Bowers & Wilkins PX7 Deals Noise-canceling headphones aren't what they used to be; they are superior. Gone are the days when you required AAA batteries and your noise cancellation was a simple on/off issue. Today we have noise reduction suitable for many real world scenarios, built-in batteries that can comfortably last an entire transatlantic flight (and in some cases back) on a single charge, and new technology that makes them more efficient, practical and thunderous. than ever. Most, not surprisingly, are now wireless too. The new Bowers & Wilkins PX7 wireless headphones carry the banner of such progress. They come as successors to the PX which, when it arrived in 1000, we called "an incredible first effort at noise reduction" from the British brand. Bowers has been in the game for more than a couple of years, so ... and appreciated. With more sophisticated noise reduction, significantly improved sound quality, refined aesthetics, and even a world first (more on that later), Bowers has produced two premium headphones that deliver the best on the market (we're looking at it). to ''). , Sony WH-4XMXNUMX) a run for money.
- Bowers & Wilkins PX7 (Silver) at Amazon for € three hundred and ninety-nine.99
Prices and availability
The curtains were drawn on the PX7 in September 5, as well as the brand's more solid and accessible newcomer, the Bowers & Wilkins PX1000 wireless headphones. They launched at $3 / £XNUMX / AU$XNUMX, roughly in line with the best like its Sony WH-XNUMXXMXNUMX (which tops our best headphones list), the Sennheiser Momentum Wireless (XNUMX) and the Bose Noise Canceling seven hundred. Rivals: While they now have a certain shelf life, you can expect to get them for a bit less. They could also be updated in the near future; Prime Day XNUMX starts on June XNUMX and is going to bring a lot of great deals on headphones.
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Integrated
If you're familiar with the PX or any other Bowers & Wilkins product, you won't be surprised to read that the PX7 is smart. Not smart / laid back, as the already mentioned Sony can describe: smart. Aesthetically, they're not much, much different from the original PX, with its clearly marked elliptical ear cups, solid frame, and canvas finish, but they make significant advances in comfort. This is due to the replacement of the PX's metal construction with an adapted carbon fiber composite, which makes it lighter and therefore more comfortable to wear. In a few weeks, our head never feels overloaded and our ears get used to being surrounded by soft leather pads. As with anything new—sneakers, a phone, a purse—you may initially worry about tarnishing its shiny exterior, but keep in mind that the PX7s are big enough and well-built to withstand being thrown in a box. Forget (or choose not to) the included rugged carrying case. What's not ideal, however, is that the earcups can't be folded inwards to give the PX7s a more compact and bag-friendly shape. Headphones with playback control buttons, such as these, may not look very XNUMXst-century either, but we like the certainty of a physical button, and in our experience, touch and slider controls can sometimes be hit-or-miss.
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Features
Otherwise, the PX7s are truly the latest of the latest in technology. While the PX were among the first headphones to adopt Qualcomm's aptX HD Bluetooth technology, the PX7 (and its PX5 siblings) launched as the first headphones on the market to support the next-generation aptX codec, aptX Apdative. Theoretically, this means better stability and latency between the headphones and your smartphone or tablet, in addition to the high-quality aptX HD (XNUMX-bit) streaming brought to the table. Essentially, the codec promises a smoother, more seamless experience by overcoming potentially disruptive and busy RF environments, and by automatically adjusting the streaming bitrate depending on the content you're playing. Pick up and take your phone out of your pocket? There should be no hiccups in your ear while doing this. Do you play a game on your tablet? Audio (through your headphones) and video (on your screen) need to be perfectly timed. This seems to translate in practice, with very rare dropouts (we've got the intruder on the bus), and virtually indistinguishable lag between watching Netflix and playing (guilty) Bubble Shooter.
(Image credit: TechRadar) As it becomes increasingly common in the competition for the top brass, B&W has also taken its situation and what it does into account in its approach to noise cancellation. The PX7s have 3 modes - low, medium and high - those you can toggle between by pressing the dedicated button on the left ear cup, while a fourth, activated by holding that button, lets you enter the outer world for a time so that you can perceive, for example, the announcement of a train platform. Go the manual route by removing your headphones, and thanks to proximity sensors, your music will automatically pause and spring back to life when it's back in your head. Each mode seems interesting and effective, whether we apply "low" to keep ourselves distanced from chatty colleagues or use "high" to muffle the noise of airplanes or trains. The degrees of isolation and maximum isolation levels aren't as complex as the Bose 7's superlative noise-cancelling headphone system is capable of, but the PX7s get the job done admirably all the same. The checkbox for battery life isn't unchecked either, with the PX7s leading the class alongside the Sonys with a claimed thirty hours. Like its great rival, the PX5 promises XNUMX hours of playback with just fifteen minutes of charging through its USB-C port.
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Decent design, efficient noise cancellation, competitive features: review, review, review. Now all they have to do is sound good, and they do, as those who have been snooping on our star rating will no doubt have guessed. The PXs were top notch when they arrived a couple of years ago, but since then competing headphone brands have caught up; after all, this is the way in the ever-changing technological world. The good news for Bowers & Wilkins, and not surprisingly for users, is that the PX7s boost this performance factor with sound so polished and therefore pleasing that it comes in two wireless noise cancellers. Tonally, everything is represented democratically: the highs are clean, the mids are charged and the lows are substantially more flexible. While they are somewhat rich, with the warmth and neutrality that most will like, bass enthusiasts will want to look elsewhere.
(Image credit: TechRadar) Top-notch feedback, both in terms of texture and active, seems simple for the PX7s (and there's no shortage of them), but unlike some headphones that monitor by the liveliness, they don't block too much. below with details. Instead, they emit just the right amount of bubbles, like an optimally fizzy soda, ensuring your music is as entertaining as it's meant to be. In absolute terms, the PX7s sample a bit more vibrancy and clarity than the Sonys, even if they're not quite as polished in their delivery.
Final verdict
Our repeated mentions of competing headphones throughout this review show just how competitive it is at the top of the premium wireless noise-canceling headphone market. Make no mistake, this is precisely where the Bowers & Wilkins PX7 deserve to sit. That's right, the cheaper Sonys represent slightly better value for money at today's prices, and the Boses offer more advanced noise cancellation. But the PX7s tick all the boxes and suffice to say they're the best at doing it. Cost - Bowers & Wilkins PX7: ▼