[KopaneDePooj]

I have come to the conclusion that lovers gonna love, haters gonna hate and those of us in the middle that really like the product but recognise its flaws are the ones that are mostly disappointed. Couple that with B&W's really average customer service and I doubt very much that they will see any of my hard earned ever again. Having experience Meze's products and customer service level B&W have a bit to learn about quality control and customer satisfaction. I just don't see this product having longevity unlike my px7 carbon edition which are as good as the day I bought them and they have been all over the world with me. The PX8 I dared not travel with as they were falling apart just using them a couple of times a week in the lounge. Sadly after 3 pairs i gave up.

A Meze bluetooth headphone would be very interesting indeed

 

[AnnR]

My PX8s have been fine so far after 8 months of almost daily use . If I develop the headband issue at some point I wondered about using the leather tape for tennis racquet grips . I know it would not look great aesthetically, maybe a bit home made but it should be functionally ok . I get you should not need to do that with premium product . I also wonder what percentage of customers are affected . Hard to gauge as I suspect only those with the problem tend to mention it .

I agree you are only going to hear mainly about the issues as is generally the case with most products, but I think we can all agree that the failure rate for a premium product is higher than it should be. The lack of reassurance and communication, acknowledging the issue and there reassurance to take corrective action in a suitable time frame from B&W does not help either and the lengthy replacement procedure and general customer service are unacceptable. Generally people are just being sent new replacements rather than repairs so I don't actually get why it takes so long. Its a shame as for a Bluetooth headphone its rather good. Perfectly acceptable sound quality and a lovely looking product but the headband will continue to be an issue for many until the PX8 is superseded.

 

[AnnR]

A Meze bluetooth headphone would be very interesting indeed

I am waiting for the day, sadly I think we are a long way away from that. Very impressed with there products and service second to none.

 

[KopaneDePooj]

My PX8s have been fine so far after 8 months of almost daily use . If I develop the headband issue at some point I wondered about using the leather tape for tennis racquet grips . I know it would not look great aesthetically, maybe a bit home made but it should be functionally ok . I get you should not need to do that with premium product . I also wonder what percentage of customers are affected . Hard to gauge as I suspect only those with the problem tend to mention it .

That would be a quick fix but not sure if it would be reversible, and it could look even worse than a headband cover that I have used here:
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/bowers-and-wilkins-px8-wireless-discussion.964955/post-18056584
Ideally a thinner / microfiber headband cover would be perfect but I only found neoprene ones.

For now I'm perfectly fine with the "double-sided-adhesive-tape-fix" , and I hope it will be the end of my headband issue.
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/bowers-and-wilkins-px8-wireless-discussion.964955/post-18117574

 

[AnnR]

That would be a quick fix but not sure if it would be reversible, and it could look even worse than a headband cover that I have used here:
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/bowers-and-wilkins-px8-wireless-discussion.964955/post-18056584
Ideally a thinner / microfiber headband cover would be perfect but I only found neoprene ones.

For now I'm perfectly fine with the "double-sided-adhesive-band-fix" , and I hope it will be the end of my headband issue.
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/bowers-and-wilkins-px8-wireless-discussion.964955/post-18117574

Personally I find the headband covers ugly, hopefully the tape lasts. On the last pair of the three sets I had when the leather came from under the banding it was quite thin and splitting slightly this was when I decided to finally give up. Did Consider the Burgundy model, my thinking was that as its a later production model QC may have improved but in the end it was just becoming too much of a pain. Dealing with Amazon after the first exchange was a major issue as they do not allow a second replacement and B&W were no real help It took me over two months to finally get a refund i then repurchased for them to fail again. Maybe I was just one of the unlucky ones. Good luck to those that have a good pair and I hope everyone else's fixes last and they are happy with them.

 

[dlorde]

I have come to the conclusion that lovers gonna love, haters gonna hate and those of us in the middle that really like the product but recognise its flaws are the ones that are mostly disappointed. Couple that with B&W's really average customer service and I doubt very much that they will see any of my hard earned ever again. Having experience Meze's products and customer service level B&W have a bit to learn about quality control and customer satisfaction. I just don't see this product having longevity unlike my px7 carbon edition which are as good as the day I bought them and they have been all over the world with me. The PX8 I dared not travel with as they were falling apart just using them a couple of times a week in the lounge. Sadly after 3 pairs i gave up.

What customer service issues have you had with them?

I've found B&W's customer service to be fairly good, as far as returns for repair under warranty are concerned. They've sent me free returns labels a few days after my complaints, got back to me within 2 weeks to say they were replacing the product, and I've received the replacement within a couple of days.

My gripe with them is the lack of any firmware update for the Pi7 s2 earbuds since their release, despite their clunky UI, bugs, and awkward Bluetooth connectivity.

 

[AnnR]

What customer service issues have you had with them?

I've found B&W's customer service to be fairly good, as far as returns for repair under warranty are concerned. They've sent me free returns labels a few days after my complaints, got back to me within 2 weeks to say they were replacing the product, and I've received the replacement within a couple of days.

My gripe with them is the lack of any firmware update for the Pi7 s2 earbuds since their release, despite their clunky UI, bugs, and awkward Bluetooth connectivity.

They basically wouldn't let me return the product to them and insisted I sent it back to Amazon. Like Amazon would ever repair! they were most unhelpful and basically suggested no solutions. They did tell me that they were seeing less failures/issues with the Burgundy model and also to date that though they are working on R&D constantly there is currently no upgrade model for the PX8.

 

[dlorde]

They basically wouldn't let me return the product to them and insisted I sent it back to Amazon. Like Amazon would ever repair! they were most unhelpful and basically suggested no solutions. They did tell me that they were seeing less failures/issues with the Burgundy model and also to date that though they are working on R&D constantly there is currently no upgrade model for the PX8.

Ah, OK. That's not great. The retailer is responsible for delivery issues & damage, but if you have a valid claim under the manufacturer's warranty, the manufacturer is responsible for sorting it.

I usually buy higher-end products direct from the manufacturer to avoid retailer vs manufacturer issues - unless there is a significant price difference, in which case I try to find a reputable retailer, e.g. Peter Tyson, Richer Sounds, etc.

 

[mainguy]

It's always hard to figure out how this is occurring.

For instance with the infamous 'Focal headband snaps' I've queried around 5 people it happened to, every single one was using a stand with a single contact point, a hanger stand. That's really not smart on a high end headphone.

I'm not saying that's happening here, but my guess is something is being done to make the headband come apart on the PX8. Because I'll be honest, I treat my headphones badly, I don't use a carry case, throw them in a backpack, etc, and there is no sign of this happening. I do wonder if it's heat, maybe using them in hotter environments. Hmmm.

They basically wouldn't let me return the product to them and insisted I sent it back to Amazon. Like Amazon would ever repair! they were most unhelpful and basically suggested no solutions. They did tell me that they were seeing less failures/issues with the Burgundy model and also to date that though they are working on R&D constantly there is currently no upgrade model for the PX8.

That's normal practice for Amazon. I had a very expensive ASUS product fail and I was directed to Amazon too. Amazon provide a guarantee on items and have to repair or replace them in the event of a fault, usually the latter.

It's identical if you buy a product from say Argos or many headphone dealers for that matter. The retailer is the first point of contact for warranty. Amazon are super lenient too.

 

[AnnR]

Ah, OK. That's not great. The retailer is responsible for delivery issues & damage, but if you have a valid claim under the manufacturer's warranty, the manufacturer is responsible for sorting it.

I usually buy higher-end products direct from the manufacturer to avoid retailer vs manufacturer issues - unless there is a significant price difference, in which case I try to find a reputable retailer, e.g. Peter Tyson, Richer Sounds, etc.

I appreciate not everyone is a fan of Amazon however they are pretty good for testing products and I wasn't sure I was going to keep initially. They were great with the first replacement no quibble next day, It was only when I experienced further issues and I discovered that company policy is replace once then its a refund. That's when I experienced issues and got in touch with B&W for advice. Amazon came through in the end but a refund was a pain due to being a high value item. Didn't help that the warehouse lost one of the returns but luckily I had proof of postage and proof of receipt by Amazon. Still took an age to resolve though. Finally I threatened a credit card claw back and they caved and refunded. Getting hold of a manager at Amazon was like looking for a ghost. Contacted B&W 3 or 4 times during these processes and they were virtually no help. Of course none of this takes away from the fact that the product failed three times for me, like I said maybe I was just one of the unlucky ones but it has rather put me off, I do feel I gave them a fair chance.

 

[mainguy]

I appreciate not everyone is a fan of Amazon however they are pretty good for testing products and I wasn't sure I was going to keep initially. They were great with the first replacement no quibble next day, It was only when I experienced further issues and I discovered that company policy is replace once then its a refund. That's when I experienced issues and got in touch with B&W for advice. Amazon came through in the end but a refund was a pain due to being a high value item. Didn't help that the warehouse lost one of the returns but luckily I had proof of postage and proof of receipt by Amazon. Still took an age to resolve though. Finally I threatened a credit card claw back and they caved and refunded. Getting hold of a manager at Amazon was like looking for a ghost. Contacted B&W 3 or 4 times during these processes and they were virtually no help. Of course none of this takes away from the fact that the product failed three times for me, like I said maybe I was just one of the unlucky ones but it has rather put me off, I do feel I gave them a fair chance.

That's so odd, Amazon are usually really lenient. We've had a fair few issues and they resolve or give very generous partial refunds if you go on online chat.

 

[AnnR]

It's always hard to figure out how this is occurring.

For instance with the infamous 'Focal headband snaps' I've queried around 5 people it happened to, every single one was using a stand with a single contact point, a hanger stand. That's really not smart on a high end headphone.

I'm not saying that's happening here, but my guess is something is being done to make the headband come apart on the PX8. Because I'll be honest, I treat my headphones badly, I don't use a carry case, throw them in a backpack, etc, and there is no sign of this happening. I do wonder if it's heat, maybe using them in hotter environments. Hmmm.

That's normal practice for Amazon. I had a very expensive ASUS product fail and I was directed to Amazon too. Amazon provide a guarantee on items and have to repair or replace them in the event of a fault, usually the latter.

It's identical if you buy a product from say Argos or many headphone dealers for that matter. The retailer is the first point of contact for warranty. Amazon are super lenient too.

Mate, mine never left the house and sat on the couch when not on my head. Not too warm in the UK for 99% of the year either. personally I think its quality of adhesive or application procedure. I have some experience with contact adhesives and several scenarios can account for it. Bad batch of adhesive, poor application or applicators running dry without being noticed. All of those happen in lots of manufacturing plants but the QC testing and remedial work once the problem is discovered is the disappointing bit, at some point B&W should have got hold of the manufacturing procedure and stopped this happening. Maybe they have, maybe they haven't we will never know because they won't comment.

 

[mainguy]

Mate, mine never left the house and sat on the couch when not on my head. Not too warm in the UK for 99% of the year either. personally I think its quality of adhesive or application procedure. I have some experience with contact adhesives and several scenarios can account for it. Bad batch of adhesive, poor application or applicators running dry without being noticed. All of those happen in lots of manufacturing plants but the QC testing and remedial work once the problem is discovered is the disappointing bit, at some point B&W should have got hold of the manufacturing procedure and stopped this happening. Maybe they have, maybe they haven't we will never know because they won't comment.

Ah OK, that makes more sense. I guess you're right, we'll never know how many bad PX8s there are out there, it's an expensive mistake to make that's for sure. Maybe they should go back to the stitched headbands of the older p7w which will last decades.

 

[AnnR]

Ah OK, that makes more sense. I guess you're right, we'll never know how many bad PX8s there are out there, it's an expensive mistake to make that's for sure. Maybe they should go back to the stitched headbands of the older p7w which will last decades.

My PX7 Carbon edition is great, as good as the day I bought them. Sound wise they just don't cut the mustard when compared to the PX8 they were a fair bit cheaper though so not really comparing apples to apples. I loved the PX8 just not the headband. If B&W came out and guaranteed a fix I would buy a pair tomorrow. The whole experience just left a slightly sour taste. Fantastic product very average quality control.

 

[KopaneDePooj]

It's always hard to figure out how this is occurring.

For instance with the infamous 'Focal headband snaps' I've queried around 5 people it happened to, every single one was using a stand with a single contact point, a hanger stand. That's really not smart on a high end headphone.

I'm not saying that's happening here, but my guess is something is being done to make the headband come apart on the PX8. Because I'll be honest, I treat my headphones badly, I don't use a carry case, throw them in a backpack, etc, and there is no sign of this happening. I do wonder if it's heat, maybe using them in hotter environments. Hmmm.

That's normal practice for Amazon. I had a very expensive ASUS product fail and I was directed to Amazon too. Amazon provide a guarantee on items and have to repair or replace them in the event of a fault, usually the latter.

It's identical if you buy a product from say Argos or many headphone dealers for that matter. The retailer is the first point of contact for warranty. Amazon are super lenient too.

Mate, mine never left the house and sat on the couch when not on my head. Not too warm in the UK for 99% of the year either. personally I think its quality of adhesive or application procedure. I have some experience with contact adhesives and several scenarios can account for it. Bad batch of adhesive, poor application or applicators running dry without being noticed. All of those happen in lots of manufacturing plants but the QC testing and remedial work once the problem is discovered is the disappointing bit, at some point B&W should have got hold of the manufacturing procedure and stopped this happening. Maybe they have, maybe they haven't we will never know because they won't comment.

Same here, as I mentioned when this first happened - I treated them with extra care, no extreme temperatures, handled with care - precisely because I was aware of the potential headband issue since day one. And it still happened.
The fact that some of you used them normally or slightly "abusive" and have no problem, points to bad batches on production line as AnnR suggests.