At a look
Professional’s Score
Execs
- Very good sound high quality
- Nice bass sound
- 30 hours battery life
- Bluetooth and wired modes
Cons
- Costly
- Noise-cancellation may very well 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 specialists at Bowers & Wilkins. The design and construct high quality are luxurious, and backed up by spectacular battery life too. Nonetheless, there’s nonetheless room for enchancment on the noise-cancellation options.
Value When Reviewed
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Greatest Pricing At the moment
Value When Reviewed
$799
Greatest Costs At the moment: Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2
$799
It was fairly costly, however the authentic Px8 from Bowers & Wilkins wasted no time in grabbing a spot in our checklist of the greatest over-ear headphones when it was launched again in 2022. The brand new Px8 S2 does arrive with a slight worth enhance, now coming in at a hefty $799/£629, which makes it much more costly than Apple’s AirPods Max. It really works exhausting to justify that worth, although, with an expensive and up to date design that gives even higher sound high quality.
It’s value noting, although, that fairly a number of on-line shops are presently promoting their remaining inventory of the older Px8 for round $500/£500. The corporate’s mid-range Px7 S3 additionally obtained a current replace and now prices $479/£399 in case you’re in search of Hello-Fi headphones which are a bit of extra reasonably priced.
At first look, the Px8 S2 seems to be similar to its predecessor, with B&W’s trademark rectangular earpieces with rounded corners and gleaming, curved aluminium armature. Nonetheless, the earpieces have slimmed down a bit of for this new mannequin, and the load has been diminished 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 gentle Nappa leather-based (“very premium, however not vegan-friendly”, in line with B&W).
The Px8 S2 actually 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 properly.
The Px8 S2 has B&W’s acquainted design, however there are new options each inside and outdoors.
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 scale 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. In the event you desire 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 in an effort 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 with the intention to enhance noise-cancellation and readability on voice calls. Battery life hasn’t modified, however it’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 characteristic that offers you 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 save lots of your personal customized presets, which was an irritating omission from earlier variations of the app.
One characteristic that’s lacking, although, is help for Dolby Atmos or every other type of spatial audio. Nonetheless, B&W has said that it’s planning a future software program replace that may introduce the corporate’s personal type of spatial audio, in addition to the brand new Bluetooth Auracast characteristic for public broadcasting techniques.
Premium worth 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 search 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 commonly out of attain even for a lot of costly headphones and audio system.
The Px8 S2 stunned me, although, and was capable of 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 could 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 with regards to noise-cancellation.
That spectacular bass efficiency additionally works properly 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 the direction of the top of the track is worthy of an Ibiza dance get together.
Ought to You Purchase The Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2?
If noise-cancellation is your principal precedence then rivals reminiscent of Apple and Bose are nonetheless one of the best choices. Nonetheless, the Px8 S2 wins in all different areas. It offers one of the best sound high quality of any Bluetooth headphones that I’ve used thus far. Its wired connectivity additionally permits hi-fi buffs to get pleasure from one of the best high-res music on Apple Music and different companies. And, with 30 hours of battery life, the Px8 S2 can outlast most of its rivals too.
