Audeze launches Maxwell 2 headset, with better spatial immersion and bass — plus, of course, improved AI noise-canceling mic tech
Audeze launched its new Maxwell 2 planar magnetic gaming headset at CES 2026, with improved audio and mic technology, and swappable side plates.
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)
Audeze has updated one of the
we've tested — the Audeze Maxwell 2 sounds better for both gaming and music, has better noise-canceling tech in its mic, and is (hopefully) more comfortable and versatile, design-wise.
The big update in the Maxwell 2 is the inclusion of Audeze's SLAM technology, which, according to the company, "produces heightened spatial immersion and precision along with punchier bass response." This tech first debuted in the brand's flagship CRBN2 electrostatic headphones in 2024, and is now part of the Maxwell lineup. It seems to have the same excellent 90mm planar magnetic drivers as
— which offer an impressive frequency response range of 10 - 50,000 Hz (much wider than the typical gaming headset frequency response range of 20 - 20,000 Hz).
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(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)
The Maxwell 2 isn't the only planar magnetic gaming headset we've seen on the show floor: Asus also showed off its ROG Kithara, which is part of a collaboration with HiFiMan. The wired ROG Kithara features 100mm planar magnetic drivers and an open-back design, similar to the
. It comes with a detachable full-band MEMS boom microphone and swappable 4.4mm, 6.3mm, and 3.5mm single-ended plugs, as well as a USB-C to dual 3.5mm adapter.
The Maxwell 2 is
, and costs $329 for the PlayStation version and $349 for the Xbox version (both versions are also compatible with PC, Android, iOS, and Nintendo Switch).
