Over-Ear
Audeze Maxwell 2
88Outstanding
$330
Full review dataAudeze Maxwell 2 vs STAX SR-L500MK2: 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
STAX SR-L500MK2
72Great
$600
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 6 measures.
- Audeze Maxwell 2
- STAX SR-L500MK2
HearWiki score
88
72
Sound
9.5
8.6
Battery
9.5
-
Calls
9.0
-
Value
7.5
7.6
Price (USD)
$330
$600
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 STAX SR-L500MK2 (2021). The Audeze Maxwell 2 edges ahead on platform, but only just: ANC type Adaptive against None.
- Maxwell 220265 yr newer
- SR-L500MK22021
What differsMaxwell 2SR-L500MK2
- ANC type
- Adaptive
- None
Platform
Specifications
Maxwell 2SR-L500MK2
- Type
- Over-Ear
- Over-Ear
- Price (USD)
- $330
- $600
- HearWiki score
- 88
- 72
- Released
- 2026
- 2021
- Availability
- Sold new
- Discontinued
- Driver
- 90 mm planar magnetic
- 2× electrostatic
- Driver type
- planar
- electrostatic
- Driver size
- 90 mm
- -
- Drivers per side
- 1
- 2
- Frequency response
- 10 Hz - 50 kHz
- 7 Hz - 41 kHz
- Impedance
- -
- 145000 Ω
- Sensitivity
- -
- 101 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
- 351 g
- Detachable cable
- -
- Yes
- USB-C
- Yes
- -
- Pad material
- -
- leatherette
- 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.
STAX SR-L500MK2
The STAX SR-L500MK2 is a mid-tier electrostatic headphone that delivers the signature open, detailed STAX presentation with excellent clarity and refinement. It offers strong technical performance for its price point, though it requires a dedicated amplifier and lacks wireless features.
- Pro:Excellent electrostatic clarity and detail
- Pro:Open, airy soundstage with refined treble
- Pro:Good value within the STAX Lambda lineup
- Con:Requires a dedicated electrostatic amplifier
- Con:No active noise cancellation
- Con:Leatherette pads may not suit all listeners
Summaries are AI-condensed and paraphrased from published reviews and specs - not original hands-on testing. More on our method.
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