Is the Audeze Maxwell 2 worth the upgrade from the Denon Ah-D5200?
Verdict
Clear upgrade
Going from the Denon Ah-D5200 to the Audeze Maxwell 2 buys you 17.9 points of HearWiki score - a clear step up that reviewers agree on rather than a marketing refresh. The gains are concentrated in value (5.7 to 7.5) and sound (8.3 to 9.5). On paper: active noise cancelling, multipoint pairing and driver size 50 mm to 90 mm. Worth checking: weight goes 385 g to 560 g. It's also $470 cheaper, which makes this an easy call. 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.
- Sound8.39.5
- Value5.77.5
Spec differences
Only where the two genuinely differ - everything they share is omitted.
| Spec | Ah-D5200 | Maxwell 2 | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Active noise cancelling | No | Yes | |
| Weight | 385 g | 560 g | |
| Multipoint pairing | No | Yes | |
| Driver size | 50 mm | 90 mm | |
| Transparency mode | No | Yes | |
| Custom EQ | No | Yes | |
| USB-C | No | Yes | |
| ANC type | none | adaptive | |
| Controls | none | buttons | |
| Driver | 50 mm dynamic | 90 mm planar magnetic | |
| Frequency response | 5 Hz - 40 kHz | 10 Hz - 50 kHz |
About this verdict
Direction matters here: this page answers "Ah-D5200 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.