Great review Mark, well done for being the first on TH-cam to compare the two new B&W headphones 🎉 Bowers says on their website that the "Carbon cone drive units" on the PX8s are "coupled to a fully optimised drive unit ‘motor system’, with revised magnet, voice coil and surround" so there is a fundamental difference between these and the PX7 S2 I have the PX7 S2 and I had the original PX7 before these and I love the sound quality. Sound is always a personal choice of course but I think Bowers are fantastic!
Excellent review as always. By the way, I bought the Sennheiser Momentum 4 and they were the best sounding headphones I've ever had, but then I bought The Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2. The Px7 S2 sounded even better, with more bass and slightly clearer treble than even the Mom 4. Then I bought the Px8, the most expensive headphone I ever purchased. They were worth every penny of course, because they have a luxury build, cancel noise better, and, most importantly, have an even BETTER sound!
hey, i also have the mom4 but i can return it, i'm thinking of buying the PX8 instead, the sound is that much better for you? And for a student daily use, how it is working?
Sometimes it’s Psychological. As already paid significant amount of more money, humans try to justify it with consoling themselves that it has better sound.
I guess the dream would be to tackle Px8 vs Bathys vs B&O H95, ML 5909 and maybe Kef’s own Mu7 to provide a recent and cheaper alternative. That would be amazing!
I have the Px8s, the h95s and the 5909s. they are all fantastic headphones. the 5909s are amazing sound wise, huge Soundstage, wonderful instrument separation, excellent treble extension.. noise cancelation is good, but not as good as the other two. the H95s are my go to travel headphones, fantastic ratio of great noise cancelation and sound. Soundstage is less open than 5909s. px8s have good noise cancelling and are the most exciting sounding of the bunch, very dynamic, dark and warm. the h95s are warming and the 5909s are truly analytical phones, you will hear things with them you never heard before...all great headphones.. soundwise the 5909s win.... best combo of anc and sound h95, most fun listen px8...
As a user of PX8 for few months, I was not entirely happy with their sound quality (was lacking this fun factor). I decided to try lower class (PX7 S2) as I do really like B&W sound signature. My immediate feeling was, more balanced sound. Higher frequencies are not too harsh, bass is present but not disturbing, and I dont know if this is only me, but have a feeling of more space in sound stage. They sounds great with USB-C connection.
@@calebs2crazy when you will compare them to px7 S2 yes, but in general px8 are much more better sounding headphones. I did lot of additional tests and decided to keep px8 at the end but just to be clear, both pair are really great headphones. Px7 S2 are something like base model and px8 a polished one :)
The soundstage on PX7 S2 doesn't exist. It all plays "in your head". Don't get me wrong, these are great headphones but definitely not for their soundstage.
@@gnewgnew2011yes, it is long time since I wrote this comment. I owe both, but recently I'm using Philips Fidelio L4 and B&Ws are covered with dust. 😅
@DamianNocun I had Fidelio L3 and loved them, perfect sound for me but the headband started to fall apart after barely a few months of light usage. Common issue with L3, hopefully they fixed it in L4.
There no doubt the sound quality on these are just sublime. Deep base with rich clarity and flawless sound stage. Only after 4 months the stitching to the head band has performed less well. It has completely worked it's way loose and the materials are not connected. This was after just 4 months and the headphones had been kept protested within the durable case when not being used. Such a shame as the design had been a factor in my purchase as they have simple yet understated design which compared to others I felt would be a timeless compliment to my audio equipment. Regrettably the headphones have been returned and now reviewing a suitable replacement
I tested both. If you want fuller base go b&w. Both are great. B&w clamp head more so I prefer h95 but on sound I had to buy px8. The engine noise on test aircraft when maverick goes supersonic in top gun is awesome….
@@falcodarkzz H95 I remember has very good clarity and instrument separation, but the bass is soooo shallow, making it unenjoyable for a big chunk of my playlist (I'm not a hip pop or bass boosted guy btw)
Hey Mark, thank you for this comparison. Is ist possible to Test them against There Grandfather P7 wireless? We have got 4 Paris of p7 wireless in our Family and are still looking for a Real substitude.
My vote for ‘other comparisons’ would be to find out what level/price of wired headphones the PX8 can compete/compare with. I know…dacs/amps…but just curious how the sound quality stacks up in the regular headphone world (as well as in the bt/anc category, of course). Or maybe it’s just me. Thanks for a helpful video!
Realistically they will never stack up to the anc of the sony's as sony had perfected anc however the anc is by no means sad. However in terms of sound they are so far away in terms of sound quality that the sony may as well be a set of dollar store unbranded buds. In terms of what they are comparable to they will comlete directly with the focal bathys, the mark levinson 5909's. Whether or not they sound better or worse than those two is largely personal. I personally find I have a preference for these because the build feels exceptionally sturdy the leather is soft and supple. The tan color option truly stand out when worn in public yiu wil regularly experience people inquiring as to what they and you're met with a sad face when they ask how much they are.
Hey Mark, I also bought the Px8 and have the feeling, as some in the forum and on TH-cam claim, that it actually exhibits a burn-in effect and sounds better over time. Initially, it sounded a bit dull, which has improved, and I don't mean with firmware update 3.0.0. Do you have the opportunity to test your PX8 with a new one to confirm or refute this hypothesis? I find this topic super interesting!
Very good Review, I want to know if you compared this B & W Px8 vs the new Bose QuietConfort Ultra ! Please let me know if you will do this Comparison ! Congrats for all your work in the Reviews, you do it Great, I like your Style. Keep it that way !
I´ve always loved B&W and still use my P7 (yes, the old one with cables) daily since 2014! Soundwise it´s the best one out there. I´ve tried out Bose QC45 and Bose 700 but they are no match for the B&W. If you want something premium that will last you a long time, go for these!
Good they lasted. I compared Bose QC35 and Sennheiser PXC550. Decided for 2nd. But after 5 years, faux leather on head bridge has many small defects and it's soaked by skin grease and ear cups are falling apart. I'll try to ask service if there are spare parts. Sound is just a bit muffled, but easy to listen and not bad. Bose QC35 were weird, just putting them on was like getting under the water which was very awkward and unpleasant feeling, while pxc could be used without music and noises were more like hearing through the shut door. Also I think that sound of QC35 was not great, but five years ago they were considered the best.
Anybody any idea why my px8 volume is considerably lower than when i listen via Bluetooth. I am connecting to samsung note 20 ultra. Have double checked all volume limits and nothing is limiting it. Bluetooth sounds great but when i connect usb c to usb c the volume is very low. Any ideas?
Bowers & Wilkins Px8 should work as DAC when connected to computer (and/or some mobile phones) via USB-C. But I have not seen anyone mentioning the sound quality or difference of sound quality between wired and wireless connection. Why? Is it bad? Does it really work on computer?
I bought my PX8 two weeks ago (I know... the ones may be coming out soon) and I'm using them connected to my MBP via the 3.5 - usb-C cable and they sound so much better! The same happens when you plug them in to your iphone via the usb c - usb c cable. There are videos on youtube that discuss this increase in quality.
Can you pitch the B&W PX8s against the Kef mu7? To my knowledge there are only 3 reviews of the Kef mu7. One is in German, one is a short and the last, well, he just shows them and doesn't speak. An opportunity to be one of the first?
Music lives in my ears day and night. Over the years I realized , my satisfaction with headphones and related devices are requiring me to invest in higher and higher quality to achieve satisfaction. After much research, I bought a pair of Sony XM4. They were impressive with comfort, absence of ear fatigue, noise cancellation was superb, along with versatility in personalization in settings. I actually would forget they were on my head, waking up during the night with them still on. Even wondering why I can’t hear someone talking to me, until they give me the signal.😅 Anyway, I’m all about comfort, durability, quality in design, and of course- sound. Base = High, clarity=crisp, volume = bones need to vibrate. Back to the drawing board. Google, Amazon, TH-cam’s “best, top 5, “were all the same disappointing same products. I eventually came across Px8, I found one Company in my big city that carried this brand in stock. I bought the Px8 today, after plugging into my Bluetooth in the store, sampling any of my tunes. So far, it out beats all the Bose, Apple, Sony brands currently selling on the Market. Love them!
Great review as usual Mark. Knowing you loved the PX7 s2 i also thought you would love the PX8….i want them but also want the Focal Bathys so i’ve got a decision to make, i await your headphone battle between the pair 😊
Most people use wireless headphones while walking, and doing tasks. Your not focused on the music as much compared to listening to your music in a quiet room at your home. That is the reason i don't want to spend more money than the Focal Bathys for Bluetooth headphones
Hi Can the PX8 play loud ser? I'm looking for new headphones for movies, can they play loud? Is the surround /Soundstage good? The sennheiser momentum 4 don't go loud enough and got terrible surround sound for movies. So before I spend lots of money again I would appreciate a response from you Thanks!
Me and my wife both found that the px7 s2 were a better sound than the bathys.. and the px8 was better than both.. just a bonus the px8 has better materials
I upgraded from xm4s to px8s and they blew the xm4s with the soundstage i love them i used them on a train with noise cancelling on and couldn't hear a thing apart from the music it was bliss
Def comparision with h95. I ended up keeping h95 instead of px8 for better low/ bass extensions and soundstage Imo, it does provide better sound quality than px7s2 but just by little bit. Didnt see myself why have to spend 2x more cost for almost same sound quality ( maybe slightly better + little more bass ) H95 was one that i decided keep after listening 2-3 hours each from (px7 s2, px8, h95, me75)
Thanks for the direct comparison, this was missing until now! I'd love to know how they compare against the Momentum 4, especially in the bass department. I felt like what you said about the PX8's bass sounds similar to my impression of the Momentum 4 compared to the PX7 S2. However, I feel like the PX7 S2 did slightly better in the mids (more neutral) and maybe treble and detail (not by much) compared to the Momentum 4. What do you think?
Even with those headphones which are intended to be used with personalised EQ, such as Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless, Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4, Nuraphone or Denon Perl Pro for example? They don't meant to be used with stock EQ.
Great review as always. As an owner of the Momentum 4, I really think the 30 hours of battery life on these is a deal breaker for this price bracket. I use my Momentums daily (2 hours of work calls and 3 hours of music listening on average), and I have to charge them every 8 days on average, even with their rated 60 hours. Having owned 30-hour cans previously means my usage between charges is halved. Using headphones for calls does eat up battery quickly, so I think it is important that battery life is significantly increased with the competition. Otherwise, these look stunning. I'm sure they have the mature B&W sound too, I just wonder whether 2-3 times better than my beloved Momentums based on price. Can't wait for the comparison soon. Thanks again👍
How are the headphone when listening to music I listen to all genres NIN, Metallica , Alice in chains than ill listen to some old school rap. I wanna get a pair I have the true wireless 3 in ear buds and like em alot I wonder if the headphones will sound even better
@@mrguru091 no I haven't. I'm sure they'd give the Momentums a good run for their money too. I've always found the B&Ws too sibilant for my liking, maybe the new ones are different.
I want to thank Mark Ellis for his excellent review. He convinced me to take the plunge. I've had these headphones for 2 days now. Here's my comments. I usually review whisky but here goes... I chose the black even though the brown and cream are very striking with a premium look. I was concerned that that cream ear piece would eventually get dirty and don't really want to walk around drawing attention to myself. The black model gives it a generic look and suits my needs. I was disappointed but not surprised that these "British" Bowers & Wilkins Px8 were made in China. I do believe that they still make some speakers in the UK but not their headphones. For some reason, the very first charging plug I tried to use wasn't recognised. This is a Samsung USB-C charger which I use to charge my phone and other devices and works perfectly. It simply was not recognised by the Px8s. I must admit to experiencing some little anxiety at that point. However, when plugged into the PC or a Databank brick I keep in my case, it did charge with the cable supplied as well as the Samsung USB-C cable. I also continued to charge them on my way home from work using the USB to to USB-C cable in my car and they charged fine as well, eventually going from flashing green to solid green. I was initially concerned that with the fit of some cables, the USB-C port seemed a bit loose and wobbly. Not a good look for a premium product. I found the button functions very easy to get used to but you need to learn how to take the set on and off your head, WITHOUT accidently pressing the buttons as they are positioned exactly where you would naturally place your fingers to remove it from your head. Still, I do appreciate the real physical buttons and they work perfectly with all Android apps I've tried. Straight out of the box, the music simply blew me away. Everything just sounds perfect and listening is an immensely enjoyable experience. Forget about bass, middle and treble. Just listen to the music and the instruments. The music is emotional, involving, alive and everything is as you want it to be. That guitar just sounds so natural with so much body. You can feel the hands across the keyboard of that piano solo. Seriously, like Mark Ellis said, had I hired a company to make the perfect sounding headphones, customised to my taste, I'd be totally satisfied with the results. Let me point out that I'm listening to them without any tweaks within the app. I'd advise everyone just to keep everything at the default position. I spent a continues 4 hours with these headphones, listening to whole albums. I didn't feel the need to jump from track to track. In all that time, the headphones remained comfortable and snug. Again, taking them off my head, I managed to press the buttons again. You need to learn to remove them by placing your fingers at the bottom of the cups. I agree, as near to perfection as you can get.
Hi, which headphone is louder the sennheiser m3 or the px8? 🎧 🎉 can you please tell if the sound of the PX8 changes with the latest firmware 3.0.0? I read that on many forums. Thx❤
Have you tried the B&O H95? I want to know how the PX8 compare. I was about to get the H95 but I read various complaints about them not being loud enough.
I honestly don't see the point in comparing these against the AirPods Max in a future video, unless you like pitching the APM case around your office. Against the Focal Bathys and even the PX7S2, which could be considered a stepping stone to these, I see the point.
I am a B&W user both headphones and assorted speakers around the house, I drive all this lot from an assorted selection of QUAD amplifiers, I would be interested in your opinion on the QUAD headphones, similar price to the B&W’s thanks
I am an owner of the Sony WH-1000XM3, very happy with it... but sooner or later I will look for something else, love this headphones and how they look, but then again better sound quality on the street is difficult to notice (even with noise canceling ) and all the ease of use on the Sony is here gone.
Bit of a different direction but would love your (or anyone else's) thoughts on Px8s vs Bose QC Ultras. I'm traveling a good bit for work these days and need a pair that will be as comfortable to wear for hours as my Bose QC 35s have been. Are Px8s comfortable for 3+ hour stints?
Thank you for your review. The newer driver on the PX8 are based on their 700 series. The Focals seem to be the biggest competition. Both are great. As stores don't carry both for you to try out, people rely on these reviews more. Sure you can return them but until you A/B them, it's harder to decided which ones you prefer. The fuller richer PX8 or the more open spatial sound of the Focals. It really comes down to the type of music you listen to and personal preference. It seems reviewers prefer classical and jazz sounds better with the Focals and other music with the PX8. I'm leaning toward the PX8's at this time.
Great review as usual Mark! I am a fan... Could you do a proper comparison of transparency mode of PX8 with Air Pods Max and Focal Bathys and other headphones you can get hold of please? It also would be good to know if there are any thoughts on the PX8 007 version in comparison to PX8 standard version in terms of the sound quality and material quality. Thanking you in advance.
Thank you for this great review. I’m trying to make up my mind if I should go for the PX8 or AirPods Max. I loved the B&W design compared to the AirPods Max.
Brother, nice to see this review. I own a pot of these headphones, and just took my first plane ride with them. Completely agree with your review and I’ll say further that the ANC on a plane is as good as the AirPods Max or APP 2. SQ is top notch. I don’t have a pair of the Bathys so I’m looking forward to your side by side. Cheers
I just bought mine, and it's good, I'm in love! I just had one question, is it better to take a streaming service like qobuz or will my deezer hi-fi be enough??
Review: I have demoed a "Like New" pair off of Amazon for $549. I currently have the SoundCore Q45 for $129 when on sale. SoundCore has better sound, Bass, Mids and Highs overall with NC on. I turned NC off (as this was the clearest sound to me) on the PX8 when compared and SoundCore was still slightly better. PX8's had slightly better sound stage and detail but not as clear as Q45's. But for me the sound was more important when choosing. Wish i could have both. Returned the PX8's. If money were no object would i keep the PX8's? No. Are the PX8's worth $549? No. Either SoundCore should be a $600 pair or PX8's should be $149.
How they compare to Focal Bathys? I've seen one review stating these are better for the most of the genres, while Bathys are too analytical. One comment stated that BW have too much bass. So I guess it's personal. Bathys are 10% more expensive which does not mean much.
Just got the Px7 s2 and sooo impressed but when i heard you say these are bright comparing to PX8 I wonder how much more warmer/darker they sound. I heard bass attack/release is even faster on PX8 due to the new driver design so they'd handle EDM/Dance/Trance genre even better but i can't decide..I might just try the PX8 and return it if the improvements are barely neglable from price point perspective. LOL at the hint at the end i still wanna try PX8 if they're even £50 better sound improvement wise...but i;ve never purchased headphones over £300 before.
Hands up if you're a B&W fan (and let me know why!) ⬇
The sound
The design
The materials
The physical buttons
The charging while listening through USB-C
Sound is a cut above the rest, design is gorgeous, and the history of the brand in the audio industry
Great review Mark, well done for being the first on TH-cam to compare the two new B&W headphones 🎉
Bowers says on their website that the "Carbon cone drive units" on the PX8s are "coupled to a fully optimised drive unit ‘motor system’, with revised magnet, voice coil and surround" so there is a fundamental difference between these and the PX7 S2
I have the PX7 S2 and I had the original PX7 before these and I love the sound quality. Sound is always a personal choice of course but I think Bowers are fantastic!
I am a fan of their HIFI speakers absolutely superb listening to music through them is an event, as for the headphones no not a fan
The Engineering Masterminds behind.
Excellent review as always. By the way, I bought the Sennheiser Momentum 4 and they were the best sounding headphones I've ever had, but then I bought The Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2. The Px7 S2 sounded even better, with more bass and slightly clearer treble than even the Mom 4. Then I bought the Px8, the most expensive headphone I ever purchased. They were worth every penny of course, because they have a luxury build, cancel noise better, and, most importantly, have an even BETTER sound!
hey, i also have the mom4 but i can return it, i'm thinking of buying the PX8 instead, the sound is that much better for you? And for a student daily use, how it is working?
Sometimes it’s Psychological. As already paid significant amount of more money, humans try to justify it with consoling themselves that it has better sound.
I think Momentum 4’s have a much more thunderous bass.
Very interesting review, thanks. I would like to see a comparison between PX8 and Beoplay H95. they are both belonging to the premium segment.
I guess the dream would be to tackle Px8 vs Bathys vs B&O H95, ML 5909 and maybe Kef’s own Mu7 to provide a recent and cheaper alternative. That would be amazing!
I have the Px8s, the h95s and the 5909s. they are all fantastic headphones. the 5909s are amazing sound wise, huge Soundstage, wonderful instrument separation, excellent treble extension.. noise cancelation is good, but not as good as the other two. the H95s are my go to travel headphones, fantastic ratio of great noise cancelation and sound. Soundstage is less open than 5909s. px8s have good noise cancelling and are the most exciting sounding of the bunch, very dynamic, dark and warm. the h95s are warming and the 5909s are truly analytical phones, you will hear things with them you never heard before...all great headphones.. soundwise the 5909s win.... best combo of anc and sound h95, most fun listen px8...
Did you try Focal Celestee ?
@@jyexe525 no, haven't tried those. would like to try the focal Bathys though...
As a user of PX8 for few months, I was not entirely happy with their sound quality (was lacking this fun factor). I decided to try lower class (PX7 S2) as I do really like B&W sound signature. My immediate feeling was, more balanced sound. Higher frequencies are not too harsh, bass is present but not disturbing, and I dont know if this is only me, but have a feeling of more space in sound stage. They sounds great with USB-C connection.
Are you sure the px8 is lacking the fun factor? I heard they have more bass and soundstage?
@@calebs2crazy when you will compare them to px7 S2 yes, but in general px8 are much more better sounding headphones. I did lot of additional tests and decided to keep px8 at the end but just to be clear, both pair are really great headphones. Px7 S2 are something like base model and px8 a polished one :)
The soundstage on PX7 S2 doesn't exist. It all plays "in your head". Don't get me wrong, these are great headphones but definitely not for their soundstage.
@@gnewgnew2011yes, it is long time since I wrote this comment. I owe both, but recently I'm using Philips Fidelio L4 and B&Ws are covered with dust. 😅
@DamianNocun I had Fidelio L3 and loved them, perfect sound for me but the headband started to fall apart after barely a few months of light usage. Common issue with L3, hopefully they fixed it in L4.
Great review! Would love to see them compared to the Bang & Olufsen H95 along with the Focal Bathys! That would be an interesting comparison
focal bathys falls overall a bit short. Px8 comes out on top. Dont know about the H95 tho
There no doubt the sound quality on these are just sublime.
Deep base with rich clarity and flawless sound stage.
Only after 4 months the stitching to the head band has performed less well. It has completely worked it's way loose and the materials are not connected.
This was after just 4 months and the headphones had been kept protested within the durable case when not being used.
Such a shame as the design had been a factor in my purchase as they have simple yet understated design which compared to others I felt would be a timeless compliment to my audio equipment.
Regrettably the headphones have been returned and now reviewing a suitable replacement
Px8 against B&O H95 would be fantastic as others have stated ☺️
I tested both. If you want fuller base go b&w. Both are great. B&w clamp head more so I prefer h95 but on sound I had to buy px8. The engine noise on test aircraft when maverick goes supersonic in top gun is awesome….
Not even close for me, I tried both and the PX8/Bathys are both in another class to the H95
@@falcodarkzz H95 I remember has very good clarity and instrument separation, but the bass is soooo shallow, making it unenjoyable for a big chunk of my playlist (I'm not a hip pop or bass boosted guy btw)
Great review, thanks. A comparison with the B&O H95 would be welcomed.
Thanks! Working on it!
I would be most interested in a comparison with the Sennheisers Momentum 4 🙂
Same here.
Please test them against the Master and Dynamics 75’s. Thanks!!
Hey Mark, thank you for this comparison. Is ist possible to Test them against There Grandfather P7 wireless? We have got 4 Paris of p7 wireless in our Family and are still looking for a Real substitude.
How does the Px8 compare to the new Px7 2SE ?
My vote for ‘other comparisons’ would be to find out what level/price of wired headphones the PX8 can compete/compare with. I know…dacs/amps…but just curious how the sound quality stacks up in the regular headphone world (as well as in the bt/anc category, of course). Or maybe it’s just me. Thanks for a helpful video!
Realistically they will never stack up to the anc of the sony's as sony had perfected anc however the anc is by no means sad. However in terms of sound they are so far away in terms of sound quality that the sony may as well be a set of dollar store unbranded buds. In terms of what they are comparable to they will comlete directly with the focal bathys, the mark levinson 5909's. Whether or not they sound better or worse than those two is largely personal. I personally find I have a preference for these because the build feels exceptionally sturdy the leather is soft and supple. The tan color option truly stand out when worn in public yiu wil regularly experience people inquiring as to what they and you're met with a sad face when they ask how much they are.
Hey Mark,
I also bought the Px8 and have the feeling, as some in the forum and on TH-cam claim, that it actually exhibits a burn-in effect and sounds better over time. Initially, it sounded a bit dull, which has improved, and I don't mean with firmware update 3.0.0.
Do you have the opportunity to test your PX8 with a new one to confirm or refute this hypothesis? I find this topic super interesting!
Very good Review, I want to know if you compared this B & W Px8 vs the new Bose QuietConfort Ultra ! Please let me know if you will do this Comparison ! Congrats for all your work in the Reviews, you do it Great, I like your Style. Keep it that way !
Bose lol… there is NO comparison!!! Their bowers!!
Bose was a big dissapointment compared to BW
I´ve always loved B&W and still use my P7 (yes, the old one with cables) daily since 2014! Soundwise it´s the best one out there. I´ve tried out Bose QC45 and Bose 700 but they are no match for the B&W. If you want something premium that will last you a long time, go for these!
Good they lasted. I compared Bose QC35 and Sennheiser PXC550. Decided for 2nd. But after 5 years, faux leather on head bridge has many small defects and it's soaked by skin grease and ear cups are falling apart. I'll try to ask service if there are spare parts. Sound is just a bit muffled, but easy to listen and not bad. Bose QC35 were weird, just putting them on was like getting under the water which was very awkward and unpleasant feeling, while pxc could be used without music and noises were more like hearing through the shut door. Also I think that sound of QC35 was not great, but five years ago they were considered the best.
Same - I love mine. And the best industrial design ever (emphasis on “industrial”).
Between this and bose QC ultra which you think is better? Thanks
Anybody any idea why my px8 volume is considerably lower than when i listen via Bluetooth. I am connecting to samsung note 20 ultra. Have double checked all volume limits and nothing is limiting it. Bluetooth sounds great but when i connect usb c to usb c the volume is very low. Any ideas?
change the volume from the device?
Are the new Px7 S2e closer to the Px8? Thanks
Can you turn the noise cancelling OFF if you don’t want it on? Also do they work well with portable players like an Astell and kern SR35?
Thanks…
Just bought mine. There’s on, off, and clear mode which works kinda like a hearing aid
Bowers & Wilkins Px8 should work as DAC when connected to computer (and/or some mobile phones) via USB-C. But I have not seen anyone mentioning the sound quality or difference of sound quality between wired and wireless connection. Why? Is it bad? Does it really work on computer?
I bought my PX8 two weeks ago (I know... the ones may be coming out soon) and I'm using them connected to my MBP via the 3.5 - usb-C cable and they sound so much better! The same happens when you plug them in to your iphone via the usb c - usb c cable. There are videos on youtube that discuss this increase in quality.
If you could release the video before Black Friday it would be much appreciated.. 👍
Would love to see a review of Mark Levinson 5909. There is a lot of hype around them. Would be nice hear your opinion on them! ;)
Yes, would appreciate a 5909 review!
Can you pitch the B&W PX8s against the Kef mu7?
To my knowledge there are only 3 reviews of the Kef mu7. One is in German, one is a short and the last, well, he just shows them and doesn't speak.
An opportunity to be one of the first?
Music lives in my ears day and night. Over the years I realized , my satisfaction with headphones and related devices are requiring me to invest in higher and higher quality to achieve satisfaction.
After much research, I bought a pair of Sony XM4. They were impressive with comfort, absence of ear fatigue, noise cancellation was superb, along with versatility in personalization in settings. I actually would forget they were on my head, waking up during the night with them still on. Even wondering why I can’t hear someone talking to me, until they give me the signal.😅
Anyway, I’m all about comfort, durability, quality in design, and of course- sound. Base = High, clarity=crisp, volume = bones need to vibrate.
Back to the drawing board. Google, Amazon, TH-cam’s “best, top 5, “were all the same disappointing same products. I eventually came across Px8, I found one Company in my big city that carried this brand in stock. I bought the Px8 today, after plugging into my Bluetooth in the store, sampling any of my tunes. So far, it out beats all the Bose, Apple, Sony brands currently selling on the Market. Love them!
Great review as usual Mark. Knowing you loved the PX7 s2 i also thought you would love the PX8….i want them but also want the Focal Bathys so i’ve got a decision to make, i await your headphone battle between the pair 😊
It'll be an interesting one!
I want the Mark Levinson 5909.
If Mark could compare these to the ML5909, so I can decide which to buy.
Most people use wireless headphones while walking, and doing tasks. Your not focused on the music as much compared to listening to your music in a quiet room at your home. That is the reason i don't want to spend more money than the Focal Bathys for Bluetooth headphones
Hi
Can the PX8 play loud ser? I'm looking for new headphones for movies, can they play loud? Is the surround /Soundstage good?
The sennheiser momentum 4 don't go loud enough and got terrible surround sound for movies.
So before I spend lots of money again I would appreciate a response from you
Thanks!
How heavy are these the AirPods Max? For instance were too heavy for me. I’m considering getting a pair because they’re $200 off at Best Buy
Me and my wife both found that the px7 s2 were a better sound than the bathys.. and the px8 was better than both.. just a bonus the px8 has better materials
Hi Mark, great review. Looking to buy these. Will they fit smaller heads?
Mark, can you review the px7 S2E vs px8 please? It terms of sound quality how do they compare?
I upgraded from xm4s to px8s and they blew the xm4s with the soundstage i love them i used them on a train with noise cancelling on and couldn't hear a thing apart from the music it was bliss
Can you wear these for several hours with glasses?
Yes
Yep.
I reckon these are the best looking headphones out there. Sounds like they’re up there sound wise too.
It would be nice hear how you compare the PX8 vs Sennheiser Momentum 4. Thanks for your enlightening & entertaining reviews!
I just bought a pair at the Pawnshop brand new in a box!! Their gorgeous!! I got them for $400
Def comparision with h95.
I ended up keeping h95 instead of px8 for better low/ bass extensions and soundstage
Imo, it does provide better sound quality than px7s2 but just by little bit.
Didnt see myself why have to spend 2x more cost for almost same sound quality ( maybe slightly better + little more bass )
H95 was one that i decided keep after listening 2-3 hours each from (px7 s2, px8, h95, me75)
I’m a B&W fan. Love the sound of their speakers and headphones. It’s full and, yes, slightly warm, but I like that sound.
Big fan of B&W here xD my new px7 s2e are amazing but I will try the px8 as well
I'd love to see a comparison with the Master & Dynamics MW75.
Thanks for the direct comparison, this was missing until now! I'd love to know how they compare against the Momentum 4, especially in the bass department. I felt like what you said about the PX8's bass sounds similar to my impression of the Momentum 4 compared to the PX7 S2. However, I feel like the PX7 S2 did slightly better in the mids (more neutral) and maybe treble and detail (not by much) compared to the Momentum 4. What do you think?
Funny... I just have asked Mark same question 😁
Still no response...
Even with those headphones which are intended to be used with personalised EQ, such as Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless, Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4, Nuraphone or Denon Perl Pro for example? They don't meant to be used with stock EQ.
Hi Mark, thanks for your review. Please can you state the make/model of the headphone stand at time 5:23?
Great review as always. As an owner of the Momentum 4, I really think the 30 hours of battery life on these is a deal breaker for this price bracket. I use my Momentums daily (2 hours of work calls and 3 hours of music listening on average), and I have to charge them every 8 days on average, even with their rated 60 hours. Having owned 30-hour cans previously means my usage between charges is halved. Using headphones for calls does eat up battery quickly, so I think it is important that battery life is significantly increased with the competition. Otherwise, these look stunning. I'm sure they have the mature B&W sound too, I just wonder whether 2-3 times better than my beloved Momentums based on price. Can't wait for the comparison soon. Thanks again👍
How are the headphone when listening to music I listen to all genres NIN, Metallica , Alice in chains than ill listen to some old school rap. I wanna get a pair I have the true wireless 3 in ear buds and like em alot I wonder if the headphones will sound even better
@@mrguru091 they're the most musical headphones I've owned. They sound good with anything I throw at them.
@@nivinhanna I'm also hearing Bowers and Wilken px8 are better what's ur take on that? have u ever used those?
@@mrguru091 no I haven't. I'm sure they'd give the Momentums a good run for their money too. I've always found the B&Ws too sibilant for my liking, maybe the new ones are different.
@@mrguru091 better than any in ears I've tried. Go try them out in store.
I want to thank Mark Ellis for his excellent review. He convinced me to take the plunge.
I've had these headphones for 2 days now. Here's my comments. I usually review whisky but here goes...
I chose the black even though the brown and cream are very striking with a premium look. I was concerned that that cream ear piece would eventually get dirty and don't really want to walk around drawing attention to myself. The black model gives it a generic look and suits my needs.
I was disappointed but not surprised that these "British" Bowers & Wilkins Px8 were made in China. I do believe that they still make some speakers in the UK but not their headphones.
For some reason, the very first charging plug I tried to use wasn't recognised. This is a Samsung USB-C charger which I use to charge my phone and other devices and works perfectly. It simply was not recognised by the Px8s. I must admit to experiencing some little anxiety at that point. However, when plugged into the PC or a Databank brick I keep in my case, it did charge with the cable supplied as well as the Samsung USB-C cable. I also continued to charge them on my way home from work using the USB to to USB-C cable in my car and they charged fine as well, eventually going from flashing green to solid green.
I was initially concerned that with the fit of some cables, the USB-C port seemed a bit loose and wobbly. Not a good look for a premium product.
I found the button functions very easy to get used to but you need to learn how to take the set on and off your head, WITHOUT accidently pressing the buttons as they are positioned exactly where you would naturally place your fingers to remove it from your head. Still, I do appreciate the real physical buttons and they work perfectly with all Android apps I've tried.
Straight out of the box, the music simply blew me away. Everything just sounds perfect and listening is an immensely enjoyable experience. Forget about bass, middle and treble. Just listen to the music and the instruments. The music is emotional, involving, alive and everything is as you want it to be. That guitar just sounds so natural with so much body. You can feel the hands across the keyboard of that piano solo. Seriously, like Mark Ellis said, had I hired a company to make the perfect sounding headphones, customised to my taste, I'd be totally satisfied with the results. Let me point out that I'm listening to them without any tweaks within the app. I'd advise everyone just to keep everything at the default position.
I spent a continues 4 hours with these headphones, listening to whole albums. I didn't feel the need to jump from track to track. In all that time, the headphones remained comfortable and snug. Again, taking them off my head, I managed to press the buttons again. You need to learn to remove them by placing your fingers at the bottom of the cups.
I agree, as near to perfection as you can get.
I’m looking to get either the XM4s or the XM5s for Black Friday, which do you reckon is better?
@@NN-df7hl ok
I wanna see it compared against the Beoplay H95 and Master & Dynamic MW75!
Against the Momentum 4’s would be really useful as I’ll end up with either those or px8’s. Thank you!
Hi,
which headphone is louder the sennheiser m3 or the px8? 🎧 🎉
can you please tell if the sound of the PX8 changes with the latest firmware 3.0.0? I read that on many forums.
Thx❤
How are these vs bose qc ultra or otherwise in terms of wearing comfort/ clamping force? That's actually more important to ke than sound quality.
The bose qc ultra feel more comfortable but the sound is way better on the px8, bose makes my ears sweat too much but the px8 doesn't!
Have you tried the B&O H95? I want to know how the PX8 compare. I was about to get the H95 but I read various complaints about them not being loud enough.
I honestly don't see the point in comparing these against the AirPods Max in a future video, unless you like pitching the APM case around your office.
Against the Focal Bathys and even the PX7S2, which could be considered a stepping stone to these, I see the point.
The poll I ran on TH-cam suggested otherwise, I'm afraid!
@@MarkEllisReviews Point well taken.
I am a B&W user both headphones and assorted speakers around the house, I drive all this lot from an assorted selection of QUAD amplifiers, I would be interested in your opinion on the QUAD headphones, similar price to the B&W’s thanks
h95 vs px8 would be great.
Hi Mark, Are you still using the PX8 if so still completely happy and satisfied? Ged
How does the ear cups feel cause the px7 earcups kept busting open on me
sorry, why don't you personally use these for taking calls ? please explain
I am an owner of the Sony WH-1000XM3, very happy with it... but sooner or later I will look for something else, love this headphones and how they look, but then again better sound quality on the street is difficult to notice (even with noise canceling ) and all the ease of use on the Sony is here gone.
Bit of a different direction but would love your (or anyone else's) thoughts on Px8s vs Bose QC Ultras. I'm traveling a good bit for work these days and need a pair that will be as comfortable to wear for hours as my Bose QC 35s have been. Are Px8s comfortable for 3+ hour stints?
Thank you for your review. The newer driver on the PX8 are based on their 700 series. The Focals seem to be the biggest competition. Both are great. As stores don't carry both for you to try out, people rely on these reviews more. Sure you can return them but until you A/B them, it's harder to decided which ones you prefer. The fuller richer PX8 or the more open spatial sound of the Focals. It really comes down to the type of music you listen to and personal preference. It seems reviewers prefer classical and jazz sounds better with the Focals and other music with the PX8. I'm leaning toward the PX8's at this time.
I you should pick one which one would you take b&w 8 or the Focal bathys?
Hi please can you tell me where you got your headphone stand from. I would like to get one. Cheers
I love my B&W P9’s which I currently have up for sale so I can buy these!
As an iphone owner would i get noticable better sound with an amp on these? Either over bt or wired? Alot of money, but im tempted to give it a go.
Hows it sound with all diff types of genres compared to the Sennheiser momentum 4s?
Excellent review.
Nothing will beat the PXC 550 ever, its classic, robust and is on another level.
Hello, I hope you can make a compairson with the Bose Ultra and the Px8
Great review as usual Mark! I am a fan... Could you do a proper comparison of transparency mode of PX8 with Air Pods Max and Focal Bathys and other headphones you can get hold of please? It also would be good to know if there are any thoughts on the PX8 007 version in comparison to PX8 standard version in terms of the sound quality and material quality. Thanking you in advance.
Thank you for this great review. I’m trying to make up my mind if I should go for the PX8 or AirPods Max. I loved the B&W design compared to the AirPods Max.
Please pitch against Sennheiser Momentum 4.
Brother, nice to see this review.
I own a pot of these headphones, and just took my first plane ride with them.
Completely agree with your review and I’ll say further that the ANC on a plane is as good as the AirPods Max or APP 2. SQ is top notch.
I don’t have a pair of the Bathys so I’m looking forward to your side by side.
Cheers
Nice - good to get that insight from you, Jeff - thanks!
what about call quality compared to other headphones?
Still rocking the regular Px7's!
have you done a comparison between px8 and bang an Olufsen beoplay hx
I just bought mine, and it's good, I'm in love! I just had one question, is it better to take a streaming service like qobuz or will my deezer hi-fi be enough??
Please compare with Momentum 4’s
I bought the PX7 carbons right before they released the 2's lol. So the PX8's are currently in my wishlist! Love the video!
Have you used Aonic 50 and compared to the px7/px8?
I’m looking to upgrade from my beats studio3, do these sound better?
Does it support spatial or immersive sound ?
Try to check B&O please thanks
I have been wondering what these might sound like with a guitar amp
You forgot to mention... the Drivers on the PX8 are of a Different Kind than the Px7....and this allows for more frequencies to be expressed!
They use a different material, which I mentioned.
Hi
do they get loud enough ?
Review: I have demoed a "Like New" pair off of Amazon for $549. I currently have the SoundCore Q45 for $129 when on sale. SoundCore has better sound, Bass, Mids and Highs overall with NC on. I turned NC off (as this was the clearest sound to me) on the PX8 when compared and SoundCore was still slightly better. PX8's had slightly better sound stage and detail but not as clear as Q45's. But for me the sound was more important when choosing. Wish i could have both. Returned the PX8's. If money were no object would i keep the PX8's? No. Are the PX8's worth $549? No. Either SoundCore should be a $600 pair or PX8's should be $149.
I'll have to try the sound core, I've heard good things, but a bit skeptical that they could compete with these.
lmao stop bro 😂😂😂
What are the better headphones for the genre Pop/Rap px8 or the bathys?
Either will handle that stuff very well indeed.
You forgot to mention the awesome - yet more expensive! - Bond option
I'm just salty that I haven't got it.
Can these be used on Series X for chat ?
How they compare to Focal Bathys? I've seen one review stating these are better for the most of the genres, while Bathys are too analytical. One comment stated that BW have too much bass. So I guess it's personal. Bathys are 10% more expensive which does not mean much.
Am still enjoying my B&O HXs
I would love to own the px8 some day
Don’t they have a good DAC inbuilt?
Please do a comparo with the Focals!
Just got the Px7 s2 and sooo impressed but when i heard you say these are bright comparing to PX8 I wonder how much more warmer/darker they sound. I heard bass attack/release is even faster on PX8 due to the new driver design so they'd handle EDM/Dance/Trance genre even better but i can't decide..I might just try the PX8 and return it if the improvements are barely neglable from price point perspective. LOL at the hint at the end i still wanna try PX8 if they're even £50 better sound improvement wise...but i;ve never purchased headphones over £300 before.
I have to try these now as they are slightly bright in some areas. Wonder how beefy px8 would sound compared to predecessor.
Ironically, there are lots of audio clips on this and his previous video (unless its on my headphones!)
Clips? I'm not sure what you mean?
PX8 vs Bathys is a heavyweight champion fight. Yes please!)
Man! You have some expensive taste! Head. Wifi head phones, Apple Mac BookPro, etc. Nice! Just Sub’d.
Welcome onboard!
What was your experience listening with headphones?