Bowers & Wilkins PX8 S2 Headphones
Bowers & Wilkins PX8 S2 are flagship over-ear noise-cancelling wireless headphones. Featuring 2 × 40mm carbon driver units, Bluetooth 5.3, and support for aptX Lossless, aptX Adaptive, aptX HD, AAC, and SBC codecs, they deliver high-resolution audio up to 24-bit/96kHz. The headphones offer 30 hours of battery life with 15-minute quick charging providing 7 hours of playback.
Key upgrades from the original PX8 include:
Slimmer, ergonomically tested earcups with fine (and I mean fine) Nappa leather and exposed cable detailing.
Enhanced DSP and amplifier/DAC for improved audio clarity and dynamic range.
Eight microphones (4 per earcup) for superior noise cancellation and call quality.
Five-band customizable EQ via the Bowers & Wilkins Music app.
Solid aluminium arms for durability and a refined, elegant design.
Right, with the specifications out of the way, how do they sound, are they comfortable, and why the hell would I spend $AU1400 on these?
As you all may be aware, I have a number of headphones, and have recently acquired the very excellent Sonos Ace headphones as well. I also have a very nice pair of Hifiman Sundara planar magnetic headphones, and a decidedly ancient pair of the original AirPods Max. So I’m no stranger to a decent set of cans. I’m never going back to Sony though; poorly named and overpriced garbage IMO.
Headphones in their case
These new B&W headphones are truly comfortable, with an adjustable headband and rotating cups (because our ears don’t point out at 90º). The Napa leather is absolutely divine and is a very nice addition instead of pleather or other synthetic materials. The clamping force is absolutely spot on as well, firm but not too tight.
So how do they sound? Clear. So very very clear. These have a clarity that I’ve never heard before, from the lowest of lows, through vocal ranges, to highs that don’t fatigue you. The bass has punch, very clear punch. A song like Royals by Lorde really shows how effective these headphones are when it comes to bass. Not muddy, and it doesn’t overpower the vocals in any way. They also come with an option to run them as wired headphones, but I couldn’t tell the difference between wired and wireless. Does that mean I have terrible ears, or are these just so good that it doesn’t matter how you get music to them?
So what aren’t they good at? Well there’s now spatial/Atmos support, after a recent firmware update. Honestly, it has to be the worse implementation of spatial audio I’ve ever heard, and should be completely ignored. Additionally the noise cancellation isn’t quite as good as competitors. “Well, that’s it. I’m not buying these”, you might think to yourself. But when I say they’re not as good, it’s only that they’re 95% as good as something like the Sonos Ace (I really need to write about them too). This still makes them way better than any noise cancelling from just a few years ago.
So, are these worth it? Are the premium materials, long battery life, exquisite sound quality, outstanding comfort and overall plushness worth all that money? Well, probably not. But if you do have that many dollarydoos burning a hole in your back pocket, and you absolutely must have the best set of noise cancelling headphones that a reasonable person can afford, then these are it. Skip the Sennheisers, Sonys, JBLs and Bose, and rush straight to the B&W PX8 S2.
