Bowers & Wilkins entered the true wireless stereo (TWS) category with the Pi7 and Pi5 noise cancelling earbuds launched in 2021, already trying to redefine audio quality in the form-factor. Short after, the company introduced two new upgraded models, the Pi7 S2 and Pi5 S2, replacing the first-generation models and reaffirming the brand's ambition to be "the best-sounding True Wireless earbuds". On the headphone front, the company also made an effort to keep up with the pace of trends and technology evolution, as demonstrated by the latest Px7 S2e and Px8 headphones with ANC, which even seat above the price of competing category-leading products. Not an easy task.
For these latest updates in the highly competitive premium true wireless category, Bowers & Wilkins decided to engage the engineering team responsible for the Bowers & Wilkins headphones. Benefiting from Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon Sound chipsets, the two models offer state-of-the-art active noise cancellation, and support aptX Adaptive at 24-bit/96kHz for high-resolution streaming, with aptX Lossless also included for the flagship Pi8. The Pi6 uses new 12mm bio-cellulose drivers based on the technology used in the updated Px7 S2e headphones, while the Pi8 adds a dedicated DSP, DAC and amplification processor from Analog Devices, plus Carbon Cone drivers, first developed for the Px8 over-ear headphones.
With an all-new industrial design and completely revised mechanical, electronic and acoustic engineering architecture, the Pi6 and Pi8 earbuds are intended to improve comfort and expand on the brand's reputation of offering the "best sounding earbuds". Both the Pi6 and Pi8 include all the key features and technologies demanded by today’s discerning consumer, not forgetting support for AAC and a great compatibility with both Apple and Android devices.
Built on the same core platform as the Pi8, the new Pi6 has been designed to offer outstanding comfort, features and performance at a more affordable price point. The Pi6 uses the advanced Qualcomm chipset to provide improved wireless stability and reliable connectivity. The latest Bluetooth 5.4 specification ensures multipoint support for two devices, while aptX Adaptive wireless transmission at 24-bit/96kHz is included for exceptional sound quality from compatible wireless sources.
Although nothing is said about Bluetooth LE Audio and Auracast support, it would be fair to assume that the Qualcomm Bluetooth 5.4 SoCs might eventually receive a firmware update, as promised already by many other brands in products based on the same generation chipsets. Apparently, the Bowers & Wilkins team didn't think that mentioning that fact would be relevant.
Every aspect of the design of the new Pi6 and Pi8 has been engineered with purpose. The overall shape of both earbuds was inspired by an extensive Bowers & Wilkins research project into the variation in human ear form across both gender and ethnicity. Bowers & Wilkins’ industrial design team used the results of this study to create an all-new earbud form that delivers exceptional comfort and fit plus outstanding noise cancellation for the broadest possible range of listeners.
The new earbuds also benefit from comprehensive improvements to set up and user experience. Multipoint Bluetooth pairing uses upgraded antennae and offers simpler connectivity from audio devices to the earbuds; for example, users can now quickly pair a second device to their Pi6s or Pi8s without having to remove the buds from their ears. Made for iPhone (MFI) support ensures seamless integration with iOS devices and effortless onboarding into the Bowers & Wilkins Music app – and Google Fast Pair (GFP) support will follow shortly after launch. Once configured, Pi8 owners can also access a user-adjustable Bowers & Wilkins five-band Advanced EQ function to fine-tune the sound of the earbuds to their personal taste, limited to bass and treble tone-control adjustments in the Pi6.
These improvements to setup and usability are partnered by significant revisions to the user interface. The top of each earbud represents a large capacitive touch surface with more advanced sensors that improve the responsiveness and reliability of touch-based interactions. The new industrial design also repositions all antennas and microphones within the earbud to avoid the possibility of accidental blockage of wireless or audio signals, while a new IR proximity sensor provides more reliable and responsive wear sensing.
Alongside the extensive design work put into the form factor of the new Pi6 and Pi8 earbuds, both models also benefit from a comprehensive rethink of their accompanying charging cases, which have been reshaped to make them slimmer and easier to slip into a pocket – and at the same time, look and feel more premium.
In addition, the Smartcase supplied with the flagship Pi8 retains support for both wireless charging and its innovative Wireless Audio Retransmission technology. First introduced to the market in the Pi7, this allows listeners to retransmit audio to their earbuds wirelessly from connected analog or digital sources, such as in-flight entertainment systems, home computers or even the latest generation of USB-C-enabled iPhones. In this way, the Pi8's Smartcase will enable streaming in aptX Adaptive at up to 24-bit/96kHz quality.
Both the Pi6 and Pi8 earbuds feature carefully positioned microphones designed to reject unwanted external noises during voice calls. The Pi6 is built around the same noise-rejection platform used in the outgoing Pi7 S2, while the Pi8 adopts the technology found in the flagship Px8 over-ear headphones. This is teamed with new noise cancellation, including a proprietary ANC algorithm developed by Bowers & Wilkins to deliver the best possible results in Pi8. The design intent is consistent with the approach developed by Bowers & Wilkins for its over-ear Px7 S2 and Px8 headphones: to cancel as much unwanted noise as possible without impacting the musicality of the performance.
Both earbuds also offer more battery life. The Pi6 earbuds can deliver up to 8 hours of listening before charging is required; the charging case supports up to 16 hours of further use, giving 24 hours in total. As for the Pi8, with its upgraded DSP/DAC, it offers 6.5 hours of outstanding sound quality from the earbuds and a further 13.5 hours from the Smartcase, for 20 hours of total use. In both cases, the battery capacities are quoted with ANC on, and both models can be rapidly recharged, with just 15 minutes of charge providing enough energy for two more hours of use.
The Bowers & Wilkins Pi6 and Pi8 are available in the most extensive range of finishes yet offered by the brand, reflecting the reported success after expanding its color palette in headphones and earbuds. The Pi6 earbuds will be offered in Storm Grey, Cloud Grey, Forest Green and Glacier Blue, while the Pi8 are offered in Anthracite Black, Dove White, Jade Green and Midnight Blue.
The new Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 earbuds are available now from the Bowers & Wilkins website and selected retailers priced at $399. The new Pi6 earbuds will be available from early September priced at $249. Great work by the Bowers & Wilkins engineering, product management, and brand marketing teams, at a difficult time for the company.
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