British audio icon, Bowers & Wilkins (B&W), has at all times had its rabid followers, particularly on this planet of loudspeakers, the place its combo of sound high quality and design has earned it quite a lot of admiration. Nevertheless, I’ve by no means felt that the corporate’s wi-fi noise-canceling headphones fairly dwell as much as this sterling repute — till now.
Bowers & Wilkins headphones have historically been dearer than their rivals, even because the sound and options lagged behind. I used to be anticipating the identical from the model’s newest effort, the Px7 S3 over-ear headphones.
However moments after popping them on my head, I used to be prepared to alter my tune. And never solely do they sound nice, however they seem to be a critical improve over the all-plastic design of the Sony XM6 headphones.
So, let’s dive into my full Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 headphones assessment.
The brand new B&W Px7 S3 Headphones: Simply the specs
Let’s begin with the fundamentals:
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Microphones: 8
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Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.3 (aptX Adaptive/Lossless assist)
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Battery: 30 hours with ANC
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Cost time: ~3.5 hours
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Noise cancellation: Lively noise cancellation
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Spatial audio: Deliberate (future software program replace required)
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Colours: Anthracite Black, Canvas White, and Indigo Blue
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Inputs: USB-C
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Fast cost: 7 hours in quarter-hour
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Supplies: Cloth, aluminum, and artificial leather-based
Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 assessment: What’s new?
Credit score: Simon Cohen / Mashable
The Px7 S3 has quite a lot of updates from the S2 and S2e, together with a sleeker, lower-profile form, a redesigned headband, repositioned controls, assist for aptX Adaptive and aptX Lossless codecs, extra microphones, improved ANC and transparency, and revised driver design.
B&W has additionally made a number of adjustments in its Bowers & Wilkins Music companion app, like the supply of a five-band equalizer.
The corporate plans to challenge a future software program replace to allow spatial audio. This has turn out to be a normal function in different flagship headphones, so it is disappointing to not discover it right here, particularly since they’ve the identical value as the brand new Sony XM6 noise-cancelling headphones.
What’s not new?
Battery life stays unchanged at 30 hours (plus a 7-hour fast cost after quarter-hour), it nonetheless comes with a zippered (although barely slimmer) exhausting case and a USB-C and three.5mm analog cable. Lossless, hi-res audio at as much as 24-bit/96kHz is supported through the USB-C cable.
Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 assessment: I really like the design
Credit score: Simon Cohen / Mashable
Appears to be like are (clearly) subjective, however I believe the Px7 S3 are in a category by themselves.
The mix of supplies (cloth, aluminum, and artificial leather-based) and B&W’s modern, understated styling makes these cans a pleasure to behold and a pleasure to put on. In comparison with the all-plastic development of Sony’s 1000X collection or the large aluminum shells of Apple’s AirPods Max or Dyson OnTrac, the Px7 S3 are the uncommon headphones that look nearly as good in your head as sitting in your desk.
Don’t just like the Anthracite Black coloration pictured right here? They’re additionally obtainable in Indigo Blue and Canvas White.
For the Px7 S3, B&W has elevated the width of the scarf from the Px7 S2, and the earcushions are extra generously padded. This takes an already snug design and makes it even higher for long-term use.
The one-sided yokes at the moment are extra rounded, but they nonetheless allow you to place the earcups up or down when worn across the neck.
My solely nitpick: the included USB-C cable is simply too thick and rigid for use comfortably when listening to USB Audio (extra on that function in a second).
Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 assessment: Controls
Credit score: Simon Cohen / Mashable
Eager-eyed observers will observe that the management buttons now sit on the beveled outer fringe of the earcups, as an alternative of on the flat rear edge. At first, I used to be involved that this might make them tougher to make use of, however in some methods, they’re now simpler to succeed in — I don’t thoughts it in any respect.
Surprisingly, B&W has made the amount buttons bigger and the multifunction button smaller than on the Px7 S2. Perhaps it’s simply me — I are inclined to play/pause and skip tracks greater than I alter quantity — however I’d choose they’ve the other proportions.
The ANC button, situated on the left earcup, gives almost instantaneous mode adjustments, however for the lifetime of me, I nonetheless don’t know why B&W insists on forcing us to cycle by way of all three (ANC > Transparency > Off), as an alternative of letting us skip the Off mode completely.
One other head-scratcher: You may management ANC with this button, or summon your voice assistant, however you possibly can’t have each.
Certainly one of my favourite options of the S2 is the damage sensors, and fortunately, they’re simply nearly as good on the S3. Eradicating both earcup — even just a bit methods — immediately pauses your tunes, whereas changing them resumes playback simply as rapidly.
Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3: Noise canceling and transparency
The Px7 S3 have a bigger array of mics than their predecessors — eight vs. six — which ought to, in concept, assist to enhance lively noise cancellation (ANC) and transparency mode. ANC is certainly higher, although solely reasonably so.
It may possibly scale back essentially the most annoying background sounds, however you’ll nonetheless get higher ANC outcomes from the Bose QuietComfort Extremely Headphones and the Sony WH-1000XM6, notably when flying or whereas making an attempt to close out droning equipment sounds. Transparency mode on the Px7 S3, nonetheless, is a big step up from the S2 mannequin. You discover it instantly, due to the readability of your voice.
It’s nonetheless not as mesmerizingly excellent as Apple’s AirPods Max, however truthfully, it’s greater than ok for telephone calls and informal conversations.
Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 assessment: Spectacular sound high quality
Credit score: Simon Cohen / Mashable
On B&W’s spec sheet for the Px7 S3, it lists “40mm bio-cellulose drivers” — the identical description used for the Px7 S2. However that is an oversimplification. In actuality, the S3’s drivers use a redesigned and improved chassis, voice coil, suspension, and magnet, and so they make an enormous distinction to the sound.
Readability, definition, soundstage, and precision are all enhanced. These are the primary Bowers & Wilkins Px7 collection headphones that lastly sound nearly as good as they appear.
I might spend quite a lot of time encouraging you to make the most of the S3’s aptX Adaptive and aptX Lossless codecs on a appropriate telephone. And, you need to completely use their hi-res, USB audio connection when a wire gained’t get in your means (a function you gained’t discover on Bose or Sony’s flagships).
However frankly, you possibly can hear and recognize the S3’s improved audio high quality even over a normal SBC or AAC Bluetooth connection (excellent news for iPhone homeowners). Setting apart the entire S3’s different enhancements, I might fortunately pay the additional $50 over the value of the S2 only for the sound.
Credit score: Simon Cohen / Mashable
B&W’s wonderful manufacturing facility tuning, with its cautious stability of frequencies, is now often known as True Sound; that is the EQ setting you get by default within the Bowers & Wilkins Music app. What’s new is the power to fine-tune this stability utilizing a five-band equalizer, as an alternative of the simplified bass and treble sliders the app exhibits to S2 homeowners.
After making an attempt a number of changes, nonetheless, I returned to the True Sound setting and by no means seemed again. To my ear, it’s nearly excellent.
Bass has loads of authority with out ever getting boomy or overbearing, and the mids are clear and distinct. Curiously, within the upper-mids and highs, the S3 are one thing of a return to type. I famous in my Px7 S2 assessment that the PX7’s high-energy sound signature had been taken down a notch or two. For the S3, B&W appears to have cut up the distinction, and it’s a stability that I believe quite a lot of of us will like. It’s very near Sony’s tuning on the WH-1000XM6.
Name high quality
These further mics assist the S3 obtain higher name high quality than its predecessor. The most important distinction is the variety of instances your callers will hear background sounds — they’re nearly completely eradicated. After they’re notably loud, the algorithm nonetheless struggles to maintain your voice from being distorted, however more often than not, they’ll do not know you’re not at your desk.
Transparency mode is ideal for lowering the fatigue related to having your voice muffled by the earcups.
Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 assessment: Battery life
Credit score: Simon Cohen / Mashable
It’s B&W’s perception that the majority of us will at all times preserve ANC on whereas utilizing the Px7 S3. As such, it solely quotes one quantity for battery life: 30 hours. That ought to be greater than sufficient to get you thru even the longest flight, however remember the fact that in case you hear louder than 50% quantity, or in case you’re in an particularly noisy setting, that quantity shall be decrease — maybe as a lot as 15-20% decrease.
It’s additionally price noting that when the corporate releases its spatial audio improve, it’s a very good guess that this may also influence battery life. On Bose’s QuietComfort Extremely Headphones, as an illustration, the Immersive Audio function can scale back playtime by as much as 25%.
Should you’re frightened about stamina, you possibly can at all times disable ANC, and if that’s nonetheless not sufficient, the Px7 S3 have a really spectacular quick-charge time of an additional 7 hours for simply quarter-hour of charging.
Yet one more (lacking) function
It’s clear that B&W has tried to future-proof the Px7 S3 by together with each hi-res audio (through aptX Adaptive and USB Audio) and the potential for spatial audio down the highway. Which is why I’m a bit baffled by the shortage of assist for Bluetooth LE Audio and Auracast.
Auracast, which lets appropriate wi-fi headphones tune in to publicly obtainable Bluetooth broadcasts, has simply began making its means into our lives. However it is going to quickly be ubiquitous in locations like airports, museums, film theaters, gyms, sports activities arenas, and even at dwelling through our TVs.
Credit score: Simon Cohen / Mashable
Sennheiser, Sony, JBL, and others have already jumped on the Auracast bandwagon with their newest flagship headphones, making this a missed alternative for B&W to maintain the Px7 S3 as a number one choice within the coming years.
Are the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 price it?
B&W headphones are often dearer than the competitors, however that is now not the case. As Mashable’s tech editor famous in his Sony XM6 assessment, $449 is the brand new customary value of admission for premium headphones.
So, are they price $449? I say sure, particularly in case you care about design. The Sony XM6 headphones might have benefits like superior ANC and spatial audio, however in addition they have an all-plastic development, whereas the slick-looking Px7 S3 are produced from cloth, aluminum, and artificial leather-based. With killer sound and a cool aesthetic, they seem to be a stable contender in a really aggressive market.
