Bowers & WilkinsPx8 Over-Ear Wireless Headphones, Advanced Active Noise Cancellation, Luxurious Materials, 30-Hour Battery Life, 15-Min Quick Charging, Black

I have spent months (years, really) of research searching for the perfect set of no-compromise, best-at-everything bluetooth ANC headphones at any price. I've bought and ended up returning a couple sets that each disappointed in some way or another, and had essentially given up on such a headset ever existing. My priorities are (in order):- Sound (including high-bitrate bluetooth codecs because I prefer to listen wirelessly)- Comfort (especially over many hours on long flights)- Active Noise Canceling (ANC)- Call quality- Quality-of-life features (I like buttons, though I know some prefer touch controls)The recent wave of ultra-premium headphones (Focal Bathys, B&W PX8, M&D MW75, Mark Levinson No. 5909, B&O Beoplay H95, etc.) got my hopes up, and while I don't think any of them truly hit that "no compromise" standard, the PX8 from Bowers & Wilkins came *very* close, and for me is the best on the market at any price (as of fall 2022).~~~Sound~~~First and foremost, they sound incredible. My wife has the Sony WH-1000XM5's and while those sound great (significantly better than their Bose counterparts, imho), the PX8's blow them out of the water on clarity and separation. I won't try to write up a full audiophile description of the sound because there are plenty of more qualified ones online, but I will give an anecdote: without telling her which headphones or their price tag, I put these on my wife's head and played a song she loves and has heard many times (instrumental metal, if that matters). She listened quietly and said "It sounds like I'm hearing this song for the first time."Also important to me is the fact that the sound is on the warm side and easy to listen to for extended periods. I am sensitive to high-frequency sound and often have problems with sibilance or a "sharp" quality to high end audio equipment that strives for upper range extension. These have plenty of detail in the highs, but none of that sharp quality that I personally find irritating.~~~Comfort~~~The other area that the B&W PX8's really shine is on comfort. I have big ears that stick out a lot, and many over-ear headphones press my ears down in a way that gets uncomfortable. My wife's Sony XM5's are a great example - because they have such stellar ANC I like to borrow them for flights, but I can only wear them for a couple hours before my ears get physically sore. The PX8's have no such problem. They have large earcups, and the angled drivers create a deep space in the back that gently cradles even my Dumbo-esque ears. I keep finding excuses to wear them, because they just feel so good.~~~Active Noise Cancelling~~~This is why I say they aren't truly "no compromise" headphones. The passive noise blocking is quite good, and the ANC is effective at cutting down outside sound, but it isn't class-leading. The Sony XM5's, Bose QC45's, and Apple Airpods Max all seem to do a better job of creating that total Cone of Silence I crave on long flights. This is a common trend among the most premium audiophile headphones though, and some companies have said that there are engineering trade-offs that have to be made between sound quality and ANC. I'm not sure I'm totally sold on that narrative, but if slightly weaker ANC is the price of this glorious sound quality, then that's an acceptable trade in my book.~~~Call Quality~~~Very good, my voice can be heard clearly. Not quite as good at blocking out background sounds as the Sony XM5's or my Jabra headset with a boom mic, but perfectly adequate for the situations I need.~~~Features~~~I love the well-made buttons (I live in a cold weather climate where touch controls are less than ideal), and the app is refreshingly simple. It doesn't have some bells and whistles (no adjustable ANC, limited EQ options, no voice detection or automatic situational awareness), but it has what I need and works well. The only exception here is on-ear detection, which is finicky and frequently pauses the music even on "low" so I had to turn it off. It's not a must-have feature for me but might be more bothersome for some.Edit: another issue I have noticed after a couple weeks of use is that the "skip backward" function doesn't work very well. In theory you can skip backward with a triple-press of the multifunction button, which I do often when I want to go back a few seconds in a podcast, but 80% of the time it either skips forward or pauses instead. Not a huge deal, but annoying.~~~Summary~~~Best-sounding, most comfortable bluetooth ANC headphones I have ever tried. Other features aren't necessarily the best among the competition - in particular I wouldn't mind having stronger, adjustable ANC - but they are more than good enough, and all together I think the package justifies the high price.

It’s nearly 1:00 a.m. and I’m hurriedly skipping from song to song to see how great these cans sound. And here’s the thing: I’m using a flat signal. No equalization. No treble. No bass. Just the music as the artist and producer intended. It’s bliss. I’ll warn perspective buyers that it wasn’t always this way. These headphones definitely required a break in period of about seventy five hours, during which time I had the treble and bass at + 6 db and I played pink noise through them. When listening to music I had the bass at -2.5 db and the treble at +3.5 db because they were so base-heavy and muddy-sounding. Then it happened. I put them on and they sounded over-equalized, so I tried a flat signal and BAM! I guess I should tell you that my journey to find perfect sound was a long one, during which I bought the Bose QuietComfort and QuietComfort Ultra, the Sony XM5 and the new XM6, the Sonos Ace, the AirPods Max, etc. you get the picture. The PX8 simply sound better. Even after extensive break in, they’re still on the warmer side, which you’ll probably appreciate if you’re bothered by sibilance. Warm or not, these are still the most accurate-sounding headphones I own.But are they comfortable? YES! I find them more comfortable than my Bose. It’s the Napa leather and their gentle grip. You don’t put them on, you sort of slip into them and become one with them. I honestly forget I’m wearing headphones. I’ve worn them for hours without feeling warm or fatigued. You may occasionally hear a hissing coming from one of the drivers. There is nothing wrong with your headphones. If/when this happens, it’s because you don’t have a proper seal. Simply adjust that ear cup until this hissing stops. The leather is VERY soft and supple, so I could see the potential for issues, especially if you don’t handle them properly. There are many reviews with pictures showing the headband coming apart. For that reason, I don’t even store these on a stand, they are the only pair that I own that immediately go back into their case when not being used. Also, in order to exert less pressure on the headband, I adjust the ear cups PRIOR to putting on the headphones, as opposed to putting them on and pulling down on the ear cups. I then take them off and then retract the ear cups. Also, I never handle them by the headband. So far (knock on wood), I’ve not had a problem with the headband coming apart. They are a beautiful work of art, the aluminum accents, the Napa leather, they are gorgeous. It’s the only pair of headphones that when I took them out of the box, I felt that I purchased something substantial. Handle them accordingly and you shouldn’t have a problem.ANC: if these headphones come up short, then this is where. The ANC is acceptable. It’s actually good. It’s just not great. You will not get the same level of sound cancellation as the aforementioned headphones. I’d say they’re on par with the Bose QuietComfort 45, which is certainly respectable, but it’s not on par with the cutting edge tech in ANC. it’s definitely not a deal breaker for me. The pass-through mode is again acceptable, but nothing to write home about.Battery Life: While breaking in the headphones, I left noise cancelling on and ran them at about 80% volume, and I was definitely getting thirty hours out of a full charge. So far I’m very pleased with the battery. It also seems to charge quicker than some of my other headphones, which was a pleasant surprise.I hope I’ve helped you make a decision. If I have, then please click the “helpful” button so that I know I’m on the right track with the info I’m providing. Thank you. I’m going to get back to my music. Happy listening!Update: in the interest of full disclosure, after extensive listening to many genres of music, I’ve settled on -1.0 db bass and +1.0 decibel treble. They were just a smidge too warm with a completely flat signal (also, my iOS phone is set to “rock.”) This could all be because of presbycusis due to my age (53). All things considered, they are the best-sounding and still require the least equalization of anything I’ve owned.Update 07/07/25: I’ve since purchased the Bang and Olufsen Beoplay H95s. I got them on sale for an incredible $649 (my Px8 were only $408), and my opinion (with new information) has changed. While I still think the Px8 sound great and provide a very enjoyable listening experience, they do lack the detail and resolution of the H95. I’m dating myself here, but it’s very similar to comparing the old Bose 901 speakers to a pair of Vandersteen model 2CE. While the 901’s provided a great listening experience, they lacked the detail and resolution of a pair of Vandersteen speakers. Like a pair of Vandersteen, the H95 are far more neutral and balanced than the Px8. For more info the H95, see my review on the Amazon product page. I still love my Px8s, but I do think a true audiophile would prefer the H95.