At a look
Knowledgeable’s Score
Professionals
- Excellent sound high quality
- Nice bass sound
- 30 hours battery life
- Bluetooth and wired modes
Cons
- Costly
- Noise-cancellation could possibly be stronger
- No Spatial Audio (but)
Our Verdict
The Px8 S2 is much more costly than Apple’s AirPods Max, however the sound high quality is one of the best we’ve heard from the Hello-Fi consultants at Bowers & Wilkins. The design and construct high quality are luxurious, and backed up by spectacular battery life too. Nevertheless, there’s nonetheless room for enchancment on the noise-cancellation options.
Worth When Reviewed
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Greatest Pricing In the present day
Worth When Reviewed
729 Euro
Greatest Costs In the present day: Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2
Bowers & Wilkins
729,00 €
It was fairly costly, however the unique Px8 from Bowers & Wilkins wasted no time in grabbing a spot in our listing of the greatest over-ear headphones when it was launched again in 2022. The brand new Px8 S2 does arrive with a slight value enhance, now coming in at a hefty $799/£629, which makes it much more costly than Apple’s AirPods Max. It really works laborious to justify that value, although, with an expensive and up to date design that gives even higher sound high quality.
It’s value noting, although, that fairly a couple of on-line shops are at the moment promoting their remaining inventory of the older Px8 for round $500/£500. The corporate’s mid-range Px7 S3 additionally acquired a latest replace and now prices $479/£399 should you’re searching for Hello-Fi headphones which can be a bit of extra inexpensive.
At first look, the Px8 S2 seems similar to its predecessor, with B&W’s trademark rectangular earpieces with rounded corners and gleaming, curved aluminium armature. Nevertheless, the earpieces have slimmed down a bit of for this new mannequin, and the load has been lowered barely to 310g (in comparison with a weighty 386g for the AirPods Max). It doesn’t reduce any corners on construct high quality although, with the earpieces and headband padded with foam and wrapped in comfortable Nappa leather-based (“very premium, however not vegan-friendly”, in keeping with B&W).
The Px8 S2 definitely feels gentle and cozy sufficient to put on for lengthy durations of time, and B&W has even redesigned the button controls on the earpieces to supply a firmer response while you’re adjusting the quantity or different settings. The sturdy aluminium armature ensures that the headphone is hard sufficient to deal with life outside, and there’s a hardshell carrying case included for while you’re travelling as nicely.
The Px8 S2 has B&W’s acquainted design, however there are new options each inside and out of doors.
Wired And Wi-fi
There have been adjustments on the within too, with B&W stating that it has fine-tuned the 40mm carbon-fibre drivers to cut back distortion and enhance bass efficiency. Wi-fi audio has been up to date with Bluetooth 5.3 and aptX Lossless, together with the prevailing AAC for Apple units. If you happen to choose a wired connection for listening to high-res audio then there’s a USB-C port together with a USB-C cable and three.5mm-to-USB-C cable to be able to use the Px8 S2 with most analogue or digital units straight out of the field.
There at the moment are eight microphones constructed into the earpieces in an effort to enhance noise-cancellation and readability on voice calls. Battery life hasn’t modified, but it surely’s nonetheless fairly spectacular, lasting for 30 hours when utilizing noise cancellation (in comparison with 20 hours for the AirPods Max). There’s additionally a quick-charge function that provides you with seven hours of music after simply quarter-hour of charging time.
Even the B&W Music app has been up to date, now offering a five-band equaliser with the choice to avoid wasting your personal customized presets, which was an irritating omission from earlier variations of the app.
One function that’s lacking, although, is assist for Dolby Atmos or some other type of spatial audio. Nevertheless, B&W has acknowledged that it’s planning a future software program replace that can introduce the corporate’s personal type of spatial audio, in addition to the brand new Bluetooth Auracast function for public broadcasting techniques.
Premium value means premium design, with leather-based coated earpieces, and durable aluminium armature.
Sound High quality
Any set of headphones costing this a lot clearly wants to supply glorious sound high quality, however I used to be impressed to seek out that the Px8 S2 lives as much as the declare that it’s “one of the best headphone B&W has ever made”. To check the declare of improved bass efficiency, I fired up the lossless model of Max Richter’s Shadow Journal from Apple Music on my iPad.
There’s no spatial audio, however the Px8 S2 conjures up a hazy, ambient sound for the monitor’s digital loops, and there’s a piercing readability to the violins and violas as they reduce by way of the air. The actual problem, although, is the deep digital bass that Richter makes use of on this monitor, which is usually out of attain even for a lot of costly headphones and audio system.
The Px8 S2 shocked me, although, and was in a position to dig proper down and embrace the reverberating bass rumble extra successfully than any set of headphones that I’ve come throughout.
This delicate ambient monitor additionally highlights the improved noise-cancellation. The Px8 S2 may be very efficient at blocking the low-frequency drone of an plane engine, though it does nonetheless let in a noticeable whisper of upper frequencies with our second check that simulates the sounds of a busy airport.
The AirPods Max and Bose’s QuietComfort headphones nonetheless have the sting in the case of noise-cancellation.
That spectacular bass efficiency additionally works nicely with the rock/dance mashup of Sing Alongside by Sturgill Simpson. The collision of grinding rock guitar and wailing digital keyboards wants a agency hand, however the Px8 S2 finds room to maintain every instrument distinct and separate. It manages to drag out the exact ticking percussion that holds the monitor collectively, and the swooping bass drop in direction of the tip of the tune is worthy of an Ibiza dance celebration.
Ought to You Purchase The Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2?
If noise-cancellation is your important precedence then rivals corresponding to Apple and Bose are nonetheless one of the best choices. Nevertheless, the Px8 S2 wins in all different areas. It supplies one of the best sound high quality of any Bluetooth headphones that I’ve used to this point. Its wired connectivity additionally permits hi-fi buffs to take pleasure in one of the best high-res music on Apple Music and different providers. And, with 30 hours of battery life, the Px8 S2 can outlast most of its rivals too.