Bowers & Wilkins - Pi7 S2 True Wireless Noise Cancelling In-Ear Earbuds - Canvas White

Nothing sounds as good as Bowers and Wilkins. Their sound profile and spacial audio make you feel like you are listening live. You hear the pick on a guitar, a cymbal crash sounds natural, placement of instruments is natural and impressive. Bass is instrumental and deep. They are like home surround sound, but in an earbud. Connection is a breeze with app. No issues. Battery life is excellent! Only con, if it matters to you is noise cancelling. While great on pX7 s2s over the ear, the pI7s2s are non existent. I use the pI7s for the gym and walks and don't want it anyhow, but for airplane travel the PX7s shut out all the plane noise, baby crying etc... I love both sets of headphones/earbuds and will only buy BW.

Really good sound quality. But unsteady bass. Sometimes the bass is like really deep. But sometimes goes normal.and left side sometimes doesn't work .

Staff was very helpful with price matching my order. I live my Bowers & Wilkins air buds!!!

will start by saying these are really good wireless earbuds, the sound quality is on the above average side of the scale however I am still left feeling that there is something left to be desired. Now this could possibly be alleviated if the first of my issues did not exist wwhich is the lack of EQ adjustments on the second issue, the lackluster app. The sound for one just does not reach a high enough level, which remains an issue from previous versions which I also own. The sound quality does not quite reach the levels of other that are in this price range which honestly dictates what level of quality that you should be expecting to receive. The first thing I noticed upon unboxing is the feel of the QI charging capable case which honestly does not feel premium like a $300 - $500 price tag should be worthy of. On top of feeling somewhat cheap you can't stand the case uprite because of the shape, which is rounded on the bottom, therefor you must lay them flat on their side. Now comes the single biggest issue that I have with the Pi7 S2's, I can NOT, to save my life, hardly ever get them out of the case. The problem is that while they are tiny, which I do like, the entire part off the bud that sticks out of the case is slick polished metal and this combined with the size makes it impossible for a person with bigger fingers to "pinch" them & pull them out without eventually dropping them once they do come out. I highly recommend a layer of that silky feeling rubber wrapped around the outside where the label is, I think it would also help with the premium feel that they lack a bit. The pair I recieved has had a very good bluetooth connection with a very decent range, it did however take awhile to connect. The battery life seems to be quite excellent & the charging time is fairly quick. I wish the touch functions had a few more options as the ones it does have I don't use that often. Despite the numerous shortcomings of the Pi7, I still give it 4 out of 5 stars primarily for it's remarkable sound quality. For the right person, absolutely recommended, even for the price.

There are hundreds of earbuds to choose from today, and they can range from just a few dollars all the way up to hundreds. The Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2 Wireless Headphone buds promise superior sound and build quality at close to $400 (!). Are they worth it? The Pi7s come in a charging base that feels pretty standard compared to most others on the market. Nothing stands out as premium about it – it holds the buds, charges them, and allows you to go into Bluetooth pairing mode. Charging from zero take a little while via USB-C (cable included) and should provide you with up to 16 hours of use when charging before you need to charge the case again. You get about 5 hours per use per charge on the buds themselves before they need to go back into the case. Three sets of covers are included for the ear tabs (small, medium, larger – medium is already on them). They are reasonably comfortable, but a bit thin and one always wants to pop off when I remove the bud from my ear. A 24 bit system using Qualcomm tech and a range (depending on obstacles) of up to 25 meters are specked out on these and the range is pretty good at least when using with a phone. Flipping the case lid up and pushing the pairing button, I was able to first pair these to a LG TV without too many hiccups. The downloadable Bowers app will help walk you through SOME things, but since the basic paper guide is nearly nothing, you’ll need to use the app. You will need to create an account to get started. The app is a little wonky to get around in, and very basic. You have to pair the buds via the device AND the app (odd). No true QE settings or even a volume control (you control that via the device you’re using these with). You can control the noise canceling which works pretty well, as well as a setting that allows certain ambient noises to get through so you’re not cut off completely from the world around you. You can through a series of 1-2 taps or a tap-hold, control music playback, advance or back, or answer/hang up from calls or put them on hold. You can also once set up, use your device’s assistant through them. Sound is… ok. I have tried these on a large LG television, an iPhone, and a Pixel phone. In each case, the sound was clear enough and “good”, but not what I’d call excellent, and did vary a little bit depending on the device it was connected to. A bit muffled, to be honest, and again, with no detailed way to control individual ranges in the app, you get what you get for the most part. Battery life has averaged around the 5 hour advertised rate, but will drop if you use the noise canceling feature. Sound volume is pretty low, even when you crank up your parent device on these. I had to use my LG TV’s volume at three-quarters full just to get a comfortable range from these, and the phones had to be cranked up fairly high as well. When trying phone calls, I can hear the people on the other end fine, but they say I sound a bit distant so I have to speak a bit louder than normal, so the multiple mics on each bud could use some tweaking. Connections were good on the phones, but when walking around with it connected to the TV, they start staggering and cutting in and out after only about 10 or so feet away from the TV with no walls in-between. I tried it on a second LG TV (different model) and again, average/low sound and it would do quick in and out cuts periodically. Are these good? Yes, I would say they’re good overall for phone use, but not for TVs at least in my experience. Are they $400 good? Absolutely not, in my opinion. They feel fine, look good, and have decent enough battery life, but I have used buds that cost one-third what these do that sound every bit as good (or better), so I have to be honest and say I cannot recommend these for the price, though if they are offered at a (deep) discount, they may be worth considering.

Summary: There is no question that these earbuds sound amazing… and for many, that is enough to justify their purchase. At this price level, there are some questionable software and hardware design decisions that mar an otherwise great product. Pros: * Amazingly detailed and powerful sound. * Light and comfortable earbuds that stay in. * Light and pocketable charging case. * Good ANC with power-efficient Auto ANC mode. * Above-average voice call quality. * Adequate but not stellar battery life. * USB-C and wireless charging. * Unique case can re-transmit audio from 3.5mm or USB connections. Cons: * Cannot activate Transparent mode from buds - must use app. * Merely adequate battery life versus competitors. * Earbuds are somewhat difficult to remove from the case. * Case materials could be better at this price point. * No EQ or sound adjustments in the app. * Case is larger than the competition. * Earbud shape still gives a bit of a Frankenstein vibe when worn. Setup: Setup is really easy. As is becoming the standard, the best way to pair the buds is with the companion app. The buds have BT Low Energy as well as standard BT, so the app pairs the buds rather easily. There is also a pairing button on the case that is accessible once the lid is open for pairing to additional devices and an LED on the case that informs you when the buds are in pairing mode. The single LED on the outside of the case does some heavy lifting; showing battery status of the case, battery status of the buds when in the case, pairing mode, passthrough mode, etc… While not as obvious as some of the competitors with separate LEDs for some of these functions, it does work well enough. The huge button on the outside of the case is used to show battery status of the case or the buds within it with a tap, or turn on/off the re-transmission mode if connected. These earbuds come with two USB-C cables; one with a USB-C end and one with a 3.5mm headphone jack. You can use the C-to-C cable for charging the case or just drop the case on a standard qi (wireless) charger. These earbuds are the second iteration of the fantastic Pi7 earbuds that also had a case that can be used as a bluetooth transmitter for devices that don’t have built-in bluetooth. This function can be used with headphone jacks like on planes or game systems, or with computers that have USB-C connections. You can even temporarily pair a different set of bluetooth headphones to the case if you want. The two provided cables have nice branded Velcro ties, but a small nit is that the cable ties are not attached to the wires so once you unwrap them, you have to keep an eye on where you put the removed cable tie. I paired these to my iPhone and iPad. The app shows you the name of the paired devices and lets you choose which device it automatically reconnects to or manually choose to switch the connection. This worked rather well in switching between using the buds with my phone or iPad, but I did notice that the app is a bit odd when swapping connections. There is no multi-point connection, though. It’s one connection at a time but you can easily swap connections when needed. Typical Usage: Again, since these earbuds sound fantastic and are priced at the high end, issues with smaller nuances of the product are that much more noticeable and annoying. I have absolutely no complaints on the sound quality for playing music, movies or talking on calls. The stuff listed below should be noted and considered if any of them matter more than sonic perfection. The case is attractive and I appreciate that it’s light to carry, but at this price level, I almost expect a tad more heft to the case and more luxurious materials rather than just simple matte plastic. Even the lid of the case looks metallic but is just more plastic. Perhaps if the case was carbon fiber or some other material, but the plastic case is not befitting such a high-end product. When the buds are in the case, as it also was with the original Pi7, only the rounded “Frankenstein” stems are available to grab to remove them. Those stems are smooth and there isn’t much to grab onto. Plus, the magnet that holds them in the case is rather strong, so it’s someone difficult to remove them from the case. Just having a subtle lip around the stems would make them easier to grab. These buds have a new “Auto” ANC mode available in addition to the normal “On” mode. ANC always consumes power and reduces the battery life of any set of earbuds. The On setting keeps ANC on at full strength but with a not-insignificant reduction in battery life. The new “Auto” ANC mode does a decent job at blocking unwanted sounds while using only as much ANC as needed for the ambient noise. This keeps the sounds out while maximizing battery life. In the app, you can choose which ANC mode you prefer; full ANC or Auto ANC. Then when you tap on the left earbud, it toggles between that chosen ANC mode and ANC Off. There is also an adjustable Transparency mode, but to turn it on, you have to toggle it on in the app. The in-ear sensor works really well and pauses your music when you remove either earbud, but putting the Transparency mode accessible only in the app, it essentially forces you to remove an earbud to talk to someone briefly, since it’s so cumbersome to grab your phone, unlock it, open the app, wait for it to connect to your buds (via BTLE), then find and turn on the Transparency mode. I highly recommend that B&W update the software so that the tap gesture on the left earbud can toggle between your pre-set ANC mode and Transparency rather than ANC and OFF. Another suggestion would be that if you remove one earbud but still have the other in, automatically turn on Transparency for the bud that is still being worn so you can hear better with both ears and not just the one with the bud removed. These buds sounds amazing, but be aware that there is no sound mode or eq setting available in the app (at least as of the time of this review). I find the sound quality so good that I don’t think I’d make any adjustments, but the option would be nice. Another improvement that could be made is in the audio confirmations played in the earbuds. For example, when you tap to play/pause or when the buds are connected, etc… Many competitors use voice prompts so they have a voice saying “Connected” or “Paused”, etc.., others use a sounds scheme. The sounds these buds make for events could be more high-end than mere beeps, in my opinion. Perhaps stringed instruments or orchestral sounds, but simple beeps just don’t imply high-end… a theme I’m finding with these buds. By the way, in all the time I have used these buds with my iPhone 14 Pro Max and iPad Pro, they never once disconnected or stuttered… just amazingly clear and consistent sound. Conclusion: While there are more than a few small issues and improvements noted above, I can’t stress how great these earbuds sound. I have a large stable of normal and high-end earbuds, and these by far sounds the best of the bunch. However; they’re like a fine sports car with cheap seats and no convenient cupholder. Overall, this is an excellent product with a few small issues that can easily be overlooked for their supreme sound quality. Perhaps they can even be improved with a subsequent app and/or firmware update. If sound quality is your primary need, then these definitely will not disappoint!

THE BREAKDOWN: This Bowers & Wilkins Pi7 S2 earbuds sound amazing if you get a good tight seal. Let’s start with the underwhelming features, first I have large hands and it is difficult to remove the earbuds from the case. Second, the battery life is limited to five hours with another 16 from the case with the ability to charge wirelessly. I was able to hit the 5-hour mark on battery life consistently even with noise canceling. The last thing that is lacking with this product is the ability in the app to tweak your sound with an equalizer. So, for all the things that I found simply amazing! The sound quality is top notch with dual 9.2mm dynamic drivers and integrated amp. They support aptX Adaptive with allows for up to 24-bit/48KHz. One of the coolest features of the Pi7 S2 is the charging case doubles as a Bluetooth transmitter. So, if you have a device that doesn’t support Bluetooth you can use the USB-C to 3.5mm adapter to plug the case into the device and put in your earbud and viola your in business. One the first things that come to mind when thinking of this feature is on a flight. The Bluetooth range is about 82 feet which really isn’t bad. The active noise cancelling isn’t bad, but it isn’t the best. I feel as if it does a good job at low and mid sounds, but the higher end sounds seem to creep in. PRO’s: - Absolutely stunning sound quality - Solid build and premium design - Charging case doubles as a Bluetooth receiver - Good Bluetooth range CON’s: - Average Active noise cancellation - Pricey - Battery life SUMMARY: Overall, this product worked as intended, and I would recommend this to a friend if they were in the market for an item like this.

Bowers & Wilkins presents these 2nd generation in ear headphones which look similar to the 1st gen if I am being honest. For those looking for HiFi audio, these for sure nail the audio quality really well. I've been able to compare tracks from services like Tidal and YouTube Music. If you pick these up you must have some sort of HiFi service to take advantage of the sound quality. Please consider these for the audiophile in your life, you won't regret it. These headphones allow for you to listen to music just like the artist intended for it to be heard. There are no audio EQ adjustments in the Bowers and Wilkins mobile app. You can only toggle noise cancellation, the passthrough and amount of passthrough allowed, and your connected devices. This allows for not only ease of use for those just looking for the best sound but no fuss having to manage audio. I do not mind EQ missing but some others might want to customize to their liking. Overall audio volume is a bit on the low side compared to some other premium competition. Bluetooth connection is great and covers a rather large distance (82 feet). The other cool feature is that you can connect external audio devices to the case via the included 3.5mm to usbc cable to cast audio to your headphones. I consider this useful for when connecting to my record player or watching in flight entertainment. Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) is good for everyday sounds. It gets a bit bogged down with some other things like vacuums and louder outdoor sounds. Having the 3 external microphones per headphones sure helps mitigate the external sound. For being in ear headphones, they manage the ANC job well. Charging via usbc or wireless pad is great. Battery life is decent, rated for 5hrs with ANC OFF. I tested with a mix and got around that. They are fairly comfortable to wear for extended periods and stay in ear as long as I am sitting up right. Cons: - Price - It has some weird static feedback when first connecting to my Samsung s22+ and I have to manually open the app for the settings to kick in. - Getting the headphones out of the case takes some getting used to it. Not the easiest for medium sized fingers. - Very much all plastic feeling but looks good. - Passthrough audio is only managed via the app.