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Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 Wireless Earbuds – They Got it Right [Review]

October 2024

We’re familiar with Bowers & Wilkins over-the-ear and on-ear headphones. Today, we’re reviewing the Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 wireless earbuds.

DESIGN

The Bowers and Wilkins Pi8 case is thin and wide, with curved edges. The case is buttonless, with a usb-c charging port at the bottom and an indicator light at the front and center right under the Bowers and Wilkins banner. The Pi8 earbuds themselves have a touch-sensitive gold border around the Bowers and Wilkins logo on the outside of the earbud. The earbuds are light and come with medium ear tips. There is also the option of extra small, small, and large ear tips provided, of course. B&W used the design team of the B&W Px8 over-ear headphones to design the Pi8 earbuds, which shows. The build feels solid and premium. There’s a lip that runs around the upper top part of the earbud. You see the sensors and microphones on the inner part of it. The Pi8 earbuds are IP54-rated, which means they can handle a bit of dust and water water resistance. No submerging or intense sweat sessions at the gym. These are for lifestyle, not fitness.

The best update to the case, besides the aesthetics, is that it charges wirelessly and works as a wireless audio re-transmitter. Basically, it can make older systems that don’t have Bluetooth connectivity work wirelessly. The best-case usage would be when flying.

For example, you can use the USB-C to 3.5mm cable to connect the headphone jack on an inflight entertainment system on a plane, and it will transmit the sound wirelessly, making the Pi8 great travel tech. Looks and efficiency! Overall, we love the premium build and look of both the case and the earbuds. They’re sleek and elegant. They’re definitely on brand with Bowers’ reputation and suit the pricing.

SOUND AND EXPERIENCE

The B&W Pi8 earbuds have carbon cone 12mm drivers, a step up from the 9.2mm driver in the Pi7 earbuds. They also include the latest Qualcomm chipset, which supports Bluetooth 5.4 and aptX lossless for high-resolution audio—the equivalent of CD quality. You would need a phone that takes advantage of this.

I can’t emphasize how great the Pi8 earbuds sound, especially for earbuds. I tried a few different songs on these earbuds to put them through the paces and ranges. They never lose clarity or volume. Highs and mids were not flat. There was depth and balance. Bass response is robust and well-controlled. The Pi8 delivers low frequencies with authority, providing ample punch without sacrificing definition. Midrange reproduction is equally impressive, with vocals rendered with clarity and emotion.

What’s particularly noteworthy is the Pi8’s ability to handle dynamic shifts with ease. These earbuds maintain composure and control, whether it’s the subtle nuances of an acoustic performance or the bombastic transitions in a film score. Even when listening to compressed audio, the earbuds shine through. These are easily a favorite because they handle everything across the board.

CALL QUALITY AND BATTERY LIFE

I took a few calls with these. There was nothing spectacular going on there. The other party heard me clearly most of the time. The Pi8 did a good job of isolating my voice from the noise around me.

The Pi8’s battery life is about six hours, but according to them, the charging case can add up to 16 hours. I got about that same time in total use.

BOWERS AND WILKINS MUSIC APP

I used these earbuds with the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra and the iPhone 16 Pro, which have Tidal, Spotify, and YouTube Premium streaming services. You can also control the music straight from the Bowers and Wilkins Music App which is available on both the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store for Android. Depending on your subscription level, the quality of your music will stream. Within the app, you have an EQ. You can also assign what the earbuds can do, whether volume control or voice assistant. While you can get over-the-air updates, the app has no ear-fitting tests.

VERDICT

So, who are the B&W Pi8 wireless earbuds for? For those who prioritize sonic performance and are willing to invest in a premium audio experience, the Pi8 earbuds are an easy recommendation. It’s hard to find something wrong with them. Simply put, they just sound so good! They successfully combine the convenience of true wireless technology with the audio fidelity B&W is known for, resulting in a product that will satisfy even the most selective listeners. The Bowers and Wilkins Pi8 earbuds hit all the marks for those who are willing to invest in a premium audio experience.