Px8 S2

"The improvements are real and what everyone on Reddit says is valid, but they’re subtle and only really noticeable when comparing side-by-side"

Sound quality is a mixed bag; many praise its clarity, detail, and improved soundstage over the Px8, while others find it too bright, fatiguing, or only marginally better than competitors, with some even preferring the bass of older models.

"The B&W is heavier and has a firm clamping force. You can feel the weight on the headband."

Comfort is divisive; while some find the larger earcups an improvement, many report a firm clamping force and noticeable weight that leads to discomfort during longer listening sessions, with one user preferring the lighter Bose.

"Regarding specification, battery life, and other more objective features please refer to the manufacturers site."

Battery life is not a frequently discussed aspect in the provided reviews, leaving its performance largely unaddressed by users.

"Build quality is outstanding on the B&W."

Users overwhelmingly praise the Px8 S2's build quality, citing premium materials like leather and metal, and an outstanding, refined, and expensive feel that surpasses competitors.

"ANC & call quality is good, but it's not their unique strength (Sony for ANC and Airpods for call quality)."

Call quality and microphone performance are mentioned briefly as being good but not a unique strength, with users pointing to other brands as superior in this specific area.

"The B&W has only buttons (4 in total) plus a slider for powering the headphone on and off."

While button controls are praised, other features and connectivity aspects like Bluetooth stability or advanced features are not extensively discussed or highlighted as significant pros or cons.

"The Px8 S2 is simply able to get more out of the signal it’s given and keep things together at points where its little brother... is beginning to struggle."

The Px8 S2 are consistently praised for their detailed, dynamic, natural, and engaging sound, often compared favorably to wired headphones and considered a significant upgrade over previous models.

"They fit our medium-sized ears and fairly large head comfortably and lightly."

Users generally find the headphones comfortable for long listening sessions due to their premium materials and slimmer, lighter build, though some note a slightly tight clamping force.

"The Bowers and Wilkins Px8 S2 is rated at 30 hours of battery life on a single charge, which is above average in this class."

The battery life is considered good and standard for the class, offering around 30 hours with ANC, and fast charging is a convenient feature.

"Simply put, the Px8 S2 is arguably the most premium and luxurious headphone we have tested to date."

The build quality is universally praised as exceptionally premium and luxurious, utilizing high-end materials like Nappa leather and aluminum.

"They do, however, let a little more background noise through than the Sonys, which still have the edge when it comes to dampening any external kerfuffle during calls."

Call quality is generally considered good and on par with other premium headphones, with clear voice delivery, though some mention background noise can still come through.

"With our original review sample, one member of the team did suffer a handful of connectivity quirks when out and about, with the app not recognising a switch of sound mode."

While supporting high-res codecs like aptX Lossless and Bluetooth 5.3, some users experienced connectivity quirks, and the absence of features like Spatial Audio at launch is noted as a drawback.

"The PX8 S2s are the best pair of headphones I've put on my head in terms of audio. That means they sound much better than the original PX8s somehow."

The Px8 S2 are overwhelmingly praised for their refined, detailed, and engaging sound quality, with many calling it the best they've ever heard in a wireless headphone.

"But put them on your head and they're completely different. They also look different in person. So, the PX8 S2s have gone down the PX7S3 route of having a much slimmer profile."

Users generally find the Px8 S2 comfortable for long listening sessions, appreciating the slimmer profile and premium materials, though some note a slightly tight clamp or pressure points.

"The 30 hours of battery life is largely unchanged compared to the previous PX8 and the PX7S3. So, that's the same across the board."

The 30-hour battery life is considered adequate and standard for the category, with fast charging being a convenient feature, though not a standout.

"The PX8's metal arms and luxurious finish feel price appropriate, but the 630's plastic construction feels, I think, subpar for the money."

The Px8 S2 are consistently lauded for their exceptional build quality, utilizing luxurious materials like Nappa leather and aluminum, which significantly contribute to their premium feel.

"The PX8 S2 is similar in performance to the PX7S3, and it is one of the better ones in this comparison because in noisy conditions, it carefully balances background noise reduction and voice filtering."

Call quality is generally considered good and improved over previous models, with clear voice pickup in quiet environments, though it can sound robotic or muffled in noisy conditions.

"When it comes to features, the Pix S2 is actually a little bit on the lighter side. There's no spatial audio like a lot of these newer headphones have, but you do have an improvement now with APX lossless compared to previous generations that had APX adaptive."

The Px8 S2 offer solid connectivity with AptX Lossless and Bluetooth 5.3, but lack some advanced features like spatial audio (though promised via update) and are criticized for a basic app compared to competitors.