Is the Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC worth the upgrade from the Skullcandy Crusher® ANC 2?
Verdict
Clear upgrade
Going from the Skullcandy Crusher® ANC 2 to the Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC buys you 21.1 points of HearWiki score - a clear step up that reviewers agree on rather than a marketing refresh. The gains are concentrated in noise cancelling (5.8 to 8.5), sound (7.2 to 9.3) and calls (7.0 to 9.0). You do give up ground on battery (9.1 to 8.0) and value (7.0 to 6.5). On paper: codecs SBC, AAC to SBC, AAC, LC3, LC3plus, LDAC, bluetooth 5.2 to 5.3 and driver size 40 mm to 90 mm. Worth checking: battery life goes 60 h to 40 h and weight goes 332 g to 560 g. That costs $192 more, or about $9 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.
- Sound7.29.3
- Noise cancelling5.88.5
- Battery9.18.0
- Calls7.09.0
- Value7.06.5
Spec differences
Only where the two genuinely differ - everything they share is omitted.
| Spec | Crusher® ANC 2 | Maxwell 2 ANC | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Battery life | 60 h | 40 h | |
| Codecs | SBC, AAC | SBC, AAC, LC3, LC3plus, LDAC | |
| Weight | 332 g | 560 g | |
| Bluetooth | 5.2 | 5.3 | |
| Battery life (ANC on) | 50 h | 35 h | |
| Driver size | 40 mm | 90 mm | |
| Microphones | 4 | 2 | |
| Wear detection | Yes | No | |
| Controls | buttons | both | |
| Driver | 40 mm dynamic | 90 mm planar magnetic | |
| Frequency response | 20 Hz - 20 kHz | 10 Hz - 50 kHz |
About this verdict
Direction matters here: this page answers "Crusher® ANC 2 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.