Audeze is quietly turning into a dominant power in gaming audio

Many know Audeze as an audio firm that began growing audiophile-grade headphones almost 20 years in the past, creating planar magnetic headphones just like the LCD-X and LCD-2 which have grown to develop into absolute cult classics within the head-fi house.

In 2018, Audeze introduced its audiophile prowess into the gaming market with the introduction of the Mobius, a beloved gaming headset after which took every little thing it discovered from the Mobius and poured it into the Maxwell which, in 2023, grew to become its best-selling product ever. Now, after efficiently releasing a sequel, the Maxwell 2, in early 2026, Audeze has introduced its new flagship, and an acknowledgment of its aggressive lead: the Maxwell 2 ANC.

The engineering issues Audeze solves

An huge quantity of labor went into constructing noise canceling know-how that works effectively with full-range planar drivers. In most different headphones, noise canceling can change the way in which they sound. This is especially true of planar drivers, which are typically bigger and fewer environment friendly, however output a smoother bass response and higher total sound in return.

The Maxwell 2 ANC, due to cautious measurement and tuning, boasts a frequency response that’s almost equivalent whether or not ANC is on or off, an enormous accomplishment and a singular differentiator throughout the {industry}.

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In reality, you’ll need to allow ANC on a regular basis as a result of it’s so good. I’ve spent the previous couple of days utilizing the Maxwell 2 ANC to play video games, hearken to music, and every little thing in between, and I’ve discovered them snug to put on for lengthy durations, notably with the ventilated headband and plush earpads. The firm’s personal lab measurements present the headphones beating rivals just like the Razer BlackShark 5 and SteelSeries’ Elite within the low-mids, and staying aggressive with extra audio-focused headphones just like the Sony WH-1000XM6 and Bose QuietComfort Ultra.

The “ANC” moniker is not only a checkbox function paired with a worth bump. “Our customers loved the Maxwell 2, but they kept telling us they wanted to completely block out the world without sacrificing our signature planar sound,” stated Sankar Thiagasamudram, CEO of Audeze. “With the Maxwell 2 ANC, we’ve achieved the holy grail of gaming audio. We didn’t just add noise cancellation; we engineered a system that maintains absolute acoustic precision whether ANC is on or off. Whether you’re competing on a noisy esports stage or mixing spatial audio in a studio, this headset delivers total immersion without compromise.”

The know-how benefit

Back in 2018, the gaming headset market was huge open and Audeze, which had been constructing high-end audiophile headphones that always crossed the $1,000 mark, noticed its alternative to convey its planar magnetic driver tech all the way down to a extra accessible worth level, and to a complete new demographic: avid gamers.

The Mobius was designed with related planar magnetic drivers to these within the firm’s rather more costly and high-end headphones. These drivers cross electrical indicators via a circuit over ultra-thin movie diaphragms suspended in a strong magnetic subject to supply sound waves. The distinction right here is in how bass is precisely generated, with out a lot of the distortion you get with conventional dynamic drivers.

On high of that, stuffing planar magnetic drivers right into a pair of closed-back gaming headphones appeared like an sudden transfer, however it’s one which instantly set Audeze aside from each different gaming audio firm.

Audeze hasn’t precisely stopped evolving its strategy to gaming audio. In 2020, the Penrose added wi-fi connectivity, working lossless low-latency audio over a 2.4GHz dongle with elective Bluetooth, crossing over to the console house with official Sony PlayStation and Microsoft Xbox help.

The true sea change got here in 2023 with the discharge of the Audeze Maxwell. Packing huge 90mm planar drivers, it supplied principally each function a gamer may need: 80-hour battery life, Dolby Atmos help with real-time head monitoring, 24-bit/96kHz hi-res audio help, and extra. It instantly grew to become an {industry} sensation for its sound high quality, design, and large function set.

Early in 2026, Audeze refined the package deal with the Maxwell 2. The included dongle permits for wired-like efficiency over the air, virtually eliminating latency. The headphones launched Audeze’s SLAM know-how, which permits for deeper, richer bass whereas delivering smoother mids and treble throughout ANC and passive-only carrying.

The design and refinement course of is obvious all through Audeze’s total lineup of headphones. Yes, it begins with audio high quality, however it ends with immersion constructed on a strong basis.

The PlayStation vote of confidence

Years in the past, Audeze made a guess that it may adapt its industry-leading planar know-how to make the gaming expertise higher. Five years later, that guess paid off when Sony, makers of PlayStation, acquired Audeze to combine its planar driver tech into its rising line of first-party headsets, together with the Pulse Explore and Pulse Elite.

Since then, the corporate has continued to work independently, working with PlayStation engineers to enhance the following era of audio know-how. For many avid gamers, Maxwell 2 affords an improve path for PlayStation customers on the lookout for the slicing fringe of audio high quality and options. 

The begin of the Maxwell 2 ANC period

Audeze’s Maxwell 2 ANC is the following step in that evolution. But slightly than slap standardized ANC on the Maxwell 2, Audeze labored from the bottom as much as develop a specialised noise cancellation system that works in excellent concord with the audio the planar magnetic drivers are able to.

The hybrid ANC is engineered round offering depth and readability to the main points that get in any other case missed – footsteps and directional sounds. It doesn’t drown out or distort audio like loads of headphones are inclined to do, which might make for a lackluster expertise. Paired with the corporate’s SLAM processing and a top-end 24-bit/96kHz transmission price on PC, consoles, and different units, the Maxwell 2 ANC appears like an appropriately huge step ahead born of the corporate’s ambitions.

Even with the spectacular {hardware} the Maxwell 2 can convey to the desk, it doesn’t appear to be Audeze plans on stopping anytime quickly. Since that preliminary gaming headset in 2018, after a decade of audio expertise to start with, Audeze has launched merchandise that appear to be they provide generational enhancements, not simply spec bumps.

The Maxwell 2 ANC starts at $429 and is available for purchase now.