ω
- Sensitivity
- -
- 119.4 dB/mW
- Bluetooth
- 5.3
- 5.3
- Codecs
- SBC, AAC, LC3, LC3plus, LDAC
- SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX HD
- Multipoint pairing
- Yes
- Yes
- Battery life
- 80 h
- 60 h
- Battery life (ANC on)
- 35 h
- 40 h
- Full charge time
- 120 min
- -
- Quick charge
- -
- 10 min → 4 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
- -
- Yes
- Weight
- 560 g
- 332 g
- Foldable
- -
- Yes
- Detachable cable
- -
- Yes
- USB-C
- Yes
- Yes
- Connector
- -
- 3.5 mm
- Microphones
- 2
- 6
- Call noise reduction
- Yes
- Yes
- Call NR technology
- AI ENC
- -
What reviewers said
Audeze Maxwell 2
No summary yet - we haven't aggregated enough reviews.
Skullcandy Aviator® 900 ANC
The Skullcandy Aviator 900 ANC is a feature-packed over-ear wireless headphone with adaptive noise cancellation, a 60-hour battery, and multipoint Bluetooth 5.3. It offers a comfortable, stylish design with a 40mm driver, but its sound signature has some quirks that may not appeal to purists. Overall, it's a solid choice for those prioritizing battery life and modern conveniences over perfectly neutral audio.
- Pro:Exceptional 60-hour battery life
- Pro:Adaptive ANC with transparency mode
- Pro:Bluetooth 5.3 with multipoint and aptX HD support
- Con:Sound tuning is not neutral, with noticeable quirks
- Con:No wireless charging or official IP rating
- Con:Heavier at 332g, which may affect comfort over long sessions
Summaries are AI-condensed and paraphrased from published reviews and specs - not original hands-on testing. More on our method.
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