Is the Audeze Maxwell 2 worth the upgrade from the Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro?
Verdict
Clear upgrade
Going from the Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro to the Audeze Maxwell 2 buys you 19.4 points of HearWiki score - a clear step up that reviewers agree on rather than a marketing refresh. The gains are concentrated in sound (7.5 to 9.5). You do give up ground on value (8.0 to 7.5). On paper: active noise cancelling, driver size 45 mm to 90 mm and transparency mode. Worth checking: weight goes 250 g to 560 g. One caution: this steps down a line tier (DT 990 Pro to Maxwell 2), and base models usually trade away tier features - check the codec and ANC rows above before trusting the score gap alone. That costs $129 more, or about $7 per point of score - reasonable value for the jump. If your current pair is worn out or the gains line up with how you listen, this one is worth the money.
What actually changes
Sub-scores both products have, on the same 0-10 scale. Bars extend right for a gain, left for a loss.
- Sound7.59.5
- Value8.07.5
Spec differences
Only where the two genuinely differ - everything they share is omitted.
| Spec | DT 990 Pro | Maxwell 2 | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Active noise cancelling | No | Yes | |
| Weight | 250 g | 560 g | |
| Driver size | 45 mm | 90 mm | |
| Transparency mode | No | Yes | |
| Companion app | No | Yes | |
| Custom EQ | No | Yes | |
| USB-C | No | Yes | |
| ANC type | none | adaptive | |
| Driver | 45 mm dynamic | 90 mm planar magnetic |
About this verdict
Direction matters here: this page answers "DT 990 Pro to Maxwell 2". The other direction is a separate question with a different answer. Scores blend published review verdicts across over-ear and shift as new reviews land, so a marginal call today may not be one next quarter.