The Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 is the audio brand’s latest flagship true wireless earbuds, retails at S$699 and available from TC Acoustic’s online store and B&W storefronts on Shopee and Lazada. And yes, you read that right – the Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 retails at S$699. It is a luxury audio product, but it does have what it takes in the audio department and a cool feature up its sleeve.
Build quality and features
Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 sports a new look compared to its predecessor. The new shape features a more uniform, oval shell, which gives a more refined look compared to the Pi7 S2, with a microphone grille spanning the width of each earbud to conceal components that were previously visible. The earbuds come in a number of colours, and the unit I have is a new colour called ‘Pale Mauve’, which is a rather delightful pastel shade of light purple. Ladies will definitely fancy this color as it looks posh and elegant.
When it comes to build quality, in hand the Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 feel genuinely premium as they use a smooth, matte-plastic surface rather than the glossy plastic. The earbuds and charging case are also well-constructed. The case hinge snaps back satisfyingly and there is no rattling heard even when shaking the case.
The charging case is decently compact, not as pocketable as an AirPods Pro’s case, but still rather slim. As the case also has a matte finish, just be aware that this type of surface tend to show any scuffs or scratches more easily than a glossy one. The earbuds have an IP54 water and dust resistance rating, which makes them usable at the gym.
As for battery life, when ANC is turned on, the Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 delivers around 6.5 hours per charge with a total of 20 hours including the case. ANC off extends that to 8 hours per charge, with 28 hours total. A 15-minute quick charge gains you an additional two hours of listening time, which is handy if you’re rushing out the door.
Controls and App
The Bowers & Wilkins Music app is unlike other earbuds app as it is designed for all their audio products, similar to Sonos. The Pi8 appears on the app as one of a connected audio product.
The features are pretty lean. You can use the app for firmware updates, EQ adjustments, and control customisation. There are five bands of EQ available, though the app doesn’t show the exact frequency each band affects. There are also no EQ presets, so everything needs to be dialled in according to your preferences, or you could just stick with the default sound.
Touch control remapping is rather limited too as you can only change what a tap-and-hold does, not the other gestures. It’s functional but lags behind what rivals like Technics and Bose offer in terms of depth and flexibility.
Fit and comfort
Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 weighs in at 7g per earbud which is slightly on the heavier side given its size. The included four sizes of silicone ear tips is wide enough to find one that fits you. In my experience, the fit is secure and comfortable for extended listening sessions. That said, if your ears are on the smaller side you might find them a little on the bulky side.
But in general, the fit of the earbuds is secure and work well for my main use of case of listening to music during my daily commute. I’m not entertaining the thought of using them for exercise at all.
Sound quality
This is where the Pi8 earns its price tag. Long story short, the Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 brings about a detailed sound with punchy bass that has a level of refinement to it. Each earbud features a 12mm carbon cone driver, the same driver material used in the Px8 over-ear headphones and B&W’s 700 Series loudspeaker tweeter.
The overall sound signature of the Pi8 leans towards a slightly warm but largely neutral sound with slight emphasis on bass. Speaking of bass, the low end is powerful, punchy, but not overpowering. It adds to the overall body of the sound and makes drums and synths more engaging. Midrange is rich, layered, and detailed, with vocals coming across clear and wider than usual, giving an immersive listening experience. Treble is clean and well presented, not sibilant with just the right amount of brightness to balance out the overall sound.
Imaging is brilliant and you are able to listen to the many intricate layers on complex tracks. Soundstage is wider than the average true wireless earbuds, creating an immersive sound. On a separate note, if you see a 3.5mm to USB-C cable in the box and not sure what it does, it is actually the Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 audio retransmission technology. This lets you plug the case into any analogue or digital source (eg. an in-flight entertainment system) and retransmit audio wirelessly to the earbuds in aptX Adaptive at up to 24-bit/96kHz quality. This is genuinely useful for long-haul flights, and it’s something you won’t find in most competing earbuds.
ANC performance
The ANC on the Pi8 is competent, but at not exactly S$699 good. You’re largely paying the premium for the sound quality. Having said that, the ANC is better than average and handles the constant hum of MRT trains and the drone of air-conditioning reasonably well, but it is not the most effective with mid-to-high frequency noise (such as chatter in a hawker centre).
Microphone quality
Microphone quality on the Pi8 is slightly above average, and not as good as alternatives like the AirPods Pro 3. It would still suffice for taking calls as long as you are in a decently controlled environment without much noise. If you’re taking a lot of calls during your commute, that’s something worth considering.
Conclusion
At S$699, the Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 is not for everyone. But if you’re someone who takes music listening seriously, then these earbuds are designed for you. The sound quality is in a class of its own among wireless earbuds at this price point. It is a really an audio-first pair of true wireless earbuds.