[Audio46]

Audio46 is an Authorized Dealer of Bowers & Wilkins



What does it take to create category-defining True Wireless earbuds? High-resolution sound and crystal-clear voice calls, an industry-first wireless audio retransmission case, plus a choice of three elegant colors. Bowers & Wilkins is back with a revision on their legendary PI7 and PI5 true wireless in-ear headphones - both in stock and shipping now from Audio46!
*The PI7 S2 in white is available for pre-order*

SHOP PI7 S2>
SHOP PI5 S2>

 

[corgifall]

I would be curious if they fixed some of the connectivity issues I personally had on the original S1. I loved the PI7 but choose to not do a review on it since I was told they planned to update firmware for range issues. I ended up getting rid of them before could ever find out if they updated them with better firmware.

 

[Ferdinando1968]

I would be curious if they fixed some of the connectivity issues I personally had on the original S1. I loved the PI7 but choose to not do a review on it since I was told they planned to update firmware for range issues. I ended up getting rid of them before could ever find out if they updated them with better firmware.

unfortunately no update has resolved the connectivity issues, which still exist on S1.
The curious thing (which amazed me right away) is that connectivity is better using iPhone as a BT transmitter than using the charging base as a BT transmitter.

 

[corgifall]

unfortunately no update has resolved the connectivity issues, which still exist on S1.
The curious thing (which amazed me right away) is that connectivity is better using iPhone as a BT transmitter than using the charging base as a BT transmitter.

Good info, thanks! Bummer to hear they never solved. I actually had issues with my iPhone directly connected. Hoping the S2 has some better improvements.

 

[Ferdinando1968]

Good info, thanks! Bummer to hear they never solved. I actually had issues with my iPhone directly connected. Hoping the S2 has some better improvements.

They should have improved the connectivity, because they know about the problem.
Months ago I responded to a survey sent to me by B&W where they asked questions about the level of satisfaction with the product, asking specific questions, to which I naturally answered by detailing the problem.

 

[salgado]

Apparently they claim they fixed the connectivity issues. I hope the sound quality is at least on the same level (great if they improved this too though )

https://www.whathifi.com/news/bower...earbuds-aim-to-fix-the-originals-biggest-flaw

 

[JerryHead]

I just purchased the PI7 S2 and am using the case as a transmitter with my iPhone 13 Pro and my iPad Mini 4 (with C cable) and I can't figure out if doing this will provide me with BT transmission in AptX Adaptive? or is the case using some other Bluetooth codec? (I'm listening to Tidal Masters from the iOS Tidal app, or high-res files from iOS Onkyo HR Player app)
Also, I ordered the new Sony NW-A306 which has AptX HD. I'm assuming I'll get the higher bitrate AptX HD has to offer using these IEMs with this DAP. Will I be able to EQ any of my music using this BT codec?

(I'm assuming the PI7 S2 works the exact same way as the S1)

Thanks.

 

[Ferdinando1968]

I just purchased the PI7 S2 and am using the case as a transmitter with my iPhone 13 Pro and my iPad Mini 4 (with C cable) and I can't figure out if doing this will provide me with BT transmission in AptX Adaptive? or is the case using some other Bluetooth codec? (I'm listening to Tidal Masters from the iOS Tidal app, or high-res files from iOS Onkyo HR Player app)
Also, I ordered the new Sony NW-A306 which has AptX HD. I'm assuming I'll get the higher bitrate AptX HD has to offer using these IEMs with this DAP. Will I be able to EQ any of my music using this BT codec?

(I'm assuming the PI7 S2 works the exact same way as the S1)

Thanks.

to be honest, i have no idea what codec is used when the charging base is used as a transmitter. The manual doesn't seem to explain anything about it.
It is reasonable to think that a standard codec among those supported is used, but it could also be a proprietary B&W codec (this seems difficult to me).

 

[toontoonizer]

Just got my midnight blue PI7 S2's....can confirm the following connectivity issue is still present:
- Can't connect to Sony NW-WM1A via AptX HD. The player "can't connect" to the headphones in this mode. Have to defer to AptX codec. Same as BW PI7 S1

Furthermore, I cannot get BWs own Music app to find and connect to the headphones.

Such a shockingly poor product. It is worse than my PI7 S1s so these will be going back as there is no benefit

 

[m4rkw]

Got the Pi7 S2 yesterday. So far:

- The touch controls are terrible, I'm constantly accidentally pressing them when taking them in/out or reseating them. Because of this I turned off the ear detection feature but they're still annoying
- No way to switch between ANC and transparency mode without using the app, which frequently takes 5-10 seconds to connect
- ANC is weak, haven't tried it in very busy environments yet but it doesn't seem to do much
- Transparency mode is rubbish, to make the world audible you need to increase the volume such that it has a terrible noise floor
- The 3.5mm jack retransmit feature just plain doesn't work as far as I can tell, the connection cuts out so much it's unusable even when the case is held directly in front of your face by the earbuds
- Call quality is terrible
- Battery life with ANC is apparently only 4 hours

However... none of this matters. Because the sound through these things is breathtaking. It's so good I can barely believe it's even possible through something so small. I received them around 5pm yesterday and since then I've done nothing but listen to them, exploring all kinds of different music including lots that I hardly ever listen to.

Maybe it's such a startling difference because I'm used to the clinical sound of Airpods Pro 2s but.. wow. I'm honestly blown away. I was fully expecting to try these briefly and return them to amazon but I just can't. They're so good. They're annoyingly good, because I'm about to lose a lot of convenience by selling my Airpods but I just can't let these go. With Airpods Pro (2nd gen) I never want to listen to music, just podcasts or TV, because music just doesn't sound good through them. With the Pi7S2 all I want to do is listen to music, I forgot to even eat last night because I was so enraptured with the sound.

rtings.com seems like a great website, they have awesome amounts of data and they're my go-to reference point for headphone information, or at least were until now. But check these statements comparing these two models:

"The Apple AirPods Pro (2nd generation) Truly Wireless are slightly better earbuds than the Bowers & Wilkins Pi7 S2 True Wireless"

"They also have a more neutral sound profile, which some users may prefer"

I have no doubt this is what their data shows and that it's verifiable but the truth in my opinion is the APP2 are flat, clinical and tiresome to listen to and the Pi7 S2 are out-of-this-world amazing and will have you dancing around a room for hours.

Yes they are flawed in annoying ways that will drive you mad over time, but the tradeoff is pure sonic bliss.

 

[m4rkw]

Tell a lie - the 3.5mm streaming feature does work, I tried it again and got no cut-outs, probably just needed to put the buds back in the case for a moment before trying it.