The average person using their wireless earbuds for the gym, podcasts, and phone calls might balk at the idea of spending hundreds of dollars on top-shelf models when they can get highly-compatible options for their smartphones directly from the brands that make them — and for a fraction of the price.
Premium audio brand Bowers & Wilkins, known for its tower speakers with audiophile-friendly high-fidelity sound quality, has aimed to translate its legendary technology into smaller devices like their Px line of headphones and Pi line of earbuds. This week, the British outfit has debuted the latest wireless earbud model, the Pi8, and we want to see what’s new.
Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 Earbuds Basics
Aiming to bring “reference-quality” sound on the go, the Pi8 earbuds improve the driver size from 9.2mm of the outgoing Pi7 S2 to 12mm with Bowers & Wilkins’ Carbon Cone drive units for “reduced distortion and improved high-frequency detail.” The 24-bit DSP has been improved to 32-bit DSP. Also, Qualcomm’s aptX Adaptive Bluetooth connectivity has been upgraded to the latest aptX Lossless Bluetooth.
Noise cancellation is still adaptive with a trio of microphones to adjust to your surroundings. Battery life is also improved from around 5 hours to now 6.5 hours of playback, even with noise-cancellation turned on. And you’ll get even longer playback with the smart charging cases, which also have a retransmission feature that allows you to transmit audio to an audio source.
Not only do the earbuds sound amazing but they’ve been redesigned for a more ergonomic fit, and with four ear tip sizes.
And They Look Great Too
Bowers & Wilkins has always made arguably the best-looking earbuds on the market, especially with the Pi7. However, the Pi8 model takes things to yet another level with a sleek, understated aesthetic available in four colorways: Anthracite Black, Midnight Blue, Jade Green, and Dove White. In a society where a vast majority of wireless earbud wearers sport one of three models, it’s also nice to veer from the crowd with a pair that you don’t see as often.
Spec Sheet
Drivers: 2 x 12mm
Battery Life: 6.5 hours
DSP: 32-bit
Connectivity: Qualcomm aptX Lossless Bluetooth
Pricing & Availability
Around the same price as the Pi7 S2 buds, the Pi8 is available now from Bowers & Wilkins for $399. Head over to the brand’s website or other retailers to get your own.
Recap
Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 Earbuds
Bowers & Wilkins debuts its latest generation of wireless earbuds with the Pi8, featuring wireless noise-cancellation and its Carbon Cone driver tech.
