The Bowers & Wilkins PX are the latest headphones from the renowned British audio brand. In addition to a recognizable design, the PX brings a number of new features that we have not seen before with headphones from B&W. Armed with the headphones, we sought out a noisy environment to put the Bowers & Wilkins PX to the test.
Bowers & Wilkins PX
Price: 399 eurosBattery life: 20 hours
Frequency range: 10Hz – 20kHz
Impedance: 22Ohm
Functions: Active noise cancelling, Wear sensor, detachable ear cushions
Connections: Bluetooth with aptX HD, USB-C, 3.5mm headphone jack
Weight: 335 grams
Website: www.bowers-wilkins.nl
To buy: Kieskeurig.nl 6.5 Score 65
- Pros
- Luxury storage bag
- Sound quality
- app
- Battery Life & Wear Sensor
- Negatives
- Useless with empty battery
- Not compact
The Bowers & Wilkins PX is positioned between the P7 and P9 of the British brand. Still, the PX deviates a bit from the recognizable design. In contrast to the recognizable rectangular shape of the ear cups of other Bowers & Wilkins headphones, the PX has more oval ear cups. Both the ear pads and the inside of the headband are covered with a leather-like material, and a thin layer of fabric adorns the outside of the headband and earcups.
Thanks to the included luxury storage bag, you can take the PX with you wherever you go. Unfortunately, except for the tilting of the ear cups, the headphones are not compact. As a result, the PX only just fits in the storage bag and takes up quite a lot of space. This feels contradictory, because the PX is positioned correctly as headphones that you mainly use on the go. A spacious backpack is therefore not an unnecessary luxury.
pillows
The large ear cushions fit comfortably over the ear and also close well. The cushions are made of 'memory foam', so that they mold themselves to the user. The material is a bit harder than regular cushions, but over time the headphones become more and more comfortable to use and the sound insulation of the ear cushions also improves.
The ear cushions are attached with magnets and therefore easily removable, so you don't have to buy new headphones if the cushions break. When you switch on the headphones, a light that lights up red, yellow or green gives you an indication of the battery status.
Sound
The sound of the Bowers & Wilkins PX is particularly good and detailed. You are quickly inclined to listen for hours, because you keep discovering new details in music that you already thought you knew. The British have managed to create a particularly rich sound with the PX – you could almost call it addictive.
The speakers in the earcups are slightly tilted back, so that the sound is directed towards your ear canal. This really makes you feel like you're right in the middle of the music, instead of the traditional left-right soundstage of regular headphones. The sound is also very natural, with only a very slight emphasis on bass. The cushions and closed sound box provide an undisturbed listening experience, not to mention the active noise canceling.
Noise canceling
The Bowers & Wilkins PX is equipped with active noise canceling. With a button on the side you can switch the sound insulation on and off. You determine the degree of noise cancellation in the accompanying Headphones app from Bowers & Wilkins. You can also read the exact battery status in the app - a nice addition to the light - and give the headphones an update if necessary.
In the field of active noise cancellation, you can choose from Office, City and Flight, with the PX increasing the noise reduction a little each time or allowing voices to pass through amplified. When activating Office, buzz is mainly filtered and the music sounds slightly muffled, but voices are clearly let through. In City mode, sounds such as voices are clearly blocked out well. However, this can also be heard in the music, as the midrange – the frequencies of voices and instruments such as piano and guitar – are moved considerably to the background. In Flight, the low tones – such as an airplane engine or the roar of a train – are pushed away even further.
The Office mode is a good middle ground between light noise canceling and good sound quality. City and Flight are very similar in sound image and in these modes you notice the biggest difference in sound quality. Still, we have to say that Bowers & Wilkins have succeeded in developing a subtle active noise cancellation that has very little negative influence on the music quality.
Sensitivity
It is possible to set the headphones to send a play and pause signal to the connected device when you put the headphones on and off. This means you don't run the risk that the headphones will continue to play if you don't have them on your head and because the music really pauses, you don't have to miss anything. In the accompanying app you can set the sensitivity of this 'Wear sensor'.
This function sounds very useful, but the sensor is so sensitive even in the lowest position that the music stops when you slide one earcup next to your ear. This function was therefore seldom switched on in company, while it was extremely useful in the train. You don't have to grab your smartphone to pause the music when you take off the headphones, and the headphones also shut themselves off after a few minutes – which is good news for battery life.
Battery
This latter trick is also the reason that the battery life of the Bowers & Wilkins PX is fine in theory, but feels phenomenally good in practice. It ensures that you actually get 20 active hours from the PX. Those 20 hours are slightly less than the 22 hours that B&W promised, but that should not spoil the fun – certainly not thanks to that function.
Empty, then what?
The Bowers & Wilkins PX comes with a multifunctional USB 3.0 to USB-C cable. You can simply listen to music via that cable while charging by sending the audio out via the USB input of, for example, your laptop. So you can charge the headphones with one cable and use them at the same time - a very handy feature.
With the included 3.5mm headphone cable you can use the PX 'traditionally'. At least that's what we thought. The PX must always be turned on to use, even if you don't use noise canceling. This means that the headphones become useless the moment they are empty and there is no USB input nearby to charge the PX or play music with. Even with that impressive battery life, this is a big let down for a pair of headphones designed for use on the go. So pay attention to the battery status before you go out.
Contradictory
We are a bit confused by the Bowers & Wilkins PX. The headphones combine a premium look with sturdy materials and offer all kinds of fun functions that are easy to operate. As chic as the storage case is, it is a pity that the headphones are not collapsible. Add to that the fact that the Bowers & Wilkins PX must always be on, and you have headphones that in many cases come into its own at home than on the road.
Do you want good and true-to-life sound in a premium jacket and subtle noise cancellation? Then the Bowers & Wilkins PX is definitely worth considering. Are you looking for headphones for long flights or public transport? Then there are better candidates on the market.
