Tech This Out: Can Immerse Gaming Hive 2.0 Unlock Your Headset's Full Potential? (Featuring the Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC!)

We're putting Embody's spatial audio software to the test with the Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC.

Gaming audio has come a long way from simply turning the volume up. Today, software can completely change how we perceive the world around us... in-game, making footsteps easier to locate, environmental sounds more convincing, and cinematic moments feel more... immersive. I've been a huge fan of immersive audio experiences since I bought my first surround sound system over two decades ago... and my enjoyment has only increased because of the evolution in audio engineering.

That's where Immerse Gaming Hive 2.0 comes in. Developed by Embody, Hive 2.0 isn't a replacement for a good gaming headset—it's designed to work with it. For this hands-on experience, Embody teamed up with Audeze to send over the brand-new Maxwell 2 ANC headphones, originally debuted at CES 2026 so that I could give them a whirl and show you how they... tango.

That said, can software actually make an already excellent headset sound even better?

In order to find out... we actually have to unbox them first, so let's jump in:

 What Exactly is Immerse Gaming Hive 2.0? 

Many gamers hear the words "audio software" and immediately think... "Oh... this is one of those equalizers." Oh no... no! It's not an equalizer, you can get that through the Audeze app. The Immerse Gaming Hive 2.0 isn't that at all.

Its purpose isn't to simply boost the bass or make explosions louder. Instead, it's designed to create a more realistic three-dimensional soundscape through compatible headphones using advanced spatial audio processing and personalized acoustic modeling.

In other words, it make sounds feel like they're coming from actual locations around you... and pull you deeper into the action to level up your experience and your competitive edge. They want you to hear the zombies climbing through a window in the next room, a helicopter flying overhead to rescue your team from the area, and that crying NPC behind you... that predictably runs like a constipated sloth while you fight off the horde on the way to the chopper. (Okay... maybe not the constipated part, but you know how NPC's can be at times.)

Hive 2.0 works to make those audio cues feel more natural and easier for your brain to place. This isn't just a talking point, get the trial version and turn on/off the Personalized Spatial Audio switch and watch how the audio flattens out quite a bit.

One of the biggest reasons it can do that is thanks to something called HRTF, which stands for Head-Related Transfer Function. Now don't let the name scare you. Think of HRTF as your own personal acoustic fingerprint.

Everyone's ears, head, and upper body shape incoming sound a little differently before it reaches the brain. That's one of the reasons two people can listen to the exact same audio and perceive the positioning just a little differently. So before you even use the software, you're able to do a scan of your head from one side to the other.

From there, the software builds the personalized (HRTF) profile that's unique to you, allowing it to tailor the virtual soundstage to how you naturally hear the world. Shout out to audio & neuroscience!

Now let's get into why the Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC headphones work so well with the Gaming Hive! In addition to the other impressive specs that you can feel and hear with these headphones... Hive 2.0 uses the headset's built-in motion sensors to track your head movements. As your head turns, the virtual soundstage stays anchored to the game world... instead of rotating with your headphones. The result is a stronger sense of presence, as sounds remain fixed where they should be within the environment.

This is perfect for:

• A Next Level Immersive Audio Experience
• Curved Monitor/Multi-Monitor Setups
• Streamers who need to listen out for danger, while reading responses from fans

*Gaming Hive 2.0 allows for webcam-based head tracking to pull of  a similar effect, but... Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC's built-in motion sensors allow you to jump right into the head tracking action.

Remastered Genre Presets

Embody also rebuilt its game-specific listening modes for version 2.0. Every game-genre preset rebuilt in 2.0 has cleaner imaging and sharper positioning:

• Immerse Mode – Designed as the all-around profile, with improved front-to-back separation that's especially useful for first-person shooters.
• Close Combat Mode – Pulls sounds closer to create a more intense, cinematic presentation, making it well suited for RPGs, horror games, and racing titles.
• Awaken Mode – Expands the sound field to increase awareness of off-screen audio cues, which can benefit MOBA and isometric games.
  
  

 Interface 

The interface of the Immerse Gaming Hive 2.0 is intuitive enough, as seen here:

Switching between Close Combat Mode, Immerse Mode, Awaken Mode are as simple as clicking on the icons.

By the way, while using the Immerse Gaming Hive 2.0 software, I don't notice any major increases in CPU usage. So no lag got in the way of actually enjoying the audio experience. What I will say is that when you swap between surround sound and headphones, don't forget to go straight to the Immerse Hive software in order to choose which output device you want... not the main sound output settings in your OS (i.e. Windows 11 OS).

To get more specific with the output device, when you click on it... select "Speakers (Game-Audeze Maxwell2 ANC)" if you own and have already selected the headset in the app. This will switch it from the "Chat-Audeze Maxwell2 ANC" that seems to get selected when I open the software and power up the headphones at times.

Also, If you have no audio, open Immerse Gaming Hive... and then check the output. By the way, if you use apps like Streamlabs... and you're running into issues, you will have to go to the Source Settings a select the device and Microphone instead of leaving it at Default. (Base on my experience.) This will allow your gameplay and your mic's audio to be recorded accordingly without the mic volume being much louder. I actually selected the Audeze Maxwell2 ANC for device, and the Chat-Audeze Maxwell2 ANC for the mic, and it doesn't affect the Hive app. The spatial audio is still working just fine (as seen in the video below).

 Why the Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC? 

The Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC provides an excellent baseline for evaluating Immerse Gaming HIVE 2.0. Its 90mm planar magnetic drivers reproduce audio with exceptional detail and very low distortion, making it easier to hear the subtle improvements introduced by HIVE's personalized spatial audio processing.

Specifications

Feature	Specification
Drivers	90mm Planar Magnetic Drivers
Active Noise Cancellation	Aviation-grade Hybrid ANC (up to 35dB), Transparency Mode
Spatial Audio Support	Native head tracking support with Immerse Gaming HIVE 2.0
Connectivity	Ultra-low latency wireless, Bluetooth 5.3, USB-C wired, 3.5mm analog
Battery Life	Up to 40 hours (ANC Off), Up to 35 hours (ANC On), 1800mAh Lithium-polymer
Fast Charging	Full charge in approximately 2 hours; 20 minutes provides about 25% charge
Microphone	Detachable Hypercardioid Boom Mic with AI-assisted noise filtering
Amplification	Dual Balanced 1.4W Amplifiers
Compatibility	PC, Mac, PlayStation 5, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, Mobile Devices
Frequency Response	10Hz–50kHz
Weight	Approximately 560g

The headset supports 24-bit/96kHz high-resolution audio over both its ultra-low latency USB-C wireless connection and wired USB-C mode. Bluetooth users aren't left out either, with support for Auracast, LE Audio, LDAC, and AAC, making it just as comfortable handling music and movies as it does gaming.

Comfort and isolation also play an important role. The dual-chamber swivel earcups feature acoustic dampening to help reduce outside noise before the Hybrid Active Noise Cancellation even kicks in, while the magnetically attached ear cushions make removal and replacement refreshingly simple. No snaps with fears of hearing cracks, it's just a strong magnetic connection keeping the cushions attached.

At the heart of the Maxwell 2 are of course... Audeze's 90mm planar magnetic drivers (mentioned above), which use the company's Uniforce diaphragm. Unlike traditional dynamic drivers found in most consumer headphones, planar magnetic technology is known for delivering exceptionally detailed sound, lower distortion, tighter bass response, and improved clarity across the frequency range.

Driving those planar drivers is Audeze's patented Fluxor magnet array, which concentrates magnetic energy more efficiently than conventional magnet designs to help improve driver performance and responsiveness.

To further refine the listening experience, Audeze incorporates its SLAM tuning system, which uses carefully engineered acoustic channels to enhance bass while maintaining spatial detail. Working alongside it are the company's Fazor waveguides, which help guide sound waves more evenly as they leave the planar magnetic drivers, reducing unwanted interference and contributing to cleaner, more accurate high-resolution audio.

When you combine all of these technologies—the planar magnetic drivers, Uniforce diaphragm, Fluxor magnet array, SLAM tuning system, Fazor waveguides, Hybrid Active Noise Cancellation, and native head tracking support—you end up with a headset that's built to reveal the finer details in your games rather than simply making everything louder. Let's game!

 Improved Positional Awareness? 

Does the Immerse Gaming Hive 2.0... improve positional awareness? Absolutely, and with the Maxwell 2's sound quality and the native tracking... you can certainly dial in for greater scares, action, and adventure. I think it also helps keep some of the more... easily distracted gamers locked in too. 

I spent a little time in the world of Resident Evil Requiem for this experience:

What stood out to me wasn't simply the obvious sounds. It was the little things happening around them.

During one of the initial scenes, I noticed something as subtle as Grace's supervisor taking a breath just before she entered his office to explain why she was running behind on a report. That may seem like a small detail—and it is—but the combination of subtle sounds add to the game world we're diving into. I give props to the technical audio professionals who knock it out of the park during game development, and... I want to appreciate that hard work by actually being able to hear those subtle taps, voice, bangs, booms, splashes, crashes and... everything else on the deepest level possible. That's why I love surround sound so much, it just takes it to another level, and spatial audio technology takes it even further. Apply that games like Resident Evil Requiem... and its on and poppin'!

Comfort level when it comes to these headphones is... fair. I don't get the clamp feeling I was concerned about from the earcups, and the ear cushions are soft. There is a but... because one thing that decreases my tolerance level is the weight. I can't expect the headphones to have all the tech under the hood, contain materials like metal, and still remain durable while being light as a feather... so there are trade-offs. After gaming I still have a short-lived headphone sensation of sorts, but... the road to that point is enjoyable.

 Should You Buy? 

If you game and want to enjoy an upgraded immersive audio experience, Immerse Gaming Hive 2.0 could be worth it for you. It is a service, so keep that in mind, but... it's digestible at $14.99/year. It auto-renews under the annual plan, but.. you can cancel at anytime. If you prefer a one-time payment, you can get the 5-year plan they have for $39.99 that doesn't auto-renew. If you play competitively, I highly recommend this software for sure, but I still think it's worth considering regardless—if you want that personalized spatial audio experience. My preferred option is the 5-year plan for half a decade... because it just makes more sense. Try before you buy via the 2-week trial. (PC Only.)

If you're interested in the Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC... they're available for $429 via the PlayStation version (or $449 for the Xbox version). You get more bang for your buck because of the versatile connectivity... giving you the ability to connect consoles, your PC, handhelds, and mobile devices with with the first party app. The quality is there, so if you're looking for a pair of new headphones... add these to your radar to amp up your experience with the Hive 2.0... and game on!

Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC In-Store Locations (Globally)

Audeze Product Guides and Downloads

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1More Aero Wireless Earbuds... Reviewed!

 Shout out to the 1More team for sending these over as quick as they did.

When it comes to the 1More Aero headphones, all I had to see was spatial sound, and I was like... oh heck yeah. So what's the verdict, do they deliver when it comes to that feature? What about the sound quality? I'm glad you asked... or at least I'd envision you asking these things, so... let's find out right now!

Quality + Comfort: In terms of quality, the 1More Aero earbuds have a slender plastic body that widens towards the ear tips... while the lower end runs down just in front of the earlobe. The earbuds are light but sturdy, and the plus about them being light is the lack of additional weight that may cause them to slip out of your ear easier.

I used the smallest ear tips to make sure that I could wear them comfortably during the review, and just like other earbuds... I had to sleep with these on for some ASMR action. The earbuds passed my sleep test, I didn't have to remove them at any point, but... these won't last a full 8 hours. More on this later.

The case of these headphones is also plastic and is a river rock shape that allows you to easily slip it into your pocket. The rechargeable... charging case has a hood-like lid for easy access. Despite it being a lighter case... it's not flimsy, you will have to hold the case with one hand to open the lid with the other. I say that to say you don't have to worry about the earbuds falling out once they're in this case being shoved into your pocket to get cozy with your wallet. By the way, taking these headphones out is a smooth process. 

Love the 1More Evo earbuds, but... taking them out of the case isn't always the easiest for me. I learned to make sure my fingers were extra dry and to push them to the side before lifting. There is no issue with the 1More Aero, you just grab and go.

Sound: When it comes to sound, these earbuds deliver in a balanced way... out of the box. The lows and highs grab my attention the most based on what I'm indulging in. I can't hate on the mids because the voices in shows and movies were nothing to frown at, and calls didn't leave me squinting my eyes while trying to hear what someone was saying on the line.

The subtle sounds hold their own quite well (i.e. I heard the heels of a guy's dress shoes as he approached the stand during an argument in a courtroom scene), which I give a green light in terms of these earbuds serving up a nice ASMR experience (preferably with ANC on). The bass is deep enough to be appreciated and gives a nice punchy thump + boom when the oomph is right.

The 1More Aero earbuds feature 1 ANC level and a passthrough feature as well. When ANC is activated it significantly cuts down on the outside noise unless someone is just talking that loud, but these earbuds are adaptive enough for your needs at this price point. 

If you need to get the scoop on what someone is saying (i.e. the Teens out there rocking earbuds and their parents require their listening ears), you can literally take one of these earbuds out and the other one that's still in your ear will fade away the active noise cancellation (and turns up the passthrough).

This worked great when I was in a studio and needed to hear what someone was saying about a pending event. I didn't look at the features before jumping in (for the most part), because I wanted to get a true first impression... and I love this feature. Once you get done, just put the other earbud back in your ear, and it will smoothly fade right back into ANC mode.

The big feature of these earbuds is the spatial audio, and I couldn't wait to jump in (you have no idea).

Spatial audio is a type of technology that serves up head-related transform function technology (HRTF) via your headphones, and basically gives you 360 degrees of sound.

To be more specific about the spatial audio capabilities of the 1More Aero, they have a built-in gyroscope, dynamic head tracking (think VR), and 3D audio technology. The sound won't change direction while using this feature, so when you turn your head to your left while listening to a voice or sound coming from the front of you, you will now hear the voice or sound more so in your right ear. 

I accessed the spatial audio feature through the 1More app while the earbuds were connected to my phone, and when I switched up and connected them to the office telly, I made sure the DTS TruSurround of the TV was activated. While spatial audio isn't a must for every single audio experience, it's a nice plus for those experiences that take advantage of it.

My audio experience included:

Gerald Albright - What you see is what you get | No spacial audio. I keep going back to this track because the instruments are just... so damn clean and it sounds great.

Rick Ross - Maybach Music 3 | Spatial audio & No spatial audio. I listened to this track with the feature on and off, it features Dolby Atmos, but... I couldn't tell the difference to be honest (at least with these earbuds).

Guns N Roses - Welcome to the Jungle | No spatial audio. By the way... Carrie Underwood did a cover of this in concert, which made me curious of what her performance was like. I won't say that I was surprised, I know she's a singer, but she held her own with the song and it didn't sound like you'd expect a concert experience to sound for the most part. There were parts where she didn't lay in fully the way Axl Rose did in the track but... she did a damn good job (and again, this was in concert where some people are unable to pull off similar results). You can tell that it was authentic too because you could tell that she was reloading (breathing in) to hit you with more when she pulled the mic away, etc. 

Thor: Love and Thunder | Spatial audio.

She-Hulk: Attorney At Law | Spatial audio. She-Hulk didn't present a great deal of spatial audio from
beginning to end that I noticed, but you heard sounds coming from various directions that were a subtle plus (like the guy's shoes I heard as he approached the stand in the courtroom came from the right).

You might scratch your head wondering why I'd turn off the spatial audio for certain experiences, but keep in mind that every bit of audio wasn't created with spatial audio in mind. So when it comes to the music, if you want to hear it the way it was intended to be heard, turn off spatial sound or you will hear it from a certain direction unless they recorded it with some sort of omnidirectional mic that puts you in the center of it all.

In the box + Features: 

In the box, you get the wireless charging case

1More Aero Earbuds

USB Charging cable

4 Pairs of silicone ear tips (S / M / L / XL)

Features include:

IPX5 Waterproof Protection - Saves your earbuds from low-pressure of water.

Bluetooth 5.2

42dB QuietMax Active Noice Canceling with 40Hz-4000Hz range

450 mAh Case battery (Case & earbuds fully charged give 28 hours of playback)

40 mAh battery gives you 7 hours of playback (which can get you through most of a shift before a recharge

Earbud recharge time 1 hour

Case recharge time 2 hours

By the way, you get a speaker impedance of 32, 10mm dynamic driver, and 12 Studio-grade EQs for your listening pleasure. These earbuds were also tuned by multi-Grammy award winner Luca Bignard.

The Preset EQs include:

Default (balanced)

Bass reducer

Base booster

Acoustic

Classical

Podcast

Deep

Electronic

Hip-Hop

Lounge

Pop

Vocal booster

Play around with these to find your preferred preset, or go with a more custom sound, but another option is just one selection away when needed.

Price:  Pricewise, you can get the 1More Aero earbuds for $109.99, which are $89.99 at the time of this review... which includes a 10W Qi Wireless Charging Pad for free until 11/30/2022 (so you save $30).

Overall, I think these are some solid earbuds that deliver for those who want earbuds to enjoy music and movies without disturbing others around you.

Quality + Comfort 5

Sound 5

In the box + Features 5

Price 5

5 out of 5 Cool Points

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Immerse Gaming | HIVE Spatial Audio Software... Reviewed!

I'd like to thank Team Embody for supplying this software for my review. My opinions are my own.

...Reviewed!

When it comes to spatial audio, I stepped into this review with experience of what this type of software delivers... but the Immerse spatial audio software seems to make things... personal.

Personalization: Out of the gate, the first thing that stood out to me was the request to take a photo of my ear. I thought that was interesting. I think it's cool because you're getting a more formulated sound based on the shape of your ear.

Tip: Get someone else to take the photo for the most accurate angle possible.

If you're wondering what that does, just think of how the sound would be delivered to your ears based on the layout. You're going to hear the audio with your ears, so having the audio customized to the shape of your ear... enhances the experience that much more.

Quality: In terms of the spatial audio quality, it delivers. You don't sit around waiting to hear the spatial audio kick in. I don't want to knock Windows Sonic, but that's me with Windows Sonic in terms of gaming. Immerse Gaming Hive gives an immediate response unless you have the volume down or you have another audio device selected (I have quite a few of those).

Before I go any further, spatial audio is this... 360-degree experience for your ears. This is one of the reasons ASMR caught me the way it did, it's truly immersive... so when you take software like Immerse Gaming and you apply that to games... it takes things to the next level for more gamers than those who can afford higher quality headphones. We hear the games through the stereo, but when your audio is taken to that evolutionary level that is... Spatial Audio, you feel it even more.

Features: When combined with the Audeze Mobius headphones, it was just a beautiful freaking experience. I can't wait to see the creativity in this space, because gaming truly takes a step forward with spatial audio.

Immersive Gaming Hive's software gives you the option to customize the sound for various genres. MMO, shooters, and more. The sound either expands to fit the world or decreases to fit close-quarters combat. Resident Evil Village is one of the more recent titles that take advantage of spatial audio... so if you have the guts to dive in, game on!

You also get the optional UI overlay, but... I recommend leaving it off in competitive multiplayer games. I don't recommend it because it's a detriment as far as affecting the performance of your system, but if you have something telling where the enemies are coming from... what type of challenge is that? In the least... it shouldn't be allowed in tournaments, but... I do think this is a great feature for gamers in the deaf & hearing-impaired community. If we get spatial audio, a visual sonar could be a plus for them... and evens the playing field in my opinion.

Price: Pricewise, this software comes at a very competitive price of $14.99/year or $39.99/5 years. I'd take the 5 years, though I don't believe that there should be any limitations on device amount or image submissions. They may be able to explain the reason why, perhaps it requires a stored profile on the companies end so that they aren't trying to match with each update or something, but... they already have existing headphones they do that for. Since the other headphones use default settings, that can't be the reason... so I don't think there should be limitations (mainly on the headphones). I guess I can understand the ear type, which also represents a user cap for the service.

Grab the Immerse Gaming Hive spatial audio software... here: http://immerse.gg/

Personalization 5

Quality 5

Features 5

Price 5

5 out of 5 Cool Points

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