Customer Ratings & Reviews

I'll tell you up front these earbuds are for those who want some of the best sounding earbuds you can buy with great active noise cancellation but without some of the bells and whistles (like spatial audio or similar) of some competitors. Bowers & Wilkins has long been known as one of the top audio companies in the world. It's obvious with these earbuds that the primary focus was on producing the best possible sound and they do not disappoint! ANC is also great and adds to the overall sound experience. And I love the design and fit, though that's something personal and may be different for different shaped ears - but for me, they fit perfectly. PROS - Possibly the best sound you can get in wireless earbuds right now - Great Active Noise Cancellation - Brilliant Design that both looks and fits great - Simple touch controls - Excellent Mics for Phone Calls - Case Dubs as Wireless Transmitter CONS - App UI not as Premium as the sound - Can't Control Volume AND ANC/Voice Assistant with touch - No Spatial Audio / 3D Audio if that's your thing - Not Cheap I love these earbuds. I've owned many brands in the last several years including Sony, LG, and Samsung. These are my new favorites. The sound is impeccable. As clear as it can get from the lowest lows to the highest highs. It's like being in a sound studio. This carries over from music and movies into phone calls where I've been able to have a conversation while walking by a busy road and the wind blowing and the person I'm talking to hearing me just fine and me hearing them like I'm standing in the room with them. Very impressive! Sound quality is the #1 most important thing with earbuds and these premium Pi8 earbuds from Bowers & Wilkins do not disappoint. Design and fit is the second most important thing to me. I've had earbuds that I've been super happy with in terms of sound and features, but that didn't fit in my ears just right or I couldn't have in my ears for long before they'd start bothering me. I am super impressed with the Bowers and Wilkins design team on these. The earbud tip fits perfectly in my ear canal (there are many size tips to change for the perfect fit) but perhaps most impressively, they've implemented a rear wingtip that is almost hidden. I have always found earbuds with wingtips to fit better and stay in my ear better - I honestly didn't realize these had that until I was putting them in my ear for the first time. The wind tip is so well integrated into the design it's easy to not notice it's there. Fit is personal, of course, and no earbuds are gonna provide the perfect fit for every ear shape and size, but these are the perfect design for me. They are comfortable and stay in place. And they also look great! My last "most important" feature is Active Noise Cancellation. The ANC on these seems to be on par with most of the other high end earbuds from LG, Apple, and others. With no music or anything playing, loud sounds can be heard as a faint distant sound. With music or a movie, I can't hear any outside sound at all. I also love the pass through feature which allows me to easily switch to hear what's going on around me. And the auto-pause feature which will pause whatever you're listening to if you remove an earbud is a nice bonus. For those who care about spatial sound, these do not support that. I have earbuds that do, but I've always been on the fence about it - does it enhance the sound or is it just a gimmicky "fun" thing that doesn't really make for a better sound experience? Anyway, I'll take superior sound quality over that myself any day. Although Bowers & Wilkins definitely put their greatest focus on the sound quality, they also do have some great additional features. The touch control via the outside of each earbud is fairly easy to use and intuitive. Pause and Play with a tap makes sense. Other options with multiple taps work fine. And a long press can EITHER control volume OR control ANC and call up your Voice Assistant. I am disappointed that you can't have both of those. I wish there were a swipe or something for volume control. I like being able to switch the ANC from active to pass-through and to call up Siri, so for volume control I'm left with only using my device for that. The case is another design and feature success. It's small enough, but carries a lot of charging power. It can be charged wired or wirelessly. And, it has one of my favorite features that I first experienced on another brand of earbuds - the case can serve as a wireless transmitter. So if you're on a plane, you can plug the case into the Aux port and transmit the sound from the plane's entertainment system to your earbuds wirelessly. That is an excellent bonus feature! The app that you use to set these up and change settings is good enough. It's not the best or most feature rich app for earbuds/headphones I've seen, but it's fine. You can change basic settings and can create a custom equalizer or use True Sound which I prefer since it means you're hearing things the way the professional sound team who produced the music or movie wanted you to. These are obviously high end earbuds from one of the top sound companies on the planet and the price reflects that. But if you have the money and if superior sound is important to you, I'd say these are a worthwhile investment.

Bowers & Wilkins, a renowned name in the realm of high-fidelity audio, has once again raised the bar with its latest flagship wireless headphones, the Px8. These over-ear marvels deliver an exceptional audio experience, complemented by a sleek design and choice of colors, and industry-leading noise cancellation. These headphones are sure to impress even the most discerning audiophiles. Audio Performance: The Px8 headphones deliver stunning audio performance, thanks to their all-new 40mm Carbon Cone drivers. The carbon cones are designed to deliver outstanding clarity and detail. This, combined with high-resolution 24-bit DSP and aptX Adaptive wireless technology, results in a truly exceptional soundstage with rich bass, clear mids, and sparkling highs with remarkable clarity and precision. Noise Cancellation: The Px8 headphones utilize active noise cancellation technology, which effectively blocks out ambient noise. Whether you're seeking tranquility amid the hustle and bustle of city life or craving uninterrupted focus during work or study sessions, and even while writing this review, the Px8's active noise cancellation (ANC) proves to be unbeatable. The Px8 uses a total of 6 microphones to precisely deliver the ANC level of your choosing. The noise cancellation is adjustable, so you can choose the level that best suits your environment. It effectively blocks out external distractions allowing you to focus on your music, podcasts or anything of your listening pleasure without distractions. Designed for Comfort and Style: The Px8's design exudes elegance and sophistication, seamlessly blending premium materials with ergonomic construction. The earcups are generously padded with soft memory foam and finished off with premium napa leather, providing a comfortable fit even during extended listening sessions. The lightweight aluminum headband is adjustable for a personalized fit, ensuring a secure and comfortable grip, combining elegance with durability. Battery Life: With a generous battery life of up to 30 hours, the Px8 ensures you can enjoy your favorite music or podcasts without worrying about running out of power. The headphones also support fast charging and the provided USB-C cable ensures that you can still enjoy your music while charging. Features: The Px8 is packed with thoughtful features that enhance your listening experience. Its automatic wear detection pauses playback when you remove the headphones and resumes when you place them back on. The headphones also support multipoint connectivity, allowing you to seamlessly switch between two Bluetooth devices without having to disconnect and reconnect. Pros: • Outstanding sound quality • Amazing noise cancellation • Comfortable Design • Pure Elegance • Long battery life • Crystal clear phone calls Cons: • Price The Bowers & Wilkins Px8 Over-Ear Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones are a premium product that delivers exceptional sound quality, amazing noise cancellation, and a luxurious yet comfortable design. The Px8 are a dream come true for discerning audiophiles seeking an unmatched listening experience. They are the best headphones that I have ever used, and I am confident that you will love them as much as I do.

The Pi6 wireless earbuds from Bowers & Wilkins are premium headphones offering high quality sound along with active noise canceling. There’s a lot to like about them overall, but there are a few flaws that keep them from being perfect. The headphones are stylish and made of hard plastic. They wear pretty well, and I found it easy to get a good fit (using the default tips; there are multiple other sizes included), which is key for the noise canceling to work. The case holds additional charge and uses USB Type C for charging. Sadly, there is no wireless charging option, which is actually something I miss. The headphones support high-quality streaming options like Bluetooth 5.4/aptX along with 24-bit audio. Setup is relatively easy with the Bowers & Wilkins Music app. (Oddly, in my Android app tray, it labels itself as Music Bowers & Wilkins, which makes it a little less obvious to find!) The app both serves as a place to control the settings for the device as well as a storefront for various music services that offer audiophile quality streaming options. I found the app curiously underbaked, with the EQ settings customizable but limited solely to treble and bass. The app also allows you to configure the active noise canceling as on/off or, conveniently, a passthrough option that I found worked well for balancing ANC and not being utterly cut off from one’s surroundings. If I found the app a little underdone, the touch controls were the opposite. I found them clunky and even difficult to remember, though volume control worked pretty well but frustratingly seemed slow to adjust. I generally just used my phone or the app for settings changes as it was quicker. On the other hand, ergonomics were otherwise really good, as I found it easy to get a good fit, and they were comfortable to wear for extended periods. They also support automatically pausing when you pull an earbud out, and this worked well in my experience. With that said, these do excel at their core task: sounding great. While I don’t have accounts that have lossless audio, I do have the premium tier audio on Spotify. Everything I listened to, from AC/DC to Beethoven to Glenn Miller, sounded bright and vibrant to my ears, but still very natural. These will take over as my everyday earbuds. Beyond music, audio quality on calls was acceptable—I don’t take calls very often regardless, let alone with earbuds—but I could both hear and be heard easily with them. So ultimately if you prize stylish and excellent earbuds, these are a very good choice. I’m not a big fan of the touch controls or the app, but they both will do. However, the sound quality is excellent, the battery life good, and the ANC is decent for earbuds, especially with the nice passthrough feature. These are good for anybody but especially a good choice for Android users like me.

Being the proud owner of the excellent Px7 S2 I was wondering how much better it could get. Although the design language is similar, I realized right away that there was an obvious increase in build and material quality. The burgundy finish and golden aluminum accents add to the premium look. The Nappa leather on the headband and earcups just feel (and smell) so good. I'm glad that the fitting and comfort is still top-notch. Although they may be a bit heavy, which I prefer in premium items, I was able to wear them for a full 8-hour workday at a time. The earcups are incredibly soft and the clamping force is just right. Although they stay put in place, I would not wear them for heavy activities as they do get hot, and I did not see any water/sweat resistance rating. Having Bluetooth 5.2, they connected seamlessly to both my Android and iOS devices. I did not experience any hiccups, no video sync issues, and almost no lag when playing games. The multi-point worked well for me. I am glad that we still have physical buttons and that they control everything I need. This is useful especially when it's very cold. I appreciate the auto play/pause when taking the headphones off. While I have experienced better noise cancellation (ANC) in other popular brands, these are quite good. I can still hear higher pitch noise and some rumbling, but it’s not a big deal when listening at low volumes. The ambient mode is Ok as well, it may not sound as natural as when the headphones are off, but it’s clear enough. One thing to note is that the best ANC is when I did not wear glasses, and there was a full seal around my ears. The call quality is very good –even in noisy or windy conditions. I had no issues hearing or being heard. The battery life may not be the longest lasting in the premium market at 25-30 hours, but to me it’s good enough, since I do not make it a habit of not having access to an outlet for long periods at a time. Just in case, you can use the quick charge, which adds 7 hours with 15 minutes on the charger. So, they are comfortable and stylish, but how do they sound? Well, I am happy to report that the new 40mm carbon drivers deliver quite the experience. They certainly sound better than the Px7 S2. The bass is punchier, has extension, and is much more precise this time. The midrange is not recessed, letting vocals (and their texture), rhythm instruments, and choruses be heard fully. The treble soars and adds a lot of clarity and brightness without being sibilant, harsh, or fatiguing. The soundstage was a bit tight and small, and very personal. Nevertheless, the channel separation was distinctive, and the imaging on point. Of course, you'd need Hi-Res AptX audio compatible devices for the best audio quality experience. All audio was engaging –especially movies and games. Just in case, there is a companion app that allows for a simple EQ. The Px8 comes with its own 24bit 48kHz DSP, in both 3.5mm and USB-C hook-ups. The only thing about that is that the microphone will not work in this mode. Speaking of the app, that was the one thing I was left disappointed with. It just is too simplistic. I wanted a full-range EQ, and more options on ANC/ambient levels. I do not really use the suggested music channels, so I hope B&W updates it for more functionality in the future. Yes, this is a luxury item that has a premium price tag. The way I see it, it is like when people buy luxury wearables like watches and handbags. Sure, you can find the same functionality at lower prices, but the style, build quality, and feel makes them worth more than a simple look, and I am proud to always wear them.

The first thing you notice is that the box feels substantially heavy. Inside there is a nifty burgundy semi-hard carrying case containing the Px8 headphone along with a USB-C charging cable and a USC-C to 3.5mm stereo audio adapter cable tucked inside a small compartment covered with a magnetic lid. The Px8 supports connections using Bluetooth, a 3.5mm stereo audio cable, and USB direct (to a computer) so it's very flexible. Manual controls on the Px8 include a customizable Quick Action button on the left earpiece (you can configure it to set ANC modes or to activate a voice assistant). On the right earpiece, there is a sliding power button that also functions as a Bluetooth pairing button. There are also two buttons for increasing/decreasing volume as well as another multifunction button that allows you to play/pause/skip-to-next/repeat-previous track. These 3 right buttons also allow you to answer/end/decline telephony calls as well switch/merge/mute calls. While fairly intuitive, I’m almost certain that I will accidentally press the wrong button until I get used to how they work. The presentation and build quality is one of elegance. Sporting a golden metal frame and soft burgundy leather ear cushions, the Px8 headphone is probably the best looking headphone I have ever seen. The headphone is a bit on the heavier side but still feels very comfortable. Installation was very easy. Just download the Bowers & Wilkins app and turn on pairing and it easily and quickly finds the headphone. I found the app to be fairly intuitive and simple to operate but it is somewhat basic compared to other apps I have used. You can link your existing streaming music services (currently supported services are Tune-In, qobuz, Tidal, deezer, Soundcloud, and NTS) in the app so you can easily access them but I did not try this feature out. The app offers settings for ANC (Noise Cancellation, Pass-Thru, and Off), and sound (treble and bass adjustments). I was somewhat surprised there wasn’t an EQ that allowed more fine tuning. I found the ANC to be very good but I think I’ve experienced slightly more effective ANC on other headphones. The sound quality is simply gorgeous. Vocals and instruments are very crisp, clear, and precise. The sound was very rich and smooth but for me I think the bass was a little over emphasized in its default settings so I used the bass control to dial it back a little. The bass was very impressive and it was on the punchy side and not muddy. I played music from various genres (Michelle Branch, Diana Krall, The Gaslight Anthem, Marshall Crenshaw, Squeeze, along with movie soundtracks from Superman, Harry Potter, and Alita: Battle Angel) and they all sounded great. The Px8 also worked well for watching movies and TV shows. The Dialogue was very easy to understand and the soundstage was very immersive. I never experienced any drop-outs or disconnections using Bluetooth. The Px8 has been rock solid and the gorgeous sound quality has made listening to my music collection very pleasurable. Overall, I can give it my highest recommendations. It’s a little on the pricey side but if you're an audiophile who appreciates a luxurious premium aesthetic and superb sound quality, then the Bowers & Wilkins Px8 is the perfect choice.

There is a reason why Bowers & Wilkins are usually at the top of audiophiles list of speakers or headphones and the Pi8 is no exception. I own the Px7 and the Px8 over the ear headphones and love them to no end. I was excited for the Pi8's and they did not disappoint. For years I would use either Samsung's Buds Pro or the Sony WF-1000's and it was hard to pull me away from those 2. The Pi8's crushed them and I will daily drive them to the end of their life cycle. Sound, comfort, features etc beat all my expectations when listening to music or streaming videos. In the box are the buds in a solid feeling case, quick start guide, USB C to C cable, USB C to 3.5mm jack adapter (for streaming from a 3.5mm source) and a selection of different size tips. Since I already use the B&W app (which I highly recommend you use), setting up and pairing the buds was simple and easy. There is even a walkthrough if you want to know what the buds can do. App is what you need to unlock all the things the Pi8 can do. ANC, passthrough, presets and even manual EQ. The case is wireless charging compatible and the magnets the hold the buds in are super strong. Charging time is fast and during my lunch hour it can completely charge the buds back to 100% to finish off my work day. Comfort is great. I wear them for a full work shift and never had 1 complaint. I am using the already installed tips as they fit me perfectly. My co-workers cannot hear anything I am blasting at a loud volume. Phone calls were standard. No complaints from the caller when talking or when listening to me. ANC worked flawlessly. You can hear loud noises (like clapping right by your face) but everything else was tuned out. Pass through when trying it out worked but it was a little hard for me to make out what people were saying since I liked my volume up loud. Off really had no effect on what was playing but me being me I just kept ANC on the entire time. Sound quality is amazing. 11/10. Highs were highs and bass was thumping without anything at all sounding distorted. You can fine tune anything with the Equalizer to your liking. One thing I loved is that they are using the the aptX Bluetooth codecs that are compatible with my phone. Sound quality is beyond excellent. Audiophiles will love this as it is compatible with aptX Lossless, Adaptive and Classic Bluetooth codecs and AAC and SBC. As stated before the B&W are my new daily drivers and I won't be changing anytime soon, unless they make a better upgrade. Sound quality is excellent, comfort is excellent and even price to performance ratio to me is 100% worth it. You will be getting a lot of value and life out of these earbuds.

Anyone who is familiar with audiophile name brands will recognize Bowers and Wilkins. Several of their floorstanding and bookshelf speakers have graced the listening rooms of various homes I’ve owned, and their combination of detail mixed with balanced (if occasionally bright) sound has made them one of my favorite speakers. B&W’s foray into wireless in-ear headphones was welcome for me, and I have owned several previous incarnations of the Pi models, most recently the Pi4, which I have used for the last couple of years. They are still going strong, and have been handed down to one of my daughters after receiving a pair of Pi6 headphones this week. My wife has a pair of Pi5s that she loves and I have used on occasion. The Pi6 come in a charcoal-gray-color, compact, lightweight case that doubles as a charger. Codecs include SBC, AAC, AptX, and AptX Adaptive, which is pretty much par for the course for headphones in this price range. Although, admittedly, the Pi6 headphones will set you back quite a bit. Missing is the AptX Lossless codec that you can get in the more expensive Pi8 in-ears, which is too bad. Battery life is excellent, even with auto noise canceling on. In use, I generally got 8 hours out of the Pi6 without having to charge. Bowers and Wilkins states that with the charged case, a user can get up to 24 hours of audio playback. A quick, 15-minute charge in the case will result in 2-hours of playback time. Not bad at all. Setup: Setup was extremely easy. I removed the Pi6 from the packaging, plugged them in using the supplied USB-C cord, and let them charge overnight. I opened the case, searched for new devices on my iOS phone, and found them immediately. After syncing via Bluetooth, I was encouraged to download the Bowers and Wilkins app, which I did. After creating an account, I tested the ear buds in my ears. Bowers and Wilkins supplies a variety of rubber ear pieces to be able to find the perfect one to fit the ears, but the ones that came installed on the Pi6 felt great so I left those on. The Bowers and Wilkins app allows you to access settings such as firmware updates, a graphic EQ, and auto noise canceling. Auto Noise Canceling ANC was okay. Not bad, not good, just average. I wore the ear buds in several different locations, at the gym, riding a transit bus, inside a relatively busy mall, while running, etc. External noises were muted to an extent, but not as well as I am accustomed to. My previous Pi4s did a better job of limiting the intrusion of external noise, so this is one aspect I was kind of bummed about. There is also a pass through setting, where the Pi6 ear buds allow you to hear external noise, which is effective when running or riding a bike on a busy street (can hear traffic). This function performed perfectly. Sound Quality Let’s face it, when it comes to headphones, we all want to know how they sound. In this instance, I can attest that the Pi6 sound absolutely fantastic. They are a huge improvement over the Pi4s I had, and both my wife and I feel they sound better than my her Pi5s. They are about as balanced as a set of headphones can get, with just the right amount of bass, including mid-bass impact that really makes kicks and toms shine. Treble is crystal clear, perhaps slightly rolled off, but not in a negative way. No harshness at all to the sound. First up in my review listening session was Fleetwood Mac’s Tusk, off of their album Tusk. I love using Fleetwood Mac’s Rumors and Tusk for listening auditions, the mastering is impressive and there are many intricacies to their music that good headphones will bring out and that is often missed by floorstanding speakers. The song has a lot of tom work, as well as little voices speaking in different spots throughout the song. The Pi6 picked up each of these voices, made the toms sound like they were live in the room with you, and really provided an excellent soundstage. Around the 1:14 mark with the Pi6, the bass comes into the mix with a little slide and growl, and sounds amazing. The Pi6 handle the addition of the bass in stride with the toms and addition of the bass drum without any issues, allowing the listener to just enjoy layers of music. Even when the instruments all come in, the Pi6 never break a sweat, allowing the listener to hear everything in its place, not just noise. Never harsh. They sounded amazing with this song. Next up was Loreena McKennitt’s Marco Polo, off of her Book of Secrets album. I believe I read somewhere that there were over 40 instruments in this song, and on weaker headphones it can sound like a mishmash of sound. Not with the Pi6. Bass impact was amazing, and as more and more layers of instruments were introduced into the mix, the soundstage became wider and wider. At no point did I feel like the music lost definition. All the pieces and components were there. I’ve listened to this song on a lot of in-ears, and the Pi6 sounded just as good as some much more expensive in-ears that have resided in my ear canals. And Loreena McKennitt’s voice was delightful, floating above the mix in an ethereal air. It’s one thing to play well-mastered music through in-ears, but the question is often how will they handle not-so-well-mastered music? I dug into Neil Diamond, listening to a song called Soolaimon which is mixed a little ‘hot’ and can be fatiguing depending on the headphones/speakers it is being listened on. The stereo mix puts a set of toms/congos in the left ear, and the right ear has percussion and guitar. Meanwhile, Neil sings with a choir in the background, and the choir’s voices can lead to some serious ear-bleeding when the volume is turned up. Not so with the Pi6. Not only did the make the toms/congos and percussion section sound impactful and vibrant, they also calmed the harshness of the choir and made it an extremely enjoyable listen. Volume For most of my listening, I had the volume to max. Granted, I have older ears, and can’t hear things as well as I used to, but I didn’t feel at any point that I didn’t have enough volume. Sometimes max was what it took, sometimes I was just a couple clicks down from full. So I feel like the Pi6 have good power and volume. Comfort I wore the Pi6 for at least 8 hours a day for 3 straight days to see if I got some sore ears like I do with other in-ears. Impressively enough, I only started to feel some discomfort towards the end of the day, as my ears got tired of having ear buds in them. This is better than the other in-ears I have, as often I am lucky to get a few hours with something stuck in my ears before having to take a break. Exercising, running, walking, chewing, and talking; there were no issues with the Pi6 staying put in my ears. In conclusion, I feel like the Pi6 are an incredible value. They sound great. I don’t really use my in-ears to make phone calls, but the couple of test calls I did were crystal clear. Music, which is what Bowers and Wilkins focuses on, as well as battery life and comfort was absolutely excellent. A great update to prior versions of the Pis, and a great all around in-ear. Highly recommended.

INTRODUCTION: Bowers & Wilkins is one of the worlds best audio manufacturers, bar none. When you learn recording studios use their speakers as reference monitors you know they’re one of the absolute best there is. B&W is ALWAYS focused on presenting music as it was recorded and meant to sound. Their signature sound is realistic without being overly bass driven or sibilant (harsh). I prefer to listen to music as it was intended to be listened too, without being fooled by speakers which make bass muddy or highs harsh. And no one does midrange better in my humble opinion than B&W. Midrange is where most of the music content is, like most instruments and the human voice. B&W’s HISTORY: B&W started as a Radio and Electronics shop in Worthing, in Sussex, UK,. John Bowers and Roy Wilkins, who met while serving in WWII. They began providing public address equipment to schools and churches, with Bowers becoming increasingly involved in the design and assembly of loudspeakers. B&W went into the speaker business in 1966 and Bowers was determined to produce the PERFECT loudspeaker, capable of delivering recorded sound which is faithful to the live performance and original sound. It was his passion which is imprinted in the company’s DNA where he was known for saying “Good Enough is Not Enough for Bowers and Wilkins.” The Px8 Over-The-Ear Bluetooth Active Noise Cancelling Headphones: B&W’s Px8 Headphones are their flagship wireless headphones. If you don’t want to read a long review just know they are without reservation the best sounding headphones I’ve ever had the pleasure to listen to. And I have quite a nice collection of higher-end headphones but none at this level of sonic perfection. I also have a degree in music and have a well-trained ear. PACKAGING/WHAT YOU GET: These come nicely packaged as you’d expect of headphones at this price point. It was exciting just to open the box! You store the headphones in a fabric wrapped, color coordinated hard case. Even The case zipper is as smooth as you could possibly want. Inside is a compartment covered by a magnetic flap to store the two cables provided: USB C to USB C charging cable and USB C to 3.5mm audio jack. QUALITY MATERIALS: These headphones are made of premium materials. The ear cups and headband are wrapped in sumptuous Napa Leather. The ear cups underneath the leather are made of soft memory foam, which are supremely comfortable to wear for hours on end. The arms are made of aluminum, which is super light but stiff for excellent durability and slide smoothly. B&W says they used diamond-cut bright metal detailing to finish the luxuriously premium look. Not only do these puppies sound great, but they look great, without that in-your-face, look at me styling so many other headphones employ. The quality is simply on a level I’ve never experienced before! GETTING STARTED/CONTROLS: Charge the headphones first, then download the Bowers & Wilkins Music App to your cell phone. Set up an account and the app show’s how to pair them as well as what each button does. Next choose what function the Action Button on the left headphone does (ANC/Passthrough or Wake your Digital Assistant). There aren’t many customizations, but these sound so sublime, there really isn’t much need for them. The Px8 has wear sensors if you remove the headphones and start them again when you put them back on, with three sensitivity options (low – standard – high). You can only adjust Treble and Bass, but again, with sound this great who cares? Download an equalizer app if you need more. I believe good headphones shouldn't need equalization to begin with. Finally, they provide links to the some of the best premium streaming services, which feature higher 24-bitrate streaming. In terms of controls, B&W chose physical buttons over touch controls (YAY!) which have a nice solid tactile feel. There’ a power switch which doubles as the Bluetooth connect button. The Action Button and separate buttons for volume up/down and a button you double tap to move to the next track or triple tap to go back to the previous track or tap to answer or end a phone call. It’s all very simple and intuitive to control. ACTIVE NOISE CANCELLATION/CALL QUALITY/FEATURES: I don’t buy headphones for noise cancellation, but the ANC on the Px8 is amazingly good. In the family room with the TV on at normal listening levels and I didn’t hear the TV at all. At Starbucks in a noisy environment, outside sounds were either non-existent or barely noticeable. I give these an A on noise cancellation. 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. With Six Microphones, 4 for ANC and 2 for phone calls, the phone calls I’ve made have been very clear. The Px8 has multi-point pairing and I’m now simultaneously connected to my iPhone, iPad and MacBook Pro. Switching seamlessly from one device to the other, B&W has made multi-point connections smooth and easy! The driver in a speaker is what you hear sounds through. A driver’s sole purpose is to move air for low, mid and high frequencies. The driver in the Px8 is not your standard cardboard type driver found in most headphones. It’s a precisely angled 40mm Carbon Cone driver, designed to improve stereo imaging, deliver reduced distortion and improve clarity. I’ve never heard such clarity in a headphone. EVER! The Px8 uses a high-resolution 24-bit Digital Signal Processor (DSP), coupled with the Carbon Cone Driver to capture sound better and it DOES! The headphones have 30 hours of battery life which is good, but not industry leading. There are other headphones which have more, but for a charge on-the-go, just plug them in and you’ll get 7 hours of play time in 15 minutes. The Px8 supports the best Bluetooth Codecs/Profiles, including: aptX, Adaptive aptX, HD aptX, AAC, SBC, A2DP, ACRCP, HFP, BLE GATT (Generic Attribute Profile) and they support Bluetooth 5.2. There really isn’t a Codec/Profile you can’t use, if you have a device which supports them. Suffice to say B&W has you covered here. ABOUT SOUND! Some may buy headphones for features such as, ANC, Battery Life, and Style, but to me, nothing matters except for sound. I’ve listened to a LOT of music since getting these and they simply sound better than any headphones I’ve EVER owned. Bass on these headphones is tight and controlled, but NEVER Boomy. Treble is brilliant, but never Sibilant. The star of the show, however, is midrange. No matter how complex the music, every single instrument is presented precisely with a presence that is hard to believe. Stringed instruments are warm. Vocals sound like the person is directly in front of you. One of my favorite contemporary composers is Mason Bates. I listened to his Alternative Energy – Xinjiang Province and Mothership. I thought I knew them, but with the Px8, I heard nuances I’ve never heard before. I listened to Libera (boy’s choir) – For the Future. With many other headphones, this song can sound sibilant (shrill), but not on the Px8. It was present, smooth and warm. Another amazing vocal group is Adiemus. Listening to Children of Dannu, something I’ve listened to more times than I can count was like listening to it for the first time. The vocals were amazing and the instruments warm and accurate. Next up was Camile Saint-Saens Organ Symphony. OMG, when the organ hits in the last movement, it hits with depth I’ve NEVER heard in ANY headphone. An acoustic piece which is fun was recorded live by Schindleria prameaturus – The Fish. Acoustically and sonically presented with amazing clarity and presence. There really isn’t any genre you could throw at the Px8, which wouldn’t sound better than you could possibly imagine. There is an intimacy with these headphones I’ve never experienced before. EVER! CONCLUSION: To say the B&W Px8 is astounding in just about every way, is an understatement. They are stunningly beautiful, made of premium materials. They look great and feel wonderful on my ears for extended hours of listening. Clamping force isn’t very high and that’s important if like me, you wear glasses. The Px8 headphones aren’t inexpensive, but the price in my humble opinion is beyond justified. They are simply about as perfect as headphones could get. When you recognize they are Bluetooth headphones, it’s beyond amazing headphones can sound this great without being wired, though you can plug them in for a direct connection if you want. If this review helps you justify spending this much on a pair of headphones, I hope you will be as happy with the B&W Px8 as I am. Yes, I do!

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.

If I were forced into a single word review, then my word would be “luxurious”. Visually, materially, physically, and sonically the Px8 is luxurious. My Royal Burgandy and Nickel Px8 is a rich, decadent wrapper implying the musical finery waiting inside each ear cup. The leather wrapped ear cushions are soft and blush. The Px8’s are constructed of metal and soft, plush leather. The ear cup outer shells are a combination Metal, leather, and brushed nickel. The connecting armatures are brushed aluminum metal and extend well into the headband. The head band is wrapped in a matching royal burgundy leather, plush foam padding, and is very flexible. The ear cups have a 180 Degree rotation that allows them to rest cups facing in or cups facing out when wearing the Px8 around your neck. It is nice that B&W gave me the option that I find most comfortable. Sonically, these are like having two high fi speakers strapped to my ears. I would describe the sound as clear, precise, rich, detailed, intimate, and full bodied. In some instances, acoustic guitars and classical piano are sonically voluptuous. There is just the little extra something that I find lacking from less expensive headphones. For example, Chopin’s Nocturne No. 2 in E-Flat. Op. 9 No 2 and the Plonaise No. 6 in A-Flat, Op. 53 – “Heroic” are like being teleported into the best seat in a professional concert hall. I can hear everything from the most powerful notes reverberating through both ear cups to the gentle decay of the most delicate keystrokes as they forever vanish into silence. The world simply evaporated away and reconstituted as Chopin. The Px8’s did not shy away from anything I threw at them. As a matter of fact, they played everything I threw at them magnificently. Meghan Trainor, Indego Girls, Air Supply, Metallica, Old 97’s (thank you James Gunn), Anime Anthems, Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, Albinoni, Litz, John Williams, Boston, Christmas and Holiday Music, and so much more. Christmas/Sarajevo 12/24 by the Trans-Siberian Orchestra is simply explosive. The electric guitars are alive and screaming in my ears with such richness that I wish the piece could go on forever. In my home, I can only outperform the Px8’s with a fully dedicated component stereo system. But now we are comparing apples to rocket ships. Bottom line, the Px8’s sound amazing with all music in every genre I sampled. At low volumes they sound good. Medium volume is where the Px8’s truly come alive. Hands down, this is the best headset, wired or wireless, that I have ever used. And just in case you believe my experience is limited to midrange only. Wrong. The Px8 put out a surprising amount of bass without any adjustments. And bass can be boosted in the B&W App. The same with the treble. They are there, they are clean, and they are wonderful and airy. The 40mm Carbon cones of the Px8’s delivers the goods and then some. ANC: Active Noise Cancelation is good but not excellent. Sorry B&W. However, B&W states that their ANC does not impact the quality of their sound. I mostly agree with that assertion. ANC has a slight impact on sound but nothing that you will notice until you turn off ANC in the middle of a listening experience. And even then, the difference is very minor. Much better than other ANC enabled headphones and earbuds I have used. The other thing to keep in mind is that strong ANC can, and does, increase the pressure in the earcup and will eventually lead to ear fatigue. I have not experienced either with the Px8’s. So, the tradeoff is superior sound quality/low fatigue vs inferior sound quality/high fatigue. That’s a no brainer. I am picking the Px8’s all day long unless I absolutely need the very best ANC that money can buy. Passthrough: The Px8’s have six external mics. This is for ANC, phone, and Passthrough. What is the purpose of passthrough. I am sure there are times where you wish you could casually listen to music, a podcast, the news, but also want to remain sonically aware of your surroundings. Maybe you are in an office building, keeping one ear open for your mischievous children, or your wife is…uh…just turn on the ANC and up the volume. You’ll be fine. The six mics pick up the sounds around me and reproduce the environmental sounds in the ear cups. Unfortunately, the passthrough is boosted which gives it a slightly unnatural sound. Conversations, road noise, wind, and other environmental sounds are clear but not 100% natural. For instance, computer fans, ceiling fans, air purifiers, drier sounds, and anything that I would qualify as “white noise” is boosted and will take away from musical enjoyment. Phone calls: The Px8’s are not the best for phone calls. The six external mics do not do a good job of picking up my voice. For example, my voice has been described as distant and with the quality if speaking through a hallow tube. My voice was very clear. However, my partners needed to turn the volume to maximum to enjoy a full conversation with me. There is no gain adjustment in the B&W app. So, it is what it is. Moving on. Bowers and Wilkins Sound App: My only musical subscription is Apple Music. Thus, I can only comment on the Px8 controls portion of the app and not on the music service integration portion of the app. The Bower and Wilkin’s headphone control app is spartan at best. It does not have the same flagship feel or experience as the Px8’s. And there is no reason why not. It’s software. You can make it look like and do anything you want. The options are as follows: - ANC is On, Off, or Passthrough. There is no manual adjustment to customize the ANC to my tastes. - EQ: limited to Bass and Treble. - Quick Action button: Environment Control or Voice Assistant. - Auto Standby 15 Minutes or Off - Wear Sensor: On or Off. There is an added configuration for movement sensitivity. - Device Rename - Factory Reset I was hoping for a multi-band EQ, Passthrough volume controls, in ear notification volume and sound/voice selection, additional sleep timer settings, and maybe an ANC intensity adjustment. It is functional and useful for what it does. It could be much better for a premium product such as the Px8’s. Conclusion: The Px8 is the best sounding wireless over ear headset I have ever heard. Period. Waitress, may I have the check! Do I think they could be better? Yes. If the Px8’s had Muli-EQ support and more control over the ANC, microphone gain for phone calls, and volume adjustments for native functions then these would be next level wireless headphones. But none of the cons I rattled off above are deal breakers. As is, these will need to be pulled from dead, rotting hands before I’ll give them up. The Px8’s radiate luxury; both physically and sonically. Pure and simple, this is an outward expression of decadence. Sonically luxurious. I would recommend these all day long for anyone looking to take a dip into the high-end wireless headphone pool.

I have always been a music lover and I always seek to have the best experience when listening to music. Whether in speakers or in headphones there are some details that make the experience more enriching. With these Bowers Wilkins Pi6 headphones I have been surprised and at the same time some things I consider can improve the experience. In the box come the headphones in their charging case, a usb c charging cable, 3 pairs of 3 different tip sizes, a quick start guide and safety warranty documentation. To set up the headphones you need to download the Bowers & Wilkins Music app and create an account. Within the app the customization and configuration options are limited. There are no EQ presets, only a very basic User EQ, you can increase or decrease the bass and treble. In the app it is also possible to change the active noise canceling mode and manage the connected devices. The headphones have a touch control that allows you to change the ANC mode or increase or decrease the volume. Removing either earphone from the ear pauses music playback which can also be activated/deactivated in the app. The app also allows linking accounts from different types of music streaming services. Although the app has useful options, it lacks important aspects such as better EQ presets, integration with other music apps or YT, case battery indicator, better stability in the connection between the app and the headphones since sometimes when removing a headphone the app disconnects and you have to open and close it to recognize the headphones again. I find the design to be good, they are not heavy, they fit my ears well, they don't make my ear feel tired if I wear them for several hours, the touch controls work almost flawlessly and are easy to use. The device has a good finish and the construction materials are sturdy and of good quality. The Pi6 has a good overall design, they look good. The battery lasts several hours, a whole day without problem and with the case charger you can extend its use several hours more. The case has a LED that indicates when the charging case needs to be charged and this LED also indicates that the headphones are charging when they are inserted into the case. With 15 minutes of charging you can get up to two hours of battery life which is a great help when we do not have much time for this. Regarding the performance I have been surprised, they sound pretty good, the low, medium and high frequencies are clearly perceived, they have a higher volume than other devices in its class. In this device the bass sound with clarity, presence and without distortion. Whether listening to music, watching videos, movies, podcasts, everything is heard with strength and clarity, truly high resolution. The microphone sounds good, it does not stand out but performs well in calls. The active noise cancellation is very effective, it allows you to be immersed in your favorite music or content for a long time, outside sounds are perceived but are minimal. On the contrary with the transparency mode, the microphones seem to raise some frequencies and sound a little weird. I prefer to turn off the noise cancellation or have it active, but I hardly use the transparency mode. In summary, these Bowers & Wilkins Pi6 headphones have impressive audio quality, a battery that lasts many hours, a good design that does not bother the ear, they have active noise cancellation (ANC), no audio distortion and an app that although it offers the basics is useful. If you want good quality headphones with ANC and superior sound, these could be a good alternative. Despite the price, which could be more competitive, I can highly recommend them.

The Bowers & Wilkins pi6 offers a powerful punch in a bit size easy to carry set up. If your looking for fullness in your audio quality without the cumbersome over the ear style then look no further as Bowers & Wilkins is no stranger to the audiophile alike. Bowers & Wilkins has always been known to put an emphasis on style and quality to offer a true luxurious style piece with the price tag to back it up. At times it can be hard to decipher if the extra cost is really worth it and what you can expect to get with your money. Let's start with the basics, out of the box you expect to get your docking pod, usb-c charging cable and four different earpiece cups to help fit whatever your ear size may be. Case charge is completed in less than an hour and bud charging time is about 30 mins. The Pi6 comes with a free downloadable app however don't get too excited over this as the app as it still feels like its in it's beta phase. There is very little to do within the app given basic features such as battery life, button assignment , anc on/off and a very very basic EQ. The lack of a proper EQ is what really has me hating the app as proper sound needs to be dialed in via whatever playback method you are using. They do offer curated music via supplied listening platforms such as Pandora to help dial in your listening quality but you are limited to some very off brand apps. Don't expect to find Spotify, Google Music or Youtube in there. The charging case is another thing I hated about the Pi6 as the case is shaped oval like an egg meaning you can never stand the case up. Why does this bother me? Simply put, every time the case is set down it tends to roll over to its side, which leads to it falling of edges or counter tops and night stands. But let's be honest, your not considering these earbuds for the app or case but rather for the sound quality, which is where it truly shines. Once the drivers are broken in and EQ is dailed in that's when the quality of your beats will start to sound different. Im noticing back ground sounds that I normally don't notice such as the high hats hitting on some of my rock songs. Bass has a good punch, but don't expect it to knock you off your feet for all you hip hop fans. The quality of sound is well done, so much so that no sound over powers the other but rather everything comes in at equal quality to help compliment the song as a whole. The bass is very rich with clear midtones and very crisp highs. One thing I did notice is it seems the unit would try to adjust my EQ settings based on listening position or rather ear canal design to help give a more full and rich experience. In the ear designs have always been hit or miss with designs either becoming uncomfortable after hours of listening or bring comfort to the point of forgetting you have them in. The Pi6 offers hours upon hours of comfort with proper heat displacement. These buds are water resistance, and while I'm not exactly inclined to test out how resistant they are just know that basic sweat and splash back wont hurt them. Overall this is a true master piece when it comes to desecrate design with phenomenal sound quality. This piece is geared towards the true audiophile that is looking to get every bit of sound out of their music without sacrificing a single beat. While the price tag is set on the higher point, their quality, performance, comfort and long battery life make it a worth while investment. If your looking for that immersive sound that wont let you down, then look no further.

NOISE CANCELLING/PASS-THROUGH: Noise cancelling is probably the one thing that these do not excel at. Which isn’t to say they are bad. But they are not class leading. My AirPods Max and Sony XM4’s do a better job. If those are at 10/10 then these are at like 8/10. I found that they did a great job at blocking out low noises and normal talking voices. Fans I could still hear but were greatly reduced as was running water (where those were either blocked or completely blocked by the other two). Music it struggled with and would come through (which I’d expect) but performed as well as the others in that regard. But regardless it does reduce the sound of things going on around you by a noticeable degree and is good enough that it is worth turning on. Pass-through was surprisingly good. I usually can’t stand Pass-Through on anything other than Apple devices as they are normally trash. But with these I was easily able to have a full conversation with someone with these on. Or listen to a video on another device quickly using their speakers. And be aware of what was going on around me such as typing, people walking around, etc. Everything is a bit more quiet in comparison to without the headset on. But I’ve found that Apple’s Transparency mode has been leagues ahead of the competition. These are the only ones that I’ve tried that have come close to being at the same level. They aren’t. But they are moderately close. CONTROLS: So many devices these days have poor controls. Usually do to limited buttons. To the point I’ve almost forgotten how nice it is to have actual buttons again. On the left earcup you have your “Quick Actions” button which can be paired to either Environmental (Noise Cancelling, Pass-Through, or Off) or Voice Assistant (Siri, Google, etc.). On the right earcups from top to bottom you have your slide to power on/off. Which is unique and I like a lot. Holding up will let you go into pairing mode. Volume Up, multipurpose button (single press for play/pause, double for forward, triple for back), and volume down. On the bottom of the right earcup you have a USB-C female port for charging, connecting the included USB-C to 3.5 mm jack, or USB-C to USB-C cord (gives the best wired quality). SOUND: You have three ways to listen on this device. First, Bluetooth. Second, USB-C to 3.5 mm. Third USB-C to USB-C. The third option will give you the best audio quality. And with most phones and devices having a USB-C port isn’t all that inconvenient. I also plugged this into my DAC/AMP and it sounded great and better than Bluetooth. Bluetooth will be the worst simply because the amount of data it can send is limited. Which isn’t to say it sounds bad by any means. It would be neat to see these brands start to include 2.4 GHz connections which give lower latency and better audio quality. With the plugged in methods you do need to have the headphones powered on and using battery though. Which is a bit of a bummer but not all that surprising. Which also means noise cancelling and all that jazz works. These simply sound fantastic no matter which method you choose to listen to them. I have no complaints. Treble is fully present, can be a bit sharp, but due to that you get the sparkle that allows voices and stuff to be highly impactful. Bass is present, tight, impactful, and accurate. It isn’t overblown or heavy though. But does give a nice deep rumble given the correct type. If you are a basshead these aren’t going to give you what you are looking for as the bass is backed off in order for the mids and treble to shine more and not muddy up the rest of the sound while still adding a lot of impact. I’m able to hear the nuanced parts of songs and different aspects going on easily. Also, I put these on for some gaming (Escape From Tarkov) and was blown away at how accurate the localization was. I knew exactly where someone was. To the point I’d actually say wired they are viable for gaming. They get plenty loud. I listed to music, movies, media, games and found they excelled at all of them. I tried to think of some negatives here. But they are right up there with the AirPods Max, Senneheiser HD650, and Hifiman Ananda’s that I own. Where at this level those all sound fantastic and the differences come down to specific tuning that specialize in certain areas. They are much better than my Sony XM4’s. It seems like I’ve made these seem like they are the greatest things since sliced bread. They aren’t and I hope I don’t give you unrealistic expectations. They aren’t perfect. No headphones are. But at this level I think it really comes down to what specific sound you want and I find these do great at multipurpose. Where they do a great job at most genres instead of a specific one. Which is my preference. PAIRING: Is extremely simple. You can be connected to two devices at a time. On the right earcup on the top you have your slide to power on/off button. If you hold that up whether the devices is on or off it will go into pairing mode after a short while. It will say “Ready To Connect” repeating until it pops up on your device. I’ve found that it doesn’t always pop up immediately and takes some time. As does pressing connect and it actually connecting. So not the quickest I’ve seen. Once a connection is established it does connect quickly upon first powering up the headphones. While it is a bit delayed in popping up and connecting initially I have found that this process if by fair the easiest I’ve seen on a device. Which usually requires me to turn them off, then hold to turn back on and go into pairing. I much prefer this method. BUILD QUALITY: It is superb and the main thing you are paying for here. It is by far the most attractive and best feeling headset I’ve ever felt or owned. Even putting my AirPods Max to shame. The leather is soft and plushy. The earcups move so smoothly along with the headband adjustment I can’t contain it in words. I don’t feel any plastic on the device anywhere. It’s either leather, padding, or aluminum. There is zero creaking or noise when I am handling the headphones. Each button is easy to tell apart without looking. Has a very crisp solid click to it and the only thing I hear is a nice soft click in the earcup itself. They are very lightweight and just feel incredible on in the hand, when handling, and are supremely comfortable. The color scheme is beautiful. Before these I’m not sure if I fully understood what a quality pair of headphones felt like. Simply put incredible. They do come with a nice hard carrying case, with a great zipper, that holds the headphones and both of the cables which magnetically shuts. Comfort is great and I can wear this for extremely long periods without any issues on my ears or on the top of my head. I don’t get hot ears with them. Clamping force is light/moderate. They can be worn for working out. I can do pushups and running just fine (as long as I’m not throwing my body around a lot). But they tend to slide off when laying down for bench or something. Also, with these actually using real leather I would be worried about destroying that with sweat. THE APP: It is simple, intuitive, and basic. Going from the top to the bottom you have your environmental control which includes Noise Cancelation, Pass-Through, and Off. Each one of those has a unique tone associated with it. I would have preferred an actual voice, especially at this price point. As I just struggle with tones on correctly identifying what they mean. You are not able to select say just Noise Cancelling and Pass-Through. Instead you always have all three options. Then you have a simplified EQ setting where you can increase or decrease the Treble and Bass (+/- 6 dB). That’s it. Connections where you can select what you are connected to just a single device or two devices at once. You can select what the Quick Actions button on the left earcup does (Noise Cancelling/Pass-Through/Off OR Voice Assistant such as Siri). Auto Standby allows low power mode after 15 minutes. Along with Wear Sensor (it will register if it is on your head or not). You have three settings here (low, normal, high) for how sensitive you want it to be. I kept mine on high. It still takes about a second or two for it to register it is off your head before it pauses/plays your media. Last two options are rename product and factory reset. CONCLUSION: These are the best pair of Bluetooth headphones I’ve ever used. I’m not sure if they are “leading class” in anything other than build quality. But they are right up there with the rest of the competition. But the difference between these and them is that they do well in EVERY SINGLE CATEGORY. Where the AirPods Max might have great Noise Cancelling, Transparency, and seamlessly connect on Apple devices. They can be heavy, sound is interesting, and clamping force is high. Where the cons for these guys are more subjective in nature over a complete miss. If these hit the boxes you are looking for and your comfortable with the extremely high price tag I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. As I certainly wasn’t.

You don't come to this class of product for the problems these have. ***QUALITY:*** Clearly, right from the gate you can tell these are quality. The weight, feel and textures tell you. Soft-touch? Check. Mem. foam? Check. GOLDEN metal? Check. Even the cord material which can be seen as you elongate the band is color-matching and woven. "Bowers & Wilkins" is machined (embossed) onto the side. These tell others you got something expensive. ***DESIGN:*** My particular set are "Royal Burgundy", and as such won't appeal to all, but as stated, give you that stand-out gold finish. The microphone ports are substantial, perforated grilles integrated into each earpiece. The left is sleek, with a single botton (ANC) and the right is topped by on/pairing, with textured play/pause sandwiched between up and down volume. Of any set of headphones, this is close to perfect for layout. The only improvement I could make is to move play over to the left so each button can be easily, quickly found (even when wearing gloves, please). ***FUNCTIONALITY:*** These have an exceptional feature no other headphones do: quick sounds to indicate connectivity and modes. All other sets I have tried consume media time with their prompts (you end up rewinding podcasts and videos). Bowers & Wilkins doesn't wish to interrupt. The set is very comfortable even when wearing a hat (quite adjustable) and can be stretched for a wider head (like I have). My medium-large ears are covered by the cuffs, which breathe acceptably well. The volume controls allow you to crank it way up, but... ***SOUND:*** only on Bluetooth. Curiously, plugging these in with USB-C to connect gives you substantially quieter listening - at least on my S23 Ultra. This is unfortunate because Bluetooth seems not to be the way to get the best fidelity. You get decent quality from this connection type, but the experience is let down by software which DEFINITELY could have been better. The details will be spoken about next, in ***SOFTWARE:*** 1.) For starters, the available settings here are WAYY outgunned by far cheaper kit. A brand like this should give you what you desire as a respecter of the finer things, but it doesn't. "Bass" and "treble" are the only "EQ" settings. They might as well be called"high" and "low", since you get no indication of frequency, curve, or decibel raise. This isn't good, as ultra-low frequency sound is too quiet when you get these. "Bass" in the app appears to adjust something like 100 hz - and that's not good enough for most recordings. "Treble" is okay, but seems to sound best when close to max, and that increases harsh 12k+ sounds too much in order to get 4-8k right. 2.) The app only let's you fiddle when it notices the PX8s, and that isn't consistent. I was listening to them once when it couldn't find them. An app kill and restart corrected it, but still. 3.) When you actually can fiddle, you get a choice to turn off the standby mode, so that's nice (like for falling asleep with music playing. They _didn't_ automatically connect most of the times I came back to them, however (like, when leaving the set on and walking away). 4.) Only ONE button is customizable - ONE - and that's only to select ANC mode or voice assistant. Nothing else. Fail, B&W. ***FIRMWARE:*** Another EXCELLENT feature is that the PX8s remember which ANC (active noise canceling) setting you last used. The ANC, by the way, is no-contest the best I've used... when it works right. Unfortunately, something about those "2 external microphones" doesn't. Driving in the car? Turn your head the wrong way and INTERFERENCE. Sitting in an air-conditioned space? Volume difference equals INTERFERENCE. A bit of wind on one side? Interference. For some reason, these things are HYPER sensitive to pressure changes and give you static (in only ONE ear - whichever is most affected) FAR too frequently. It's actually a tragedy. I'm not joking. These would be exquisite otherwise (even with the lacking sound adjustment). ***AFFILIATIONS:*** The one very interesting thing B&W gives you is a free trial to "Quobuz" to listen to very high quality audio from an extensive collection. The selection algorithm is terrible, though. Really, it's only good for your own manual selections. ***CONCLUSION:*** Something this expensive really needs to be "The Cadillac" of headphones. It isn't. ANC which can't handle pressure variations is Active Noise Creation, not Cancellation. Connection needs to be FLAWLESS - it isn't. Settings need to be ABUNDANT - they aren't.

I want to like this headphones but after having used this for two weeks , I am not convinced that this is an audiophlle quality headphones for the price.I will just wait fo the airpods max 2 release date.

Headphones are started to get better each and very year I promise. I’ve had many different in ears but ver the last 10-15 years. And each upgrade is better than the last. These cases and headphones are getting smaller with more crisp and powerful sound. These B&W noise cancellation earbuds are great. From the perfect fit(with the right size tips of course) to the small siz and weight to the sound quality. B&W in my opinion have a more audiophile sound that is warm and clear. They are a flat sounding headphone but with a nice punch on the low end and great clarity. If you don’t care for a flat sound you can customize the EQ to your liking through the app. If you care about them fitting into your ear especially if you plan on using them in the gym or the outdoors, then I can assure you that these fit properly and I would even say they are the most comfortable I have had thus far and that is saying a lot. I work out 3 days a week and even while running they do not fall out. They are not bulky or heavy either. The case is also very small as well which I appreciate as I have to carry the case while I am at work and I’m using them so that is great since they don’t take up much space In My pocket. Battery life is very good as well. I didn’t have to charge for a few days. Tho I tend to charge my stuff more often so they never run out. Design is solid as well and they seem to be pretty sturdy too. I have not dropped them yet so time will tell. Honestly if you want some great sounding headphones that fit perfectly in your ear and have a small form factor then give these a shot. Tho I have to say they priced higher than other name brand competitors unfortunately. But I’d say you definitely get what you pay for. I’m very happy with just the sound profile and the fit alone. So I can recommend if you are in the market. PS- while I don’t usually make calls with Bluetooth headphones I did once to my wife and the audio quality was amazing. She could not hear any background noise at the gym. Also touch controls are basic and work well.

[PROS] Awesome Audio: I'm not an audiophile, but there's a clear difference in sound quality when I listen to these earbuds compared to several premium yet cheaper options that I own. I'm a bass guy, and I can confirm that these earbuds definitely have punch to them. The treble is distinct, and vocals are more pronounced in my opinion. Out of the box, these sounds great, but I was able to tweak them a bit to suit my preferences. Long Term Comfort: I found the Pi8 quite pleasant to wear. My typical routine is to listen to music for hours on end while I work with very few interruptions that require me to remove them. Simplistic App: The Bower & Wilkins App pairs well with these earbuds. I can adjust EQ settings, toggle modes, and configure functionality with relative ease. Superb Connectivity: The Pi8 maintained a stable connection as I roamed freely through my home. Furthermore, latency was extremely low when I decided to connect the case directly to my phone. [CONS/MIXED BAG] Subpar Mic: I had high expectations of the microphone performance. Unfortunately, I was a bit disappointed when it didn't separate itself enough from other devices I own. It didn't do worse than them, but the I was hoping for more clarity with my voice when I spoke through it on calls. Mostly Great Battery Life: As earbuds without active noise cancellation or passthrough enabled, battery life is pretty great. I'm talking 8+ hours easily. With ANC on, that number drops to be within the 6-6.5 hr range before needing to recharge. It's not full workday worth of ANC action, but it's satisfactory for most of the day especially with quick charge abilities. [CONCLUSION] The Pi8 Earbuds are an excellent choice for a more definitive audio experience. For sound, it works well and for a decent amount of time I may add. The ANC and Pass-through mode function fine, but the microphone falls a bit short. Overall, I'm still planning to use this product as my daily driver.

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 been daily driving the Bowers and Wilkins Px7 S2 for over a year because I love them so much. So of course I was excited to "upgrade" to the Px8. B&W took over my preference when it comes to over the ear headsets because of not only their legendary sound quality but also comfort for a person with a big head like mine. Unboxing the headphones was exactly same experience as their last generation of headphones. Premium quality case and it shows. Inside a little compartment houses 2 cables, a USB C to 3.5mm Jack Adapter and a USB C to USB C cable. The feel and looks are very similar to the Px7 S2 so using the on phone buttons were a cinch. On the right cup is where you will find your physical controls. On/Off slider can go up one more tick to enter BT pairing, Volume Up and Down are the very bottom and 2nd from top buttons. Right in the middle of those 2 are the action button that can Answer/End a call, Skip or Go Back a track and lastly the USB-C connection/charger. While the headphones uses faux leather and memory foam, I have no complaints about comfort. They just feel nice and I use them for usually 2-3 hours per session and even removing them, I did not suffer any pain of any kind or heating. My ears were slightly warm but never did my head get hot. I recommend using the App for people who are first time users. Having already downloaded for the Px7 S2, pairing was a breeze. Automatically found the headphones when I switched to pairing mode and auto added it to my app. Though the EQ is very limited to Treble and Bass only, trust me, that's all you will need. They are tweaked so perfectly everything sounds amazing coming from them. ANC worked well and I could barely even hear outside interference. Call quality according to the other side said it sounded great. Sound quality is what you expect from a premium set of headphones at this price point. Highs are loud and do not get distorted and bass has the perfect amount of oomph. Even with music that is loud (like doing the Crab Rave test) even being at 60-70% sounds like it feels louder than that. If you get a chance while browsing a store and see these, I suggest giving them a try. Quality and comfort is again to me worth it. Bowers & Wilkins are known for their sound, and they back up that claim.