ZDNET’s key takeaways
- The Bowers and Wilkins Pi8 earbuds are available now for $400, and are designed for audiophiles who want high-quality sound in an earbud.
- The sound is crisp and immersive, the noise cancellation works well, and the earbuds stayed in my ears without any adjustments, even during sweaty runs.
- I’d like to see the battery life and connectivity be improved.
Whenever a pair of earbuds cost the same as a cross-country flight, I can’t help but raise my eyebrows. At $400, this is precisely what happened when I first popped in the new Pi8 earbuds<!–> from Bowers and Wilkins. After a few weeks of listening, however, my eyebrows have returned to normal, and I’m convinced that the Pi8 buds are worth it, with a few caveats.
From their sleek build to their sturdy case, these earbuds scream luxury. The four colorways (Anthracite Black, Dove White, Jade Green, and Midnight Blue) feature gold detailing and are simultaneously retro and modern.
These are earbuds made for jet setters and travel mavens, which is why they come with a headphone adapter for watching movies on flights without sacrificing audio quality in the process.
Also: I tested JBL’s newest earbuds, and their best feature is also the most understated
In fact, listening to anything with these earbuds is a pleasure thanks to the earbuds’ adaptive and lossless audio. The result is an earbud that prioritizes booming bass and delivers flourishing sound.
The intricacies of any song, like the synthy bass and the crooning vocals of Uncatena by Sylvan Esso or the flickers and beats of Billions by Caroline Polachek, come through clear and crisp with these earbuds. Plus, the Pi8 offers a wide soundstage, even at mid to low volumes, making for an immersive experience.
While toggling between noise-canceling modes on the subway – the ultimate noise cancellation testing ground – I found myself surprised by its solid noise-canceling capabilities. They block out most distractions, but could be a tad stronger.
For example, even in the office, I could still hear laughs and bits of conversations through the earbuds. They don’t completely cancel noise like the $300 Bose QuietComfort Ultra earbuds, a crown jewel pair of earbuds, but then again, many people don’t want to be completely removed out of their environment. These earbuds work well as a middle ground.
Also: These transparent earbuds by Nothing made my AirPods look and sound boring
During my testing of these earbuds, I took them out on a sweaty run where I had strapped wrist weights to my arms, preventing me from being able to raise them to make adjustments. Thankfully, however, I didn’t have to do this even once – something that I can’t say for 90% of the earbuds I’ve tried. Their secret? They have a tactile little wing that attaches easily to your ear, securing the bud in place. This design choice alone left me thoroughly impressed.
–>
The touch controls on the buds are not finicky whatsoever. They respond quickly to your commands and make a pleasing click once an action has been activated. While we’re on the topic of small-but-thoughtful details that sweeten the deal on a pair of rather expensive earbuds, I’ll also mention that they also have multipoint Bluetooth capability, allowing for dual-device connection.
Battery life is one area where I felt the Pi8 slightly faltered, however. The earbuds offer 20 hours of battery life, with 6.5 hours of battery from the earbuds and an extra 13.5 in the case. I used the earbuds with noise cancellation on as I worked, commuted, and exercised, and found myself needing to regularly charge them.
Also: The best noise-canceling earbuds
Another area where I had trouble was with connectivity. One earbud, regardless of whether it was fully charged or nearly empty, would regularly dip in and out of connection. Sometimes it would happen momentarily, and other times I’d have to put both buds back in the case to reset the connection. Plus, getting the app needs some optimization, as it regularly disconnected from the buds and crashed.
Bowers and Wilkins changed the microphone position on these headphones for improved phone call performance, but I used them on a call with my manager, and she pointed out that my voice sounded muffled through the earbuds.
ZDNET’s buying advice
Are the Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 earbuds<!–> worth $400? It’s a tough call, but I’d say to keep an eye out for when they go on sale. These earbuds certainly offer delicious sound and a comfortable, luxurious build that makes them great for audiophiles. But the battery life and connectivity might pose some problems for some users.
The bottom line is that it’s tough to find earbuds with sound quality at this level, and in that respect, these deliver. For that, I’d recommend these to audiophiles any day of the week. If you’re looking for a pair of earbuds with better noise cancellation at a more approachable price, I’d suggest the JBL Tour Pro 2–>.
Featured reviews
<!–>
–>
