Bowers & Wilkins PI7 review: Even great-sounding earbuds aren’t worth that much

The true wireless earbud market is hot right now, at almost every budget level. But according to reviewers (including our own), the Sony is the king of the ultra-premium hill. A smaller audiophile brand, Bowers & Wilkins, is aiming to usurp the throne with its first collection of TWEs, the PI7. How did that happen? Well, not great. While the earbuds are very comfortable and stylish, and the Bluetooth transmitter case is a great addition, the active noise cancellation is nowhere near top of the line (or even mid-range). This makes it difficult to sell these unremarkable buds at $400.

Specifications

Goodness

Not very good

Design, hardware and what’s in the box

The PI7 range has a nice standard design, with a case that looks very similar to the Sony XF-1000XM3. The buds are somewhat unique, though: stark white cylinders with golden tops and accents. There’s also a dark gold-on-black model if that’s more your style. It’s a simple shape that I found fit my ears very well, despite being larger and heavier for true wireless earbuds.

On each earbud you’ll find two microphones, sensors that detect the position of the ear, and the large flat circle on the outside for touch control. Flat, smooth surfaces are more resistant to picking up oil and wax than others I’ve tried. The fit isn’t quite as good as my comfortable Galaxy Buds+, but I found them much easier to wear for longer periods of time than Sony’s latest designs. For a product that literally touches you the entire time you use it, that’s a big plus.

This case is pretty much what you’d expect: a little larger than the smaller designs from Samsung and Apple, but by no means cumbersome. Magnets secure the case lid and the speakers themselves, and I never had to worry about the case being accidentally opened. Notice the two different peel buttons: one on the inside and one on the outside. The latter concerns the Bluetooth functionality of the audio jack on the case, which we’ll talk about later.

In the box, you get the buds and case, two alternative sizes of silicone tips (three total), a USB-C-to-C charging cable (no mold), and a USB-C-to-headphone jack adapter cable.

Sound quality and additional features

It’s a shame that some of the intangible aspects of these headphones are missing because the sound is great. Although the profile is somewhat heavy and lacks a bit of depth in the treble, I know this isn’t an issue for a lot of listeners with their preferred genres.

The drivers on the PI7 are 9.5mm wide, which is wider than most TWE headphones by a large margin, which I suspect is what delivers that full bass sound. Not surprising for my listening habits (mostly spoken word), but the sound is undeniably good. This enhanced bass is one of the points where the PI7 excels over competitors.

Other points? Not much. The Bowers & Wilkins app doesn’t have a built-in equalizer, so I wasn’t able to judge the buds with their wider ability. Unfortunately, their active noise cancellation feature is almost non-existent. I had to strain my ears to detect much difference at all between modes with ANC on or off, as well as with pass-through audio enabled.

On a budget or mid-range set of buds, this would be unfortunate. For a kit that costs $400, it should be a deal breaker for most users. The market has advanced too much for this to be competitive.

The PI7’s defining feature, over both competitors and B&W’s cheaper PI5 range, is the ability to double as a Bluetooth transmitter. If you want to listen to audio from a non-Bluetooth device, such as an old CD player, simply connect the case to the source via the included USB-C-to3.5mm cable. Use the large button on the case to connect it to the speakers, and you’re good to go.

This is a neat feature, especially for a brand centered around classic hi-fi gear. Unfortunately, I found that sincerity is where it is lacking. This case does a very poor job of translating analog to digital audio for Bluetooth playback; I’m not an audiophile, but I think its built-in DAC isn’t up to snuff. The sound heard in this mode is minimal and lacks the depth it gets from a solid connection to my phone or computer.

And speaking of communications: it’s not great. The PI7 will start stuttering about fifteen feet from the source, less than half the range I get from other true wireless earbuds. This is especially true when using the case as a Bluetooth adapter; In this situation I often found one bud or another struggling to maintain its connection even when I was close to it. I think anyone interested in this feature would be better served by a high-quality dedicated Bluetooth adapter.

The only other advantage the PI7 has over the competition is a collection of soothing audio clips in the app. Six sets of “white noise,” from ocean waves to rustling leaves to crackling fires, can be played using the sleep timer. Even if you often fall asleep with earbuds on (which I don’t), you can replicate that with any number of free apps or websites. Not bad, but not an obvious plus either.

Battery life and controls

With ANC turned on, I found that the PI7 gets about 4-5 hours of life in the buds, although that drops quickly if you’re on a call. The case can handle three to four charges, meaning the set should get you through a weekend of travel, although you may find yourself topping it off if you’re a heavy user. To help with this, the case uses USB-C wired charging and Qi wireless charging.

While the PI7’s large, flat touchpads are great for finding by feeling with your fingers — something many manufacturers neglect to do with a product you can’t actually see while in use — I found its physical options to be lacking. The app (again clearly inspired by Sony) doesn’t offer any option to change the controls themselves.

It’s the usual mix of clicks and holds for calls and music. But there’s no option to change the volume, something I would have preferred over switching between ANC and pass-through, which I never intentionally used. Missed opportunity.

Should you buy it? Rating 5/10

Bowsers & Wilkins PI7 earphones

noSorry. The B&W PI7 sounds great, is comfortable, and has an eye-catching feature in its Bluetooth transmitter. They’re too expensive to justify given the poor noise cancellation, connectivity issues, and lack of options.

Audiophiles may be enamored with the Bowers & Wilkins brand, but these headphones are very much a first-generation product. Those looking for great sound quality should check out alternatives from Apple or Sony. Even at the full MSRP, you’ll be able to use a dedicated Bluetooth adapter for the same price.

There’s a lot of promise in this design, but in order to compete, B&W will need to significantly improve the noise-cancelling elements and work on nailing that Bluetooth connectivity. Or if that fails, just lower the price significantly. I look forward to seeing more efforts from the company along these lines.

Buy it if…

• You value great sound (especially bass) and comfort above all else.
• You really want a Bluetooth audio adapter without carrying an extra gadget.

Don’t buy it if…

• You think $400 is too much for earbuds.
• You listen out loudEnvironmentsAnd you want good noise cancellation.

Where to buy

• Best buy
• B&H Photos