AKG N5005, on sale now for only $200. Get them quick before they run out. These use to be $1000 ear buds. They even come with a bluetooth adaptor to run in blue tooth mode. In that lossy mode, they still sound better than bang and olufson EX.
@@Ricer-b4n They've been on an 80% sale for a year, and it's $160 now. Still seems like a good deal other than the bad resale, which probably means it wasn't worth the price, though. But if B&O made $1k earbuds, it would easily surpass these
Bought mine yesterday, they sound really great, particularly with percussion and vocals, drums very weighty with good impact. Overall sound is well balanced, very full bodied, resolving and clear. Very easy to operate. The retransmission feature works very well without fuss. The buds are very comfortable.
I’ve been a Bose man for some years now and have always been really happy with there products and the customer service has been simply outstanding there very few times I’ve had to speak to them until I got there Bose QC earbuds and the connection issues! Which has lead me here😂 The Pi8 are top of my list to try followed by the technics az80 & BO EX my main concerns are az80 aren’t that loud and BO ANC isn’t that good apparently … the intended use will be for in the gym where the environment has loud music. I know B&W and B&O all do the 30 day trial I can only assume if the product doesn’t meet expectations you can send them back?..
I got the P7I S2 with a very good deal last year, mainly because of the Bluetooth transmission through the case. It is very useful for flying, and it's great that they kept this functionality (I saw somewhere that Jabra has this now as well?) However, besides being used for flying, I hardly take them out; they sound okay - arguably a bit better than the AirPods Pro. However, they are not loud enough and always sound slightly muffled and held back. I hope this is no longer the case with the new model. Another detail... on one of the flights with an in-seat audio jack, the cable snapped at the 3.5 audio input. And after spending quite some time to find another 3.5 to USB-C cable, I quickly discovered these don't work, you need the Bowers and Wilkins cable. The customer service was fantastic, and when I explained, they quickly sent me a new cable that works like a charm (thanks again for the quick and excellent support. So be careful with the cable when travelling.
How do you rate the call quality on this? I’ve owned AirPods Pro 2 and the call quality was great on them considering the option to choose ‘Voice Isolation’ as part of the mic settings in iOS. Given I’m inclined to use this for calls as well, what’s your feedback on that front?
I had the Pi7s2 and it was hands down the best sounding earbuds but... that design with the sharp edge really hurt my ears like nothing else, to me it was a huge design flaw. This looks like they finally realize the problem and... Glad they kept the audio transmission : no idea why other companies dont implement it.
Have you ever reviewed the Denon Perl Pro? Tried to find on your page but now sure I searched correctly. Would love your take on that one. Love the videos btw :)
Great video! I consider myself a music and sound aficionado. I was disappointed by these buds and just returned them. I honestly felt the sound stage, quality and overall EQ ability of the new Bose QC's were far superior. I tested them side by side for over an hour and I was blown away by Bose and they are $180 less. I really wanted to like the B&Ws but I was not and am very surprised. I expect to be blown away by the B&Ws.
Really really love the idea of the Smart cases especially this one with high res. This means I can get high res out of my computer my phone and anything else I plug into regardless if it supports it or not
greetings from Korea. it was beyond nice for me to embody abstract intuition upon Pi8. had been wandering amongst Noble Prestige & B&O ex plus this one. I confirmed my mind to trigger purchase for this newest shit.
Mark...i would first say... thank you so much... I can't believe how wrong i was about these. Your reivew made me go and order. But once i got it and heard the sound of these things... you were absolutely 💯 right about the greatest sound in bluetooth. Yes, i still believe more than 20 hours should have been given to us, but i just can't let go of how great of sound these things have.
@@audioadhd b&o has better bass, more punch in the low ends...but, the pi8 has a clearer sound, better instruments separation and vocals sounds so nice !!!!! B&o fit is so terrible !!! Pi8 are my best sounding earbuds and i have a ton of earbuds (more than 100).
@@Patrickmathieu0482 thanks for the honest feedback. I can't get down yet with a $400 price tag, but I did snag a set of PerL Pro's and Momentum 4's to compare for the same price. We will see!
I've been wanting to try a b&w product for a while and I think I'll try these. I don't care at all about spatial audio in this type of product, most audiophiles don't, they are looking for a good stereo image.
Thank you for your videos, very useful and enjoyable, if you can you review the Devialet Gemini II that would be very nice, it is almost at the same price point as the B&W, and i m curious to see how these two compares. Thanks again A.K
I'm guessing your channel has been showing in my feed due to my interest in anything audio, particularly earbuds. Your presentation style (and voice) is very similar to James May - I thought I was watching an old episode of Top Gear for a moment there. Nice channel - new subscriber.
I love these headphones, I found that i changed the EQ and kept going back to default so I think B&W knows better than me what sounds best haha. Only wish would be that we could customize controls at little further, I would like to get volume & ANC control at the same time, I don't think we need both sides to be dedicated to Skip and Back track for double and triple tap. I'd like to see single be Pause/Play (and maybe just ANC control on one side), double tap to be forward and back on each earbud, triple to be ANC control and Siri and then hold as volume, that seems to be the best setup across the board. Besides that these are a homerun.
The audio retransmission is an Bowers and Wilkins first but it was also added to a few LG earbuds in their Tone Free line which is a lot cheaper but its just sound isn't as good and Jabra with their Elite line added it to their Gen 2 models and Jabra right now is one of my favs as its the most best fitting and comfort with its design and even if Sound isn't as clear, its still good and now the plug-in case feature is a plus.
I just upgraded from the Pi7 S2, and they do sound better, my only gripe I have is that they get a lot of interference in crowded areas like a busy gym. I have a ZFold 6. I literally had go into developer mode and switch to codec AAC instead of Qualcomm Aptx Audio to get the min interference. I tested the sound quality between AAC and Aptx and I cant notice a difference in music streaming experience in my QOBUZ app. I don't know if its a Samsung issue or what not but It is not acceptable to get that kind of interference for a pair of $440 true wireless ear buds. I did not have an issue with my Pi7 S2. I mainly use them at the gym for a premium listening experience. I have the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro and I get zero interference, but to say they sound better than the Pi8 is a major understatement. I have a work iPhone I will try them out at the gym to check out the performance.
Great review. I adore the OG pi7's and the sound signature they offered. I am excited to hear what the pi8 can do with its further enhanchments and the EQ function. I wonder how close they can get to matching my IEM's, in terms of sound.
Yes, I went in to buy the Beoplay today but snatched these ones instead (didn't even know they where at the market). However, had great experience w Bowers and Wilkins before also.
It would be interesting to hear them compared to B&O's Beoplay EX. I always find it difficult to choose between the two brands as they both, despite being substantially dissimilar, sound impressive each in its own way.
Thanks Mark, after your review I quickly put on my PX8, with the expectation that B&W were finally going to update their app for these flagship cans with the new equalizer, but sadly NO! nothing for those who robbed their piggy bank :( in fact there has not been an update for over a year, very disappointed, won't be rushing out to buy the Pi8 as my Denon Pearl Pro are the GOAT.
Are you serious?!?! 😂 bose is like a peewee player in hockey league and the pi8 are a NHL player in an allstar team 😂... and the shitty airpods are .... hummm... nothing haha
Argh. So tempted to try these after telling myself the AirPods Pro 2 are all I need. The thing that makes me love my AirPods is that they never, ever have any audio dropouts, whereas even the most premium of earbuds I‘ve owned before (Bowers and Wilkins and Bang and Olufsen) have done this to some degree. How were these in terms of stability? Also, I’m getting a Pixel Pro XL - do the Pi8 have native Google Assistant functionality?
Hi Mark, can i ask if the Music App stilm does show the bluetooth codec and if you manage to use either aptx adaptive or lossless with the Pi8 (which smartphone did you use) ...because the older headphones app could show whicj codec was used. That way i could know for sure when aptx adaptive or aptx-hd or just regular aptx was used..on the pi7 the case was only able to retransmit standard aptx via usb or apt low latency with the cable to stereo jack ...so no hires audio with the PI7 case. Thank you :)
Yeah when he tries the Gemini 2 that's when he'll over right whatever he thinks is the best sounding earbuds to be put in his ears. Coming from a guy who owned them. They were the best sounding earbuds I ever had the pleasurer of testing.
@Patrickmathieu0482 i went through three different devialet gemini 2 in one year, because they all had connection issues. They are My favorite sounding earbuds but giving up on them
How do these compare to the Beoplay EX. Better? Not Better? More or less equal to? I want to get some new earbuds and the Pi8 look promising. But if they don't supercede the beoplay ex I won't get them
I have the momentum 4s. Great sound. But a little problem with connection issue, that effect sound quality. I have an meze alba wired iems in order. The albas are said to be delivered late September. Wondering if i should sell my momentum 4s. Cancel the albas. And get the Bowers & Wilkins i8 instead 🤔 But them again, i also miss having some wired iems. Its something about that analog sound, and not having to deal with charging, and stuff. And i guess the albas will sound better than the Bowers
Yes, I went in to buy the Beoplay today but snatched these ones instead (didn't even know they where at the market). However, had great experience w Bowers and Wilkins before also.
I've currently got a pair of Denon PerL Pro and tbh I'm not impressed over my prev Senns TW3's. Not worried as it was an amazing Friday deal so were actually less than the Senn 4s, Sony x5's, Bose Ultra's etc. I think basically we are chasing our tails with VERY minute improvements between them all. At this premium price and no price drop atm the i8's simply aren't worth it for a 5% audio improvement. You want MUCH better sound get a set of say planar cans for less than the i8's and keep your current set.
Does the BW app work on two devices? I’ve noticed many buds with multi point still can only be recognized by one app install at a time. Which means you can’t access the EQ from more than one device even though it is paired for music playback to two devices
some posts mention the lack of pi7s2 strong bass in pi8, i was a pi7s2 user and i enjoy very much the bass, what is your opinion, is this pi7's secret bass weapon still exist in pi8?
You can change what the side buttons do in the app to allow volume control but then you lose the noise cancelling options on the side buttons and then have to switch noise cancelling using the app
I’ve had 3 B&W standard headphones previously & all of them either fell apart or stopped working a few months after the guarantee expired so I’ve always been wary of B&W since as they may look good & sound good but the QA often doesn’t seem to be there. (First set i owned glue started leaking inside the foam in the ear pads & the pads themselves ended up so sticky they were almost glued to the headphones so couldn’t be taken off, the second set the right side totally stopped working & on the 3rd one of the earphones completely fell off the headband so it was just hanging by a wire from the headband!)
I don’t love the Pi7s2. They’re decent, but I have better Bluetooth earphones. Will this be a lot better to worth the upgrade? The pi7s2 look great, but they’re very uncomfortable to wear, this look a lot better.
Have you tested them on an iPhone, and compared the sound quality between AAC and AptX Loseless. Is there any noticeable difference in sound quality? And, genius with the case connected to a MB. Curious if you could do the same thing on an iPhone, and in that way get AptX Loseless on iPhone also :D
I have a question would thst feature with case work with a samsung phone since the phone doesnt support aptx adaptive ,so in theory can i plug the case to the phone i can use aptx adative for tidal 🤔
Yo Flossy and everyone else in the Audio Community. I discovered a fatal flaw in the Pi8's. Mine were brand new yesterday from John Lewis cost £349.99 and I maxed out the EQ and Volume and played this track th-cam.com/video/FJxTm372gmQ/w-d-xo.htmlsi=r6q1Zrn0X3cKr1m9 by Mark Spence 2 The Floor. On the Right earbud was a crackling distortion where the driver could not handle it. I urge you to test this for yourself. You may want to return them. Think I will fall back to the Bose Ultra QCs after this. Pi8's are going back.
After a certain level you reach the law of diminishing returns. At $300 Technics EH-az80 do everything I require of true wireless earbuds: wide soundstage, crystal clear phonecard, good ANC and acceptable battery life. $400 for the pair that will do the same or marginally better is hard pass for me.
Is it worth to sell my Technics EAH-AZ80E, Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 and Bose QuiteComfort Ultra Earbuds for £100 each to get these BW PI8 earbuds instead?
Cant even get them in Australia. What a disgrace of the sales department. They release something and when you want it I can't even get it unless I order from Germany
What are you on about? I literally walked into a store 30 minutes ago and bought a blue pair of pi8, no problems what-so-ever...They also had the black in stock...Maybe do a bit of research first.
After using pi7/s2 the last 3 years i can say that the main thing with B&W is the indifference they shows to solve any issue comes up with new firmaware. Maybe it's the only company who doesn't care to release any new firmaware for better user experience. Imagine the tech ecosystems without updates and new firmwares.
Probably the fact they sold to a coldly indifferent umbrella company? In the U.K. I found out the customer support guy is not B&W he’s a guy called Ken. Is he working out of a caravan off the M62?
That video looks like an infomercial ....dont really trust the sound opinion when i hear "they are thebbest i have ever heard." Also the bluetooth retransmission probably only work with B&W products.. While i can get a cheap aptx adapter for travel for 20 bucks that will work with any bluetooth Does it support Auracast... Volume control? Which aptx exactly is used with the retransmission..adaptive does not mean really anything for hires... I guess Bowers knows better Lets s not forget B&W lackluster support that might not have enough ressource for their firmware updates
@@MarkEllisReviews Sorry maybe the comment around 7:12 for the EQ like B&O knows better kind of annoyed because i got the Pi7 v1 shortly after relase and never got the EQ function or a firmware update after the first 30 days....also unbalanced battery drain is severe..if you always remove the same earbud first... So i dont really want to give them more money when i believe Fidelio T2 might still be better all around and even for sound . I have also found out after your video they completely redesign the app and removed some nice feature . Like which codec is playing. For example
You’re the ONLY person that thinks the Pi7 s2’s. EVERYONE else HATES the fit. Doesn’t stay in the ears. Hurts after awhile. Majority wins here so they change the design
The wired earbuds that came free with your old Samsung phone sounds better than these. Hook them up to a good dongle dac and they're on another level to these. Plus they'll last forever. These bluetooth junk are design to last no more than a year or two and the battery kraps out.
@@Ricer-b4n Dude... you gotta have tidal on the highest plan to make full use of wired earbuds ($20 per month). Also, the bit rate isn't everything, B&W uses high-quality materials and drivers using superior neodymium magnets compared to cheap plastic drivers using electromagnets which are weaker and produce less bass.Your also not gonna get any ANC or water resistance on those meaning versatility isn't even a thing for wired, so good luck using them in the rain or a noisy area, lol. Spotify, TH-cam Music, Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+ Instagram, Facebook, etc. will all sound far better on these wireless earbuds compared to wired, due to the forced compression for any audio output, including wired earbuds a majority of apps are never gonna be able to use the full potential of wired. I'm surprised you don't know this basic stuff already
Received my Pi8 after this review, im not impressed at all, bluetooth keeps cutting out, sound is very tinny, hate the bloody things, spoke to technical support, they said turn them off and on, ffs total shit.
These earbuds are terrible, they are well known for losing for losing bluetooth connection, I am a bit surprised Mark did not do a thorough review of these, if he did he would know connection of the Bluetooth when out and about is a horrible experience, i have tried two sets of these and both terrible, sent them back and got my money back thankfully, my advice do not buy, and in future take Mark's reviews with a pinch of salt as he obviously does not give products proper test.
You are making so many assumptions there, Stuart. This was a thorough test and I still use them to this day. I've not had a single issue with Blueooth. As with all of my reviews, I relay my exact experience with the product and the Pi8 have been faultless. It sounds like you may have been unlucky enough to receive faulty pairs (and I hope you report this back to Bowers & Wilkins so they can investigate), but do not question my integrity without having all the facts to hand.
@@MarkEllisReviews a fair enough reply from your point of you, I had these replaced and had the same issue, spoke to a relatively well known audio stockist with a deep knowledge of audio equipment and as well don’t sell them as they are known to have the said issue with Bluetooth connection issues, so I have tried my best with these, the PX8 headphones in the other hand are amazing no issues whatsoever, did you actually go outside and go for a long walk with the Pi8 as they are terrible.
Any reviewer not enraged or even mentioning the absolute disaster of control functions is either paid by bw or simply terrible. Since this guy is touting useless retransmit feature I'll say he's paid by bw.
If I was paid by Bowers & Wilkins I'd have to explicitly state that, or I'd be breaking all manner of laws in all sorts of countries. I genuinely don't know what you mean by "absolute disaster of control functions", mate. Can you elaborate?
Pi7 are horrible sounding (muddy and bloated and low volume). You are many levels away from understanding sound quality. Here are some of the best sounding two sets: Gemini 2, az80 (dynamic preset), status between 3anc (original between pro preset), oppo enco air 4 pro, etc
These earbuds are shit. Your paying a lot of money for no reason at all. Please check out other reviews on these earbuds as this guy is getting paid to promote a crab product
What are the best sounding earbuds you've ever used?
Beoplay EX. Have you ever tried them Mark?
Beoplay EX, they sound insanely good, surprises me every time I use them
Beoplay EX!
AKG N5005, on sale now for only $200. Get them quick before they run out. These use to be $1000 ear buds. They even come with a bluetooth adaptor to run in blue tooth mode. In that lossy mode, they still sound better than bang and olufson EX.
@@Ricer-b4n They've been on an 80% sale for a year, and it's $160 now. Still seems like a good deal other than the bad resale, which probably means it wasn't worth the price, though. But if B&O made $1k earbuds, it would easily surpass these
The audio quality on your reviews is FAR SUPERIOR to any other reviewer. THANK YOU
Appreciate that - thank you!
Bought mine yesterday, they sound really great, particularly with percussion and vocals, drums very weighty with good impact. Overall sound is well balanced, very full bodied, resolving and clear. Very easy to operate. The retransmission feature works very well without fuss. The buds are very comfortable.
I’ve been a Bose man for some years now and have always been really happy with there products and the customer service has been simply outstanding there very few times I’ve had to speak to them until I got there Bose QC earbuds and the connection issues! Which has lead me here😂
The Pi8 are top of my list to try followed by the technics az80 & BO EX my main concerns are az80 aren’t that loud and BO ANC isn’t that good apparently … the intended use will be for in the gym where the environment has loud music.
I know B&W and B&O all do the 30 day trial I can only assume if the product doesn’t meet expectations you can send them back?..
I got the P7I S2 with a very good deal last year, mainly because of the Bluetooth transmission through the case. It is very useful for flying, and it's great that they kept this functionality (I saw somewhere that Jabra has this now as well?) However, besides being used for flying, I hardly take them out; they sound okay - arguably a bit better than the AirPods Pro. However, they are not loud enough and always sound slightly muffled and held back. I hope this is no longer the case with the new model. Another detail... on one of the flights with an in-seat audio jack, the cable snapped at the 3.5 audio input. And after spending quite some time to find another 3.5 to USB-C cable, I quickly discovered these don't work, you need the Bowers and Wilkins cable. The customer service was fantastic, and when I explained, they quickly sent me a new cable that works like a charm (thanks again for the quick and excellent support. So be careful with the cable when travelling.
Yes Jara has this feature with their elite 10 gen 2 and elite 8 gen 2. Lg has had that feature on their buds for years also
Get your ears checked if you think PI7S2 are “arguably a bit better than” the AirPods lmao
Listening on Pi8's. They are insane. Weird soundstage that somehow works.
How do you rate the call quality on this? I’ve owned AirPods Pro 2 and the call quality was great on them considering the option to choose ‘Voice Isolation’ as part of the mic settings in iOS. Given I’m inclined to use this for calls as well, what’s your feedback on that front?
I had the Pi7s2 and it was hands down the best sounding earbuds but... that design with the sharp edge really hurt my ears like nothing else, to me it was a huge design flaw. This looks like they finally realize the problem and... Glad they kept the audio transmission : no idea why other companies dont implement it.
Cost and also for many it's really not that used a feature I suspect. It's quite a small user market that require.
Have you ever reviewed the Denon Perl Pro? Tried to find on your page but now sure I searched correctly. Would love your take on that one. Love the videos btw :)
I was just about to ask that...
Yo e visto 1 review k ponía mejor a los denon de echo a mi m yegan mañana y los compare con mis audio technica thw9 @@happyhunting1000
Great video! I consider myself a music and sound aficionado. I was disappointed by these buds and just returned them. I honestly felt the sound stage, quality and overall EQ ability of the new Bose QC's were far superior. I tested them side by side for over an hour and I was blown away by Bose and they are $180 less. I really wanted to like the B&Ws but I was not and am very surprised. I expect to be blown away by the B&Ws.
Really really love the idea of the Smart cases especially this one with high res. This means I can get high res out of my computer my phone and anything else I plug into regardless if it supports it or not
I’ve just ordered a Blue pair my first B&W earbuds and only had the PX8 just three weeks my first headphones from them too. I’m happy excellent review
greetings from Korea. it was beyond nice for me to embody abstract intuition upon Pi8. had been wandering amongst Noble Prestige & B&O ex plus this one. I confirmed my mind to trigger purchase for this newest shit.
Let us know if it’s better than B&O EX
Mark...i would first say... thank you so much... I can't believe how wrong i was about these. Your reivew made me go and order. But once i got it and heard the sound of these things... you were absolutely 💯 right about the greatest sound in bluetooth. Yes, i still believe more than 20 hours should have been given to us, but i just can't let go of how great of sound these things have.
Great to hear!
Interested to see how the pixel bud pro 2's compare to these... now they have 11mm drivers. Great video Mark. 👍
Me too. I have my set ordered. I'm curious how they'll compare to the Beoplay ex's
@@audioadhd b&o has better bass, more punch in the low ends...but, the pi8 has a clearer sound, better instruments separation and vocals sounds so nice !!!!! B&o fit is so terrible !!! Pi8 are my best sounding earbuds and i have a ton of earbuds (more than 100).
@@Patrickmathieu0482 thanks for the honest feedback. I can't get down yet with a $400 price tag, but I did snag a set of PerL Pro's and Momentum 4's to compare for the same price. We will see!
I've been wanting to try a b&w product for a while and I think I'll try these. I don't care at all about spatial audio in this type of product, most audiophiles don't, they are looking for a good stereo image.
Thank you for your videos, very useful and enjoyable,
if you can you review the Devialet Gemini II that would be very nice, it is almost at the same price point as the B&W, and i m curious to see how these two compares.
Thanks again
A.K
Had my Sony WX4000 stolen last month. Your review has convinced me to forgo the WX5000's and get the Pi8's. Good review. You have a new subscriber.
Welcome onboard - and enjoy!
I'm guessing your channel has been showing in my feed due to my interest in anything audio, particularly earbuds.
Your presentation style (and voice) is very similar to James May - I thought I was watching an old episode of Top Gear for a moment there.
Nice channel - new subscriber.
That's absolutely a compliment - thank you!
I love these headphones, I found that i changed the EQ and kept going back to default so I think B&W knows better than me what sounds best haha. Only wish would be that we could customize controls at little further, I would like to get volume & ANC control at the same time, I don't think we need both sides to be dedicated to Skip and Back track for double and triple tap. I'd like to see single be Pause/Play (and maybe just ANC control on one side), double tap to be forward and back on each earbud, triple to be ANC control and Siri and then hold as volume, that seems to be the best setup across the board. Besides that these are a homerun.
How do they work on running and working out, are wingtips included in the box? Thanks
The audio retransmission is an Bowers and Wilkins first but it was also added to a few LG earbuds in their Tone Free line which is a lot cheaper but its just sound isn't as good and Jabra with their Elite line added it to their Gen 2 models and Jabra right now is one of my favs as its the most best fitting and comfort with its design and even if Sound isn't as clear, its still good and now the plug-in case feature is a plus.
I just upgraded from the Pi7 S2, and they do sound better, my only gripe I have is that they get a lot of interference in crowded areas like a busy gym. I have a ZFold 6. I literally had go into developer mode and switch to codec AAC instead of Qualcomm Aptx Audio to get the min interference. I tested the sound quality between AAC and Aptx and I cant notice a difference in music streaming experience in my QOBUZ app. I don't know if its a Samsung issue or what not but It is not acceptable to get that kind of interference for a pair of $440 true wireless ear buds. I did not have an issue with my Pi7 S2. I mainly use them at the gym for a premium listening experience. I have the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro and I get zero interference, but to say they sound better than the Pi8 is a major understatement. I have a work iPhone I will try them out at the gym to check out the performance.
Great review. I adore the OG pi7's and the sound signature they offered. I am excited to hear what the pi8 can do with its further enhanchments and the EQ function. I wonder how close they can get to matching my IEM's, in terms of sound.
Watched the review bought them love them thank you 😊
Another good review..I see So is still the test bed.. good call.. question.. do these have multipoint?
They do indeed!
I’d be interested to see these compared with the Beoplay EX. They are the best wireless earbuds that I’ve ever heard.
I have the Beoplay Ex and the Bowers & Wilkins - Pi8, and yes the PI8 are hands down better in every way.
@@karlkeppler3786 could you give me a comparaison between both in term of sound ?
Yes, I went in to buy the Beoplay today but snatched these ones instead (didn't even know they where at the market). However, had great experience w Bowers and Wilkins before also.
@@williamjebril5552 how are they for the moment?
how's the sound compare to the TW4 ?
It would be interesting to hear them compared to B&O's Beoplay EX. I always find it difficult to choose between the two brands as they both, despite being substantially dissimilar, sound impressive each in its own way.
Mate you do a incredible review
Glad you think so!
Thank you very much for this outstanding review!
One question - how loud can they get, ie, max decibel output?
118.9db - Thats f'ing loud and (one of loudest on the market) well in to ear damaging territory
Thank you very much for the info!
I need these very very much!
Almost wish I hadn’t just bought the status 3ANC’s
Thanks Mark, after your review I quickly put on my PX8, with the expectation that B&W were finally going to update their app for these flagship cans with the new equalizer, but sadly NO! nothing for those who robbed their piggy bank :( in fact there has not been an update for over a year, very disappointed, won't be rushing out to buy the Pi8 as my Denon Pearl Pro are the GOAT.
Well my Pi7 S1 never got any firmware update except first days of release and i got mine during preorder.
No volume control and no EQ in the app
Hello! Thank you for the review. But what about the microphone transmission. Have you tested this?
How are these compared to Denon Perl Pro? I have the Denon. It's okay. But if these are better. Definitely will upgrade.
Hi' i think the Philips Fidelio T2 sounds better than the Pi7 and the Denon Perl Pro...
Could you plug a portable DAC in your iPhone and boost these by plugging the case into the DAC?
How do they compare to the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds and AirPods Pro 2?
Are you serious?!?! 😂 bose is like a peewee player in hockey league and the pi8 are a NHL player in an allstar team 😂... and the shitty airpods are .... hummm... nothing haha
@@Patrickmathieu0482So true!!! I would never put the AirPods in the same sentence with these😂
@@Patrickmathieu0482 nope.
@@rondelayo hahaha so true :)
You made me laugh 🤣
Argh. So tempted to try these after telling myself the AirPods Pro 2 are all I need. The thing that makes me love my AirPods is that they never, ever have any audio dropouts, whereas even the most premium of earbuds I‘ve owned before (Bowers and Wilkins and Bang and Olufsen) have done this to some degree. How were these in terms of stability?
Also, I’m getting a Pixel Pro XL - do the Pi8 have native Google Assistant functionality?
Hi Mark, can i ask if the Music App stilm does show the bluetooth codec and if you manage to use either aptx adaptive or lossless with the Pi8 (which smartphone did you use) ...because the older headphones app could show whicj codec was used.
That way i could know for sure when aptx adaptive or aptx-hd or just regular aptx was used..on the pi7 the case was only able to retransmit standard aptx via usb or apt low latency with the cable to stereo jack ...so no hires audio with the PI7 case.
Thank you :)
If you connect the case to your Mac using usb c does the mic work or is it audio streaming only?
Better than Sony XM5 In-Ear and why? Contemplating swap! Thanks
Gemini 2 review when?
Yeah when he tries the Gemini 2 that's when he'll over right whatever he thinks is the best sounding earbuds to be put in his ears. Coming from a guy who owned them. They were the best sounding earbuds I ever had the pleasurer of testing.
@@SplodgeCDR I already thought the Gemini 1 is amazing as hell. I can’t wait to get the Gemini 2
@@SplodgeCDR oh no guys !!! The pi8 are better sounding earbuds than the gemini 2. Devialet has connexion issues....AGAIN !!!
@Patrickmathieu0482 i went through three different devialet gemini 2 in one year, because they all had connection issues. They are My favorite sounding earbuds but giving up on them
How do these compare to the Beoplay EX. Better? Not Better? More or less equal to? I want to get some new earbuds and the Pi8 look promising. But if they don't supercede the beoplay ex I won't get them
You will have to test them yourself to make that decision. Audio is very personal.
I have the momentum 4s. Great sound. But a little problem with connection issue, that effect sound quality. I have an meze alba wired iems in order. The albas are said to be delivered late September. Wondering if i should sell my momentum 4s. Cancel the albas. And get the Bowers & Wilkins i8 instead 🤔 But them again, i also miss having some wired iems. Its something about that analog sound, and not having to deal with charging, and stuff. And i guess the albas will sound better than the Bowers
Shame no Spatial Audio . I would have defo got these .. I love the Spatial Audio , especially with movies
You have fantastic reviews ! But it’s time you reviewed B&O ex!!! Pls!!!! N
Does it sound better than Beoplay ex though?
Yes, I went in to buy the Beoplay today but snatched these ones instead (didn't even know they where at the market). However, had great experience w Bowers and Wilkins before also.
On the lookout for some new earbuds, Will see how these fair after a few months as B&W quality is questionable
I've currently got a pair of Denon PerL Pro and tbh I'm not impressed over my prev Senns TW3's. Not worried as it was an amazing Friday deal so were actually less than the Senn 4s, Sony x5's, Bose Ultra's etc. I think basically we are chasing our tails with VERY minute improvements between them all. At this premium price and no price drop atm the i8's simply aren't worth it for a 5% audio improvement. You want MUCH better sound get a set of say planar cans for less than the i8's and keep your current set.
Does the BW app work on two devices? I’ve noticed many buds with multi point still can only be recognized by one app install at a time. Which means you can’t access the EQ from more than one device even though it is paired for music playback to two devices
some posts mention the lack of pi7s2 strong bass in pi8, i was a pi7s2 user and i enjoy very much the bass, what is your opinion, is this pi7's secret bass weapon still exist in pi8?
Is it possible to change the volume directly on the earbuds or do we need to use the phone?
You can change what the side buttons do in the app to allow volume control but then you lose the noise cancelling options on the side buttons and then have to switch noise cancelling using the app
@@jonjones. Perfect thank you
Not out of the box but you can adjust this in the app to make this a feature on the buds
How about volume ceiling? Do you have to crank them up?
Can these be used as single buds too?
Better sound then the PX8??
Do they have the same sound signature as the PI7 S2? I have never heard earbuds with better stock tuning and sound quality than those
I’ve had 3 B&W standard headphones previously & all of them either fell apart or stopped working a few months after the guarantee expired so I’ve always been wary of B&W since as they may look good & sound good but the QA often doesn’t seem to be there. (First set i owned glue started leaking inside the foam in the ear pads & the pads themselves ended up so sticky they were almost glued to the headphones so couldn’t be taken off, the second set the right side totally stopped working & on the 3rd one of the earphones completely fell off the headband so it was just hanging by a wire from the headband!)
How will they sound with iPhone AAC Codec?
These sound amazing, the only downside is the touch controls are absolute garbage
Hey Mark…Can you please review the Marshall Major 5?
Hey how would you compare the sound to Bang&Olufsen EX ?
Never tried them!
@@MarkEllisReviewswhat a shame, they’re truly incredible sounding hence why so many people still use them.
I don’t love the Pi7s2. They’re decent, but I have better Bluetooth earphones. Will this be a lot better to worth the upgrade? The pi7s2 look great, but they’re very uncomfortable to wear, this look a lot better.
These are much better in every way, plus you can actually EQ these in the app, which you couldn't do with the Pi7 or Pi7 series 2.
Are these better than the B&O BEOPLAY EX?
That is my question as i’ve been using the B&O EX since release and i really like them.
Same question here. 😅
Came here to ask this
As far as B&W speakers go, I’ve always found them to be the 2nd best on the market in the price brackets I’ve auditioned.
I had the EX I wasn’t that impressed to be honest I returned them and got the Gemini 2 and they are in a different league best I ever heard.🔥🔥
Have you tested them on an iPhone, and compared the sound quality between AAC and AptX Loseless. Is there any noticeable difference in sound quality? And, genius with the case connected to a MB. Curious if you could do the same thing on an iPhone, and in that way get AptX Loseless on iPhone also :D
Jabra elite 10 gen 2 is couple bones cheaper and has the re-transmission feature.
Please answer how is the Base? Better then airpods or how deep?
$399US Ouch. Did you say they had multipoint? I didn’t hear that but to be fair I was looking these up for price.
Yes he did 😉 - 1:41
@@LindaLooUK thank you I was distracted
I have a question would thst feature with case work with a samsung phone since the phone doesnt support aptx adaptive ,so in theory can i plug the case to the phone i can use aptx adative for tidal 🤔
I don’t see why not providing the USB C can support USB C supports audio and not just charging
Can you connect the case to a chord mojo? Will it work?
You could using the supplied 3.5mm analogue to USB-C cable, not sure it would be beneficial though ?
But why ? A DAC outputs converted analogue to (say) speakers etc from a digital source. BT is a digital source so rather pointless. So no.
Another good review but really upset about these thumbnails.
Yo Flossy and everyone else in the Audio Community. I discovered a fatal flaw in the Pi8's. Mine were brand new yesterday from John Lewis cost £349.99 and I maxed out the EQ and Volume and played this track th-cam.com/video/FJxTm372gmQ/w-d-xo.htmlsi=r6q1Zrn0X3cKr1m9 by Mark Spence 2 The Floor. On the Right earbud was a crackling distortion where the driver could not handle it. I urge you to test this for yourself. You may want to return them. Think I will fall back to the Bose Ultra QCs after this. Pi8's are going back.
These or the az80 or momentum 4
Do they stay in your ears if you're moving about?
Are they better than airpods pro2?
Audio-wise, yes.
Have you try the devialet gemini 2?
Did you know that there is a gap in the microphone area of the earphones?
After a certain level you reach the law of diminishing returns. At $300 Technics EH-az80 do everything I require of true wireless earbuds: wide soundstage, crystal clear phonecard, good ANC and acceptable battery life. $400 for the pair that will do the same or marginally better is hard pass for me.
Crystal clear phonecalls.
Bowers wilkins pi7 s2 always sounded harsh to me, especially in the mid range.
And you still have to choose between controlling volume or anc / voice assistant.
Is it worth to sell my Technics EAH-AZ80E, Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 and Bose QuiteComfort Ultra Earbuds for £100 each to get these BW PI8 earbuds instead?
Go and test them out in a shop (or order online to test at home) and make that decision yourself. Only YOU can decide if they are worth it or not.
Please tell us what did you do
I had those white ear buds a couple years ago and they were so low on volume. I didn’t like them.
Better than Denon
It is a question ?
Says Tech review for normal people and reviews the most over expensive ear buds
Audio retransmission isn't unique, Jabra elite 10 Gen 2s do it
Cant even get them in Australia. What a disgrace of the sales department. They release something and when you want it I can't even get it unless I order from Germany
What are you on about? I literally walked into a store 30 minutes ago and bought a blue pair of pi8, no problems what-so-ever...They also had the black in stock...Maybe do a bit of research first.
LINK IS BROKE
NO IT ISN'T.
After using pi7/s2 the last 3 years i can say that the main thing with B&W is the indifference they shows to solve any issue comes up with new firmaware. Maybe it's the only company who doesn't care to release any new firmaware for better user experience. Imagine the tech ecosystems without updates and new firmwares.
Probably the fact they sold to a coldly indifferent umbrella company? In the U.K. I found out the customer support guy is not B&W he’s a guy called Ken. Is he working out of a caravan off the M62?
Denon perl pro
400 usd is ridiculously expensive 😂😂😂
Does it good for watching movies by using iPad pro13’’ !
What an absurd thumbnail. Good gravy...
Eh?
Yet your sound is really low?
Eh?
I do not like the way bowers and wilkins earbuds sound. I'd take denon, devialet Gemini II and beoplay ex.
That video looks like an infomercial ....dont really trust the sound opinion when i hear "they are thebbest i have ever heard."
Also the bluetooth retransmission probably only work with B&W products..
While i can get a cheap aptx adapter for travel for 20 bucks that will work with any bluetooth
Does it support Auracast...
Volume control?
Which aptx exactly is used with the retransmission..adaptive does not mean really anything for hires...
I guess Bowers knows better
Lets s not forget B&W lackluster support that might not have enough ressource for their firmware updates
It sounds like an infomercial because I really like them?
@@MarkEllisReviews Sorry maybe the comment around 7:12 for the EQ like B&O knows better kind of annoyed because i got the Pi7 v1 shortly after relase and never got the EQ function or a firmware update after the first 30 days....also unbalanced battery drain is severe..if you always remove the same earbud first...
So i dont really want to give them more money when i believe Fidelio T2 might still be better all around and even for sound .
I have also found out after your video they completely redesign the app and removed some nice feature . Like which codec is playing. For example
Ok - and all of those are your opinions and experiences with the product. I'm just giving mine. Please don't be so cynical.
@@MarkEllisReviews ok fair enough. I was a bit out of line.Wish you well
You’re the ONLY person that thinks the Pi7 s2’s. EVERYONE else HATES the fit. Doesn’t stay in the ears. Hurts after awhile. Majority wins here so they change the design
Ooh, now I feel very special.
The wired earbuds that came free with your old Samsung phone sounds better than these. Hook them up to a good dongle dac and they're on another level to these. Plus they'll last forever. These bluetooth junk are design to last no more than a year or two and the battery kraps out.
@@Ricer-b4n Dude... you gotta have tidal on the highest plan to make full use of wired earbuds ($20 per month). Also, the bit rate isn't everything, B&W uses high-quality materials and drivers using superior neodymium magnets compared to cheap plastic drivers using electromagnets which are weaker and produce less bass.Your also not gonna get any ANC or water resistance on those meaning versatility isn't even a thing for wired, so good luck using them in the rain or a noisy area, lol. Spotify, TH-cam Music, Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+ Instagram, Facebook, etc. will all sound far better on these wireless earbuds compared to wired, due to the forced compression for any audio output, including wired earbuds a majority of apps are never gonna be able to use the full potential of wired. I'm surprised you don't know this basic stuff already
Received my Pi8 after this review, im not impressed at all, bluetooth keeps cutting out, sound is very tinny, hate the bloody things, spoke to technical support, they said turn them off and on, ffs total shit.
Sounds like you might have a faulty pair, mate - the sound simply isn't 'tinny'.
These earbuds are terrible, they are well known for losing for losing bluetooth connection, I am a bit surprised Mark did not do a thorough review of these, if he did he would know connection of the Bluetooth when out and about is a horrible experience, i have tried two sets of these and both terrible, sent them back and got my money back thankfully, my advice do not buy, and in future take Mark's reviews with a pinch of salt as he obviously does not give products proper test.
You are making so many assumptions there, Stuart. This was a thorough test and I still use them to this day. I've not had a single issue with Blueooth. As with all of my reviews, I relay my exact experience with the product and the Pi8 have been faultless.
It sounds like you may have been unlucky enough to receive faulty pairs (and I hope you report this back to Bowers & Wilkins so they can investigate), but do not question my integrity without having all the facts to hand.
@@MarkEllisReviews a fair enough reply from your point of you, I had these replaced and had the same issue, spoke to a relatively well known audio stockist with a deep knowledge of audio equipment and as well don’t sell them as they are known to have the said issue with Bluetooth connection issues, so I have tried my best with these, the PX8 headphones in the other hand are amazing no issues whatsoever, did you actually go outside and go for a long walk with the Pi8 as they are terrible.
Any reviewer not enraged or even mentioning the absolute disaster of control functions is either paid by bw or simply terrible.
Since this guy is touting useless retransmit feature I'll say he's paid by bw.
If I was paid by Bowers & Wilkins I'd have to explicitly state that, or I'd be breaking all manner of laws in all sorts of countries. I genuinely don't know what you mean by "absolute disaster of control functions", mate. Can you elaborate?
Pi7 are horrible sounding (muddy and bloated and low volume). You are many levels away from understanding sound quality. Here are some of the best sounding two sets:
Gemini 2, az80 (dynamic preset), status between 3anc (original between pro preset), oppo enco air 4 pro, etc
These earbuds are shit. Your paying a lot of money for no reason at all. Please check out other reviews on these earbuds as this guy is getting paid to promote a crab product
All the reviews I've seen give them a high rating.
All reviewers rate them very highly. But whether they are worth the premium price is a personal thing.