Rarely does a set of flagship headphones on a coffee table induce double-takes across the TechRadar team, but then, the B&W PX8 is no regular flagship headphone – and Bowers & Wilkins is no regular audio outfit.
It would be easy on paper to regard the new PX8 as spruced up versions of the recently-released PX7 S2, but Bowers & Wilkins chose to stagger the releases and focus on each as very distinct, separate beasts – and now, we know why.
Ah-inducing looks aside, the star of the show here is actually the driver configuration, because the PX8 differ from any B&W cans that have gone before it. And oh… can we hear the difference.
But look at us getting ahead of ourselves! As a little precursor to our full star-rated review, what follows is our initial thoughts on the Bowers & Wilkins PX8 wireless over-ear headphones for build, features, price and of course sound quality.
(Spoiler alert: it’s good news.)
Release date and price
The Bowers & Wilkins PX8 are available from September 28. So if you’re reading this, they’re out now!
Prices? Naturally. £599 / €699 / $699 / AU$1150.
We know, but this is flagship B&W territory remember. Yes, that makes them more expensive than the Apple AirPods Max. But although it’s too soon to say for sure, we think they’re worth it…
Design and features
First things first: these cans look and feel utterly glorious. The classy tan colorway is a new venture for B&W and one we like very much indeed.
These are headphones you’ll want to be seen in. Their ideal environment might be a business-class flight to Milan or the Maldives. The build here is all die-cast aluminum arms, diamond-cut bright metal detailing and Nappa leather trim. Think all that metal means they’ll be heavy? Actually no – the weight is perfect for us. While they feel secure, there’s no overly strong clamping force either.
But the big star is one that can’t be seen – except when you’ve got a photo of it, as we have. Behold! Above is the PX7 S2’s bio-cellulose driver on the right, and the all-new bespoke 40mm carbon cone drive unit found in the PX8, on the left. And if the two drivers look different, it’s because they are. As we carefully press each driver within its circular mount, we note the extra rigidity in the one found in the PX8.
Often, the difference between a company’s newest flagship and existing mid-range headphone propositions feels somewhat shrouded in mystery, to the point that you’re unsure where your extra money is going – or why you should expect a better performance. Not so here. B&W wants to ring the changes, and for want of a better phrase, we get it. We can’t argue with it. We’ve held it in our hand…
Elsewhere, you’re getting Qualcomm’s aptX Adaptive wireless technology, USB-C and 3.5mm analog cable connection types included in the carry case, plus a Bowers & Wilkins-developed DSP (Digital Signal Processing) to boast 24-bit high-resolution sound quality from leading streaming services.
Battery life? It’s good – 30 hours. ANC? Of course; it’s the same proprietary Bowers & Wilkins-optimised six-mic noise cancellation tech as the PX& S2 (two mics measure the output of each drive unit, two react to ambient noise from the outside world, two handle voice clarity with enhanced noise suppression), and in our tests we found the PX& S2 fared absolutely fine here, if unable to trounce the Sony WH-1000XM5 for noise nixing.
But we want to focus on sound and style here. The on-ear controls feel premium, cool and luxurious. The aluminum headband slides silently, and those new drivers are angled so that every bit of your ear gets the right treatment – B&W really has thought of everything.
And for launch day, B&W says its Music companion app will corral all of your music streaming services too, thus aiding in a seamless, carefree musical experience. (We heard the PX8 a few days ago, but we’re confident B&W will make good on its word).
Audio quality
We caveat this early appraisal by stating that we had around an hour with the PX8 in total – not long enough to head outside and test how well they cancelled traffic, or how generously they filtered in ambient sounds when we wanted them to. We also did not toy with the in-app features or EQ presets a great deal. All of that will be part of the full review.
Now on to what we can tell you: these over-ears offer agility, gazelle-like dynamic grace and surgical precision. And they do all of it in spades. Deadmau5’s 4X4=12 is weighty, precise and textured through the difficult and intentionally bloated bassline. But then, the PX8 opens out to reveal a wide soundstage marked with stark synths. It’s as if these over-ears are hellbent on exposing jagged, angular sonic diamonds in the rough – in the best way.
No Mono’s Fever Highs show us just how low the Bowers & Wilkins PX8 headphones are prepared to go too, and it’s as zealous a performance as it is spine-tinglingly detailed through the high-notes in Tom Snowdon’s haunting vocal.
Full disclosure: we were being entertained at a specially-arranged listening session ahead of Bowers & Wilkins’ official PX8 launch, but we snuck off for more time with these flagship headphones, which is why we feel up to the task of giving you the good news.
The keys in the intro to FKA Twigs’ Cellophane were emotive, just as skewed as they should be and underpinned by the tracks post-apocalyptic soundscape and oddly calming verbatim rhythm. Tahliah Debrett Barnett’s vocal feels every millimetre as borderline too-close to the mic, and as those engine gremlins sneak across the track we realize we’re noticing sonic elements we never heard before.
Are they set to waltz into our best over-ear headphones buying guide? Screaming “yes!” is perhaps a little premature. But we think it’s highly likely, despite the higher asking fee.
In our honest (if early) opinion, these are some of the most detailed, sensitive, responsive, gifted wireless over-ears we’ve had the pleasure of placing over our ears. And we do not offer that lightly.
Check back for the full review soon…
