Big drivers for big games mean big sound when it’s needed, and the latest pair from Audeze is definitely focused on that.
You don’t need to be an audiophile to know that the bigger the headphone, the bigger the hardware inside the headphone.
That doesn’t always mean better sound, and small earphones can sound staggeringly good. Large cans typically make good use of space by having more air to move around, which can mean better sound when companies know what to do with their drivers.
That could be why headphones from HiFi company Audeze tend to attract attention, though the high prices could have something else to do with it. But another reason could be the type of driver: planar magnets are known for detailed sound, and are often focused on the audiophile crowd.
A few years ago, however, Audeze found a new group to market big headphones to, with gamers the obvious target.
It even managed to find itself acquired by Sony’s PlayStation arm, and added gaming headphones to its assortment of gear.
This year, the world appears to be getting another variation on that theme with Audeze’s Maxwell 2, a pair of large headphones sporting 90mm planar magnetic drivers, waveguides, and a large frequency range essentially built to cover an assortment of detail.
While listening is important, gaming headphones also need to be there for talking, or even calling out your opponent, and so there’s a removable microphone and support for wireless sound, with the company noting over 80 hours of wireless activity for the headphones. There’s no active noise cancellation, but that may not matter if you’re already stuck in a bubble of explosive sounds and gameplay.
That’ll cover the Audeze Maxwell 2 for gamers, with a specific PlayStation edition and a variation for other devices, including Windows, PC, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch.
Both versions will apparently also work on iOS and Android because they’re wireless headphones, and there’s even support for apps on both platforms.
There’s no word yet on pricing in Australia, but the original Maxwell headphones started at $499 and $549, and these will likely be a direct replacement, suggesting a similar price, which isn’t off from a $329 USD price being set overseas.
