Skilled’s Score
Professionals
- Nice sound high quality
- Progressive good case
- Helps AAC, aptX Adaptive/Lossless
Cons
- Costly
- Battery life is just common
Our Verdict
They’re costly, however B&W’s expertise with high-end hi-fi ensures that the Pi8 earbuds present glorious sound high quality. It additionally consists of an modern ‘smart’ charging case that may act as an aptX transmitter for Apple units and wired audio sources.
Worth When Reviewed
$399
Finest Costs At present: Bowers & Wilkins Pi8
$399
$399
It’s been fairly a number of years since Apple units stopped supporting the high-quality aptX codec (compressor/decompressor) that’s now used with many Bluetooth headphones and earbuds. That’s in all probability attributable to Apple’s long-running – and significantly costly – authorized battle with Qualcomm, the corporate that bought the aptX expertise again in 2015.
Regardless of the cause, because of this Apple’s AirPods must depend on the older AAC codec for Bluetooth audio, despite the fact that many audiophiles really feel that aptX gives higher sound high quality – particularly for listening to the high-res audio codecs that are actually out there on Apple Music and different streaming providers. It additionally implies that house owners of Macs, iPhones and iPads, don’t all the time get the highest quality when utilizing headphones and earbuds from different producers that do help aptX (corresponding to our Finest Wi-fi Earbuds).
The Pi8 earbuds from Bowers & Wilkins do help AAC, so you’ll be able to merely join your Apple units to the earbuds utilizing the usual Bluetooth settings in your Mac, iPad or iPhone. Nevertheless, the Pi8 additionally helps each aptX Adaptive and the most recent aptX Lossless, so Bowers & Wilkins has give you an modern resolution that permits Apple customers to get pleasure from aptX audio high quality as properly.
Moderately than a standard charging case, the Pi8 features a ‘smart’ case – first launched with its Pi7 earbuds a number of years in the past – that may cost the earbuds, however may also be used as an aptX transmitter as properly. Admittedly, the $399/£349 price ticket of the Pi8 is much more costly than the AirPods Professional, however B&W’s high-quality sound and the versatile good case make sure that the Pi8 can earn its maintain.
The Pi8 additionally will get an entire redesign, with a extra curved form to the earpieces that’s designed to suit extra comfortably, and likewise to angle the sound instantly into your ear canal to be able to obtain one of the best sound high quality. The earpieces are nonetheless a bit of on the big dimension, however B&W does embrace ear-tips in 4 sizes that can assist you get a great match. The dimensions of the earpieces additionally permits them to accommodate a brand new set of high-quality 12mm drivers, that are bigger than these utilized in many earbuds, together with a bigger battery as properly. The Pi7 might solely final for 5 hours on a single cost, even when noise-cancellation was turned off, however the Pi8 now lasts for six.5 hours with noise-cancellation turned on (in comparison with six hours for the AirPods Professional), whereas the good charging case helps you to prime that as much as a complete of 20 hours.
And, as talked about, B&W’s good case has one other massive benefit – one which we’ve by no means seen with Bluetooth earbuds from every other producer. As you’d anticipate, the USB-C port on the again of the good case can be utilized to recharge its inner battery. Nevertheless, it may also be used to just accept a wired audio enter from quite a lot of completely different units, and might then act as an aptX transmitter in order that the earbuds can obtain high-quality wi-fi audio streamed through the good case.
Bowers & Wilkins consists of two cables with the Pi8 – a regular USB-C cable and a second cable with a 3.5mm connector – which offer a lot of helpful options. The three.5mm cable lets you join the good case to a wired audio gadget, corresponding to an in-flight leisure system on a aircraft, or perhaps a file turntable if you happen to’re a vinyl fan. You can too use the USB-C cable to attach the good case to a USB-C port on a Mac, iPhone or iPad after which use the case to transmit wi-fi audio to the earbuds utilizing aptX reasonably than plain previous AAC.
The sound high quality is nice with each AAC and aptX, although, and the Pi8 works a deal with with the high-res model of Come Collectively by the Beatles on Apple Music. The graceful bass riff within the introduction attracts you in immediately, with a agency, deep sound, and the Pi8 holds the sustained notes in order that they construct up the stress earlier than dipping down and gliding together with a extremely infectious rhythm. This model can also be blended for Dolby Atmos, and there’s a pleasant sense of motion as Ringo’s percussion skips flippantly back and forth, however then the Pi8 rolls up its sleeves because it heads into the refrain and lands the chopping guitar riff with actual energy.
We do suppose that the noise-cancellation on the AirPods Professional works a bit of higher at blocking high-frequency sound, corresponding to the various hubbub and noise of a busy airport. Nevertheless, the Pi8 does a extremely good job of eliminating low-frequency sounds, such because the rumble of engine noise in an airplane cabin, so it’s going to nonetheless be a sensible choice for lengthy journeys by prepare or aircraft. And, if you happen to don’t actually fear about technical particulars corresponding to AAC and aptX, then B&W is planning a inexpensive mannequin referred to as the Pi6, which can omit the good case and prices round $249/£219.
Do you have to purchase Bowers & Wilkins Pi8?
The excessive worth of the Pi8 earbuds implies that they may primarily enchantment to audiophiles who need the absolute best sound high quality. They do sound nice, although, and the flexibility to make use of the good charging case as an aptX transmitter for Apple units and wired audio techniques is a real innovation.