Verdict
An expensive but terrific true wireless brace from Bowers & Wilkins . They ’re one of , if not the best - sounding models on the food market , along with a strong wireless execution , meliorate design and solid disturbance - cancellation . If you ’re willing to ante up a premium for them , they ’ll deliver a scintillating true wireless sound to your ears .
Pros
Cons
Key Features
Introduction
A sword with the pedigree of Bowers & Wilkins is one I almost expected to rap it out of the parkland with its first true radio .
The flagship Pi7 , follow by the Pi7 S2 , were good attempts but with some irrevocable fault ( namely puff ) . Here ’s hoping that at the third endeavour with the Pi8 , B&W can get all its duck’s egg in a words .
Design
The Pi8 buds have been reworked with the intragroup structure changed , a novel conformation and manikin as well as different materials used . It all weigh up to a wireless earbud that leagues more comfortable that the old models .
There ’s no dumb aching that both thePi7(and to a less extent ) thePi7 S2caused , and the Pi8 slot tantalizingly into the auricle without complaint . In terms of puff and fit , they rectify the issues from before . There ’s also an supererogatory pocket-size pinna - tip to accommodate a full mountain chain of pinna .
The Pi8 makes use of goods and services of cutaneous senses control , which are very good in terms of responsiveness with a nice feedback sound that lets you know it ’s been successful .
Aesthetically the Pi8 are a more minimalist set of earbuds but no less fashionable for it . From the glossy hint airfoil to the two - tone color of the central body , and the placement of the microphone where the chassis is perforated , the Pi8 are attractive pair available in four courteous shades of colours – smuggled , dreary , white , green .
Water - resistance remains thesame at IP54(buds only ) , so they ’re protect against dab of H2O and Ingres of detritus . The charging case is another element that ’s changed : smaller , round out and ( ever so slightly ) more pocketable . You ’ve got an LED lighter that ’ll signal its current commonwealth .
Included in the packaging are two cables . A USB - C overseas telegram for charge and another that terminates in a 3.5 mm connective for hooking the charging case to analogue sources .
Features
My frequent complaint about previous Bowers & Wilkins true wireless has been the battery biography . It ’s either been below expectations or it consume in the strangest mode – jump up and down like a kangaroo . The Pi8 displays much more normal behaviour .
I ’ve noticed that the battery is never to the full charged – it stop at around 95 % , which I trust is Bowers prolong the earphones ’ battery living ( charging up to full regularly is not that adept for a battery ’s lifespan ) . An hour ’s stream of audio frequency at about 50 % volume resulted in a 17 % fall – that ’s around six hours of battery life and in the ballpark of Bowers ’ claims .
It ’s the same as theBose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds , though behind the likes of theJabra Elite 10 Gen 2,Sony WF-1000XM5 , and JBL Tour Pro 3 . There ’s an special 13.5 hours from the charging compositor’s case which lay the total at 20 hours .
That ’s a few minute less than others but B&W has put more of an vehemence on fast charging ( 15 minutes equals two more hours ) and wireless charge support . in person I ’d like a bit more out of the loge .
In terms of wireless support , the Pi8 runs on a Bluetooth 5.4 connection with SBC , AAC , aptX , aptX Adaptive , and aptX Lossless backing . The latter is potential with the earbuds’Snapdragon Soundcompatibility , which allows for 24 - bit/96kHz flow over a Bluetooth connection . You ’ll call for to bear in mind that you’llneed a mobile devicethat ’s also Snapdragon Sound compatible .
The wireless performance ( on an aptX Adaptive connexion ) has been strong , as seems to be case from fairly much all the Bowers & Wilkins earphone I ’ve quiz . apart from the slightest radar target at Waterloo , it ’s been sodding everywhere else .
I can point a finger at the call quality , which is n’t up to Bowers ’ usual standards . I ’ve made calls both indoors and out and the feedback was in spades lukewarm . Both noted that the carrying into action was n’t especially absolved , and despite no background noise being pick up , my vocalisation sounded faint . Whilst Bowers has rejigged the placement of the microphones for better voice pick - up , it has n’t result in in amend functioning .
Noise - cancellation has never been an area where Bowers has attempt to gainsay the likes of Bose and Sony , and the noise - cancellation here is solid – partly down to the fit and seal created but also down to just how loud the earpiece loudness is .
Even at nonpayment volume it find like there ’s a house party in your head . While I ’m not kvetch , I do think it masks the earphone ’ dependency on volume to stop extraneous phone from invading your personal outer space .
Used on the Victoria , Jubilee and Northern lines , and no issue were notice : there was scarce any noise , I could n’t take heed people talking and on a intriguing part of the Northern line – around Camden Town or so where it can get incredibly brassy , the Pi8 go across with flying colour . Wherever I ’ve been , I ’ve been able to hear music above the din around me .
The transparency modal value is fine , passing through outside sounds with more pellucidity and item but again , we ’re not talking to the levels of a Bose or a Sony . It ’s fine enough and no more .
The headphones are service through Bowers & Wilkins Music app . There are more customisation pick than have been available with previous B&W headphones , such as an Advanced EQ ( five - band alteration ) to a True Sound way that override any custom background for a balanced profound outturn .
you’re able to customise tap and defend on the earbuds ( and add volume control ) , as well as toggle on / off the vesture detector , but unlike thePx7 S2eyou ca n’t tweak the levels of sensibility of the wear function .
The other half of the app sport music play list curation from the streaming services you ’ve signed into as well as playlists provided by Bowers & Wilkins ( though these do n’t seem to be update particularly often ) . It ’s nice being capable to stream direct from the app itself , though you ’ll find the aboriginal apps offer more features and elbow room for exploration ( all the editorial message from Qobuz is about missing ) .
The Pi8 ’s charging case features the audio frequency re - contagion feature the Pi7 kicked off . get in touch the USB - C - to-3.5 millimetre cable to the charge case and plug it into another source with a 3.5 mm and the audio is rout through the case to the earbuds .
It ’s no longer as fresh as it once was since LG and Jabra offer the same feature at a less expensive price than the Pi8 ’s exchange premium . That ’s devalued Bowers ’ proposition somewhat but it still works brightly with no latency that I can hear and good levels of clearness and detail . It ’s made me get my mothball PlayStation Vita out to have a go .
Sound Quality
As I ’ve bring up already , these earphones are loud . At default volume , they sound as loud as some true wireless do at full volume , and that feeds into the Pi8 ’s energetic , rich , and musical performance . I ’m confident in saying that the Pi8 are the best - sounding wireless earbuds from Bowers & Wilkins .
Bass reaches down deeply when hear to Warren G ’s Regulate , those sub - deep frequencies pleasingly reverberate , offer a short more astuteness and item than theSennheiser Momentum 4 True Wireless . The extension phone and mellowness of the down in the mouth frequencies strike , and it seems to have no excessive effect on the midrange performance .
And it ’s not a one - note performance as far as bass is worry . The Pi8 offer a varied carrying out that can be taut , punchy , and textured . If you like your bass , the Pi8 furnish plenty of it .
And at the top goal of the frequency range there ’s a brightness and unclouded dense of detail with GoGo Penguin ’s Atomised . high school stand out from the ruffle , varied in its description – any brighter or sharper with a data track such as Andreas Ihlebæk ’s Come Summer ( which intentionally does n’t feel like it ’s the best presentment ) and it could start to grind . The Pi8 stick on the right side of equilibrium in providing that detail and faithfulness .
The soundstage is delineate in expansive term , level of detail are high – the Pi8 seem to uncover every bit data in a track . But it ’s also the clarity it brings to track too , the guitar in The Raconteurs ’ Steady , As She Goes is both flesh out and well separate from other instruments and voices in the course .
Timing is as as sound , so along with that contingent , interval and clarity , euphony feel as if it all coheres as a wall of sound being knock into your ear . You could reason for a little more sharpness with some tracks but that would take aside from the profuseness the Pi8 goes for .
Voices sound raw and true , the delicate tone of Sufjan Steven ’s vocal in Chicago are well reproduced , while the voice of Jean Knight ’s do through with lovely clarity in Mr. Big Stuff .
Bowers ’ former true wireless endeavor have offered an impressively elegant and tender presentation but the Pi8 take it up to another notch with its clear , detail - racy and big sound . Any cut , any music genre , and the Pi8 swosh it up with mirthfulness .
Latest deals
Should you buy it?
These earpiece are n’t positioned towards the mainstream market like a Sony or Bose model . They ’re for those who need a luxury operation and have the means to pay for it .
unfeigned wireless earphones have n’t always been great at call , but the old B&W true wireless earphones were very skillful , so it ’s unmated to note that the Pi8 seem to be a downgrade .
Final Thoughts
The Pi8 are Bowers & Wilkins ’ finest true wireless exploit yet . They sound excellent , they ’ve finally make solace levels aright , while the wireless performance is unattackable and the dissonance - cancellation is hearty . There ’s even some EQ customisation for those that want to tinker with the phone .
Even though B&W have drawn out a little more efficiency with battery life thanks to its Qualcomm chip , it ’s really less overall than previous model . The call quality seems to have gotten worse in my experience . They ’re also beaten for noise - cancellation by theBose QuietComfort Ulltra Eabuds , Sony WF-1000XM5 , andSennheiser Momentum 4 Wirelessall offering a more complete public presentation .
And there is the disbursement of the Pi8 to consider . They ’re a sumptuosity leverage and a feature such as the retransmission case is present on less expensive earphones . Still , if you want an exciting and detailed sound , fashionable looks , and are unforced to pay surplus for it , the Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 are a stunning true wireless pair .
Trusted Score
How we test
We try out every headphones we retrospect thoroughly over an prolonged geological period of time . We employ industriousness stock test to liken feature film properly . We ’ll always severalize you what we find . We never , ever , live with money to review a product .
Find out more about how we test in ourethics policy .
FAQs
You get a claimed 6.5 hours per charge , and another 13.5 hours from the charging case for 20 hours . That ’s really less in total than the Pi7 S2 …
