British audio icon, Bowers & Wilkins (B&W), has all the time had its rabid lovers, particularly on the earth of loudspeakers, the place its combo of sound high quality and design has earned it numerous admiration. Then again, I’ve by no means felt that the corporate’s wi-fi noise-canceling headphones fairly reside as much as this sterling popularity — till now.
Bowers & Wilkins headphones have historically been dearer than their opponents, even because the sound and contours lagged at the back of. I used to be anticipating the similar from the logo’s newest effort, the Px7 S3 over-ear headphones.
However moments after popping them on my head, I used to be in a position to modify my song. And now not most effective do they sound nice, however they are a major improve over the all-plastic design of the Sony XM6 headphones.
So, let’s dive into my complete Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 headphones assessment.
The brand new B&W Px7 S3 Headphones: Simply the specifications
Let’s get started with the fundamentals:
Microphones: 8
Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.3 (aptX Adaptive/Lossless reinforce)
Battery: 30 hours with ANC
Fee time: ~3.5 hours
Noise cancellation: Energetic noise cancellation
Spatial audio: Deliberate (destiny tool replace required)
Colours: Anthracite Black, Canvas White, and Indigo Blue
Inputs: USB-C
Fast price: 7 hours in quarter-hour
Fabrics: Material, aluminum, and artificial leather-based
Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 assessment: What’s new?
Credit score: Simon Cohen / Mashable
The Px7 S3 has plenty of updates from the S2 and S2e, together with a sleeker, lower-profile form, a redesigned headscarf, repositioned controls, reinforce for aptX Adaptive and aptX Lossless formats, extra microphones, progressed ANC and transparency, and revised driving force design.
B&W has additionally made a couple of adjustments in its Bowers & Wilkins Track spouse app, like the supply of a five-band equalizer.
The corporate plans to factor a destiny tool replace to permit spatial audio. This has turn out to be an ordinary function in different flagship headphones, so it is disappointing to not in finding it right here, particularly since they have got the similar worth as the brand new Sony XM6 noise-cancelling headphones.
What’s now not new?
Battery existence stays unchanged at 30 hours (plus a 7-hour brief price after quarter-hour), it nonetheless comes with a zippered (despite the fact that quite slimmer) laborious case and a USB-C and three.5mm analog cable. Lossless, hi-res audio at as much as 24-bit/96kHz is supported by the use of the USB-C cable.
Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 assessment: I like the design
Credit score: Simon Cohen / Mashable
Appears are (clearly) subjective, however I feel the Px7 S3 are in a category through themselves.
The mix of fabrics (cloth, aluminum, and artificial leather-based) and B&W’s graceful, understated styling makes those cans a pleasure to behold and a excitement to put on. In comparison to the all-plastic development of Sony’s 1000X collection or the enormous aluminum shells of Apple’s AirPods Max or Dyson OnTrac, the Px7 S3 are the uncommon headphones that glance as excellent for your head as sitting for your table.
Don’t just like the Anthracite Black colour pictured right here? They’re additionally to be had in Indigo Blue and Canvas White.
For the Px7 S3, B&W has higher the width of the headscarf from the Px7 S2, and the earcushions are extra generously padded. This takes an already relaxed design and makes it even higher for long-term use.
The one-sided yokes at the moment are extra rounded, but they nonetheless can help you place the earcups up or down when worn across the neck.
My most effective nitpick: the incorporated USB-C cable is simply too thick and rigid for use with ease when being attentive to USB Audio (extra on that function in a second).
Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 assessment: Controls
Credit score: Simon Cohen / Mashable
Prepared-eyed observers will notice that the keep watch over buttons now take a seat at the beveled outer fringe of the earcups, as an alternative of at the flat rear edge. To start with, I used to be involved that this might lead them to more difficult to make use of, however in many ways, they’re now more uncomplicated to succeed in — I don’t thoughts it in any respect.
Unusually, B&W has made the amount buttons greater and the multifunction button smaller than at the Px7 S2. Perhaps it’s simply me — I generally tend to play/pause and skip tracks greater than I alter quantity — however I’d want they have got the other proportions.
The ANC button, positioned at the left earcup, supplies just about rapid mode adjustments, however for the lifetime of me, I nonetheless don’t know why B&W insists on forcing us to cycle via all 3 (ANC > Transparency > Off), as an alternative of letting us skip the Off mode solely.
Any other head-scratcher: You’ll be able to keep watch over ANC with this button, or summon your voice assistant, however you’ll be able to’t have each.
One among my favourite options of the S2 is the wear and tear sensors, and fortunately, they’re simply as excellent at the S3. Putting off both earcup — even just a bit techniques — immediately pauses your tunes, whilst changing them resumes playback simply as briefly.
Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3: Noise canceling and transparency
The Px7 S3 have a bigger array of mics than their predecessors — 8 vs. six — which will have to, in concept, assist to strengthen lively noise cancellation (ANC) and transparency mode. ANC is certainly higher, despite the fact that most effective relatively so.
It will probably cut back essentially the most tense background sounds, however you’ll nonetheless recuperate ANC effects from the Bose QuietComfort Extremely Headphones and the Sony WH-1000XM6, in particular when flying or whilst looking to close out droning equipment sounds. Transparency mode at the Px7 S3, then again, is a vital step up from the S2 style. You understand it instantly, due to the readability of your voice.
It’s nonetheless now not as mesmerizingly highest as Apple’s AirPods Max, however in truth, it’s greater than excellent sufficient for telephone calls and informal conversations.
Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 assessment: Spectacular sound high quality
Credit score: Simon Cohen / Mashable
On B&W’s spec sheet for the Px7 S3, it lists “40mm bio-cellulose drivers” — the similar description used for the Px7 S2. However that is an oversimplification. Actually, the S3’s drivers use a redesigned and progressed chassis, voice coil, suspension, and magnet, and so they make an enormous distinction to the sound.
Readability, definition, soundstage, and precision are all enhanced. Those are the primary Bowers & Wilkins Px7 collection headphones that after all sound as excellent as they appear.
I may spend numerous time encouraging you to profit from the S3’s aptX Adaptive and aptX Lossless formats on a suitable telephone. And, you will have to completely use their hi-res, USB audio connection when a cord received’t get for your method (a function you received’t in finding on Bose or Sony’s flagships).
However frankly, you’ll be able to listen and recognize the S3’s progressed audio high quality even over an ordinary SBC or AAC Bluetooth connection (excellent information for iPhone house owners). Environment apart all the S3’s different enhancements, I’d luckily pay the additional $50 over the cost of the S2 only for the sound.
Credit score: Simon Cohen / Mashable
B&W’s superb manufacturing facility tuning, with its cautious steadiness of frequencies, is referred to now as True Sound; that is the EQ atmosphere you get through default within the Bowers & Wilkins Track app. What’s new is the facility to fine-tune this steadiness the use of a five-band equalizer, as an alternative of the simplified bass and treble sliders the app presentations to S2 house owners.
After attempting a couple of changes, then again, I returned to the True Sound atmosphere and not appeared again. To my ear, it’s almost about highest.
Bass has quite a lot of authority with out ever getting boomy or overbearing, and the mids are transparent and distinct. Interestingly, within the upper-mids and highs, the S3 are one thing of a go back to shape. I famous in my Px7 S2 assessment that the PX7’s high-energy sound signature have been taken down a notch or two. For the S3, B&W turns out to have cut up the variation, and it’s a steadiness that I feel numerous other folks will like. It’s very with reference to Sony’s tuning at the WH-1000XM6.
Name high quality
The ones additional mics assist the S3 succeed in higher name high quality than its predecessor. The most important distinction is the selection of instances your callers will listen background sounds — they’re virtually solely eliminated. Once they’re in particular loud, the set of rules nonetheless struggles to stay your voice from being distorted, however more often than not, they’ll do not know you’re now not at your table.
Transparency mode is highest for decreasing the fatigue related to having your voice muffled through the earcups.
Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 assessment: Battery existence
Credit score: Simon Cohen / Mashable
It’s B&W’s trust that almost all other folks will all the time stay ANC on whilst the use of the Px7 S3. As such, it most effective quotes one quantity for battery existence: 30 hours. That are supposed to be greater than sufficient to get you via even the longest flight, however remember that if you happen to concentrate louder than 50% quantity, or if you happen to’re in an extremely noisy setting, that quantity will likely be decrease — most likely up to 15-20% decrease.
It’s additionally price noting that once the corporate releases its spatial audio improve, it’s a excellent wager that this may occasionally additionally have an effect on battery existence. On Bose’s QuietComfort Extremely Headphones, as an example, the Immersive Audio function can cut back playtime through as much as 25%.
When you’re frightened about stamina, you’ll be able to all the time disable ANC, and if that’s nonetheless now not sufficient, the Px7 S3 have an overly spectacular quick-charge time of an additional 7 hours for simply quarter-hour of charging.
Another (lacking) function
It’s transparent that B&W has attempted to future-proof the Px7 S3 through together with each hi-res audio (by the use of aptX Adaptive and USB Audio) and the potential of spatial audio down the street. Which is why I’m just a little baffled through the loss of reinforce for Bluetooth LE Audio and Auracast.
Auracast, which shall we suitable wi-fi headphones song in to publicly to be had Bluetooth publicizes, has simply began making its method into our lives. However it’ll quickly be ubiquitous in puts like airports, museums, film theaters, gyms, sports activities arenas, or even at house by the use of our TVs.
Credit score: Simon Cohen / Mashable
Sennheiser, Sony, JBL, and others have already jumped at the Auracast bandwagon with their newest flagship headphones, making this a neglected alternative for B&W to stay the Px7 S3 as a number one possibility within the coming years.
Are the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 price it?
B&W headphones are in most cases dearer than the contest, however that is not the case. As Mashable’s tech editor famous in his Sony XM6 assessment, $449 is the brand new usual worth of admission for top class headphones.
So, are they price $449? I say sure, particularly if you happen to care about design. The Sony XM6 headphones could have benefits like awesome ANC and spatial audio, however in addition they have an all-plastic development, while the slick-looking Px7 S3 are constituted of cloth, aluminum, and artificial leather-based. With killer sound and a groovy aesthetic, they are a forged contender in an overly aggressive marketplace.
