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Audeze Maxwell 2 vs Yamaha HPH-PRO500: which should you buy?

Specs, scores and condensed review verdicts for the Audeze Maxwell 2 vs Yamaha HPH-PRO500, side by side. Where a product has no HearWiki score yet, not enough reviews have been aggregated to rate it.

Score 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
  • Yamaha HPH-PRO500
HearWiki score
88
-
Sound
9.5
-
Battery
9.5
-
Calls
9.0
-
Value
7.5
-
Price (USD)
$330
$300

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 Yamaha HPH-PRO500 (2018). The Audeze Maxwell 2 edges ahead on platform, but only just: ANC type Adaptive against None.

  • Maxwell 220268 yr newer
  • HPH-PRO5002018
What differsMaxwell 2HPH-PRO500

Platform

ANC type
Adaptive
None

Specifications

Maxwell 2HPH-PRO500
Type
Over-Ear
Over-Ear
Price (USD)
$330
$300
HearWiki score
88
Not scored
Released
2026
2018
Availability
Sold new
Discontinued
Driver
90 mm planar magnetic
dynamic
Driver type
planar
dynamic
Driver size
90 mm
-
Drivers per side
1
1
Frequency response
10 Hz - 50 kHz
-
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
buttons
Weight
560 g
-
Foldable
-
Yes
Detachable cable
-
Yes
USB-C
Yes
-
Connector
-
3.5 mm
Microphones
2
1
Microphone type
-
electret
Call noise reduction
Yes
-
Call NR technology
AI ENC
-

What reviewers said

Audeze Maxwell 2

No summary yet - we haven't aggregated enough reviews.

Yamaha HPH-PRO500

The Yamaha HPH-PRO500 are wired over-ear headphones built with ultra-premium dynamic drivers and sturdy aluminum alloy earcups, designed for a clear and immersive listening experience. They rely on passive isolation from their over-ear fit rather than active noise cancellation, and offer foldable portability with a detachable cable for convenience.

  • Pro:Ultra-premium dynamic drivers for detailed sound
  • Pro:Rigid aluminum alloy earcups for durability
  • Pro:Foldable design for easy transport
  • Con:No active noise cancellation
  • Con:Wired only, no wireless connectivity
  • Con:On-ear controls limited to buttons

Summaries are AI-condensed and paraphrased from published reviews and specs - not original hands-on testing. More on our method.

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