B&W’s New Pi7 S2 Earbuds Sound Superb But Won’t Tick Every Box

The marketplace for true wi-fi earbuds should absolutely be near saturation. Whether or not you need to spend $20 or splash out on one thing rather more costly, there’s no lack of alternative. Eager music lovers and audiophiles will most likely need to have a look at a significant model with an audio pedigree to make sure they get the very best sound attainable.

One model a lot beloved by audiophiles worldwide is Bowers & Wilkins, the basic British speaker model that has now branched out into the world of wi-fi headphones and earbuds. B&W additionally has its Formation vary of wi-fi audio system and the corporate has additionally closely invested in its slick B&W Music App.

The newest true wi-fi earbuds from B&W are the Pi7 S2. These deluxe earbuds don’t come low-cost, however they’re aimed toward the kind of one that loves music and desires the perfect efficiency from wirelessly listening to music streaming on their smartphone.

The Pi7 S2 earbuds have been introduced in January and I’ve now managed to get my fingers on a pair to see how they sound. The Pi7 S2 can be found in three colours: Satin Black, Canvas White and Midnight Blue. The earbuds really feel extremely properly made however are lighter than I anticipated. The earbuds’ form is comparatively massive, however they’re extremely comfy to put on and are equipped with ear suggestions in a spread of various sizes in order that the person can get the perfect match.

Inside every earpiece is a 9.2mm dynamic driver for supplying the bass and midrange frequencies. So as to add focus to the soundstage, B&W has additionally used a balanced armature driver in every earpiece that covers the upper frequencies and offers a sharper focus to the music. Balanced armatures are tiny little audio system that produce an in depth sound and are sometimes utilized in listening to aids to make speech as clear as attainable.

Bluetooth is the worldwide customary for wi-fi earphones and B&W has used model 5.0. This model is a number of steps behind the present one (which is 5.3), however the variations are minor and might be up to date in a future firmware replace. The important specification is the audio codec that B&W makes use of. Bluetooth compresses the digital sign from the host smartphone to the headphones or earbuds. Completely different audio codecs compress the music in numerous quantities, so your smartphone and earbuds should assist the very best codec attainable.

The Pi7 S2 assist Qualcomm’s AptX Adaptive and AptX HD, which means the music could be transmitted at as much as 24-bit and 48kHz, which is healthier than CD high quality. Nevertheless, your smartphone should assist these codecs too. When you use an iPhone, you’re out of luck, as iOS solely handles the AAC codec. AAC continues to be fairly good high quality, however aptX Adaptive and LDAC are two codecs main the way in which by way of high quality. By the way, the Pi7 S2 don’t assist LDAC, so in order for you that performance, you could want to take a look at different fashions from Sony or Edifier.

The Pi7 S2 earbuds have contact controls on every earpiece that allow the person to play and pause music, settle for and reject cellphone calls, skip or repeat tracks and even summon up Siri or Google Assistant. The capacitive contact controls are a bit trigger-happy and I believe, on stability, I want click on buttons because it’s more durable to activate the controls by chance. The controls may also be used to invoke the ANC perform constructed into the Pi7 S2 and I’ll come to that subsequent.

Lively noise canceling (ANC) has come a good distance in recent times, particularly with earbuds which all the time lagged behind ANC headphones the place over-the-ear designs create extra passive isolation. The Pi7 S2 are comparatively environment friendly at blocking out sound due to an array of six microphones that pattern the exterior sounds after which subtract the noise from the audio stream. The earbuds additionally provide a clear hear-thru mode so you’ll be able to pay attention out for journey bulletins or visitors in case you are jogging on the street.

The ANC served up by the Pi7 S2 isn’t the very best in school, however it’s sufficient. It has a alternative of ordinary ANC or Adaptive ANC, which adjusts the quantity of noise canceling to match the sounds round you. I couldn’t hear a lot distinction between the 2 modes, however I think about the Adaptive mode would possibly go a bit lighter on battery life. If you’d like ANC that blocks much more sound, then perhaps have a look at the Technics EAH-AZ60 or Apple’s AirPods. The B&W Pi7 S2 are fantastic for blocking out low-level sounds, however random increased frequency sounds can break by way of, so the ANC doesn’t match the form of isolation {that a} good pair of ANC headphones can present.

Many like to make use of their earbuds for sport or when out and about in all climate. The Pi7 S2 are rated at IP54. This score means they’re immune to drizzle and even a good bit of rain, however don’t attempt having a shower in them. On the subject of mud, the Pi7 S2 are extra resistant, however like all delicate electronics, attempt to not abuse them. The charging case isn’t waterproof and that’s the place the earbuds are saved once they aren’t in use.

A full cost of the storage case for the Pi7 S2 will present the earbuds with about 5 hours of listening time with ANC turned off earlier than they want to return into the case for recharging. The case holds round 16 hours of reserve energy and could be recharged utilizing a USB-C cable or a wi-fi charging mat. Frankly, the battery life isn’t good, however these higher-quality codecs, a number of drivers and ANC perform require plenty of energy. In apply, I’ve by no means listened to earbuds for greater than 5 hours, however I believe you may want higher battery life in case you are a frequent long-haul flyer.

The charging case has a hidden function I can’t recall seeing in every other earbuds. The case could be related to a different machine with an analog 3.5mm output, which works as a Bluetooth transmitter. This can be a useful method of streaming the film on an airplane to the Pi7 S2. It’s a pleasant contact.

The B&W Music app is central to all of the wi-fi merchandise that the corporate makes. The app is your dashboard for settings that management the kind of ANC mode: On, Off, Ambient or Adaptive. Different settings could be adjusted to show off the damage sensor and even enter the log-in particulars of your music streaming providers so you’ll be able to play Tidal tracks straight from the app. The one omission I observed was the absence of any EQ settings. I believe this can be added at some stage, however as I’ve mentioned earlier than, the B&W app seems like a journey and a piece in progress.

Now we come to the important a part of the evaluate. The Pi7 S2 have a superbly fulsome and wealthy sound that lends itself to an unlimited style of music. Utilizing the 9.2mm dynamic driver coupled with the precision of the balanced armature makes for a sound that produces a soundstage that’s well-focused and with a way of rhythm that carries the music alongside. These are sublime-sounding earbuds that can have you ever relistening to your favourite albums.

Verdict: B&W know the way to make great-sounding audio system and the corporate’s engineers are second to none. The tuning of the dynamic drivers and the balanced armatures within the Pi7 S2 is near good. Every driver additionally has its personal amplifier that drives and finesses the tone to provide a heat, vibrant, richly detailed soundscape. The Pi7 S2 might not compete with the very best in school concerning battery life and ANC perform, however the sound they produce is past reproach and can please audiophiles on the lookout for the very best quality sound from a pair of wi-fi earbuds. The worth is slightly on the excessive facet, however in order for you the very best sound.

Pricing & Availability: The Pi7 S2 and Pi5 S2 earphones can be found now in Satin Black, Canvas White and Midnight Blue. The price is $399 / £349 / €399.

Extra information: bowerswilkins.com

Tech Specs:

• Drivers: Dynamic 9.2mm + balanced armature.
• Bluetooth: 5.0.
• Codecs: aptX Adaptive, aptX HD, aptX Basic, AAC, SBC.
• Bluetooth profiles: A2DP, AVRCP, HFP, HSP, BLE GATT.
• Microphones: 6.
• Battery life: 5 hours (earbuds) 16 hours (charging case).
• Charging: USB-C and Qi Wi-fi.
• Water resistance: IP54.
• Dimensions: 61 x 28 x 56mm (case).
• Weight: 7g (per earbud) 47g (case).