Bowers & Wilkins knows that competing with the most popular ANC headphones head to head is not a winning proposition, with Sony having recently updated its flagship ANC headphones, and basically all major headphone brands offering superior noise cancelling experiences in all the most recent models, even at lower prices. Still it doesn't hurt to try, and the Bowers & Wilkins engineering team focused on combining a solid Hybrid Noise Cancellation system with Ambient Pass-Through in the best possible low-weight design in the over-ear category.
The new design features all-new high-resolution drive units, angled within each earcup to deliver improved comfort and passive isolation, including a wear-detection sensor. The new drivers are 40mm dynamic full range units, with biocellulose diaphragms, for faster response. The active noise cancellation system was also fine-tuned to improve musicality, and benefits from an upgraded microphone setup with four units just for ANC plus two microphones dedicated for voice, also enhancing call quality. Overall, the new design features a slimmer profile, improved fit, upgraded materials and superior comfort, including memory foam ear cups.
The new Px7 S2 headphones combine their high-performance drivers with Qualcomm's aptX Adaptive wireless technology to automatically optimize wireless music transmission from compatible phones, tablets and computers, supporting also AAC for expanded compatibility with the leading mobile devices and audio sources. Coupled with a powerful Bowers & Wilkins-developed DSP (Digital Signal Processing) platform, the result delivers 24-bit high-resolution sound quality from suitable streaming services.
The design also fully embraces the benefits of an USB-C charging and audio interface, allowing for both wired connections when used with the 1.2m USB-C to 3.5mm stereo jack audio, and USB-C to USB-C cables included in the carry case that accompanies the product. The USB-C charging allows to obtain 7 hours of battery life from just 15 minutes of charging, while the rechargeable Lithium Polymer battery is able to deliver a total of 30 hours of playback.
The Px7 S2 is also the first headphone to work directly with the Bowers & Wilkins Music App, which can be used to manage pairing with multiple devices, fine-tune the sound through adjustable EQ, activate or disengage the noise-cancelling transparency mode, and monitor the headphones' charge levels. A future upgrade to the Music App will add the ability for users to stream their chosen music directly from their mobile device to their Px7 S2s (acting as a dedicated player).
As with previous designs, Bowers & Wilkins continues to add all physical controls on each earcup, ensuring full control even without the App, while users can also use the headphones to seamlessly launch their phone's Voice Assistant. That is, if and when they get used to what each button allows, since they are all placed very close in a single earcup and are of similar size. At least the good thing is that the ANC/Transparency/Off toggle button is located on a separate earcup with just one button.
Overall, the new Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2 headphones introduce a refined premium look, with good quality materials in three elegant finishes: grey, blue and black, each with complementary details. Retailing for $399 USD, these are now strong contenders in the highly competitive mainstream ANC space.
Since 2020, Bowers & Wilkins is now part of Sound United and the roadmap for its portfolio is now accelerating, with the company confirming that the all-new Px7 S2 are just the first new headphones from the brand in 2022. Later this year, the company anticipates to launch a new flagship premium model, the Px8, which will retail for $549 and will likely already offer support for Qualcomm's latest aptX Lossless codec solution over Bluetooth.
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