PRICE $799
AT A GLANCE
Plus
Superb sound quality
Light, compact, and comfortable
Stable multipoint across iOS/Android/Mac/PC
Useful app with EQ, ANC modes, wear sensor, auto‑standby
USB‑C digital audio and analog cable in the box
Minus
Others cancel more noise
Pricier than many rivals
THE VERDICT
Bowers & Wilkins’ Px8 S2 favor fidelity and comfort over brute‑force hush. They deliver deep, clean bass, lively dynamics, and an easy fit that makes me reach for them first. Not the strongest ANC, but as an everyday luxury over‑ear that works across Apple and Android, they’re the set I want to travel with.
I’ve been chasing portable hi‑fi since the paper‑route Walkman era. Many stops since then, but the Px8 S2 are the first wireless ANC cans that check every box I care about without adding bulk or friction. This is a lifestyle piece: slip them on, get true high fidelity sound, and keep moving.
Features & Specifications
These are closed‑back, full‑size wireless headphones with active noise canceling and a rotating, lay-flat design.They do not fold. My sample is Onyx Black, firmware 1.3.0, provided as a loaner. Build quality is premium without being flashy, think “understated luxury.” The clamp is on the snug side—which I like—because it locks in the seal and keeps the bass tonality and ANC performance consistent.
The supplied case is rigid yet compact and light, and includes cable storage. In the box you get a USB‑C‑to‑C cable for digital audio and charging plus a 3.5mm‑to‑USB‑C analog cable for analog sources. The Bowers & Wilkins Music app offers configuration options: ANC and pass‑through modes, wear detection, auto‑standby, and a simple EQ; I left EQ at True Sound for this review. Battery life meets the company’s claims in real use; I never came close to empty during a week of mixed listening.
Setup & Usage
Pairing was straightforward. I ran multipoint with an iPhone 15 Pro Max and Galaxy S25 Ultra. Switching worked reliably, and the connection never hiccupped. The physical buttons on the earcups are small and not easy to tell apart by touch at first, but you learn the layout after a couple of listening sessions. Better to have them than not! Comfort is excellent. Weight distribution and earpad comfort let me wear them through long edit sessions without hot spots.
ANC, Transparency Mode, and Calls
Px8 S2 do not chase maximum suppression. Sony and Bose, and Apple’s best, will hush more chatter. The B&W approach does not drastically change the tonality as it reduces noise; flip among ANC, off, and pass‑through and the voicing stays relatively consistent.
Low frequency rumble from HVAC and aircraft gets tamped down a lot by ANC, which is the main thing you need when traveling. No pressure‑chamber sensation. Transparency mode is usable, but there is a hint of added room reverb, here Apple wins. But my take is that most listening will be done with noise cancelling turned on, not transparency mode.
Low‑Bass Check to 16 Hz
Using REW (Room EQ Wizard) on a PC over USB‑C at 24‑bit/96 kHz, I stepped through discrete sine waves from 40 Hz down. Output stayed clean with each frequency distinctly rendered, and that lasts right into the mid‑20s Hz. Around 20 Hz the experience turns purely tactile, but there’s no rattle or mechanical noise even at assertive output levels. No ear‑pressure effects with ANC on, either. If you like bass, you can push these headphones hard and grin. The built‑in EQ can tilt bass up or down, but the stock tuning already hits hard without bloat, especially when ANC is on.
Sound
The tonal balance is neutral with perhaps a slight warmth, or maybe it’s just silky smoothness. Dynamics are the star of the show: notes start and stop fast, and volume scaling stays clean at higher listening levels than I’ll ever need (or that are safe, I might add). Imaging is comparatively open for a sealed design. The stage sits a touch forward and is perceptually wide, achieved without DSP tricks. ANC adds a touch of extra bass weight down low; turning it off delivers a shade more “classic” headphone sound, and to some that will come across as more neutral. Either way the change is small, not a different headphone, more like a minor EQ teak.
Listening Notes
Sounds From The Ground: Binary. “Blaze Mountain” shows off its thick, layered production. Zero smear. “Planet X” hits the ear with a dry, deep bass line and crisply rendered hats; the Px8 S2 keep the groove tight and let micro‑details stand out. This is reference‑quality playback that still feels fun.
The Orb & David Gilmour: Metallic Spheres in Colour. From drifting ambience to sub‑weight pulses, the headphones track every shift with acuity. Gilmour’s guitar tone stays vivid without bite; the low end rumbles feel like a “sub in the room,” yet it’s all in your head.
The Beatles: “Here Comes the Sun.” A nod to B&W’s Abbey Road ties. The Px8 S2 render it smooth and clean, with none of the fatiguing edge some cans add to recordings of that era. Modern tracks outclass it in scale and detail, but this mix sounds “just right” through these headphones.
Pink Floyd: “Signs of Life” (360 Reality Audio). Synths cut through pristine and Gilmour’s guitar arrives with authority. It’s a highly detailed and enveloping recording that reminds me why I got hooked on hi-fi and headphones to begin with.
Coil: Love’s Secret Domain. “Where Even the Darkness Is Something to See” digs deep with didgeridoo and a subterranean kick drum. Width, texture, and 3D placement are superb. The track “Further Back and Faster” turns into a psychedelic playground with tight, seismic drops. Nailed it.
AI instrumentals (Suno). No master recording or original sound to compare to, but the illusion holds. The mixes often come across as polished and spacious; good headphones make AI output feel like real releases.
Ableton Live. Over USB‑C, latency was a non‑issue for sequencing and monitoring. You’ll still finalize on speakers, but the translation made sense when I switched.
AirPods Max vs. Px8 S2
Apple’s AirPods Max still own the leaderboard for noise canceling and transparency. They suppress more overall and their ambient pass‑through feels closest to the room. Px8 S2 take the win on sound. They punch deeper, scale cleaner with volume, and present a more open stage for a closed‑back. Comfort tips to B&W for long sessions thanks to lower perceived weight and a seal that stays put. Build quality is better on the Bowers & Wilkins cans. Battery life and charging speed are notably superior to the AirPods Max.
Features depend on your ecosystem. If you live on iPhone, AirPods Max bring polished software, Spatial Audio, Find My, and other Apple‑only perks. Step into Android and that advantage fades; AirPods Max work, but they shed goodies and feel compromised. Px8 S2 are the safer luxury pick for mixed or Android use: solid app, reliable multipoint, straightforward USB‑C audio, and an analog cable in the box. Bottom line: Choose AirPods Max for maximum ANC and Apple extras, choose Px8 S2 if you prioritize sound quality, luxury build, light weight, and platform flexibility.
Movies & Work
Video editing and long writing sessions highlighted two strengths: comfort and consistency. The modest ANC plus excellent passive seal help you focus; the voicing stays stable as you move around. USB‑C audio is clean for desktop use, and the case makes the Px8 S2 an easy travel companion.
Conclusion
Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2 don’t chase specs for their own sake. They chase the experience: modern convenience, real comfort, and a sound that keeps you listening. Yes, you can buy stronger ANC and you can spend less. What you won’t get as easily is this mix of deep, disciplined bass, lively dynamics, and a design you forget you’re wearing. For travelers and everyday listeners who want luxury without platform lock‑in, the Px8 S2 earn their Top Pick.
Want specs? Check them out in full on the Bowers & Wilkins website.
