Latest news with #Px7
Engadget
28-07-2025
- Engadget
Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 review: A sonic powerhouse only slightly improved
When it comes to audio performance, Bowers & Wilkins is on a hot streak. The company manages to consistently offer balanced and detailed sound across its line of headphones and earbuds. The Px7 and Px8 lines have been mainstays on our best headphones list for a while now, primarily for their outstanding audio quality. With the Px7 S3 ($449), the company updated a previous model with changes to its sound platform and some subtle design tweaks. And that combination continues an upward trajectory that shows no signs of slowing down. Bowers & Wilkins continues its run of making devices with exceptional sound quality, but it's time to switch up the formula in terms of design and features. $449 at Macy's Explore More Buying Options $449 at Amazon$450 at Verizon Bowers & Wilkins has been crafting a superb mix of sound and design for a while now. That run of form continues on the Px7 S3 with an audio platform that's powered by 40mm bio cellulose drivers, discrete headphone amplifiers and a 24-bit audio connection. There's also support for the full suite of aptX codecs (Lossless, Adaptive, HD and Classic) as well as TrueSound mode. That latter item is a dedicated audio profile that the company says 'allows you to hear music and movies with the striking accuracy and realism of the original recording, with nothing added and nothing taken away.' All of that combines for some truly stellar audio performance on the Px7 S3. The sound is crisp and detailed, even offering nuance to more bass-heavy and chaotic genres. I heard some particular elements in the percussion on Turnstile's 'DULL' that I hadn't noticed before on other headphones or earbuds. You can also hear the band's use of guitar effects to a greater degree on this model (hello reverb and chorus). Plus, even at their most raucous, tracks have nice separation so that all of the instruments gain an airy, atmospheric quality rather than sounding compressed. I honestly couldn't tell much of a difference between the stock tuning and the TrueSound mode. I think that's a testament to the device's sonic prowess out of the box. But, if you find that you do need to make a change, there's a full 5-band EQ available for that. Billy Steele for Engadget Bowers & Wilkins says it 'greatly upgraded' its active noise cancellation (ANC) setup on the Px7 S3. It added two more microphones on this model, so there are now eight total units with an even split on each ear cup. ANC has always been… fine on the company's headphones, but it never came close to the supreme world-blocking capabilities of Bose or Sony . Here, there is noticeable improvement, but TV sounds, human voices and constant noise from planes, fans and sound machines still cut through. Other improvements on the Px7 S3 include slight changes to the design of the headphones. Bowers & Wilkins slimmed down the ear cups and refined the headband, and these two updates offer a sleeker silhouette and improve overall comfort. There's still the mix of metal, leather and textured fabric from the Px7 S2 and Px7 S2e, with the only obvious aesthetic change being a new ridged ring around the earcups. There's no doubt the company has created a sophisticated look, but it would be nice to see some bigger design changes now that three consecutive models have looked nearly identical. Bowers & Wilkins claims you'll get 30 hours of battery life on a charge with the Px7 S3. As it has in the past, the company doesn't specify if this is with ANC on or off. The company has a habit of understating its runtime stats though, and the Px7 S3 continues that trend. After 15 hours of what I'd consider 'normal' use — mostly with ANC active, but several times with ambient sound on for calls — I had over 60 percent left in the tank. Better-than-stated battery life is never a bad thing, so just know you'll probably outlast the company's numbers in that regard. Billy Steele for Engadget The first strike against the Px7 S3 is its price. At $449, this model is $50 more than its predecessors in the Px7 line. Sure, everything is more expensive these days with the constant churn that is tariffs and other financial uncertainties, but it's still worth considering that Bowers & Wilkins is asking you to pay more for its upgrades this time around. The next issue I have with the Px7 S3 is the location of its controls. On the Px7 S2e, the buttons were on the edge of the ear cups — a positioning that's common among the competition. For this model though, Bowers & Wilkins moved the controls to the edge of the smaller panels where the headband connects to the ear cups. As such, the ledge or lip there is skinnier, so the buttons are more cumbersome to find with your thumb. This may seem like nitpicking, but it's a change that impacted the overall experience for me as someone who is constantly testing headphones. Bowers & Wilkins typically focuses on the basics when it comes to its headphones. This means you'll get excellent sound quality, capable ANC and some audio customizability, but that's about it. The same holds true for the Px7 S3, as you won't find any advanced features here that companies like Sony and others may tack on for your convenience. There's no automatic pausing when you start to speak or sound profiles that can be set to change based on location. It also lacks voice detection for your phone's assistant and doesn't offer advertised support for spatial audio. While any number of these could help soften the blow of that $449 price tag, I'd argue the sound is so good you'll likely be satisfied despite the limited set of features. Bowers & Wilkins has been taking an 'if it ain't broke, slightly tweak it' approach to its Px7 line for a while now, but the S3 version is a more robust upgrade than the previous release. However, the company's updates are mostly on the inside, with further enhancements to an already stellar sound profile and slight ANC improvements. There are some changes on the outside too, but I'd like to see the company make some bigger strides there the next time it sees fit to 'slightly tweak' this model. The company's spelled-out branding adorns the outside of both ear cups.
Daily Mirror
24-04-2025
- Business
- Daily Mirror
New Bowers & Wilkins Px7 wireless headphones confirmed and they sound impressive
Bowers & Wilkins are back with an update to its popular Px7 headphones. The British audio experts at Bowers and Wilkins are releasing posh new cans. The popular Px7 wireless headphones were already regarded as some of the best wireless music makers in the business, and now they are getting even better. The all-new Px7 S3 go on sale today and come packed with upgrades aimed at making them sound better, last longer and feel more comfortable once placed on your head. Thanks to all of the changes, Bowers & Wilkins is boasting that these are now its most advanced wireless headphones yet. So what do you get for your money? Firstly, the design has been refined to help improve the feel and usability of these headphones. They now feature a slimmer form than previous models plus you get a new headband and redesigned arm mechanism that ensures the headphones fit even closer to your head. There's even more luxurious earpads with improved memory foam for ultimate comfort. Of course, these are headphones so the way they sound is hugely important - Bowers & Wilkins reckons it has that covered as well thanks to new 40mm biocellulose drive units which feature a redesigned and improved chassis, voice coil, suspension, and magnet. Almost everything has been built from scratch for the new Px7 S3 and there's almost nothing copied over from the previous devices. For the first time in a Bowers & Wilkins over-ear headphone, these high-resolution drive units are also powered by a dedicated, discrete headphone amplifier. This provides notably more scale and energy to the sound. They are fully compatible with technology such as aptX Adaptive 24/96 wireless technology and the latest Qualcomm innovation, aptX Lossless. For those not in the know, both of these technologies can automatically optimise wireless music transmission from compatible phones, tablets and computers, ensuring the best possible sound quality with high-resolution music streaming services such as Qobuz and TIDAL, both available to stream directly from the Music app. Another first for Bowers & Wilkins headphone, is that the Px7 S3 will also offer support for spatial audio which makes the sound appear as if its hitting your ears from all directions. To boost the experience further and make sure you hear the music and nothing else, there's also impressive Active Noise Cancelling (ANC), which can be switched on or off via a simple tap on the touch controls. You'll get 30 hours of battery life, fast charging, a tough carry case and the ability to adjust the sound to suit your tastes via an app. You can grab the Px7 S3 from today in three colours - Anthracite Black, Indigo Blue and Canvas White - for £399. Speaking about the the launch, Giles Pocock, VP of Brand Marketing, said: 'It's been an extraordinary challenge for Bowers & Wilkins to develop new headphones able to exceed the exceptional performance and critical acclaim given to our current range. "I'm thrilled that with the new Px7 S3, the team has not only risen to that challenge but has managed to set a new benchmark for excellence in the headphone category. I can't wait to hear how they are received by our fans around the world.'
