Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent
Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.
The Independent's journalism is supported by our readers. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn commission. Why trust us?
Bowers & Wilkins Pi7 S2 wireless earbuds review: Subtle new upgrade, same great sound
The high-end earphones are back with better Bluetooth and the same clever case
Sign up to our free weekly newsletter for insider tips and product reviews from our shopping experts
Sign up for our free IndyBest email
It’s starting to feel like Bowers & Wilkins has a new product to show off every few weeks. The high-end British audio company only announced its new flagship PX8 headphones a matter of months ago, and these were quickly followed by special editions, with James Bond (£699, Bowerswilkins.com) and McLaren branding.
Now B&W is introducing a new pair of true wireless earbuds for audiophiles to get excited about.
There are actually two new models, called the Pi5 S2 (£249, Bowerswilkins.com) and Pi7 S2. Both are relatively small upgrades to their respective predecessors, with the Pi5 S2 priced at £249 and the Pi7 S2, reviewed here, at £349 – about £100 more than the latest Apple AirPods pro (£234, Amazon.co.uk).
For that high price, the Pi7 S2 has some impressive tricks up its sleeve, including a charge case that also acts as an audio transmitter – handy for plugging in to the seatback headphone socket on your next flight.
The new Pi7 S2 wireless earphones are available to buy now, and there are three colours to pick from: satin black, canvas white and midnight blue. We’ve put the earphones through their paces, so keep reading for our full review.
How we tested
The Pi7 S2 became our go-to earphones from the day they arrived. Connected to our iPhone and MacBook Air (£812.98, Amazon.co.uk), we used them for a fortnight, often for many hours at a time. They joined us on the bus, train and plane, where we made use of their active noise cancelling, and the charge case’s transceiver function was put to the test too.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
The verdict: Bowers & Wilkins Pi7 S2
If you prefer in-ear wireless earbuds to on- or over-ear headphones, and music quality is more important to you than active noise cancelling, the Pi7 S2 could well be the perfect purchase. Their audio abilities are deeply impressive for such a small device, while improvements to battery life and Bluetooth range over their predecessors are welcome. That said, owners of the original Pi7 should not consider upgrading to the S2 reviewed here.
While acoustically superb, the whole package isn’t perfect, and I sometimes struggled with comfort after a couple of hours of use. That is entirely subjective, of course, and I have no doubt they will be perfectly comfortable for others. More objectively, the active noise cancelling isn’t as impressive as it is on cheaper rivals, so, if that’s important to you – perhaps you’re on a plane every couple of weeks – then your money could be better spent elsewhere.
But if, like Bowers & Wilkins itself, you value audio quality (and great design, it must be said) over everything else, the Pi7 S2 shine very brightly indeed.
Voucher codes
For the latest discounts on tablets and other tech offers, try the links below:
Looking for more options? From Sony to Bose, we’ve rounded up the best wireless headphones