Pi8 True Wireless Noise Cancelling Earbuds with Bluetooth aptX, 24-bit Wireless Connection, Audio Retransmission, and 6 Built-in Microphones - Anthracite Black

So this might be a long review. The tl;dr is these are unbelievable sounding headphones. Every few years I become obsessed with buying some form of high-end audio equipment. My last headphone mania was a few years ago with the original P5 and P7, then the wireless version of those headphones. And I have long been a fan of the Bowers and Wilkins sound having come from the DM601 s2s. I wasn’t even in the market for earbuds. I have a pair of AirPods Pro and have never found the sound particularly good, nor have I ever felt entirely comfortable with the feel of the earbuds experience. I was fully looking for a great pair of over ear headphones. After a lot of research, visually dismissing the Sony’s as too plasticky, and the AirPods Max as too showy, I knew B&W would be the brand again to deliver the looks, but more importantly the sound. Sound is incredibly important to me. I have studio monitors as my HiFi system in my lounge. I can be prone to relentlessly A/B testing new equipment until my brain can’t take it any more. I originally was set on the Px7 s3, but then noticed I could get the s2 for less than half the price on sale and so thought I’d get both to test. The s2 absolutely fit like a glove, so comfortable. But the sound, whilst decent, just didn’t have the detail and separation I was after. The s3 initially sounded phenomenal, so detailed, spacious, and confidently tuned. Definitely V-shaped tuning, different to the usual house sound. But there was something a bit fatiguing to the highs, certain cymbals and hi hats felt over-hyped to the point of being uncomfortable. Plus the clamping of the headband itself I felt was so tight it became unpleasant after not too long. And my ears were a sweaty mess. I was stuck with the s2 it seemed, and sent the s3 back. But damn, once you’ve heard that kind of sound, and you know there’s detail that you’re missing, I ended up not even listening to the s2. I started researching the Px8, could its carbon cone offer s3 sound but with more comfort? The more I looked into that model though, the more I started seeing issues with the headband peeling apart and didn’t want to take my chances with something of such high value. But in this search I noticed Pi8. I looked into it and saw they were earbuds. The reviews were glowing (from review sites, I have no idea how these aren’t rated higher here) and so I ordered a pair just to try out. MY. GOD. I had no idea that earbuds could sound like this. The detail, soundstage, instrument separation and accuracy across all the frequencies was just jaw dropping. I literally could not believe I didn’t have over-ear headphones on. For a week I was in utter bliss, listening to all my old albums, hunting for new music, revelling in the exquisiteness of these earbuds. Then my brain kicked in. These can’t possibly be this good. There must be something they are missing… On the Max Cooper track ‘Order from Chaos’, I became convinced that in the intro there was a sub-bass extension that just wasn’t being reproduced by the Pi8. There it is I thought. I can’t be happy with headphones if I know they are missing something. In order to prove it to myself I reordered the s3. (I can’t listen to my monitors in my new flat due to neighbours, hence needing headphones). The s3s arrived and eagerly I put them on, put the track on, and waited for that sub-bass extension… Except it didn’t exist. My brain had made it up. But then came the truly astounding part…I A/B tested the Px7 s3 to the Pi8, and to my ears, the Pi8 actually sound BETTER. All that glorious detail and separation and soundstage is there. But where the s3 hypes the treble somewhat, the Pi8 delivers it perfectly. And also delivers the most gorgeous bass. Everything is there. So yes. If you’ve made it this far you’re probably as crazy as me. And in that case you are going to absolutely love these headphones. Extremely comfortable, app is decent, connectivity is great, ANC is easily good enough…but that sound… Truly astonishing.

After looking through various top 10 lists, the b&w pi8’s seemed to appear frequently in the top 5 for TWS buds. As such I gave them a shot and was not disappointed! They are very much premium in every way other than price and have blown me away from day 1. From the high quality materials used in constructing these buds to the top tier sound quality, they are everything the reviews promised and more. The accompanying app helps with perfecting the sound to your preference (if EQ is your thing) however the sound is as close to audiophile grade as you could imagine from a pair of earphones let alone TWS. Battery life is average for what they deliver, lasting approximately 5 hours with ANC enabled and 7 without. That said, the buds are so loud that you could likely manage without ANC enabled anyway! Controls are simple and can be adjusted in the app for personal preference. Connectivity is seamless with both iPhone and Android however the ability to play lossless audio is more straightforward in the latter. However, the case doubles as a transmitter with its own hi res codecs installed so can be used to connect to iPhone via USB C to transmit lossless audio if that’s your cup of tea. As such I cannot fault the functionality of these little buds. Sound signature is slightly warm, with deep powerful bass and highs that sparkle. Midrange is very much present, with vocals feeling very natural (if not slightly recessed) but can be tweaked in the app for preference. Sound stage is as wide as a pair of open backed headphones and has genuinely blown me away on some live recordings. All in all, if you’re even considering picking these up, just do it… you won’t regret the decision and considering their price point, you’ll be forgiven for thinking they’re worth at least twice the amount paid.

Simply incredible sound. It’s so rich and deep. I had B&O Beoplay EX and thought they were great, but returned them due to the terrible noise when wearing outside - even a gentle breeze caused considerable interference even with the wind guard feature activated. These, on the other hand and despite not having a ‘wind guard’ feature, have little to no interference in comparative external environmental conditions. I’m really impressed with the depth of sound and immersive acoustics - pricy but defo worth the money. They are lightweight and really comfortable even if worn for extensive periods of time. The ANC is also pretty good in my view (and better than B&O). The ability for the case to tether them to devices is a cool feature, e.g. TVs and other audio devices or laptops. Downside: one earbud seems to lose Bluetooth link every now and again and needs to be re-paired. Whilst annoying, I can live with it because the immersive sound quality is so outrageously good. [Update: a later software update cleared this issue]. I’m not sure the McLaren edition ones are worth the large additional cost just for the superficial difference - unless you are a massive McLaren fan with deep pockets. However, it’s worth bearing in mind that you’re getting the Bowers and Wilkins research and development (R&D) packed into these little nuggets. Other iconic products include their Zeppelin, and Nautilus, of which a pair of the latter will set you back £90k! So, there is a rich history of sound engineering, R&D, and expertise getting squeezed into the Pi8. Expensive but worth the investment. If you’re not an audiophile you soon will be!

I have bought and sold numerous earbuds ranging from the Google Pixel Buds 2, Sony WF-1000XM5, and many more. I am no audiophile, I just want earbuds that fit well and don't fall and have decent sound. After watching many good reviews about these earbuds, I decided to give them a try although the price is REALLY expensive for a pair of earbuds. I was surprised by how well they fit, part of that is because they fit deep into the ear canal so they sit in your ear tight and snug. The medium sized eartips that came fitted was good for my left ear but were not so tight on the right ear so I swapped the right one for the large sized eartips and it was perfect! The Bowers&Wilkens app is very easy to use. I had them setup in about 1 minute literally then did a firmware update which took about 5 minutes and I was ready to go. Another positive thing is how you control actions with the earbuds. With other earbuds, it is not as easy to tap the part which activates them but with these earbuds, they have a flat surface so you never miss any tap/double tap to activate any action (which are all customizable). The sound quality is insane, you feel like you are in a club with very rich and deep bass.

This one is the best as it gets, clear and rich sound,great punchy bass. Combined with Qobus it literally makes the hair on my arms stand up

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I don’t leave reviews. But I had to for these. I am embedded in the Apple ecosystem and wanted something new and better. I researched a lot of earbuds. Bought the Apple air pods pro 2 and gave them to my kids twice. Bought the Sony 1000XM5 and did not feel happy. Tried the Bose QC ultra and returned them. Then tried the b&o ex and did not like them. Did a lot of research. Wanted something with warmth in the base and also able to handle the high frequencies. Bought these as I was fed up of looking at the reviews and just wanted something to enjoy the music while at work as I work in a quiet environment. These have actually blown my mind. My heads melted as to how amazing music can sound when you have the right earbuds. Gorgeous sound and so much louder than the others. The soundstage is completely open and can hear every instrument. It’s like I have Dolores alive again and singing to me personally. Thank you B&W and thank you Cranberries!!! Thank you Dolores.

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