Customer Ratings & Reviews

Bowers & Wilkins has released their next-gen earbuds - the Pi8's - that provide a great sound, regardless of content. The box includes the earbuds, charging case, USB-C charging cable, 3.55mm-to-USBC audio cable, different sized earbuds, and quick start guide/paperwork. The earbuds comes with a manufacturer's 2-year warranty. DISCLAIMER: I connected these earbuds to a Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra for primary use. PROS: ----------- * The main reason someone will fork over high dollars is for exceptional sound quality - and these earbuds deliver just that. They are the best-sounding "in-ear" earbuds I have ever listened to. The bass/treble and everything in between are insanely great. * The rubber ear inserts are quite comfortable providing a longer listening time before possible irritation sets in. * The case has all rounded edges/corners so they can go in pants pockets or bags without having to worry with hard corners tearing material or poking your leg if in your pocket. This design does limit the case to only lying on its back (or front). * Battery life was good for this size unit... B&W claims 8 hours on a full charge, and I didn't have an issue using them all day (8-5 while charging during lunch). * The app was adequate in features, showing both case battery life and earbuds battery life separately. You can also change the single long-press settings along with the integration of some online audio services into the app. There is also a 5-band EQ that can be utilized for getting a better overall sound rather than just having treble/bass settings. The primary feature on the home page is the Noise-Canceling function which can be turned on/off or in a mid-range called "Pass-through" which allows some sounds to come thru so the user can be aware of their surroundings. There are a few other features in the app like a wear sensor (music pauses when a bud is removed) and also the ability to factory reset and update earbud firmware. * Earbuds can be connected to 2 devices at a time but audio can only be played from one or the other. This can come in handy if playing audio from one device, but answering calls on another device. * The single light on the front of the case has visual confirmation of what's going on with the buds whether charging or connecting via BT. * A crazy feature I have never seen any other buds have is the ability to connect the buds case via the 3.5mm-to-USBC cable provided - then wirelessly connect the earbuds to the case itself. This will be useful for non-BT devices, and a feature unique to the Pi8's. This is great thinking outside of the box. * Good magnetic connection inside the case. They fit one way only, pop in easily, and stay put. * When taking phone calls, microphone quality was very good according to my people on conference calls. They stated I was as clear as a regular wired office headset with boom mic. CONS: ----------- * Though the case is meant to lie on its back to charge (wired or wirelessly), I would much rather have my case stand up (flat bottom) to charge. This would mean a rear USB-C charging connection. This would take up less front-to-back space on a desk though already minimal, but it also looks better standing up rather than lying down. This would force the bottom to be flat, but the edges can still be rounded so it doesn't have sharp corners in the event they are transported in a pants pocket. * This is a minor issue, but if the buds disconnect after non-use, they will reconnect when they are tapped; however, I found the 2nd bud wouldn't connect until 10-15 seconds. B&W stated they should both be connected much quicker. Perhaps a firmware update may correct this issue for those buds affected. This is not something that would prevent me from purchasing though. OTHER OBSERVATIONS: ----------- * If the buds are disconnected from your device but still out of the charging case, they will still discharge at a decent rate... perhaps up to 20% loss overnight due to signaling still occurring while in sleep mode. Buds should go in the case when not in use so they will have a better/full charge when you use them. * Earbuds connect automatically once the case top is opened. They do not have to be out of the case before they connect. * There is no wall charger, so you'll have to use an existing wireless charging pad, wall charger, or USB charging port on a PC. * My buds are black, so they can attract dust easily as shown by some of my pictures. * 4 sets of rubber inserts are provided. Medium size is the most common and already installed in the box. XS/S/L are available to swap out. CONCLUSION: ===================== Overall, these are the best "in-ear" earbuds I have ever used. They don't surpass the quality of over-the-ear headphones of course. When running or riding a bike, they stay put securely. Features in the app are good enough for what I need it for. They don't have to be super-advanced since they aren't really used for sound booth listening. The sound provided is so good though, that they have become my go-to earbuds, and I don't even have the desire to use my previous pair of earbuds from another manufacturer. I'm sold, even at a high retail price. They are worth the money if you want great sound and good comfort in the ear. Well done, B&W.

INTRODUCTION: I own B&W’s Px8 Over-The-Ear (OTE) Headphones. They are remarkable to say the least. B&W has just released the Pi8 Earbuds. If you don’t want to read a long review just know they are without reservation the best sounding earbuds I’ve ever had the pleasure to listen to. And I have quite a nice collection of higher-end earbuds. Can they come close to the sublimely smooth sound of the Px8? Read on to find out. B&W’s HISTORY: B&W was founded by John Bowers and Roy Wilkins. Starting as a Radio and Electronics shop providing public address equipment, they went into the loudspeaker business in 1966 earning recognition for producing loudspeakers which are faithful to the live performance. For decades, B&W loudspeakers have been the Reference Monitor in some of the world’s best recording studios. PACKAGING/WHAT YOU GET: These come nicely packaged including the warranty and quick start guide. The earbuds are in a compact wireless charging case with medium sized ear tips pre-installed. Two cables; one USB C to 3.5mm headphone cable and one USB C to USB C charging cable. Plus, additional ear tips (Large, Small and Extra Small). DESIGN: The earbuds are beautiful! This is a completely new, from the ground up, design from B&W. The top of each earbud has the Bowers & Wilkins name embossed over a glossy touch sensitive surface, with a metal lip just below the top, housing the sensors and microphones, ensuring they are obstruction free. GETTING STARTED/CONTROLS: Charge the earbuds and download the Bowers & Wilkins Music App to your cell phone. Set up an account and the app helps you pair them as well as tell what each button does. These are Bluetooth 5.4, the latest and greatest which helps to ensure no latency. In terms of controls, one tap on either earbud and you play music or answer the phone. Two taps on either and you advance to the next track. Three taps and you go back to the previous track. Two taps with a long hold and you end a phone call. Tap and hold the left earbud for one second to cycle between ANC and Passthrough. Hold the right earbud control for one second for your digital assistant. There is a 5-band equalizer if you want to customize the sound more. While there aren’t many programmable features in the app, there is one thing less than ideal. You can program the earbuds to control ANC and your Digital Assistant, or you can program them to control volume, but you can’t program them to do both which is an odd omission for a premium set of earbuds. ACTIVE NOISE CANCELLATION/CALL QUALITY/FEATURES: The ANC on the Pi8 is as good as any other higher end earbud I own, if not better. B&W built the ANC system in these earbuds from the ground up and it’s very effective. There may be other Bluetooth headphones which block out more noise but often at the sacrifice of sound. Passthrough is quite good if you need to be aware of sounds in your environment. Using these for phone calls has been uniformly excellent. Everyone I’ve spoken with said the call was clear. With multi-point pairing, I’m now connected to my iPhone, iPad and MacBook Pro, switching seamlessly from one device to the other. The drivers in the Pi8 are not your standard small 7mm driver found in lesser buds. B&W uses Carbon Cone drivers in these just as they do in the Px8. It is a rigid cone 12mm driver which is larger and able to move more air. This helps the Pi8’s sound fuller, with a wider sound stage, and better stereo imaging. The Pi8 offers AAC, SBC, aptX, aptX Adaptive AND aptX Lossless Codecs. If you want these to sound their best you need to use a music source which is 24bit like Tidal or Qobuz, which you can buy and use directly in the B&W Music App. B&W has incorporated something special in these earbuds called “re-transmission.” If you plug the charging case into a cell phone or computer using a high-quality streaming service, your Bluetooth connection will then be through the charging case so iPhone or computer users can listen with aptX Adaptive. You can plug the case into an airline seat and listen to inflight entertainment through your earbuds as well. The Digital to Analog Converter (DAC) and Digital Signal Processor (DSP) in the case bypasses the Qualcomm Snapdragon chip in the earbuds. Awesome! With an IPX54 rating, the Pi8 aren’t waterproof, but can handle sweat, rain or dust. They only offer up to 20 hours of combined playtime without having to recharge the case. This isn’t even close to industry leading. The earbuds themselves can play for about 6.5 hours (ANC on) on a single charge which for most is enough. A charge of 15 minutes will give you 2 hours of playtime. ABOUT SOUND! To me, sound matters most. I’ve now listened to a LOT of music such as, Mason Bates - Alternative Energy; Libera – For the Future; Adiemus – Songs of Sanctuary and Camile Saint-Sans - Organ Symphony. Bass is tight and controlled, NEVER Boomy. Treble is brilliant, never Sibilant. Midrange is up front and natural and vocals sound like they are directly in front of you. No matter how complex the music every instrument has a presence that is hard to believe. There really isn’t anything you could throw at the Pi8 that wouldn’t sound great. I asked at the beginning if the Pi8 earbuds could compare to the Px8 headphones. It’s a resounding YES, THEY CAN! CONCLUSION: The Pi8 is astounding in just about every way. They’re great looking, exceedingly comfortable for long listening sessions, made of premium materials and employ even better technology. The Pi8 are not inexpensive but the price, in my opinion, is beyond justified. They are simply about as perfect as earbuds can get. I had high expectations to begin with, which have been exceeded and then some!

I have several ear buds and head phones that claim they are "noise canceling". All allow quite a bit of noise to get through. When I saw these at Best Buy, I figured they would be like the rest. Boy, was I wrong! These do really keep the noise out. The app really lets you customize your sound. You can boost bass or treble. It says you can customize the tap and hold interactions, but I could not figure out how to do that in the app. You can also use the app to set the buds for noise canceling or pass through (or by tapping the left ear bud). These are also comfortable to wear for a long time without hurting your ears. I did change the rubber piece to a smaller size (included with the buds). The app tells me how much power the buds have (not the case, just the buds). So far they have lasted a while with just the case to charge them. One downside is the design of the case- It does not stand up on its end. The case lays on what I consider the back. Small downside but an odd design to me. They also link some streaming services that apparently give you "superior sound and personalized recommendations". I don't subscribe to any that they link to (I've never heard of most of them). They do offer a 2 month free trial to qobuz so I will try that and still listen to my Spotify. Overall, I think these are my new favorite ear buds. They help completely block out the world.

As a big fan of Bowers & Wilkins headphones I was excited to try out their new Pi8 True Wireless Earbuds. The Pi8’s sound quality is truly impressive, with its use of a true 24-bit connection that gives that CD quality lossless audio you can really hear the rich, detailed sound signature along with the well-balanced across lows, mids, and highs, making them ideal for all types of music genres. The noise cancellation on these earbuds is another standout feature. The ANC effectively blocks out background noise, whether it's the hum of an airplane or chatter in a noisy office. This makes the earbuds ideal for commuting or focusing in noisy environments. The pass-through mode, which allows ambient sounds to filter in when needed, works smoothly as well, keeping you aware of your surroundings. Battery life on the Pi8 is fairly solid, providing up to 8 hours of battery life for all day listening with the charging case. It also has quick charge support, providing 2 hours of use from a 15-minute charge making these perfect for daily use or travel Another feature of the Pi8 is its touch-sensitive controls. You can pause/play music, change tracks, adjust volume, or switch between ANC and pass-through modes with simple taps or swipes. These touch controls are kind of hit or miss, in that when listening to music apps it would play, and pause correctly. I did run into some issues with video players where it wouldn't always register when I wanted to pause a video. Additionally, through the Bowers & Wilkins Music app, you can customize these controls to suit your preferences, whether you want it to be volume adjustment or ANC/voice assistant toggling.The app also allows you to adjust the EQ settings, giving you control over how your music sounds. This is a fantastic feature for those who like to fine-tune their listening experience. The earbuds come with a sleek, minimalist design, and the compact charging case is pocket-friendly, making it easy to carry them around. The earbuds have a premium feel with their matte and glossy finish and sturdy build, and comes with extra ear tips to get the fit for your ears. However, I did have some comfort issues over longer listening sessions. After wearing them for extended periods, I experienced some discomfort in the back of my right ear and not in my left ear, so I think I might just have a weird right ear. This is probably not going to be an issue for everyone, but felt the need to mention it. I did change the right ear tip to the Large size tip, which did help a little in the comfort. While the Pi8 delivers in terms of sound, it does offer a lot of connectivity options in being able to be paired to 2 devices at a time, and my personal favorite is the ability to use a USB-C to 3.5mm Aux cord along with the charging case without having to connect to bluetooth. This is perfect for those who fly alot and want to use the in flight entertainment center but also get the best sound and ANC out of your headphones while not having to use the free ones the airlines offer. That being said, I did encounter some Bluetooth pairing and connection issues. At times, there was noticeable delay when connecting to my phone, and the initial pairing process wasn’t always seamless between the app and my phone's bluetooth settings. I also ran into issues if I had one earphone in and would put the other one in to take a call, the other earphone would not connect and audio would only come out of one. While this is a unique situation, it's something I dealt with a couple of times. Pros and Cons Pros: Excellent Sound Quality: Rich and balanced audio signature, perfect for a wide range of genres. Effective ANC: Great for blocking out background noise in busy environments. Customizable Touch Controls: The ability to tweak touch controls via the app adds convenience. Compact Case: Small and easily pocketable, making it ideal for travel. Bowers & Wilkins Music App: EQ customization and control options are a great bonus. Cons: Pairing Issues: Occasional lag and difficulties when initially connecting to devices. Comfort Concerns: Potential discomfort after long periods of use, particularly in the back of the ear. Price Point: On the higher end of the spectrum, which might be a consideration for budget-conscious buyers. Conclusion The Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 earbuds are a solid option for those who prioritize sound quality and active noise cancellation. They deliver premium audio performance and provide helpful customization through their app. However, minor pairing issues and discomfort during extended wear could be dealbreakers for some. If you value top of the line sound quality above all else and don't mind occasional hiccups, the Pi8 is worth considering.

These Bowers and Wilkins earbuds perform decently, not bad but not great either. Setup, pairing: Setting them up was a breeze. Put them into pairing mode and have your phone search for it. They paired immediately without any problems. Also, once the app is installed, I was able to add them as a new device, again without any problems. Sound quality: This is where some points are lost. They sound ok, not bad, but not great either. The sound, especially the mids and highs are not as clear as I was hoping. One part of the sound quality that is great is the bass, assuming you turn it all the way up on the EQ. This is a pleasant surprise since earbuds are small and typically have weak bass. Depending on the type of music you listen to, this might make up for it. The active noise cancellation is very disappointing to the point of almost being useless. I would say it eliminates background noise maybe 50% but is still very noticeable. It does not eliminate background voices at all. Honestly, the ANC in these is sort of pointless, so these are not for you if this feature is important. Call Quality: The call quality is good. I heard the other person perfectly clear, and they said the same for my voice. Answering and hanging up calls with the button works as expected. Case: The included case is small and easily fits in your pocket. The earbuds magnetically stay in place and are very easy to place in the case without any difficulty orienting them. There is an indicator to tell you that the case is charging and when it is done charging. It does not tell you when the earbuds are charging or when they are done. I do wish it told you when the earbuds are fully charged but this does not seem to be normal behavior for any earbuds. This may sound insignificant, but the case is a fingerprint magnet. After only touching it a few times, it is completely covered in fingerprints. Not necessarily important but it does make the case look ugly after a short time. Battery: The earbuds’ battery last around 7.5 hours, around as much as advertised and almost covers an entire day at work. The case allows charging the earbuds around two and a half times. It takes a couple of hours to charge the case and earbuds together from empty. I would say this is probably slightly better than average as other earbuds I have used don’t last the entire day at work. The case charges using the modern USB-C connector. App: The app works well but is as barebones as you can get. It basically allows you to turn on and off the noise cancellation, and has a two band EQ. That’s it. The treble EQ does change the highs but doesn’t really make it sound better. The bass EQ works great and as previously mentioned, turning it up all the way is almost a necessity. Other than allowing you to update the firmware, that is about it. Comfort: These are very comfortable, and they come with several size caps to fit different size ears. I have large ears, and the biggest size fits me great. They feel secure in your ears but do feel like they could fall out under the right conditions. Strangely enough, there is no fit check in the app which is included in every other earbuds I have used. A Big Problem: These earbuds will go into standby after only a few minutes. Take them out to talk to someone or go to the bathroom. Put them back on and they are off. While this is normal, you can usually set the time it takes to go into standby but not on these. Assume if you take them off for any reason, you will have to put them in the case and take them out to wake them up again. In summary, these earbuds are ok, not bad but not great either. The sound quality is decent (with outstanding bass) but the noise cancellation is almost non-existent. The battery performs very well. The standby time is a big problem. Overall, at this price point, there are probably better options out there.

I want to love the Pi6 earbuds and for the most part I do. They sound great, they have long battery life, they’re pretty comfortable, and the noise canceling/transparency modes are good. But there’s some minor bugs with audio and the controls that keep me from recommending them wholeheartedly. The box includes the earbuds, charging case, a USB-C charging cable, and a set of 3 silicone earbuds in addition to the medium size that is already on the buds. The medium tips were just a little too small for my ears, so I opted for the large and those have been working well. The buds themselves are a touch larger and heavier than others I’ve used, but I wouldn’t class them as bulky. They’ve got a shiny plastic finish and a subtle wingtip built into them to help them stay in your ears more securely. In general they have been pretty comfortable. Pairing the Pi6’s to my phone, I didn’t get the fast pairing notification on my Pixel 8 Pro and ended up having to go to my Bluetooth settings to find them. It’s not a huge deal, but it's disappointing not to see it here because I know I’ve seen it on other Bower and Wilkins headphones. Once paired they can be further set up and managed through the Bowers and Wilkins music app. The app is good and I already used it for my Px7 S2e headphones. For the Pi6 there aren’t a ton of features - you can swap between noise cancellation and transparency modes, there’s a very basic EQ with only treble and bass sliders, the touch controls can be customized, and the wear detection sensor can be turned off and on. It doesn't necessarily leave me wanting for more, but I did expect a little bit more functionality. The Pi6’s are controlled via touch on either earbud. The controls are responsive, but sensitive. I found myself often triggering a play/pause or a change in the ANC/transparency just trying to bring them in and out of my ears. Audio can even be played out of them while they are placed in the charging case, which I’ve never seen happen before. This only happens when the lid is open though and playback is stopped and they’re disconnected when it is closed. I also found that the audio cut out occasionally, especially while adjusting the buds in my ear. The sound quality itself is excellent. Music is detailed and balanced; there aren’t any parts of the tracks that I listened to that overpowered the rest. Bass response is also really good for earbuds. They also get quite loud and I didn’t even come close to pushing them to their max. Sound quality is where Bowers and Wilkins has always shined historically and it’s no different here. I listened to these using my Pixel 8 Pro. The Pi6 supports AptX Adaptive, AptX Classic, AAC, and SBC. There’s no LDAC or LE Audio, which is okay with me. The bigger disappointment for me is that they don’t support AptX HD since the Pixel 8 supports that but not AptX Adaptive. AptX Classic does sound good; I just know that I’m missing out on a higher quality experience. My wife did point out that these earbuds leak quite a bit of sound at high volume. At about 60-70% volume she could pretty clearly hear the song I was listening to. It’s something to keep in mind if you plan on listening to these in quiet environments near other people. The noise canceling and transparency modes built-in both sound good, but neither are especially strong compared to other earbuds I’ve used. The noise canceling does a good job of blocking out lower frequency sounds like fans and humming appliances, but other sounds do filter through pretty easily without any music playing and there isn’t a lot of passive noise isolation. The transparency mode works well and it’s easy to wear them and still hold a conversation or have a general awareness of your environment, but it doesn’t sound as natural as other transparency modes I’ve heard. The battery life is rated at 8 hours for the buds themselves, with noise canceling on no less. That’s pretty fantastic, so if you are looking for wireless earbuds that last these are one of them. The case charges via USB-C, but does not have wireless charging, which for $250 feels like a glaring omission. I understand they’re probably trying to build a little differentiation between this and the higher-end Pi8, but I think almost any other earbud you’d buy at that price point would have wireless charging. Microphone quality overall was good. I took a few calls and everyone I talked to said I sounded very clear with no background noise. Overall I’m pretty happy with the Pi6’s, but the issues with the controls and the occasional audio cutouts spoil the experience just a little bit. I’m hoping that maybe this can be fixed with a firmware update, but to my knowledge none of the Bowers and Wilkins headphones I’ve owned in the past have ever received firmware updates, so I’m not holding out a lot of hope. I think Bowers and Wilkins are always a great choice where sound quality is a concern and the Pi6’s don’t disappoint there.

There are many things I love about Bowers & Wilkins products, but one thing that stands out in particular is their willingness to invest their resources into even the most seemingly insignificant aspects of their products. From start to finish in both research and development, they just don’t slack on anything. The Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 In-Ear True Wireless Earbuds are yet one more example of their commitment to excellence. One of the first things I noticed was how visually pleasing the Pi8’s case is. It like looking at something that would come out of an expensive jewelers’ shop. It’s sleek and smooth, like what a well-polished stone might feel like, with the Bowers & Wilkins logo adorning a seamless band encircling the entire case. As I opened it up, I was greeted by a pair of the most elegantly-designed earbuds I have ever seen. As if to match the impressive design of the case, the earbuds were like looking at a pair of exquisite cufflinks. Just like I said in beginning this review, it was obvious that a willful commitment to excellence was at work here. And although I could keep on and on about how the beautiful design, the real beauty lies in their performance. Following the Quick Start guide, he first thing needed is to download the Bowers & Wilkins Music app so that you can setup and adjust the earbuds. Pairing the earbuds was as simple as opening the case and activating the Bluetooth search function on your phone. It’s that simple. B&W recommends using the appropriately-sized tips not only for comfort, but also to ensure the best listening experience possible. The Pi8’s come with four different sizes of tips, XS, S, M, and L. They come pre-fit with the medium tips. Now, I know I began this review by gushing over the amazing commitment to quality by B&W, but a tad bit more thought could have gone into the tip holder. After removing one of the earbuds to look at it, the rest of the earbuds went rolling and flopping all over. Trying to get them back in their appropriate slots turned out to be more effort than I wanted to spend, so I left them as they were and decided I would mess with getting them back in order later. Most earbud tips are straight pass-through tips, that is, if you hold them up and look, you can see straight through them. Not so with the Pi8s. They have fine-mesh filters to keep debris and earwax from reaching the internal components of the earbuds which could greatly diminish the sound quality. The earbuds themselves have three different microphones, two of which are used for the ANC, and the third is used to insure high quality voice transmission for phone calls and other purposes which require voice, such as apps and so on. Of the two used for ANC, one is located on the outside of the earbud to monitor outside sounds, and the other is located on the inside to monitor the sounds that are reaching the ear. The Pi8s pick up outside noises and then transmit the exact opposite frequency to cancel out the outside noises. To be fair, the Pi8s do not have a limitless frequency range, so they will not block every single noise you might encounter. However, they do a superior job of cancelling out most. When I was testing them out, I wore them without any music or anything playing. I was just listening to how well they blocked out noise. I alternated between the different sizes of earbud tips to make sure I was wearing the correct size. And this is one of those situations where size really does make a difference. If the tips are too large or too small, unwanted noise will get through, making your listening experience much less enjoyable. But as I was saying, as I sat in my family room with the Pi8s in my ear and with ANC activated, I was able to hear very few sounds. But once I began playing music tracks at very low volume, I detected only the occasional loud noise. With volume up to about 25% to 30%, I detected absolutely no outside noises other than the television when I turned its volume up. When I turned the music volume up to 50% on my phone, even the loud television was blocked out. Then I tried the same experiment with another brand of noise-cancelling earbuds. To my surprise, even at 50% volume on my phone there was quite a bit of television sound that was coming through. The difference was night and day between the Pi8s and the other brand. The Pi8 ANC actually has three settings to choose from: ANC, Passthrough, and Off. When ANC is turned on, well, it does what it is supposed to do. On Passthrough mode, it allows ambient sound to reach your ears. When turned off, the earbuds basically act like earplugs, deadening ambient sounds but not eliminating them. You actually hear more ambient noise on Passthrough mode than when ANC is off. But Active Noise Cancellation is not the premier feature of these earbuds. The sound quality is out of this world. Seriously, these earbuds are on a completely different level. The Pi8 supports aptX Adaptive and aptX Lossless codecs. Okay, I had to look these up to see what they are and how they help to deliver such high sound quality. In short, aptX Adaptive can adjust transmission quality based on what you are listening to, and/or how strong the Bluetooth signal is. AptX Lossless transmits audio with no compression, it can transmit at a higher bitrate, over 1 Mbit/s, and in situations where there is a lot of wireless interference it will dynamically adjust the transmission bitrate. That is a huge amount of technology at work being reduced down to very simple terms, but all I know is that it really works. The sound quality of the Pi8s is extraordinary! Because of the just-mentioned technologies, you can listen to music, podcasts, and gameplay exactly how it is meant to be heard. You can’t ask for any more than that! Bass is deep, sonorous and rich, the mids are sharp and clear, and the highs are crystal clear. At the highest volumes there is no loss of quality. I detected zero distortion of any kind. I mean none. In the end, the real selling point really isn’t about all the technologies involved, the materials used, or the research and development that went into these earbuds. The true selling point is how absolutely true to life the Pi8s sound. I said it once, and I will say it again, with the Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 true wireless earbuds, you hear audio how it was meant to be heard. Not distorted, not diminished or truncated…but as fully and richly as earbuds can deliver. I am a loyal fan of Bowers & Wilkins, and yes I do own other B&W gear. Everything they produce is top of the line and knocks the socks off the competition. As I have done with my other Bowers & Wilkins products, I will continue to do with the Pi8 earbuds… recommend them to anyone who will listen! Once you try them out, there will be no turning back…ever!

From what I understand, the Pi6 is not the top-of-the-line earbuds, but it did not sure sound like it. The sound quality and the call output are great for these earbuds. DESIGN First the design is quite simple but elegant. The matter black finish with the B&W name logo in front, plus the touch of matte aluminum hinge at the back looks classy. It does not attract dust or fingerprints, so it looked clean to me all the time, even as I pulled it in and out of my pockets. The case material though seemed light, but it’s not flimsy. In fact, the lid when you open and close it is quite precise. It was overall light and easy to carry. The indicator light as well as the USB-C port blended in well. The case does not have wireless charging, which is a bummer because other similarly-priced buds do have wireless charging. I’m thinking maybe quality case vs. wireless charging to keep the price competitive? Not sure. SETUP AND CONNECT It was easy to connect to my phone. I did have some issues with signal cutting in and out, from one bud or the other, that resets were able to fix. I attribute it to a bug, because once I got it to work, it was all uninterrupted music since then. Adding to my PC and my tablet was easy too. However, I did encounter issues when it is connected to a PC—the sound is just not right. After extensive troubleshooting, I gave up on my PC connectivity. I take it that this one is probably more suited for a mobile device. Connecting to multiple devices did not have automatic switching like other brands do with their native same brand devices. Although it was still easy to simply reconnect to the other device to be used. The app is lean and easy to understand however, I can’t link my service because I use YT music for my audio and it does not have it as an option. Also maybe in the future? I just used the app to learn about the earbuds, because once I learned them, they are available in the buds itself as shortcuts like long presses for toggling ANC or moving tracks back and forward were very easy to perform on the earbud tips. THE BUDS The earbuds itself are nicely made as well with a good combination of gloss and matte to make it look classy. The shape is not conventional, but it sort of mimics B&W bigger speaker designs which keeps the brand’s character. The way it sits on the case is not confusing to replace and the buds snap perfectly in. The box comes with different eartip sizes and I was able to find my fit easily. I thought the earbuds were a little big overall and I was afraid it will fall off on a quick run. Instead, it actually sits just right at the back inner lobe and keeps it in place. The touch response was just right, with the correct level of pressing and no extra effort to confuse me while I was using them, perhaps because the flat surface was sizable enough for my fingers. SOUND AND CALLS The sound quality is what I expect this brand to give me. I can distinctly hear the highs, mids and lows. It actually feels complete even without the actual bass feel (because real low register is a body thump, not an ear boom). But bass is pretty much on point without it becoming too overbearing as a sound, vs. a feel. The range is wide and I love the quality of the levels. The calls are okay too. The mic is pretty sensitive. I was on a call with a voice-prompted robot customer service. Even just a little crunch from an object 15 feet away from me triggers a voice signal. I know how these robo prompts can be too much as well, but it still spoke to the sensitivity of the microphone. My regular voice calls seemed nice and clear per some people I asked on the other line. BATTERY LIFE USB-C as a standard is always welcome. I have a million of these lying around now, so I can easily charge the case. But battery life is pretty good. 68% on 4 days with maybe 6 hours overall, in and out of the case, plus the extensive tinkering. I think it is a good pair, especially for the price. There are some quirks like the connectivity and the PC sound which I think can be fixed by an update. I do recommend if you have the patience for out-of-the-box tweaks, because I think the sound quality is worth it.

I’ve had my fair share of earbuds over the years, and I love my over the ear headphones by Bowers & Wilkins, so I had pretty high expectations for the Pi6. While I was skeptical of the design (the immediately invoked 'Frankenstein Bolt' vibes) I got over that pretty quick once I used them for a week. They're already my favorite new earbuds. The sound quality is of course amazing. As soon as I popped these in and hit play on my favorite Jayhawks album, I was instantly transported back to 2017, listening to Gary Louris’s smooth vocals like I was hearing them live again. The clarity and depth are what does it for me. Other earbuds tend to muddle the sound by introducing a bunch of bass, and I guess if that's your preference that's cool, but I need to be able to pick out individual voices as they harmonize or the random instruments as they make their entrance. Now, I don’t usually need noise cancelation since I work from home, but I did have a guy recently cleaning out my dryer vent as I had to listen to a important work call, so I connected these to my MacBook, flipped the noise cancelation on, and boom—the compressed air hose noise disappeared. I haven't had a chance yet to use them in a crowded environment yet, but initial impressions were great. The touch controls are super reliable too. With some earbuds, tapping the controls can be hit or miss, but the Pi6 nails it. I guess that's a benefit of the large, flat 'Frankenstein Bolt' surface - it makes it easy to tap, and everything responds smoothly. Another plus of the flat surface is that they're really comfortable when wearing them in bed, which is a rarity for me because most earbuds poke at your ears when you’re lying down, but not these. My wife has to fall asleep to the same movie every night, so I put on an audiobook or a Calm sleep story, and these so far are the only earbuds that I haven't woken up in the morning with a sore ear canal. If I had to nitpick, the “Made for iPhone” label still feels a bit like a marketing ploy. Don’t get me wrong, they work great with my iPhone, but the seamless connection you’d expect isn’t quite there with no handoff and no iCloud pairing. You still have to go through the regular Bluetooth settings to pair each device you own. There’s also no SharePlay, which is a feature that I always enjoy when flying on a plane with my wife so we can watch and listen together. Also, for the price, I was a little bummed that wireless charging isn’t included. I can’t count how many times I’ve dropped them on my wireless charger next to my phone only to realize I had to plug in the USB-C cable. At the end of the day I can live with the trade-offs. I do have other earbuds if I need SharePlay or want something that doesn't seal my ears, but 8 times out of 10 I'm reaching for these Pi6 over everything right now.

I am quite taken aback by the B&W Pi8 buds. While the case features an ordinary shape, it is small and easy to carry around -even in the watch pocket of my jeans. What is not ordinary is that the case is also a DAC. This means that I can connect it to a source and that will transmit to the buds. The buds also have a smaller footprint than their predecessors. I think the overall buds’ design is sleek, with a glossy touchpad with subtle branding. They just look great in the ear. They are also very comfortable and stay on while exercising. I wore them for a full charge -about 6 hours with ANC on, and I never felt fatigued. The battery features quick charge and wireless charging which is very convenient to me. Featuring Bluetooth 5.4 with multipoint compatibility, they paired easily with my phone and laptop. I did not experience any lag or sync issues and kept a connection at a distance. The touchpads are responsive albeit a bit sensitive, and they control almost everything (one must choose what to do with the long press). The call quality is good enough. I was told I sounded a bit far and they heard some ambient noise. The noise cancellation is also good enough. It certainly helped during my subway commute. The ambient mode amplifies the sound as if I had superhuman hearing. What really floored me was the audio experience. Listening to 24bit/96kHz Ultra HD audio streaming with the aptX Lossless codec, the 12mm carbon cone drivers produce a sound quality that must be experienced. The bass was impactful, fast, and precise. There was plenty of sub-bass when called for. The midrange brought out a lot of what can rarely be heard with oher buds. The treble soared without being harsh or sibilant. The audio is super clear. The soundstage and imaging make it feel like the sound is outside of my head, without needing 360 software. No matter what genre I listened to, I was very satisfied. Even podcasts, games, and movies became more exciting. The case also produced amazing sound quality as it has its own amp and DAC, which converts analog signal into digital format. The companion app is very basic, but at least it allows for EQ customization, to which the buds respond well. It also allows for certain Hi-Res audio streaming services to be played there. Do they have a premium price? Sure. But I think once the sound quality and comfort are experienced, especially if you are a music enthusiast, that will not be an issue whatsoever.

I find myself shocked at how comfortable these Bauer and Wilkins earbuds are with the exception on their size and shape. I thought they were going to be uncomfortable and hard to keep in place in my ears, and I'm shocked how well they fit and how comfortable they can be. I like that the case and the earbuds can charge wirelessly without having to plug them in using a cable I just set them on my phone charger and they start charging immediately. The sound quality is great with these I use them with both my phone as well as my tablet My phone is a Google Pixel 9XL and my tablet is a Samsung Galaxy tab S9 ultra. I already had the Bowers & Wilkins app on both devices as I have there over the ear PX8 headphones these paired with the app immediately as well as my phone and tablet without issue. The noise canceling option on these are great at blocking out outside sounds if you want to be able to enjoy your music or audio while watching videos on your device without being bothered by others. I find the battery life to be great on these they've lasted me so far with 3 days of heavy use without having to recharge the batteries. These don't feel very heavy while wearing my only complaint is their larger so you can't use these while laying on a pillow in bed or on the couch. Audio during phone calls is good He's also work well with Google Assistant on my phone and tablet I found no issues yet while using them with Google Assistant. These are easily transported in their plastic carrying case I just wish the lid to the case had a stronger spring as they seem to flip open very easily while reaching in my pocket to grab my keys or ChapStick. I would definitely recommend these to anyone in the market for quality noise canceling earbuds by a quality manufacturer.

I've owned earbuds from pretty much every brand out there but this was my first set from Bowers and Wilkins. I had not heard much about them so I was interested to see how they compared. They left me with a very positive first impression. Pros: - The earbuds were ready to go right out of the box and didn’t need a firmware update after installing the app. The set up process in the app was very quick and simple. - Sound quality is excellent! Music was especially full and rich. I also enjoyed how podcasts sounded with these. - In-ear fit was perfect for me with the default (medium) tips. Included in the box you will find 3 additional size options: large, small, and extra small. They have felt secure even with movement and I haven’t had any worries of them falling out unexpectedly. - The touch controls were pretty intuitive as I learned how to toggle ANC, play/pause/ etc with relative ease. - The app allows you to configure the touch controls to your liking. You can also toggle bass and treble as you see fit. Cons: - I dislike being forced to create a brand new account for every electronic device that I own, like I did for these earbuds. I’d love the accompanying app to have an option (like some brands do) to sign in with Google, Apple ID, etc. - Battery life was decent, but I’ve owned earbuds that last an hour or so longer. Fortunately, the case can top off the charge nice and quick. Overall these are a great option for anyone looking for great sound, noise-canceling capabilities, and a reasonable price point.

I cannot say enough about the Bowers & Wilkins - Pi6 earbuds. What you would expect from Bowers and Wilkins, they sound amazing! The Bowers & Wilkins - Pi6 supports AptX Adaptive, SBC, AAC, and AptX Classic. The sound is crisp and clear and, most importantly for me, they fit extremely well. In the box, you get the earbuds themselves, charging cable (USB-C), and additional earbuds so you can find the ones that work for your ear. Once you find the earbuds that work, setting up was a breeze. I added them to my iPhone via the Bluetooth menu, then completed the setup via the Bower and Wilkins music app from the app store. The overall size is on the bigger side, but I would not classy them as “chunky”. The size does not bother me, though, which is good. As far as ANC goes, these are one of the best buds I have ever used. I am very picky when it comes to ANC, and these perform very well. There is a way to switch to transparency mode if needed with the touch of the earbud, which is always a nice feature, and it works well on the Pi6. Overall, I am extremely happy with the Pi6 earbuds from Bowers and Wilkins. They fit well and perform even better. Hats off to B&W.

This was my first experience with Bowers & Wilkins and I was very impressed. Easy and fast charging and the 4 sizes of tips to make your fit more custom. My husband and I both were able to get a comfortable fit with a different tip. Battery life lasted about 7 hours, listening to music while working in the yard and talking phone calls. They fully recharged in just over an hour. A 15-minute charge will give you 2 hours of usage time. Most impressive was talking to people on a windy day. The noise cancelling was excellent. I tested with another set of earbuds and the caller could hear the wind significantly. With the Pi8 earbuds, the wind was cancelled out. Finally, a product that really works. You can pair with 2 devices and seamlessly switch between the two. The Bowers & Wilkins Music app is pretty basic but you can adjust the Equalizer and define custom touch settings. We had to use the app to customize volume tap settings. The case easily fits in a pocket and is very sturdy. Yes, these earbuds are expensive. They are excellent quality so you get what you pay for.

There are 4 main qualities I look for when choosing new noise-cancelling in-ear earbuds: 1. Fit 2. Sound quality 3. Ability to block outside noise 4. Connection reliability The Pi6 Wireless Noise-Cancelling In-Ear Earbuds excel in 3 out of these 4 qualities and fall short in one key area. Fortunately, I believe this issue can be resolved with future software updates. All extra features are bonuses in my opinion. 1. Fit - The fit of these in-ear earbuds is among the best I've ever experienced. They create a great seal, and I can wear them for 4+ hours with zero discomfort. The default tips that came with the earbuds were perfect and I didn’t need to make any adjustments. Also, the way you insert them with a subtle twist is oddly satisfying—almost like locking a deadbolt—and you forget they’re there until they remind you to charge the battery. 2. Sound Quality - I can’t overstate how great the sound is across all music genres. There’s nothing I appreciate more than putting these in and not having to constantly tweak settings to achieve the ideal sound stage. In my opinion, this should be the industry standard. Earbuds should just work and sound great. The less time I spend adjusting settings, the more time I have to be productive and enjoy my day. 3. Noise Cancellation - While the Pi6 isn’t the best I've used in this category, they do a solid job filtering out white noise and subtle, consistent sounds in the environment. I work in a fairly open office space, with everything from AC noise to casual conversations happening throughout the day. The Pi6 earbuds from Bowers & Wilkins easily drown out these background noises. However, they struggle with sporadic sounds. Other earbuds I've owned have handled these better, but they didn’t sound as good as the Pi6 and I'm okay with that. 4. Connection Reliability - This is where I had to deduct one star. The Pi6 earbuds I received suffer from occasional connection issues, which can be incredibly frustrating. While infrequent, in 2024, there's no reason earbuds in this price range should experience sound cutting in and out, as if they’re dealing with interference. I've used many earbuds, and this is the first set in years where I’ve encountered what sounds like my old CD player skipping back in 1998. This happens to me at least once a day, and I haven’t been able to identify the cause. It mostly occurs within the first 60 seconds of putting them in. I hope this is something that can be fixed with future updates. While it doesn't happen all the time, it’s simply unacceptable for earbuds in this price range. I also want to mention that these earbuds have a passthrough feature that allows ambient noise, so you can hear conversations and your surroundings when you’re not using noise cancellation. I’d rate this feature as “good enough.” I sometimes struggle to hear softer conversations and often have to take the earbuds out to fully engage with someone. This can be annoying but isn’t a dealbreaker. The tap features on the earbuds are also hit or miss. I would recommend these to anyone who prioritizes sound quality and comfort above all other features.

I think for $4000 I could have fine tuned the whole stack and gone with a much better sounding system, but I saw the simplicity of the Formation series and decided to give it a try. The setup was dead simple; downloaded the app and setup the speakers in under 5 minutes. The only problem I ran into was the mounting the stands, since both the speakers and the stands are very heavy and I was scared to drop the speakers, I ended up mounting them on my sofa lying both down. It was by no means a bad experience, just me being paranoid to not damage the $4000! speakers. The sound was fantastic to my ears. Spacious sound with great imaging, sound stage with width and depth, put on some live recording and it sounds like the band was playing in front of me, and the crowd was around me. Since this is my first high-end pair of loudspeakers, passive or active, I really don't have anything to analytically compare it to, I felt the speakers output enough bass to not be too lean to my taste, especially since I listen at lower volume most the time. I added to the system the Formation Bass (Great looking unit btw) to provide more low end. The result was phenomenal. Listening to drum heavy tracks with high dynamic range, when the bass kicks in, I feel the bass impact, but not the boominess. Powerful, clean, tight bass. Mid-range sounds sweet, I don't have any complaints; treble could sound a bit more exciting, but I haven't played with the Treble setting in the Formation app to see if anything could be improved. Overall I'm quite happy with the sound as is. I use Roon + Tidal for most of my streaming. It's unfortunate all my DSD files get converted to match the Formation Duo, so I could be missing out on sound quality here. Flac and Tidal streaming for the most part are bit-to-bit. My wife streams over content using AirPlay 2 which is very convenient. Overall, these speakers do cost a ton, 5K w/ the Bass. So far I'm loving the sound, and the all-in-one design, robust wireless playback, and Roon Readiness are the major selling point for me.

Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 In-Ear Headphones Review The Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 in-ear headphones are a premium audio experience that deliver exceptional sound quality, luxurious design, and advanced features that make them stand out in the crowded market of wireless earbuds. Sound Quality: The Pi8 truly shines in the sound department. The audio is rich, detailed, and well-balanced across the frequency spectrum. The bass is deep and punchy without overwhelming the mids and highs, which remain clear and crisp. The dual hybrid driver technology ensures that every note is delivered with precision, making them ideal for audiophiles who crave high-fidelity sound. Design and Comfort: These headphones are as stylish as they are functional. The sleek design is complemented by premium materials that give them a luxurious feel. They fit comfortably in the ear, with several ear tip options included to ensure a snug fit for different ear sizes. Even during extended listening sessions, the Pi8 remains comfortable, with no noticeable ear fatigue. Noise Cancellation: The active noise cancellation (ANC) on the Pi8 is impressive, effectively blocking out ambient noise without affecting the audio quality. Whether you’re on a noisy commute or working in a busy environment, the ANC feature helps you stay focused on your music or calls. Battery Life: With up to 5 hours of playback time on a single charge and an additional 19 hours from the charging case, the Pi8 offers more than enough battery life for a full day of listening. The fast-charging feature is also a plus, providing quick top-ups when you’re in a hurry. Connectivity and Features: The Pi8 supports high-quality wireless codecs like aptX Adaptive, ensuring a stable connection and superior sound quality over Bluetooth. The touch controls are intuitive and responsive, allowing you to manage your music, calls, and voice assistant with ease. Additionally, the Pi8 comes with a companion app that lets you customize the sound profile and control the ANC settings. Price: As expected from a brand like Bowers & Wilkins, the Pi8 is priced at the premium end of the market. While they are not the most budget-friendly option, the quality and features they offer justify the price for those who prioritize excellent sound and build quality. Final Verdict: The Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 in-ear headphones are an outstanding choice for anyone looking for top-tier sound quality, sophisticated design, and robust features in a wireless earbud. If you’re willing to invest in a premium audio experience, the Pi8 will not disappoint.

These are very good. If 4.5 were an option I would have rated that. There are a few downsides though to be aware of. Fit: Overall these are some of the most comfortable headphones I have worn in quite some time. I have Bose Quiet Comfort over the ear and are quite comfortable. I have the new Sonos Ace and those are also quite comfortable for what they are. I have the B/W over the ear and they sound amazing but they are heavy and not that comfy. Compared to my AirPods Pro 2, these are far more comfortable I don't really even feel like they are there. the only small downside is they are a bit large and stick out of the ears so if you use these to try to doze off, you need to sleep on your back. Otherwise I can wear them for hours! 5/5. Sound: This is subjective, but they sound amazing to me! They are crystal clear for both music (all different kinds) and podcasts (which I listen too quite often) and even You Tube and You Tube TV. They get quite loud, but they are a little shaky the louder you go, but at lower/moderate volumes they are phenomenal. 5/5. ANC: This is where the 1/2 star comes off. They are not as good as Bose or Apple AirPods 2. But they are not horrid either. They do a decent job of suppressing noise but not in the loudest situations (think loud restaurants or loud outdoor areas). They can muffle indoor noise really well including the hum of an AC and things like that. They do muffle noise but it is not isolating but not bad. But I find that I have to crank the volume in louder areas. 3.5/5, if this is a big thing for you, then 3.5, if its a moderate consideration then probably a 4. But they are not as good as Bose or Apple. Battery: Has been quite exceptional. I haven't really had them run out so far and the case charges them pretty rapidly as well. 5/5. on Ear controls: This is a bit of a mixed bag. The cycle between noise cancel and aware is fine, the pause is OK, but trying to pair these things (outside of the initial pairing) is really annoying. Not the end of the world, but not exactly AirPods easy either. 3.5/5 Bluetooth/Connection: My over ear pair of B/W were a little shaky in this area so I was concerned about these but they haven't really had any issues (sans the initial setup of anything beyond the first pairing). They connect and stay connected and you can walk fairly far away without issues. They also pair to 2 devices and are quite good at it. No real complaints. 5/5 Overall: If you are looking for amazing sounding, crystal clear and overall phenomenal comfort look no further. If you prize ANC then you need to either try these or get them with a good return policy. They are great overall. I think $299 or $249 would have been more appropriate pricing, but I love the comfort so I will be keeping them.

If you like how apple products come in the box and seal you will love these. Not only for the presentation from the white box the tight seal from the top of the box to the bottom. But you will love these for the true sound that they have from a small earbud. These have wireless charging Active noise cancaelling a 6hr battery life. You will like the controll you get from each earbud from skipping to the nex song our backing up to one you just heard. The call come in clear and you dont come in distorted you don't get a lot of wind noise when talking. The app on the phone will let you pair it to your music apps you have you can change the EQ or just use the one they have preset witch is what i use and sound great. The case can be used if you are are watching something that doesnt have bluetooth all you do is use the 3.5mm headphone jack on one end and the usb c on the other to you earbud case and you can liten to what is playing. I havent had another one do this one of the best features i've seen. The noise cancelling is great for not having an over the head headphones.The case is small the earbuds are small you can take them anywhere you go.

These pi8 earbuds were pretty easy to set up or connect to my iPhones Bluetooth straight away. They look great and so far feel great in my ear. I haven’t felt ear fatigue, as quickly as, I have with other earbuds but, I’m also making sure not to keep them in for as long. They can feel a bit bulky. Especially if lying down when using them. To change certain things like turning on or off ANC or pass through, skipping a song or going back, answering or ended a call you have to do a lot of tapping or tap and hold sequences on the earbud. And each earbud controls something different. Also straight out of the box it is set for one bud to control ANC and the other to control your assistant. For you to be able to control the volume you have to use the app to change the earbuds to control the volume. And that means one earbud is for increasing and the other is for decreasing, causing you to lose the ability to turn on ANC or pass through. I find myself not liking that one bit. I’ve come to the conclusion that having to remember how many taps or what Morse code taps to get what you need out of them can be too much most of the time. And it can be quickly frustrating. So the app. Hmmm, well it’s basic to say the least and no real reason to have it besides toggling between if you want it to control the volume or ANC. You can also change the EQ but that is about it. It’s does not offer much control with customizations. I find the app and its capabilities for using the earbuds to be very lackluster to other high quality earbuds that I’ve owned. It seems at times that it takes a bit to connect to my phone. Especially if I pop one bud in my ear. The tone to let you know it’s connected doesn’t come on as quickly every single time, sometimes I have to pop in the other earbud to get it to connect and then pop the extra one out again just to use one. Sometimes I have to take the second one out of the case so it can connect and then put it back. So I feel like it just doesn’t recognize 100% of the time that I am just trying to use one bud at a time. I’ll be straight out with this one. The battery life sucks. I charged it fully before using them. After they charged I then set them up on my phone. By the time I made it through the initial setup up “how to use tutorial” it showed the charging case was at 89% (WHAT!!). How would that be possible if I had just removed it minutes ago from the charger? I’m not using the earbuds all day. I can only assume that they do not turn themselves off or in a standby mode, especially if not placed back into their case. But even still the earbuds themselves loses battery quickly then other premium buds I’ve owned. Find something else if that’s what you’re looking for. So the good… the sound quality is actually very good. It’s clear and sharp where it needs to be. The adjustments sound good if you prefer a bassier sound etc. I’m keeping these at the factory setting since I’m just using them for calls and listening to podcasts at the moment. Overall they are decent but if an extended battery life is what you desire I would say there are better options.