Ok, after one hour I comparing only the px8, bathys and p7w. Why not comparing now the 5909 too and including the old p7w that maybe people don't having interest? Because the 5909 tonal balance is very different from the other 3 AND because in first quick test I seeing the p7w and px8 are very similar in tonal balance.
Now, I will doing something that I hate in many reviews, and this is speaking about other aspects that aren't about sound. My initial sound impressions coming down in this post.
First thing, before I forgetting, is that I see often that some people agreeing (and now is almost official) that p7w is uncomfortable because of the clamping force. In my experience after using for 3 years almost every day, ONLY the 2 initial weeks is uncomfortable, after this time the p7w is very, very comfortable ALWAYS and I can using for 4, 6, 8 hours or more without a problem at all. My p7w, by the way, is looking like new, the construction quality is very excellent.
The px8 is very comfortable immediately, this is very good. And even when I see some people saying construction quality is very better than Bathys, this, in my opinion isn't actually true. I think the px8 is looking like having better construction but when looking more in detail, holding both headphones and looking every aspects, for me the Bathys is feeling more solid and robust.
The design of the px8 is more aesthetically better for me, BUT one thing I always don't liking AT ALL is big 'Bowers & Wilkins" brand showing in the earcups very, very prominently. In this respect I prefer a lot more the more discreet showing of Focal brand and the name Bathys. I agree with mainguy saying that is better having leather in the headband completely and not suede touching your head/hair in Bathys.
I'm a person that is changing volume and tracks very constantly so immediate accessibility for this features is big plus for me. The px8 play/pause and next/previous tracks buttons are very good quality (metal) but aren't easy for reaching immediately (I making mistake all the time). The Bathys same controls, similar like Bose QC35, is very better in this aspect. And the p7w is beautiful too in this aspect.
I don't testing ANC and transparency yet in px8, but is a surprise in a very good way that I preferring the ambient mode in the Bathys than in my APP 2 (everybody saying that Apple's APP2 and APM transparency is the best). APP 2 transparency is excellent but is still amplifying outside noise. In my little experience with Bathys transparency this is sounding very, very close like not using nothing in my head/ears.
SOUND IMPRESSIONS (all the headphones with factory sound and no EQ, only in wireless mode and using iPhone 14 Pro):
I must being honest and saying that I'm not expecting very good sound from px8 after the very terrible px and the not very good px7 (I never hearing the px7 s2, by the way). BUT I'm thinking that b&w can't charging 700 euros for something similar than px and px7. But I still hesitating a lot, and I'm thinking is probably very warm/dark sound that isn't good for me. I see that b&w offering 30 days with free trying and I buying the px8.
My first surprise is the similarity of sound with the p7w. This is good news even when I hearing other headphones that I like more. BUT I never selling my p7w because is having a very particular sound that even today is very good.
So, after comparing about 20 different test tracks, I confirm that the people that liking the p7w will liking the px8 very much (I never liking the p9, and preferring the p7w clearly). You still having mid-bass boost in px8 and sub-bass is missing but the mid-bass isn't so elevated, and this is making the bass AND midrange more correct and very, very attractive usually. You can still hearing mid-bass affecting mids but the effect is actually very good many times, not a problem for me in the majority of the times (but not always, specially in classical orchestral music and some more old 70's and 80s masters). The generally good treble performance of the p7w is here too in px8 but with little better definition and presence.
In general, px8 vs Bathys, I'm hearing a more big stage in Bathys and more mids presence in px8, but this mids sometimes I preferring in Bathys and sometimes in px8. Similar with upper frequencies, usually preferring the Bathys but the p8x sometimes is giving very good surprise in timbre. BUT is in the bass that usually the Bathys is clearly better, with less mid bass and very clearly better sub-bass performance but not awful exaggeration like sub bass in AirPods Max.
The px8 is a headphone that many, many people will loving (audiophile or not) and all the youtube reviews coming very soon will exaggerating how fantastic and unique is the px8, the is typical when YouTubers reviewing expensive devices ('if is very expensive, is very, very superior than the rest and incredible product!').
The Bathys is excellent headphone and I think right now I preferring Bathys than px8, but only by little percentage. I'm not 100% sure yet because the px8 is sounding really very, very nice with many music, but for now, in general, I'm liking more music with Bathys, but even when liking more Bathys, is never like "Oh, the Bathys is destroying the px8 in this music".
More impressions later or tomorrow probably, or Thursday.
