The sound quality of Bowers & Wilkins PI7 continues Bowers & Wilkins’ top level in the HIFI field. Using the design of dynamic+armature, the tri-frequency is very balanced, and the resolution is quite good, and the sound field is relatively open. In terms of noise cancelling ability, earbuds also performed very well. Especially the automatic noise cancelling design has a high degree of intelligence.
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 specs and features:
- Bluetooth 5.0 with aptX-Adaptive codec
- 9.2mm dynamic driver + balanced armature
- Support 48kHz/24bit audio processing
- Intelligent adaptive noise cancelling (ANC)
- Support wireless charging
- $393 – Check latest price on: Amazon US, Amazon Germany or other Amazon countries
Appearance Design & Accessories
The top cover of Bowers & Wilkins PI7 charging case is made of metal, and the texture of the matte surface is very good. And printed with Bowers & Wilkins brand logo.
The shape of the charging case is not a regular cuboid. The bottom with the Type-C interface will have a rounded transition, and the advantage is that it will feel great.
There is an oval button in the middle of the front of the charging case, and a long indicator light above the button. When you open the charging case, you can see that the two earbuds have the same color as the charging case, both black and champagne gold. In addition, there is a small round button hidden in the charging case. In terms of appearance, the Bowers & Wilkins P17 design is indeed very different from the common bluetooth headphones on the market.
The top golden part of earbuds is made of metal material, made by brushing process, and there is Bowers & Wilkins logo on the side of the cylindrical structure.
A single earbud weighs only 8g. Not to mention how comfortable it is to wear, this weight alone will not be a pressure for long-term wear. The black and gold textures on the side of earbuds are all matte materials. The ANCnoise cancelling microphone and the CVC voice call microphone are also set on the side.
In contrast to the sides, the earbuds have a glossy design on the inside. It is also worth mentioning that there is a sponge compartment in the middle of the silicone eartips of earphones.
In addition to earbuds and charging case, the accessories included in the package are two pairs of silicone eartips of different sizes, Type-C to Type-C cable and Type-C to 3.5mm cable.
APP & Noise Cancelling
The first use requires a long press of the button inside the charging case. If the earbuds and the phone have been connected once, they do not need to be paired again. When using, just open the charging case cover to realize the connection between the devices. From opening the cover to putting on the earphone, the bluetooth connection is automatically completed, which is a great experience.
The accompanying APP design is very simple. In the APP, you can check the power information of the earbuds, and you can set the earbuds.
In the APP, you can set the noise cancelling mode on and off, and you can also turn on the ambient sound mode. The transparency of the earbuds can be controlled by adjusting the level, and the ambient sound around the wearer can be selectively recorded. In addition to this, there are various sounds of nature that can be played in the APP, which I found to be very effective in promoting sleep.
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 is equipped with ANC real-time noise cancelling microphone, which adopts feedforward + feedback hybrid noise cancelling technology, which can recognize surrounding noise in all dimensions and perform automatic noise cancelling. In addition, turning on the noise cancelling mode can effectively reduce the stethoscope effect, and basically all noises are effectively reduced.
In addition to setting the noise cancelling on and off in the supporting APP, long-pressing the left earbud can also switch between the noise cancelling mode and the normal mode. When you turn on the noise cancelling mode, you will really feel that the surroundings are quiet.
Battery Life & Bluetooth Audio Transmission Function
The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 is equipped with wireless charging, which can be charged using the most common wireless chargers on the market. The earbuds can be charged in the charging case for 15 minutes to achieve 120 minutes of battery life, which is a satisfactory speed.
When fully charged, earbuds can last up to 4 hours on a single charge. The charging case also provides an additional 16 hours of listening time. In fact, the battery life of 4 hours is very ordinary, and any tws earbuds on the market can achieve it. Bowers & Wilkins PI7 has no advantage in this regard.
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 actually has a special function, that is, the first bluetooth audio transmission function. Use the original USB-C to DC 3.5mm conversion cable to connect the charging case to the audio device, and the charging case can instantly turn into a wireless audio transmitter. For example, it can be connected to computer hosts, professional audio players, game consoles, etc. that do not have bluetooth capabilities.
Sound Quality & Comfort
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 is tuned by the 800 Diamond Series team, equipped with 9.2mm dynamic+armature hybrid drive units, and each unit has an independent power amplifier and advanced DSP.
In terms of headphone connection, Bowers & Wilkins PI7 has 24-bit audio connection, and at the same time achieves lossless sound quality transmission with powerful Qualcomm Aptx Adaptive wireless transmission technology.
In terms of actual experience, Bowers & Wilkins PI7 performed really well. The sound quality performance will not be dull, but there is no transition rendering, and the overall performance is stable and solid. I was amazed by the performance of the bass, it does not pursue the deep bass too much, and the bass is bouncy and atmospheric.
The moving coil and moving iron hybrid headphone unit and 24-bit audio connection push the headphone resolution to a very high level. Whether it’s pop, rock, electronic or classical, Bowers & Wilkins PI7 is perfect for interpretation.
After wearing the earbuds, it is very firm. Even if the earbuds are intentionally moved left and right, and the headphone is shaken up and down, there is no problem of the earbuds falling off. There is no strange feeling after the earphones are put into the ears, and the comfortable wearing and lightweight design can basically be worn without feeling. I tried wearing it for 2 hours straight and it still feels very comfortable.
Check the Bowers Wilkins PI7 price:
- Check price on Amazon US
- Check price on Amazon Germany
- Check price on other Amazon countries
