Is the Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC worth the upgrade from the JBL Tour One M3?
Verdict
Meaningful upgrade
The Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC scores 6.1 points above the JBL Tour One M3. That's a real improvement, though not the kind you'd notice on every track. The gains are concentrated in sound (8.0 to 9.3) and calls (8.1 to 9.0). You do give up ground on value (9.6 to 6.5) and battery (9.6 to 8.0). On paper: codecs LDAC to SBC, AAC, LC3, LC3plus, LDAC and driver size 40 mm to 90 mm. Worth checking: battery life goes 70 h to 40 h and weight goes 278 g to 560 g. That costs $29 more, or about $5 per point of score - reasonable value for the jump. Worth doing if you're replacing anyway; harder to justify as a pure upgrade if what you have still works.
What actually changes
Sub-scores both products have, on the same 0-10 scale. Bars extend right for a gain, left for a loss.
- Sound8.09.3
- Noise cancelling8.78.5
- Battery9.68.0
- Calls8.19.0
- Value9.66.5
Spec differences
Only where the two genuinely differ - everything they share is omitted.
| Spec | Tour One M3 | Maxwell 2 ANC | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Battery life | 70 h | 40 h | |
| Codecs | LDAC | SBC, AAC, LC3, LC3plus, LDAC | |
| Weight | 278 g | 560 g | |
| Battery life (ANC on) | 70 h | 35 h | |
| Driver size | 40 mm | 90 mm | |
| Microphones | 8 | 2 | |
| Wear detection | Yes | No | |
| Controls | touch | both | |
| Driver | 40 mm dynamic | 90 mm planar magnetic | |
| Frequency response | 10 Hz - 40 kHz | 10 Hz - 50 kHz |
About this verdict
Direction matters here: this page answers "Tour One M3 to Maxwell 2 ANC". 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.