Hardwired
In Hardwired, AC Senior Editor Harish Jonnalagadda delves into all things hardware, including phones, audio products, storage servers, and networking gear.
I have a lot of headphones; I use the Audeze MM-500 at my desk, but that’s mostly to attend meetings or tune into product briefings. The rest of the time, I alternate between a slew of over-ear headphones, including the Meze 99 Classics, Fiio FT7, Dan Clark Aeon X, and the Focal Elex.
But that doesn’t prevent the Px8 S2 from being unbelievably good, and that’s evident from the moment I started using the headphones. Some of that has to do with the design; I’m using the Warm Stone model, and it looks exquisite thanks to an aluminum body interlaced with leather. The design and build quality on offer here makes the Bose QC Ultra Gen 2 look positively mundane.
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It’s not all about the design either, as the Px8 S2 are as comfortable as they’re stylish. I’m no stranger to bulky headsets — having used Audeze’s products for a few years now — but the Px8 S2 are relatively lighter at 310g. They’re just 50g heavier than the Bose QC Ultra Gen 2, and the added heft isn’t noticeable at all thanks to the weight distribution. I had no issues getting a good fit, and the leather ear cushions are supremely comfortable, and they’re just as good to wear even with extended use. The comfort and design makes the Px8 S2 a great choice while traveling, and I used the headphones on over a half-dozen flights in 2026.
But the main reason I used the Px8 S2 over all the other headphones I have on hand is the sound quality. Bowers & Wilkins used custom 40mm drivers and a 24-bit DSP, and the sound tuning is impressive; you get a neutral sound similar to Bose, but with a hint of warmth that gives the headphones better musicality. That makes a big difference in daily listening sessions and while traveling; B&W calls these reference quality, and I agree — they’re the best-sounding among the current generation of Bluetooth headphones.
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Another positive is the inclusion of AptX Lossless and AptX Adaptive; with most high-end Android phones — like the Vivo X300 Pro, Find X9 Pro, and Xiaomi 17 Ultra — including AptX codecs as standard, it’s just great to use a headset that unlocks the full potential of high-res audio. This definitely makes a difference while using Roon to stream my music library.
While there’s no doubt that the Px8 S2 have the best sound, I’ll admit that the ANC isn’t as good as my Bose headset. It still does an admirable job at cutting out ambient sounds, but it isn’t quite as effective, nor does it extend to as high a frequency range as the Ultra Gen 2 headset. That said, it is more than adequate if you’re taking a long-haul flight or just sitting in a cafe.
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There isn’t much in the way of customizability, but the default sound signature is good enough that I didn’t have to tweak the EQ. That said, if you need to adjust the balance of the sound, there’s a five-band EQ available in the mobile app, along with the ability to change other settings.
I’m not a fan of gesture controls on Bluetooth headsets (they’re always finicky), and I’m glad B&W added physical buttons on the Px8 S2. There’s a multi-function button on the right that lets you change music playback, dedicated volume controls, and a button on the left that enables passthrough mode. Like most Bluetooth products, the Px8 S2’s wear detection automatically pauses music when you take the headphones off.
The Px8 S2 get all the other extras I want in a Bluetooth headset, including fast pairing and multi-device connectivity. Honestly, the combination of design and sound quality was enough to get me to use these as my daily driver, and the addition of high-res codecs and physical controls is just the icing on the cake. And after six months of regular use, I don’t really want to switch to any other headphones.
Obviously, the cost is prohibitive — as is the case with most Bowers & Wilkins products — but if you need a pair of luxury headphones with unmatched sound quality and a design that’s guaranteed to turn heads, you should consider upgrading.
With a stylish design and sublime sound, the Px8 S2 stand out in a crowded category.
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