After an extensive period of development, Bowers & Wilkins decided to launch not one, but two new products that they fill are able to fulfill the brand’s famous True Sound promise of absolute performance to the true wireless category. “Both the new PI7 and PI5 offer all the sound quality that music lovers have come to expect from a Bowers & Wilkins product, coupled to an extensive array of smart and convenience features, exceptional call quality and beautiful, premium design,” they state.
The flagship model in the family is the PI7, which supports Qualcomm’s aptX Adaptive wireless transmission from compatible mobile devices, allowing for high-resolution music transmission from suitable streaming services, such as Qobuz. But the PI7 design also backs that high-resolution capability with 24-bit/48kHz wireless transmission between each earbud. Together, these two technologies make the design one of very few true wireless headphones able to support high-resolution audio all the way from the music source to the ears.
In addition, while the enclosure of each PI7 is compact enough to fit comfortably in the ear, each earbud features a new, custom-designed 9.2mm Bowers & Wilkins dynamic driver, joined by a high-frequency balanced armature driver, with each of the four drive units in the system (two in each earbud) actively driven by its own amplifier. This configuration, Bowers & Wilkins says, “ensures exceptional control, superlative dynamics and deep, accurate bass.”
Trusting that audio quality will be the main focus for anyone looking at a true wireless product from Bowers & Wilkins, the PI7 model also features Adaptive Noise Cancellation to automatically monitor, analyze and adapt to its surroundings to produce the best possible experience. That ANC system is paired with six microphones – three in each earbud – for crystal-clear sound quality with phone calls.
Joining the PI7 is the very similar PI5 model, which uses TWS+ technology for robust, high-quality earbud-to-earbud synchronization, coupled to a single 9.2mm Bowers & Wilkins-developed dynamic driver in each earbud. The PI5 also supports high-quality aptX wireless transmission of music from any aptX-compatible mobile device as well as AAC, and also offers seamless access to user-selectable noise-cancelling plus an ambient pass-through mode, and it features twin built-in microphones for high-quality phone calls.
Both the PI5 & PI7 can be configured via the Bowers & Wilkins companion app and both models have a simple one-button user interface – a single capacitive button that can perform multiple tasks – coupled to voice assistant support via either Siri or Google Assistant, depending on the connected device. Multiple source devices can be wirelessly paired to either model, allowing the user to easily and conveniently reconnect to each source as and when needed – such as quickly switching from music on a phone to an online conference call on a laptop.
Finally, both models offer the convenience of wireless recharging compatible with a wide range of suitable accessories, plus USB-C Charging cases that can recharge each earbud once its built-in battery life is exhausted. The PI5 model works for four and a half hours before it requires a recharge, with four hours for the PI7. Both cases will then offer up to four full recharges for their respective earbuds, with fast charging.
All products in all the available finishes - White and Charcoal - are available now. The PI7 retails for $399 USD, and the PI5 for $249 USD. Bowers & Wilkins is now part of the Sound United LLC family of brands.
www.bowerswilkins.com
