Bowers & Wilkins Pi8

What do the words ‘Bowers and Wilkins’ make you think of? For me, they mean (among other things) ‘superb passive loudspeakers’, ‘excellent over-ear headphones’ and, to be absolutely frank, ‘inelegant true wireless in-ear headphones’. And I don’t think I’m the only one.

But it looks as though it’s time to recalibrate some of these subconscious prejudices. Bowers & Wilkins has a new, two-strong range of true wireless in-ear headphones - and the word ‘inelegant’ does not apply, not even a little bit. 

This Pi8 is the more expensive of the two models - which means, by extension, that this is one of the most expensive pairs of true wireless in-ears you can buy that aren’t covered in Swarovski crystals. So, while Bowers & Wilkins has made undeniable strides where appearance is involved, it still needs to knock it out of the park where ergonomics, functionality, operability and, most important of all, sound quality are concerned if it’s going to justify this lofty asking price…   

The way the Pi8 is specified is a great start, mind you. Bluetooth 5.4 wireless connectivity is currently top of the shop, as is compatibility with aptX Adaptive and aptX Lossless codecs. If you’ve an appropriate source player, then, you can stream at a lossy 24bit/96kHz and a lossless, CD quality, 16bit/44.1kHz - which, as it stands, is as good as Bluetooth streaming gets. Multipoint connectivity is a big plus, too.

Incoming digital audio information is handled by DAC, DSP and amplification hardware sourced from distinguished specialist ADI, and is then served to the wearer’s ears by a couple of 12mm full-range Carbon Cone drivers derived from those originally designed for the company’s Px8 over-ear headphones. And the Pi8 can do this for a respectable amount of time between charges, too: keep the hybrid active noise-cancellation switched on and the earbuds will run for around 6.5 hours. There’s another couple of charges in the case, so you should be able to enjoy 20 hours or so before a mains-power top-up is required. The charging case itself has a USB-C slot for charging, and is also compatible with Qi-certified wireless chargers.

And as with some previous Bowers & Wilkins true wireless designs, the charging case here can retransmit audio. So, if you connect the case to, say, the in-flight entertainment system using the 3.5mm/USB-C cable supplied in the packaging (there’s also a USB-C / USB-C alternative), the case will wirelessly stream the content, at aptX Adaptive standard, to the earbuds. That means you can use your Pi8 wirelessly even if you’re listening to a source that must be wired to. Hands up anyone who thinks this is not a neat trick.

Add in an IP54 rating for the earbuds, suggesting the Pi8 will be able to survive in any realistic environment, and there’s very little to complain about so far…  

Sound quality

There’s plenty to enjoy - admire, even - about the way the Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 performs. But what’s most immediately striking, to me at least, is just how unconcerned they are about the digital audio file type and size you serve them. During the course of this test I listen to everything from 247kbps MP3 files to 24bit/192kHz FLAC files (all via the aptX Adaptive codec) and the Pi8s are supremely non-judgemental. Does the big FLAC file sound better than the MP3? Of course it does. Is the MP3 file unlistenable by comparison? Not in the slightest.

At every turn, and in every circumstance, the Pi8 provides a deft and confident listen. Detail is high across the board, both where the broad strokes and the tiny, transient harmonic variations are concerned. Stereo separation is impressive (as it really should be when you have one speaker in each ear), as is stereo focus (a far less common occurrence in a product such as this). And the tonality on offer here is really beautifully judged - it’s neutral and natural, completely true to the recording and utterly convincing as a result.

Low frequency information is deep and textured, notably varied and nicely controlled at both the attack and decay of sounds. This straight-edged attitude towards the onset of bass notes or hits underpins recordings sturdily, and means rhythmic expression is always persuasive - punch and drive is available in generous quantities, but bass information always stays strictly in its lane.  

The opposite end of the frequency range is similarly informative, similarly varied and similarly controlled - there’s ample bite and shine to treble sounds, but there’s plenty of substance to go along with it. Momentum at the top end is palpable, and the balance the Pi8 strikes between ‘decorum’ and ‘attack’ is expertly judged.

In between, the midrange communicates in absolute spades. Vocalists of all types, of all techniques and attitudes, have their intention and character made absolutely plain - the eloquence of the midrange reproduction is such that a singer’s motivations are absolutely obvious. The generous nature of the soundstage the Pi8s create means there’s always at least a small pocket of space in which a vocalist can operate - but it’s never at the expense of the unity or togetherness of the presentation, which is rock-solid.

Integration of the frequency range is smooth in the manner of marble, and no area is over- or understated. There’s a sense of ‘performance’ to the way the Bowers & Wilkins present recordings of any type, and a three-dimensionality that makes even the most crowded and/or complex recording easy to follow and understand. And they’re just as capable where the broad dynamics of ‘quiet/LOUD’ are concerned as they are the minor dynamic variations apparent in a solo instrument or unaccompanied voice. 

All of the above assumes you’re listening at a volume level that sits somewhere between ‘low’ and ‘quite high’. Nudge above ‘quite high’ and just a little of that three-dimensionality deserts the Pi8 - the soundstage loses some depth as every element of a recording tries to muscle its way to the front. It’s hardly a fatal flaw, and you shouldn’t really be listening at reckless volume levels anyway - but it’s worth noting if you’re one of those people who takes no notice of their otolaryngologist.

The Pi8s are equally adept when it comes to telephony. Call quality is strong - there’s minimal disruption from noise at the wearer’s end, and intelligibility is good. Mic-clipping is basically non-existent, and artefacts are notable only by their absence. 

About the only area of performance where the Pi8 underwhelms relative to its asking price is noise-cancellation. There’s no shame in being in the ‘not as good as Bose’ camp, of course - pretty much every manufacturer is. But the hybrid system Bowers & Wilkins has gone with here isn’t as effective as it might be, especially where low-frequency sounds are concerned. That these earbuds can eradicate a great deal of external distraction isn’t up for question - but you can get ANC that’s just as worthwhile for quite a lot less money.       

Living with

One look at the images accompanying this review lets you know that Bowers & Wilkins has sorted its life out when it comes to the design of its latest true wireless in-ear headphones. Gone is the bulky, multi-tiered look of old, replaced by a sleek, understatedly sophisticated look that catches the eye for all the right reasons. No matter if you choose ‘anthracite’ black, ‘dove’ white, ‘jade’ green (as in our picture) or ‘midnight’ blue, the earbuds and the smoothly contoured charging case they live in look and feel like premium items. Which is just as well, given the asking price.

The earbuds weigh an above-average 7g each - but they’re so thoughtfully shaped, and are supplied with such an extensive array of differently sized silicone eartips, that they remain comfortable for even very long listening sessions. And the charging case is a slim 52 x 65 x 29mm (HxWxD) and light 46g - eminently pocketable, in other words. 

Each earbud has a capacitive touch surface where the ‘Bowers & Wilkins’ branding is rendered in tiny lettering, from where controlling playback and telephony is simple. The Pi8s are compatible with your player’s native voice-assistant too (there are three mics in each earbud taking care of this, telephony and active noise-cancellation), and interactions are as swift and reliable as can be. 

‘Made for iPhone’ support is available right now, and Google FastPair support is imminent. And living with the Pi8 is made even more straightforward and enjoyable by the Bowers & Wilkins ‘Music’ control app that’s free for iOS and Android. It’s got all the playback control you might require, allows you to switch ANC on or off (or select ‘pass-through’), and will integrate your favourite music streaming service(s) (provided they’re Deezer, NTS, Qobuz, Soundcloud, TIDAL and/or TuneIn). It also features a five-band EQ adjuster that allows you to fiddle around the edges of the sonic signature, as well as a bypass called ‘True Sound’ if you trust Bowers & Wilkins to have voiced the Pi8 correctly in the first place. The app is good-looking by prevailing standards, as stable as these things ever get, and simplicity itself to use.    

Conclusion

The price of the Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 lets you know the company is either very confident or very optimistic - happily, almost every aspect of their performance lets you know that confidence is entirely warranted. Unless you’re after ANC that offers a complete cloak of silence, there’s really no reason not to give the Pi8 very careful consideration.

Listening notes

ABBA Does Your Mother Know?

The subject matter might be a bit ‘Operation Yewtree’ but this is a juggernaut of pop music nevertheless - and the Pi8s have the soundstaging, the attention to detail and the powers of organisation to give it full expression.

Anastasia Coope He is On His Way Home, We Don’t Live Together

Voices piled up on top of each other like some kind of aural wedding cake present a stern examination of the Bowers & Wilkins’ ability to focus, separate and unify in the midrange. The chaotic percussion and rudimentary piano don’t faze these earbuds, either.

James Holden Contains Multitudes

Persistent, angsty and frenetic, this recording is a fearsome test of transient response, tonal fidelity and rhythmic expression - and that’s just for starters. The Pi8 keep it all under control without subduing any of its giddily hectic attack. 

You want one of the best-sounding, best-looking true wireless in-ear headphones on the market and have the budget to buy them. Ergonomics, functionality, operability and, most important of all, sound quality are all right up there.

Ideally you want a source player that’s capable of delivering an aptX Lossless Bluetooth stream - which basically means one of many Asus models or one of a few Sony options. Assuming you want it as a smartphone too, I’d suggest the Sony Xperia 1 V - not only does it sound great but it’s got a good camera and is a half-decent phone as well.