Bowers & Wilkins (B&W) has announced updated versions of its true wireless headphones, but the Pi7 S2 will be a tough sell for many thanks to one key feature.
There’s a lot to like about these headphones and they surpass the AirPods Pro 2 in terms of Hi-Res Audio offering, but the $399 / £349 asking price might just be too high in our Lord’s year 2023 when the cost of living crisis shows no sign of abating.
That’s $150/£100 more than Apple’s high-end wireless headphones and now Sony has dropped the price of the WF-1000XM4 to $279/£199, the Pi7 S2 is $120/£150 more expensive .
It will be difficult for B&W to challenge Apple and Sony when the price is so high.
If you have the money, then the Pi7 S2 are very nice headphones and I’m not just talking about the new Satin Black, Canvas White and Midnight Blue colorways. They also come with an impressive spec sheet including bespoke Bowers & Wilkins 9.2mm drive units, increased Bluetooth range of 25m, longer battery life of five hours, six microphones and automatic active noise cancellation (ANC).
There’s also support for Qualcomm aptX Adaptive with the codec enabling high-resolution 24-bit/48kHz streaming from compatible services and wireless audio streaming, meaning you can connect to things like than in-flight entertainment systems via the charging case.
Bowers & Wilkins
While that may be enough to tempt some, the high price tag will put many off. The saving grace here is that the Pi5 S2 is priced at a more reasonable $299/£249.
Although they lose adaptive audio streaming and Qualcomm aptX wireless, the charging case offers 19 hours of juice, three more than the Pi7 S2.
They will be available in Cloud Grey, Storm Grey, Spring Lilac and Sage Green colorways and the two new models will go on sale from January 25th. If you’re looking for affordable wireless headphones with Hi-Res sound, the Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro 2 might be for you.