Bowers and Wilkins PX8 Wireless Discussion

[jthomp72]

Uncle Crin dropped this review and at no point did he compare them to a Bathys or Px8 or 5909 lol...

 

[angelom]

@angelom came back haunted nine inch nails. Tell me what you think… that’s only an example but in general I perceive as the driver of app2 doesn’t have the ability to give all frequencies the same treatment so for me it shows the “mess” when compared to px8. But that’s my ears and my opinion. Tell me yours.

Ok, this is my honest opinion. I going back to factory settings in px8 (going back to no EQ) because the is more fair comparison and with ANC and transparency off. The same with APP 2, normal stereo with ANC and transparency off. This is from Spotify in my MacBook Pro 16" 2021.

I'm sorry but I'm not hearing the "mess" you mentioning in the APP 2. In fact, the sound is more open (less congestion) and is having better definition in treble, this is clear in percussion, and better balance in bass, where low bass is giving better presence than the dominance of mid bass in px8.

BUT I can see some people enjoying the more thick mid bass and mids of px8 that maybe giving more excitement but not better sound, really.

Where the px8 is losing very clearly is when playing this same track in more mid/low volumes. The APP 2, with the H2 chip, is offering excellent performance in (almost) all volume levels, more evident, of course, in more low volumes, where the bass and treble are present still but not, specially bass, in the px8. Bose, by the way, is first introducing this great technology several years ago with the qc35 (version 1) and I think Apple are improving this technology with the APP 2.

 

[nunomeneses]

Ok, this is my honest opinion. I going back to factory settings in px8 (going back to no EQ) because the is more fair comparison and with ANC and transparency off. The same with APP 2, normal stereo with ANC and transparency off. This is from Spotify in my MacBook Pro 16" 2021.

I'm sorry but I'm not hearing the "mess" you mentioning in the APP 2. In fact, the sound is more open (less congestion) and is having better definition in treble, this is clear in percussion, and better balance in bass, where low bass is giving better presence than the dominance of mid bass in px8.

BUT I can see some people enjoying the more thick mid bass and mids of px8 that maybe giving more excitement but not better sound, really.

Where the px8 is losing very clearly is when playing this same track in more mid/low volumes. The APP 2, with the H2 chip, is offering excellent performance in (almost) all volume levels, more evident, of course, in more low volumes, where the bass and treble are present still but not, specially bass, in the px8. Bose, by the way, is first introducing this great technology several years ago with the qc35 (version 1) and I think Apple are improving this technology with the APP 2.

Ok so that’s your take. But taking out the eq of what you like on px8 you’re not being fair. Bowers gave you eq Apple didn’t. I use eq with px8 little but I use. If I hadn’t eq maybe I had returned them btw. You had bathys, tell me, do you have that energy of drums on them?

 

[jthomp72]

Ok so that’s your take. But taking out the eq of what you like on px8 you’re not being fair. Bowers gave you eq Apple didn’t. I use eq with px8 little but I use. If I hadn’t eq maybe I had returned them btw. You had bathys, tell me, do you have that energy of drums on them?

I also find it mildly unfair to not have ANC on...as ANC is a key component in the design of both of these pairs of Headphones. They are designed to work with ANC on most effectively. Not to mention the APP2 has a dynamic EQ so might as well EQ the Px8.

 

[angelom]

Ok so that’s your take. But taking out the eq of what you like on px8 you’re not being fair. Bowers gave you eq Apple didn’t. I use eq with px8 little but I use. If I hadn’t eq maybe I had returned them btw. You had bathys, tell me, do you have that energy of drums on them?

I don't know that you're using EQ with px8. In my opinion isn't fair using EQ because is introducing a variable that is very dependent in MY taste. BUT I will try giving you my opinion with EQ in the px8.

I also find it mildly unfair to not have ANC on...as ANC is a key component in the design of both of these pairs of Headphones. They are designed to work with ANC on most effectively. Not to mention the APP2 has a dynamic EQ so might as well EQ the Px8.

I'm sorry but this is nonsense. Who is talking about ANC on or off?? And the px8 is more bad / bassy even with ANC on!

Oh, and so now we speak about Apple's "dynamic EQ"?? Any excuse is always working for you. What if my EQ preference for the px8 is +6dB in bass and treble, or -6dB in bass and treble?? Is that making difference in your opinion/ explanations/ excuses??

 

[jthomp72]

I don't know that you're using EQ with px8. In my opinion isn't fair using EQ because is introducing a variable that is very dependent in MY taste. BUT I will try giving you my opinion with EQ in the px8.



I'm sorry but this is nonsense. Who is talking about ANC on or off?? And the px8 is more bad / bassy even with ANC on!

Oh, and so now we speak about Apple's "dynamic EQ"?? Any excuse is always working for you. What if my EQ preference for the px8 is +6dB in bass and treble, or -6dB in bass and treble?? Is that making difference in your opinion/ explanations/ excuses??

I'm saying to make it a totally fair comparison, tune the Px8 to whatever you like the best and the apple however you like best. Of course you want them both at your fav settings.

 

[angelom]

Ok so that’s your take. But taking out the eq of what you like on px8 you’re not being fair. Bowers gave you eq Apple didn’t. I use eq with px8 little but I use. If I hadn’t eq maybe I had returned them btw. You had bathys, tell me, do you have that energy of drums on them?

I don't know that you're using EQ with px8. In my opinion isn't fair using EQ because is introducing a variable that is very dependent in MY taste. BUT I will try giving you my opinion with EQ in the px8.

You know nunimeneses, I'm sorry but I think is not necessary for me doing the test again with EQ in th px8. I think you have a decision already about the px8 and APP 2. If you love the px8 very much, great! If you think is better than APP 2, great too!

I'm not agree with your opinion and I think I doing fair test already. Sorry.

 

[Denkmal]

I'm not agree with your opinion and I think I doing fair test already. Sorry.

Hard to argue with that.
So, just out of curiosity: you had Bathys and returned them. You have the PX8 and like them, but they sound worse than a pair of true wireless IEMs for less than half the price.
How come you even bother with circumaural and expensive headphones if you already found the APP2 to be your prefered headphone?

I can only congratulate you that you dont have to waste more money on this hobby.

 

[Womaz]

This thread really is starting to lose its benefit if you ask me …………

 

[BigJs]

I will not spending time explaining why your comments are wrong and, in several ways, a cliche of misinformation, and some or many people here will agreeing with you. I already know explaining this is waste of time. But, if this is making you feel better, the APP 2 costing 300 euros in Europe vs 700 euros for px8.

I have them; they are used for hands-free in the car, getting directions from Google maps while driving, and for a short 20' commute... and when it's raining. Don't want to subject my PX8 to that. Otherwise they are quite atrocious imho and listening to music is, for me, not pleasant at all

Could be my ears... I have ears like Dumbo the elephant but evidently very narrow ear canals. None of the included earbuds suits me, had to purchase XXS buds from Korea or somewhere. Whatever; they'll do for my intended use and possibly the mismatch between my ears and the earbuds are to blame. Subjectively speaking ofc

 

[ricthaman]

Been playing around with the fit on my head of the PX8, and noticed that there's a rather noticeable difference in sound when I shift them from front to back (so over the x-axis so to speak). If I shift them all the way to the back (so front of pad is touching front of my ear) the sound becomes more intens, mid-high get much more pronounced but dynamics are lost and I could describe this as a 'meddy' sound (listening to metal).
When I shift them to opposite position, so back of earcup/pad touching back of my ear sound becomes 'darker' but the 'spread' of sound is greater and the messy sound is gone, however mid-highs are also noticeably toned down. So a tad more to the front from this backwards position strikes best balance for me.

I know this has been mentioned throughout this thread already (because of angled drivers), but I didn't think the difference would be that noticeable (Radiance also has angled drivers but is not that picky about positioning). Any other PX8 owner notice similar behaviour?

 

[BigJs]

Been playing around with the fit on my head of the PX8, and noticed that there's a rather noticeable difference in sound when I shift them from front to back (so over the x-axis so to speak). If I shift them all the way to the back (so front of pad is touching front of my ear) the sound becomes more intens, mid-high get much more pronounced but dynamics are lost and I could describe this as a 'meddy' sound (listening to metal).
When I shift them to opposite position, so back of earcup/pad touching back of my ear sound becomes 'darker' but the 'spread' of sound is greater and the messy sound is gone, however mid-highs are also noticeably toned down. So a tad more to the front from this backwards position strikes best balance for me.

I know this has been mentioned throughout this thread already (because of angled drivers), but I didn't think the difference would be that noticeable (Radiance also has angled drivers but is not that picky about positioning). Any other PX8 owner notice similar behaviour?

Interesting, I will try your experiment too

 

[Denkmal]

Been playing around with the fit on my head of the PX8, and noticed that there's a rather noticeable difference in sound when I shift them from front to back (so over the x-axis so to speak). If I shift them all the way to the back (so front of pad is touching front of my ear) the sound becomes more intens, mid-high get much more pronounced but dynamics are lost and I could describe this as a 'meddy' sound (listening to metal).
When I shift them to opposite position, so back of earcup/pad touching back of my ear sound becomes 'darker' but the 'spread' of sound is greater and the messy sound is gone, however mid-highs are also noticeably toned down. So a tad more to the front from this backwards position strikes best balance for me.

I know this has been mentioned throughout this thread already (because of angled drivers), but I didn't think the difference would be that noticeable (Radiance also has angled drivers but is not that picky about positioning). Any other PX8 owner notice similar behaviour?

I think it may not just be the angled drivers but also how it affects the seal.

 

[7KRP]

Oh no, please don’t disillusion me now as it goes on 6 weeks for my tan model preorder to yet be filled.

Sidebar: I called ABT last Monday, they spoke with the B&W rep and they said a week, maybe a little over SOOO we are at that “little over” part

 

[vincenz]

It's been said countless times already, but it's all about the sound signature. If you did not like B&W sound before, the Px8 isn't going to change that for you. The other way around also. It doesn't matter how much you measure headphones or look at a line on a graph to see how it conforms to a certain "neutrality" (this exercise is ridiculous in itself as that assumes that is some kind of ideal when it really is not). There is no universal "correct" or "best". Only "correct to your ears" or "best for your preferences". Attempting to say anything otherwise is audiophoolery.