[Unbiased Review] The Bowers & Wilkins PX headphones (new revised version) are awesome, especially after 60 hours of burn in listening, where the sound quality improves. The soundstage is wide, bass isn’t that good during first use as it cracks at high volumes, but overtime becomes much clearer, mid-tones and highs are perfect, instrumentals are clear and crisp, very distinguishable. Noise cancelling technology attempted for the first time by Bowers&Wilkins isn’t as good as Bose, but somewhat almost comparable to Beats, not the best. But good enough, it blocks out most sounds on the lower pitch spectrum, as high pitch voices can still be heard a bit. Been a Bowers&Wilkins fan for years, thanks to their perfect acoustic sound reproduction and sleek, elegant design I really love.
Now, rating this headphone is subjective as we all have different preferences, but here’s a summary:
• Sound Quality - 9.5/10 (after 60 hours of burn in)
Treble and Vocals are excellent, Bass doesn’t sound great out the box and takes listening time to improve. Great for listening acoustics, country, instrumentals, jazz and pop, but not much for R&B and rock, or heavy metal. No wonder, Volvo, McLaren and some BMW trusts them for their car audio.
• Build Quality - 9/10 great materials used, quality parts, leather is genuine, softens over time and absolutely feels good. New version, comes with a nice hard case with zipper and garter for your charger and audio cable. ALTHOUGH, there’s a potential WEAK POINT near the ear cup where you see breakages from other users. Metal fatigue, can happen over time as pressure is applied there during wear and use, which can break some point in the future. The buttons on the headphones and tactile feedback feels good and plush.
• Battery Life - 10/10 great battery! Although the app says it maxes out at 97~98%, it may be an isolated app issue. (I also have a P5 Wireless which I bought in 2016, and still good up to this date. So this should be much better)
• Comfort - 9/10 my head is quite big, and headphones have a great seal, so it’s comfortable to wear, ANC works well and the genuine leather which softens up after prolonged use feels great. Discomfort may happen after prolonged use for some users, with smaller heads. I fell asleep in bed wearing this and no discomfort so far, leather gets softer so it only gets better.
• Customer Service (USA) - Good, not great as calling them is the best way to reach them. Their tech support is amazing though 9/10. Calling them is a bit of a wait around 6-10 minutes long and is not 24/7.
Overall, for $400 USD (before taxes) the Bowers&Wilkins PX headphone are amazing over-the-ear headphones with a final score of 9.5/10 especially when you’re like me who mostly listens to (Pop, Acoustics, Country, Jazz and Instrumentals) noise cancelling is good enough for most users, not as great as BOSE, but it gets the job done in most scenarios. The B&W mobile app, Connects to the headphones fine, enough features you need.
(Note: If you’re encountering issues with the app not connecting to your headphones, it may be a Bluetooth conflict or interference issue, with another device connected to your phone. Tech support doesn’t know this, but figured it out myself)
Device: Apple iPhone XS MAX iOS 13.3
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This Item  Bowers & Wilkins FP39691 PX Active Noise Cancelling Wireless Headphones, Best-in-class Sound, Soft Gold |  |  |  |  |  | |
| Price | — | $953.57 | $699.00 | -13% $348.00 List: $399.99 | $999.00 | $699.00 |
| Delivery | — | Get it as soon as Thursday, May 16 | Get it as soon as Thursday, May 16 | Get it as soon as Thursday, May 16 | Get it as soon as Thursday, May 16 | Get it as soon as Thursday, May 16 |
| Customer Ratings | ||||||
| Sound quality | ||||||
| Noise cancellation | ||||||
| Battery life | ||||||
| Comfort | ||||||
| Bass quality | ||||||
| Sold By | — | Amazon.com | GRAMOPHONE | Amazon.com | GRAMOPHONE | HeadphonesInc |
| connectivity tech | Bluetooth | Wireless, Bluetooth | Wireless, Bluetooth 5.1 Multipoint, Wired, USB-C | Bluetooth | Wired | Wireless, Bluetooth 5.1 Multipoint, Wired, USB-C |
| headphones form factor | Over Ear | Over Ear | Over Ear | Over Ear | Over Ear | Over Ear |
| connector type | USB Type C | wireless | usb-c,wireless | Stereo Mini Jack | 3.5mm Jack | — |
| noise control | active noise cancellation | active noise cancellation | active noise cancellation | active noise cancellation | sound isolation | active noise cancellation |
| headphones jack | 3.5 mm Jack | 3.5 mm Jack | 3.5 mm Jack | 3.5 mm Jack | 3.5mm Jack, 6.35mm Jack | 3.5 mm Jack |
| cable feature | Without Cable | Detachable | Without Cable | Without Cable | Detachable | Without Cable |
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Bowers & Wilkins PX Noise Cancelling Wireless Headphones
In Hand Reviews
Reviews with images
Perfectly balanced... as all things should be.
This review is for the Bowers & Wilkins PX (Gold/Blue).TL;DR │ This pair checks a lot of must-have boxes, from USB-C to AptX HD. The sound changes from muddy to crystal after a "burn in" period. Current revisions now come with a proper hard case. Average battery life. Average ANC. Comfort and sound are subjective. Great for people who appreciate complex music, wireless, with uncompressed audio.CONTENTS: Intro │ What I Like │ What I Don't Like │ Package │ Notes │ Verdict- - - - -These headphones have been in my list for a long time. When it reached the low price threshold I have set, boom! unplanned purchase. What sets this apart is that this is the ONLY pair with USB-C, AptX HD, non-overpowered low frequency. This makes the codec really important, which the likes of Bose and Bang & Olufsen neglected with their current "flagship" ANC's. It also comes with multipoint connection (unlike the Sony's), which is very useful for me. The auto-play/pause works for me 99% of the time, unlike other people (not sure why they have that problem). The USB-C also allows playback. I have no comment on build quality yet.WHAT I LIKE │ + │+ Included hard case on current revisions.⁽ⁿ⁰⁾+ Sound is perfectly balanced, as all things should be.⁽ⁿ¹⁾+ USB C charging AND PLAYBACK.+ Aptx HD. This is important.+ Angled drivers. Genius.+ Smart pause/play and power-saving.+ Solid clamp for excellent sound isolation.+ Real leather smell from real leather.WHAT I DON'T LIKE │ × │× Shape and size.⁽ⁿ²⁾× Non-replaceable battery.⁽ⁿ³⁾× Bluetooth issues.⁽ⁿ⁴⁾× App issues.⁽ⁿ⁵⁾× Cheap cables. Non-braided.× Expensive. Even at $100 off.× It REALLY needs a break-in/burn-in period.× No LDAC. No AptX LL.× No mic when wired (it uses TRS audio cable).× Not eyeglasses-friendly.× Not collapsible (for travel).× Not a fan of imprecise headband adjustments.PACKAGE │ ✓ ✗ │✓ Bowers & Wilkins PX headphones.✓ USB C to A cable.✓ 3.5mm TRS audio cable.✓ Printed materials.✓ Hard case with cable slots.✓ Big box.✗ No soft pouch like previous gen.- - - - -NOTES⁽ⁿ⁰⁾ A lot of people complain that it does not come with a hard case. It now does. Mine does. I purchased this on May 2019. However, it did not come with the original gorgeous thick pouch.⁽ⁿ¹⁾ I prefer a good flat sound by default. This stands out because the competition is bass-heavy, which tends to drown out the details. The lows on the PX is full and crisp, not overflowing and thumping.⁽ⁿ²⁾ Although it looks stunning to look at, it's a massively shaped pair of headphones. It creates a ridiculously big gap on the sides of your head when worn. This is very noticeable, especially compared to the likes of V-Moda. This makes it subjectively not too fashionable WHEN WORN. See photo for comparison.⁽ⁿ³⁾ If the battery dies, it's brick. A very expensive brick.⁽ⁿ⁴⁾ When connected to two devices (e.g. my phone with AptX-HD and my laptop), opening the headphone app on my phone messes the audio so bad: it skips every half second.⁽ⁿ⁵⁾ The app needlessly reconnects whenever it is launched. This is okay, but then, the app sometimes could not find the headphones, EVEN WHEN IT IS ALREADY CONNECTED playing music.- - -VERDICT: I recommend this product★★★★☆ | 4 stars out of 5. Checks a lot of boxes, but has shortcomings for the price.Questions? Hit the comments!This review is for the Bowers & Wilkins PX (Gold/Blue).
Top reviews from the United States
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Reviewed in the United States on January 13, 2020
Now, rating this headphone is subjective as we all have different preferences, but here’s a summary:
• Sound Quality - 9.5/10 (after 60 hours of burn in)
Treble and Vocals are excellent, Bass doesn’t sound great out the box and takes listening time to improve. Great for listening acoustics, country, instrumentals, jazz and pop, but not much for R&B and rock, or heavy metal. No wonder, Volvo, McLaren and some BMW trusts them for their car audio.
• Build Quality - 9/10 great materials used, quality parts, leather is genuine, softens over time and absolutely feels good. New version, comes with a nice hard case with zipper and garter for your charger and audio cable. ALTHOUGH, there’s a potential WEAK POINT near the ear cup where you see breakages from other users. Metal fatigue, can happen over time as pressure is applied there during wear and use, which can break some point in the future. The buttons on the headphones and tactile feedback feels good and plush.
• Battery Life - 10/10 great battery! Although the app says it maxes out at 97~98%, it may be an isolated app issue. (I also have a P5 Wireless which I bought in 2016, and still good up to this date. So this should be much better)
• Comfort - 9/10 my head is quite big, and headphones have a great seal, so it’s comfortable to wear, ANC works well and the genuine leather which softens up after prolonged use feels great. Discomfort may happen after prolonged use for some users, with smaller heads. I fell asleep in bed wearing this and no discomfort so far, leather gets softer so it only gets better.
• Customer Service (USA) - Good, not great as calling them is the best way to reach them. Their tech support is amazing though 9/10. Calling them is a bit of a wait around 6-10 minutes long and is not 24/7.
Overall, for $400 USD (before taxes) the Bowers&Wilkins PX headphone are amazing over-the-ear headphones with a final score of 9.5/10 especially when you’re like me who mostly listens to (Pop, Acoustics, Country, Jazz and Instrumentals) noise cancelling is good enough for most users, not as great as BOSE, but it gets the job done in most scenarios. The B&W mobile app, Connects to the headphones fine, enough features you need.
(Note: If you’re encountering issues with the app not connecting to your headphones, it may be a Bluetooth conflict or interference issue, with another device connected to your phone. Tech support doesn’t know this, but figured it out myself)
Device: Apple iPhone XS MAX iOS 13.3
Color: GoldVerified Purchase
[Unbiased Comprehensive Review] Excellent sounding headphones, potential weak points
Reviewed in the United States on January 13, 2020
[Unbiased Review] The Bowers & Wilkins PX headphones (new revised version) are awesome, especially after 60 hours of burn in listening, where the sound quality improves. The soundstage is wide, bass isn’t that good during first use as it cracks at high volumes, but overtime becomes much clearer, mid-tones and highs are perfect, instrumentals are clear and crisp, very distinguishable. Noise cancelling technology attempted for the first time by Bowers&Wilkins isn’t as good as Bose, but somewhat almost comparable to Beats, not the best. But good enough, it blocks out most sounds on the lower pitch spectrum, as high pitch voices can still be heard a bit. Been a Bowers&Wilkins fan for years, thanks to their perfect acoustic sound reproduction and sleek, elegant design I really love.Reviewed in the United States on January 13, 2020
Now, rating this headphone is subjective as we all have different preferences, but here’s a summary:
• Sound Quality - 9.5/10 (after 60 hours of burn in)
Treble and Vocals are excellent, Bass doesn’t sound great out the box and takes listening time to improve. Great for listening acoustics, country, instrumentals, jazz and pop, but not much for R&B and rock, or heavy metal. No wonder, Volvo, McLaren and some BMW trusts them for their car audio.
• Build Quality - 9/10 great materials used, quality parts, leather is genuine, softens over time and absolutely feels good. New version, comes with a nice hard case with zipper and garter for your charger and audio cable. ALTHOUGH, there’s a potential WEAK POINT near the ear cup where you see breakages from other users. Metal fatigue, can happen over time as pressure is applied there during wear and use, which can break some point in the future. The buttons on the headphones and tactile feedback feels good and plush.
• Battery Life - 10/10 great battery! Although the app says it maxes out at 97~98%, it may be an isolated app issue. (I also have a P5 Wireless which I bought in 2016, and still good up to this date. So this should be much better)
• Comfort - 9/10 my head is quite big, and headphones have a great seal, so it’s comfortable to wear, ANC works well and the genuine leather which softens up after prolonged use feels great. Discomfort may happen after prolonged use for some users, with smaller heads. I fell asleep in bed wearing this and no discomfort so far, leather gets softer so it only gets better.
• Customer Service (USA) - Good, not great as calling them is the best way to reach them. Their tech support is amazing though 9/10. Calling them is a bit of a wait around 6-10 minutes long and is not 24/7.
Overall, for $400 USD (before taxes) the Bowers&Wilkins PX headphone are amazing over-the-ear headphones with a final score of 9.5/10 especially when you’re like me who mostly listens to (Pop, Acoustics, Country, Jazz and Instrumentals) noise cancelling is good enough for most users, not as great as BOSE, but it gets the job done in most scenarios. The B&W mobile app, Connects to the headphones fine, enough features you need.
(Note: If you’re encountering issues with the app not connecting to your headphones, it may be a Bluetooth conflict or interference issue, with another device connected to your phone. Tech support doesn’t know this, but figured it out myself)
Device: Apple iPhone XS MAX iOS 13.3
Images in this review
Top reviews from other countries
Dario P de Sousa
Qualidade acima de tudo
Reviewed in Brazil on September 1, 2020Color: GoldVerified Purchase
Hal9001
Amazing sound, elegant construction and killer tech all rolled into one.
Reviewed in Canada on July 23, 2018Color: GoldVerified Purchase
Hal9001
Reviewed in Canada on July 23, 2018
Feature wise the "wear sensor", which recognizes when you're wearing the headphones and pauses when you lift an ear cup and goes into sleep mode when you take them off your head, has worked well for the most part, with a couple minor hiccups early on, I updated the latest firmware pretty quickly, so that may have helped things. The ANC feature is not something I plan on using much personally, but it's good to know it's there for the times I need it. The various noise canceling settings do a great job when you have a good seal on your head, though competing headphones may do a slightly better job in this department, but again not a factor for me and why I cast my vote for sound quality with this purchase. The B&W app is pretty simple, it provides access to the intensity of the wear sensor, the various ANC modes, firmware updates, headphone info, a factory reset button, registration and a battery percentage indicator... as others have mentioned the inclusion of an EQ would have been cool and is a missed opportunity.
Comfort wise, I was skeptical, my older P7's gave me the dreaded pain on the top of my head thing and I was afraid these would do the same. I'm happy to say that these are much more comfortable for me. They do clamp down on the ears to get a good seal, and the ear pads have a bit of a triangular profile which could bug some folks, but for the most part haven't felt the need to take them off due to discomfort. I should mention they don't disappear on your head, you can tell they're there and they do have a bit of weight to them.
Guess the main take away is that these headphones make me want to re-visit some classic albums and just generally listen to music, and that's pretty cool because at the end of the day awesome sounding music is the meat and potatoes of a good headphone... everything else is just gravy, at least in my case. ;)
Images in this review
Amazon Customer
Fantásticos en todos los sentidos
Reviewed in Mexico on May 28, 2018Color: GoldVerified Purchase
Planet G
Simply outstanding
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 27, 2017Color: GoldVerified Purchase
