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Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 · Photo source

Bowers & Wilkins Pi8
Photo 1 of 18

Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 · Photo source

Bowers & Wilkins

Pi8

Released August 2024

Bowers & Wilkins' in-ear noise-cancelling earbuds with carbon-cone drivers and a case that can transmit audio from wired sources.

Type
In-ear
Noise cancelling
Yes
Battery
6.5 h
With case
20 h
Best codec
aptX Lossless
Weight
7 g

What reviewers say

What Hi-Fi?, TechRadar and SoundGuys praise the detailed sound, comfortable fit and useful transmitter case. They find the noise cancelling effective, though What Hi-Fi? still prefers Bose for blocking noise. SoundGuys measured shorter battery life than Bowers & Wilkins claims and found the sound bass-heavy; all note the high price.

From whathifi.com, techradar.com and soundguys.com

Specifications

Report a wrong or missing spec

Sound

Type
In-ear
Noise cancelling
Yes
Transparency mode
Yes
Driver size
12 mm
Bluetooth codecs
SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX Adaptive and aptX Lossless
Drivers
12 mm Carbon Cone dynamic drivers with dedicated DSP, amplifier and DAC
Noise cancelling detail
Noise cancelling and ambient Pass-Through modes; a seal in the ear canal is needed for the strongest reduction; wear sensors pause playback when an earbud is removed
Audio features
aptX Lossless and aptX Adaptive on compatible source devices; five-band customisable EQ and TrueSound mode in the Bowers & Wilkins Music app; case retransmits over aptX Adaptive

Battery

Listening time (maker's claim)
Up to 6.5 hours
With the case
Up to 20 hours
Wireless charging
Yes
Battery life detail
Up to 6.5 hours per charge with ANC on and an additional 13.5 hours from the case, based on Bowers & Wilkins' pre-production tests
Charging case
Can retransmit audio from USB-C and 3.5 mm analogue sources to the earbuds; USB-C and wireless charging; 65 × 29 × 52 mm
Fast charging
15 minutes of charging gives up to 2 hours of playback; listed charging time 2 hours

Design

Weight (each earbud)
7 g
Water and sweat resistance
IP54
Bluetooth
5.4
Two devices at once
Yes
Controls
Touch-sensitive multi-function button on each earbud; hold the left button to switch between ANC and Pass-Through; controls can be customised in the Music app
Microphones
Three microphones per earbud for calls and noise cancelling
Fit and ear tips
Silicone ear tips in extra-small, small, medium and large sizes (medium fitted)
Case weight
46 g
Works with
Bluetooth audio with phones, tablets and computers; Bowers & Wilkins Music app on iOS and Android; Apple MFi; multipoint connection to two devices
Colours
Anthracite Black, Dove White, Jade Green, Midnight Blue, Dark Burgundy and Pale Mauve
In the box
Earbuds, charging case, four sizes of ear tips, 60 cm USB-C to USB-C charging cable, 80 cm USB-C to 3.5 mm audio cable and documentation

Pros and cons

Pros

  • 12 mm Carbon Cone drivers with aptX Lossless and aptX Adaptive
  • Case retransmits audio from USB-C and 3.5 mm sources to the earbuds
  • Multipoint connection, IP54 earbuds and wireless case charging

Cons

  • Up to 6.5 hours per charge with ANC on, 20 hours including the case
  • No spatial audio or head tracking
  • At 7 g per earbud, heavier than many in-ear rivals

Closest rivals

Model
TypeNoise cancellingBatteryWith caseBest codecWeightReleased
beyerdynamicAMIRON 100
In-earYes6 h35 hAAC4.15 gNov 2024
SamsungGalaxy Buds3 Pro
In-earYes6 h26 hSamsung Seamless Codec5.4 gJul 2024
Anker soundcoreLiberty 4 Pro
In-earYes7.5 h30 hLDAC5.5 gOct 2024

Sources

  1. bowerswilkins.com/en-gb/product/wireless-earbuds/pi8/FP46531.html
  2. bowerswilkins.com/on/demandware.static/-/Library-Sites-bowers_europe_shared/def…
  3. bowerswilkins.com/on/demandware.static/-/Library-Sites-bowers_europe_shared/def…
  4. whathifi.com/news/bandws-premium-wireless-earbuds-are-ambitious-luxury-designs-…

Photo: bowerswilkins.com

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