{"id":337146,"date":"2026-10-27T02:02:58","date_gmt":"2026-10-27T02:02:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ecoustics.com\/news\/audeze-maxwell-2-anc-wwise-head-tracking\/"},"modified":"2026-10-27T02:03:03","modified_gmt":"2026-10-27T02:03:03","slug":"audeze-maxwell-2-anc-wwise-head-tracking","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ecoustics.com\/news\/audeze-maxwell-2-anc-wwise-head-tracking\/","title":{"rendered":"Audeze and Audiokinetic Bring Native Head Tracking to Wwise With Maxwell 2 ANC Headphones"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Audeze<\/a> and Audiokinetic<\/a> (both of which are owned by Sony Interactive Entertainment) have joined forces to provide native head tracking and spatial audio content creation capabilities using the Maxwell 2 ANC gaming headset<\/a> through the Wwise Creation Suite<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This enables sound engineers and game developers to use the Maxwell 2 ANC as a calibration tool for improved spatial audio authoring and more accurate 3D sound placement during content creation.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"wwise-logo\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Sound designers and game developers using\u00a0Wwise<\/a>\u00a0can tap into the capabilities of the Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC headset, now equipped with real-time, self-calibrating head-tracking technology, to achieve highly accurate 3D sound placement and enhanced spatial audio authoring. The setup is plug-and-play, with no external software required. Developers and content creators simply connect the Maxwell 2 ANC via USB-C or its ultra-low-latency wireless USB-C dongle to begin monitoring directly in Wwise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The goal of this collaboration is to transform how game audio is created and experienced, from VR emulation and\u00a0Tempest 3D AudioTech<\/a>\u00a0binauralization to non-standard speaker layouts for\u00a0Location-Based Entertainment (LBE)<\/a>\u00a0using the\u00a0AK Custom Panner<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBy natively integrating Maxwell 2 ANC\u2019s self-calibrating head tracking directly into Wwise, we\u2019re removing the friction between creator vision and spatial execution<\/em>,\u201d said Sankar Thiagasamudram, CEO of Audeze<\/strong>. \u201cGame developers now have a portable, studio-grade reference system that lets them place, audition, and mix 3D audio effortlessly in any environment. Together with Audiokinetic, we\u2019re establishing a new benchmark for spatial audio creation across the interactive media industry<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC Gaming Headset<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

With the Maxwell 2 ANC and Wwise, developers can take advantage of the headset\u2019s hardware-based, low-latency head tracking for more accurate spatial audio placement when creating immersive video game soundscapes. Featuring Audeze\u2019s advanced 90mm\u00a0planar magnetic drivers<\/a>\u00a0with\u00a0Uniforce<\/a>,\u00a0Fluxor<\/a>,\u00a0Fazor<\/a>, and\u00a0SLAM<\/a>\u00a0acoustic technologies, the headset also incorporates\u00a0Active Noise Cancellation (ANC)\u00a0designed to maintain a consistent frequency response. Together, these technologies allow the Maxwell 2 ANC to serve as a calibrated spatial audio reference system wherever creators work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Under the Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) umbrella, Audiokinetic and Audeze are building an end-to-end audio workflow for PlayStation. Developers can create soundscapes in Wwise using Audeze headsets, while PlayStation audio products, including the upcoming Sony PULSE and PULSE Edge headsets<\/a> and PULSE Elevate wireless speakers<\/a>, use Audeze-made planar magnetic drivers to faithfully reproduce that audio for players.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cWe\u2019re unlocking new creative possibilities for developers, making it easier to implement vivid spatial audio that elevates player immersion<\/em>,\u201d said Martin Dufour, CTO of Audiokinetic<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The collaboration builds on Audeze\u2019s previous spatial audio initiatives, expanding the Maxwell platform\u2019s capabilities while giving developers new tools to create more immersive, lifelike gaming experiences. Native real-time head tracking for the Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC is scheduled to become available in November 2026 with Wwise version 2026.1.4.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Comparison<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Audeze Model<\/strong><\/td>Maxwell 2 ANC (2026)<\/strong><\/td>Maxwell 2 (2026)<\/strong><\/td>Maxwell (2023)<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Product Type <\/strong><\/td>Wireless and Wired Gaming Headset<\/td>Wireless and Wired Gaming Headset<\/td>Wireless and Wired Gaming Headset<\/td><\/tr>
Price<\/strong><\/td>$429 (PlayStation)
$449<\/a> (Xbox)<\/td>		$329 (PlayStation)
$349 (Xbox)<\/td>		$299 (PlayStation)
$329 (Xbox)<\/td><\/tr>
Wearing Style<\/strong><\/td>Over-ear, Closed-Back<\/td>Over-ear, Closed-Back<\/td>Over-ear, Closed-Back<\/td><\/tr>
Transducer type.<\/strong><\/td>Planar magnetic<\/td>Planar magnetic<\/td>Planar Magnetic<\/td><\/tr>
Transducer size<\/strong><\/td>90 mm<\/td>90 mm<\/td>90 mm<\/td><\/tr>
Magnet type <\/strong><\/td>Neodymium N50<\/td>Neodymium N50<\/td>Neodymium N50<\/td><\/tr>
Magnetic Structure. <\/strong><\/td>Fluxor magnet array<\/td>Fluxor magnet array<\/td>Fluxor magnet array<\/td><\/tr>
Diaphragm type<\/strong><\/td>Uniforce<\/td>Uniforce<\/td>Uniforce<\/td><\/tr>
Phase Management<\/strong><\/td>Fazor<\/td>Fazor\u2122<\/td>Fazor\u2122<\/td><\/tr>
Acoustic management<\/strong><\/td>SLAM\u2122<\/td>SLAM\u2122<\/td>N\/A<\/td><\/tr>
Maximum SPL<\/strong><\/td>> 115 dB<\/td>> 115 dB<\/td>> 120 dB<\/td><\/tr>
Frequency response.<\/strong><\/td>10Hz – 50kHz<\/td>10Hz – 50kHz<\/td>10Hz – 50kHz<\/td><\/tr>
THD<\/strong><\/td><0.1% @ 100dB<\/td><0.1% @ 100dB<\/td><0.1% (@ 1 kHz, 1mW)<\/td><\/tr>
Noise Reduction<\/strong><\/td>ANC<\/td>N\/A<\/td>N\/A<\/td><\/tr>
Bluetooth 5.3<\/strong><\/td>Yes<\/td>Yes<\/td>Yes<\/td><\/tr>
Bluetooth Codec Support<\/strong><\/a><\/td>LE Audio, LDAC, AAC, SBC<\/td>LE Audio, LDAC, AAC, SBC<\/td>LE Audio, LC3, LC3plus, LDAC, AAC, SBC<\/td><\/tr>
Bluetooth Multipoint<\/strong><\/td>Yes<\/td>Yes<\/td>Yes<\/td><\/tr>
Wireless Dongle<\/strong><\/td>USB-C, ultra-low latency<\/td>USB-C, ultra-low latency<\/td>USB-C<\/td><\/tr>
Wired connection<\/strong><\/td>USB-C digital, 3.5mm analog<\/td>USB-C digital, 3.5mm analog<\/td>USB-C with dual-audio endpoints and game-chat mix
3.5mm TRRS active<\/td><\/tr>
Audeze App<\/strong><\/td>Yes<\/td>Yes<\/td>Yes<\/td><\/tr>
Head Tracking<\/strong><\/td>Yes<\/td>Yes<\/td>Yes (as an update)<\/td><\/tr>
Wwise Compatibility (New –  October 2026)<\/strong><\/td>Yes<\/td>N\/A<\/td>N\/A<\/td><\/tr>
Battery<\/strong><\/td>Lithium-polymer, 1800mAh<\/td>Lithium-polymer, 1800mAh<\/td>Lithium-polymer, 1800mAh<\/td><\/tr>
Battery life <\/strong><\/td>80 Hours<\/td>80 Hours<\/td>80 Hours<\/td><\/tr>
Fast charge<\/strong><\/td>USB-C 5v 1.8A max<\/td>USB-C 5v 1.8A max<\/td>USB-C, 5v 1.8 Amp max<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Audeze Maxwell 2 Gaming Headset<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Bottom Line <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Audeze Maxwell platform has evolved beyond premium gaming headphones into a serious tool for spatial audio production. What began with Dolby Atmos Renderer<\/a> support in 2023 and expanded through the Embody<\/a> partnership in 2024 has now reached game development itself. The Wwise integration is particularly significant because it brings native, self-calibrating head tracking directly into the production workflow, allowing creators to monitor and refine immersive audio without additional tracking software. That’s a meaningful step forward, not another spatial audio logo to stick on the box.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For game audio engineers, independent developers, and VR content creators already working in Wwise, the Maxwell 2 ANC offers a portable alternative for monitoring complex 3D soundscapes. It won’t replace a properly calibrated multichannel studio, but it makes professional spatial audio tools more accessible outside one. Looking back at Sony’s acquisition of Audeze in 2023<\/a>, the bigger picture is becoming clearer: Maxwell isn’t just about how gamers hear their games anymore. It’s increasingly about how those games are made to sound in the first place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Price & Availability<\/h2>\n\n\n\n