Exclusive: Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC coming in Q1 2026

Following yesterday’s announcement of the Audeze Maxwell 2, we met with Audeze at CES, and a surprise visit by the company’s CEO gave us early access to an ANC-equipped variant launching in Q1 2026. This answers one of the biggest questions from our initial coverage: why does the standard Maxwell 2 still lack active noise canceling when competitors offer it?

Turns out Audeze has been working on it—they just needed more time.

First ANC gaming headset from Audeze

This marks the first time Audeze has implemented active noise canceling in a gaming headset. According to them, the ANC version requires additional testing and regulatory approval beyond what’s needed for the standard model, which is why they’re launching separately rather than delaying the entire product line.

If you look closely at the standard Maxwell 2, those holes on the outside of the earcups? Those are the ANC microphone locations. They’re non-functional on the base model because Audeze is using the same earcup mold for both versions—something I suspected when reviewing the design, and Sankar Thiagasamudram confirmed during my demo.

In my brief hands-on at CES, the active noise canceling effectively quieted nearby conversations in the demo room. There were multiple people talking around us, and the ANC did a solid job of reducing that chatter to manageable background noise. I couldn’t do extended testing or measure the actual attenuation performance, but first impressions are promising.

The ANC variant features stylish silver accents that distinguish it from the standard black finish. Audeze wouldn’t commit to exact pricing, but expect a substantial increase over the base model’s $329-$349 price point. Given that competitors like the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless sit at $349 with ANC included, I’m still not convinced the premium is justified, but we will wait for our lab results to reveal the exact performance.

Should you wait?

If active noise canceling was a dealbreaker keeping you from buying the standard Maxwell 2, now you have your answer: it’s coming, just not immediately. The Q1 2026 timeframe means anywhere from late January through March, so you’re looking at a 1-3 month wait depending on the exact launch date.

For everyone who grabbed the standard model already, sorry—there’s no upgrade path. The ANC requires different hardware, so this isn’t something a firmware update can add.

We’ll have a full review of both versions of the Maxwell 2 in the coming weeks, once they have been tested through our labs.