The Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC is simply a fantastic version of an already world-beating wireless gaming headset. While it shares an awful lot with the ‘original’ Audeze Maxwell 2 that launched earlier this year, the addition of genuinely excellent active noise cancellation (ANC) means that it offers an enhanced experience compared to its brethren.

The design and build remain very similar to that older model, with the big, weighty earcups sitting comfortably over your ears while the leather headstrap keeps things secure. Controls are also nearly identical, bar the addition of the ANC button on the front of the left cup. It’s a sturdy and robust build which gives great confidence, but if you’re in any way wary of weighty sets, then the Maxwell 2 ANC might be a bit much for you — it’s a chonker at 19.75oz / 560g.

However, the heft is unequivocally worth it in my opinion: when it comes to performance, the Maxwell 2 is absolutely fantastic. The non-ANC Maxwell 2 is my pick for the best-sounding gaming headset money can buy right now, and the ANC variant sounds just as brilliant in all scenarios across different platforms.

The ANC itself is a welcome addition and a genuinely impressive one, blocking out all exterior noise in my testing, as well as offering a transparency mode. The quality of the ANC makes it perfect for busy environments, or just achieving maximal immersion in your games.

This is up there with the absolute best in the premium ANC business — like the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Omni and Nova Elite I tested in recent months — and I can’t recommend it more if it fits in your budget.

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