The Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 cost just under 400 euros, which is an enormous amount for Bluetooth earphones. But they should offer a correspondingly great sound and excellent, tailor-made noise cancellation. The practical test shows whether that is the case or whether your ears are just ringing because of the high price.
The currently best wireless Bluetooth earphones with active noise cancellation (ANC) usually cost around 250 euros, some even significantly less. For the newly released Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 you have to shell out a whopping 399 euros, for which, according to the manufacturer, you should also get “the new reference in in-ear headphones” that sets “new standards for technical excellence”. ntv.de tested whether the Pi8 does justice to this and whether you can hear the enormous price difference.
Stylish and comfortable
In any case, the IP54 dust and water protected earphones look stylish with the fine, iridescent lettering on the shiny exterior. The workmanship is flawless and the earphones appear to be of high quality, although like the “cheap” competition they are mainly made of plastic.
Brand ambassador David Beckham with the white Pi8 in his ear.
(Photo: Bowers & Wilkins)
The Pi8 are quite small and hardly protrude, but they sit securely and extremely comfortably in the ear thanks to their ergonomic shape and small silicone fins. Bowers & Wilkins only supplies silicone attachments in four different sizes. However, these are standard plugs, which is why it is not a problem to find suitable attachments online in an emergency.
Charging box sends in high quality
The charging box is still pocket-sized, but is a little larger than the Apple Airpods Pro. There is a very good reason for this, because the case can serve as a transmitter when connected to a television, on-board system or other playback source. In addition to a USB-C-USB-C cable, Bowers & Wilkins also supplies a USB-C jack strip. The box and earphones support the aptX Adaptive and aptX Lossless codecs, which enable almost lossless Bluetooth transmissions.
In order to bring the subtleties of the sound into your ears, the Pi8 has, among other things, complex 12-millimeter transducers with carbon fiber membranes. According to Bowers & Wilkins, digital-to-analog converters, signal processors and amplifiers are not off-the-shelf products, but rather customized components of the finest quality.
Outstanding sound
The charging box is slightly larger than the Airpods Pro case for good reason.
(Photo: kwe)
You can say a lot, but ultimately what counts is what you hear. But the manufacturer didn't exaggerate here. The sound of the Pi8 is extremely good, you almost have the feeling of having a pair of headphones on your ears.
The mids are extremely cleanly defined and determine the sound. They are supported by excellent bass that reaches deep. They are very strong, but in no way overemphasized and never push themselves into the foreground.
Especially with high-resolution sources, the treble delivers many details with a subtle subtlety that is rarely heard. The Pi8 also sound excellent with compressed standard streams. And it doesn't matter the volume or style of music, the earphones always deliver. The unusually wide stereo stage is also impressive.
Very good noise cancellation
The blue version is particularly chic.
(Photo: Bowers & Wilkins)
The Pi8 also plays in the top league when it comes to automatically adapting active noise cancellation. The ANC is particularly effective at suppressing traffic noise or noise on trains. Higher frequencies penetrate more easily. The earphones don't filter conversations or clattering keyboards in the office as effectively, but they are still clearly audible. Another positive thing is that the usual ANC noise is hardly noticeable.
The Pi8s do an equally good job with phone calls. Intelligible conversations are possible even in louder environments, with both conversation partners sounding quite natural. The earphones were also hardly disturbed by strong winds in the test.
The transparency mode does not amplify ambient noise to an unpleasant degree, but allows you to have a conversation or hear announcements without any problems. Although some noise is audible, it is kept within pleasant limits.
No other special equipment
Controlling via the touch surfaces of the plugs works smoothly and is uncomplicated. However, you can hardly change the assignment of the gestures in the associated app. So you only have the choice of switching between ANC and transparency mode with long touches and calling up a digital assistant or adjusting the volume. Both at the same time is not possible.
Apart from an equalizer, the app does not offer any other customization options or settings. You'll also look in vain for Dolby Atmos, 3D audio and other extras that are almost standard for the upper class. The fact that you can create a library with material from various streaming services is little consolation, because the selection is very limited here.
The endurance is sufficient at around six hours with ANC activated, but not exceptional. The charging case has reserves for another 13.5 hours. If the battery in the plugs is empty, 15 minutes in the box is enough for around two hours of playback. It also takes approximately 120 minutes to fully charge it.
Conclusion
To answer the question in the title: Yes, in this case, $400 earbuds sound better. The Pi8's sound is outstanding and its active noise cancellation is also excellent. Your charging case can also serve as a transmitter.
Otherwise, the British luxury earphones don't have any extras to offer that you can find in other, cheaper, upper-class headphones. If you can do without it, the price doesn't play a big role and the best sound is the measure of all things, there is currently no way around the Bowers & Wilkins Pi8.
