There are only a few technology brands that know how to walk the line between premium design and practical performance Bowers & Wilkins is one of them.
The company introduced its first set of noise-cancelling headphones in 2018, with the Bowers & Wilkins PX line. Since then, the technology has improved, and the B&W company has rolled out a selection of new audio devices to delight its captivated audience.
Today, we’re looking at the flagship product from the Bowers & Wilkins over-ear headphones line. The Bowers & Wilkins PX7 headset is an adaptive noise-cancelling headset, complete with no wires whatsoever.
This product offers sensational battery life, a light-weight design, and some of the most impressive Bluetooth technology on the market. So, does it live up to all expectations?
Read on to find out…
Bowers & Wilkins PX7 review: Design and size
If you have a thing for the minimalist aesthetic, then Bowers & Wilkins has you covered. The PX7 over-ear headphones look stunning, without demanding too much attention.
Available in both a silver or “space grey” option, these headphones look like they’d be right at home sitting on the seat of a Porsche. There’s even a hard shell case to keep them safe.
If you’ve seen previous iterations of the Bowers & Wilkins PX line, and you loved the style, then you’re in for a treat again here.
The hidden slider adjustments in the headband and the single-sided ear cups allow for a unique, yet simple design. We also love the carbon fiber materials, which ensure a more lightweight experience for listeners.
Overall, these headphones provide a classy, sophisticated look that doesn’t overwhelm your eyes. Bowers & Wilkins prove that you don’t have to be obnoxious with design to create a great set of headphones.
What’s more, everything about these headphones is built for comfort.
The lightweight design means that you don’t feel the device weighing on the top of your head during the day. The ear cups cushion your ears without overheating them. You could easily wear this headset all day.
Bowers & Wilkins PX7 review: Features
The word “understated” seems to apply to a lot of the Bowers & Wilkins PX7 appeal. This is a headset that feels and looks great, without overwhelming you with too many complicated features.
You can move your headphones to hear what’s going on around you and the music will stop automatically. The woven carbon fiber composite arms deliver strength and flexibility at the same time.
From a practical perspective, these over-ear headphones provide up to 30 hours of listening time – which is more than enough for most music fans. One other bonus is that the company has avoided the temptation to use touch controls.
Although touch controls seem fun at first, it’s all too easy to adjust your headphone’s volume or skip a track when you’re tucking your hair behind your ear or adjusting your headset.
The physical controls, which sit on the edge of each ear cup, give you full control over things like volume, and play/pause buttons. There’s also the option to explore different noise cancelling modes with a button.
For a price of around $400, you’re not going to miss out on features with this simple and sophisticated headset.
Capabilities include:
- Class-leading 43mm drivers
- Adaptive noise cancelling that responds to your environment
- Automatic pause and un-pause when you remove your headset
- 30 hours of listening time
- 15 minute quick charge for 6 additional hours
- Carbon fiber designed inspired by race cars
- Apt X HD and low latency drivers
- Amazing hard-shell case included
Bowers & Wilkins PX7 review: Connectivity
The Bowers & Wilkins PX7 headphones aren’t the most advanced product we’ve seen in the over-ear headphones market.
However, rather than offering a wide selection of features like NFC pairing and smart assistants, B&W focuses on doing a few things very well.
Aside from brilliant adaptive noise cancellation, these headphones also come with the latest AptX adaptive wireless technology. This ensures that you get the best quality of music streamed over Bluetooth, with absolutely no lag or bitrate issues.
Connecting to your headphones is as simple as tapping a button on your phone. Although, we would have liked to see a dedicated app included with this headset. Having the option to control the EQ from your device would only make the headphones more compelling.
The active noise cancelling button also comes with an ambient mode feature which allows you to tune into the world around you on demand.
Bowers & Wilkins PX7 review: Performance
If you’re going to spend $400 on a pair of over-ear headphones, then you need to know they’re amazing. Fortunately, the Bowers & Wilkins PX7 headset doesn’t disappoint on sound. Every tune you listen to will get a full and rich overhaul.
You might discover things in your music that you never noticed before.
The sound manages to be both expansive and intimate at the same time, giving you a behind-the-scenes view of your music. The bass is deep and satisfying, but it doesn’t drown out the rest of the sound. You still get excellent mid-ranges and crisp high notes too.
Another massive bonus to the sound performance of these headphones is the active noise cancelling. The ANC functionality is dramatically improved from the previous Bowers & Wilkins PX devices. You can really block out just about anything with the right setting.
Putting your headphones on feels like stepping into a different world. When you switch to ambient mode, all of the surrounding noise comes rushing back in seconds.
The active noise cancelling with the Bowers & Wilkins PX7 is excellent, so you can really enjoy things like the high-quality sound and smooth notes of your music.
We wouldn’t have minded having a few more features in a headset that’s this expensive. Access to a smart assistant or a dedicated app would have been nice.
Still, this is one of the most sophisticated headsets at this price point today.
