Bowers and Wilkins PX8 Wireless Discussion

[godkuma]

And for me, after extensive comparisons, the APP 2 is clearly having better sound than the px8.

I'm convinced the internal geometry of your ears has to be studied because there is no way on this planet you're claiming the APP2 to be decent, let alone better than TWS Cans of any description.

 

[angelom]

I'm convinced the internal geometry of your ears has to be studied because there is no way on this planet you're claiming the APP2 to be decent, let alone better than TWS Cans of any description.

Thank you very much for your expert opinion. I will going to the ear doctor immediately so that he/she can telling me what is wrong with my ears because, like you expertly say, definitely there is something completely wrong with my hearing.

 

[Denkmal]

I'm convinced the internal geometry of your ears has to be studied because there is no way on this planet you're claiming the APP2 to be decent, let alone better than TWS Cans of any description.

Don’t feed it…

 

[WillieS]

Is APP2 Apple AirPods Pro 2 ?

 

[ostewart]

If I had to guess it would be high end consumer. Face it, people don't buy high end speaker systems (read: floor speakers and towers and systems) like they used to. But they do buy high end soundbars and bluetooth speakers and headphones. I assume they'll stick to that.

You do know that their speaker business props up the headphones, not the other way around right?

They're just down the road from me, the brand isn't going anywhere, Masimo are just trying to untangle their consumer audio brands from the core medical side of things to understand and prioritise financials better.

I can see them selling off the audio brands at some point, when, I don't know.

 

[skazz]

Hi all,

Over the years I've very much only listened to music properly at home, almost exclusively through my home hifi (currently a Densen amp and B&W 800 series speakers). I've bought the odd headphone over the years, but cables got annoying so they stayed in the cupboard.

Background on ANC headphones:
I bought a pair of Bose QC35ii 5 years ago mostly for the noise cancellation when travelling or in the office. Music was always insipid and boring, so I often found myself just playing minimal music (Glass, Reich, Cage, Part, Zimmer) on them to have something going to support the ANC. The QC35ii are so ridiculously comfortable compared to my old Sennheisers (for example HD565, HD580, Momentum v1) that I can wear them for hours.

When the QC35ii headphones ear cup material started to flake on me, I decided to just grab the newest Bose QC Ultras for the improved ANC not expecting anything much. However to my surprise they sound pretty decent, and made me realise that ANC bluetooth headphones have improved dramatically in the last 5 years.

After a few weeks with the Bose, I decided to go and demo the B&W Px8s just because I am a fan of the B&W sound. So I was wondering if B&W's modern headphones can do the same trick. Short answer: Yes.

I actually got the burgundy Px8s during Black Friday for only €15 more than my original QC Ultra purchase. So for me, the two headphones are direct competitors with almost identical price. Heck, they were €150 cheaper than the Apple AirPods Max!


Brief sound comparison/analysis:
The Bose QC Ultras have a reasonably neutral sound, which is pretty decent at all genres once you EQ out that nasty mid bass hump. I really like their immersive mode which projects a very stable musical image in front of you - kind of like moving from sitting in the orchestra to 10 rows into the audience (I'm a serious classical amateur musician so I can say this from experience). It's not perfect but it's surprisingly good. Likewise, the Bose ANC is really very impressive (that was the whole point for me at least): You hear almost nothing even in the busiest cafe or restaurant.

The B&Ws, on the other hand, are more musical, have more detail on offer (especially in the midrange), a slightly warmer and 'thicker' tone, and have that instrumental uniqueness (timbre accuracy?) I love from their speakers. It's not neutral, but it's fun and engaging and I often feel that it gets the unique sound of a classical musical instrument more correct than something which is fully neutral. The B&Ws are also much nicer in terms of materials, and I love the soft ear cups in particular. One slight downside is that they don't do well at very low volumes, so I have them slightly louder than the Bose to wake them up properly.

The B&W ANC is noticeably worse than the Bose, and they fold up larger so they are more annoying to take with you out of the house. In terms of comfort, the B&Ws are obviously heavier (320g versus 250g) but their shape fits me well. I haven't felt any fatigue or pinching from either pair even when listening for hours at a time. My ears don't fit the Sonys XM series, as an example, so I was a little worried.

Actually using them as travel headphones:
If I'm in situations with not too much noise (at home, on most public transport or in a reasonably quiet Starbucks) then the B&Ws win for me every time, and it's not close.

But if I'm heading somewhere with serious amounts of background noise (e.g. a busy food court at lunch time) then so much noise seeps into the B&Ws that pretty much any musical benefit over the Bose is lost. It then makes much more sense to bring the Bose along since their sheer quietness lets you enjoy the music more compared with the noise distractions in the B&Ws.


To cable the Px8 or not?
I've done A:B testing between bluetooth from my iPhone versus USB-c cable from my iPad. Volume matching was a bit tricky since for me the cable sound is a few notches louder by default than bluetooth.

I agree with other posters that the USB-c cable is slightly better: The music just feels more relaxed, smoother and airier. I attribute that to an increased noise floor from the additional compression of the AAC bluetooth codec. However, the difference is only detectable in a completely silent home environment. Add any background noise and the bluetooth sound's additional noise become inaudible.


Summary:
To nobody's surprise the Bose QC Ultras are easily beaten by the B&W Px8s, but I'm keeping both since the Bose ANC is amazing in certain situations.

I really enjoy the musicality and engagement of the B&Ws. Coupled with their comfort, looks and the reasonable (but nowhere near Bose) ANC, they are a great package. At list price they are too expensive in my opinion, but current prices (just over €400) are hard to beat.


And now it's time for some pictures of the gorgeous Burgundy Px8s:

And a comparison:

 

[Rat Tomago]

I'm convinced the internal geometry of your ears has to be studied because there is no way on this planet you're claiming the APP2 to be decent, let alone better than TWS Cans of any description.

LOL, the APP2 sound absolutely amazing. I commend @angelom for his diligence and deliberation on this question, I never felt that the PX8 sounded that fantastic, and certainly not better than the APP2.

Reasonable minds can disagree about anything, and no one should be able to pull rank based on seniority, but @angelom has presented a lot of evidence that he deserves to be taken seriously. That's a strange guy to accuse of having defective ears.

I don't know if you saw it, but those guys at headphones.com did a video within the last couple of years discussing APP2 (and other AirPods I believe) compared to well-regarded IEMS. They concluded that a lot of people are favoring APP2, and that this is cutting into the vitality of IEMs as a product.

The notion that the APP2 are outstanding in many respects is not a fringe position -- in fact, it's a widespread view.

Feel free to disagree, but going ad hominem is never a sign of strong argumentative powers.

 

[itchyears]

I don’t really think that the customer service staff has any valuable insights about this, or that they are in a position to share anything about potential deals on that level.

Yup very true, I am more concerned with the warranty/repair side of things, its a long shot but if its there in writing perhaps less doubt in our minds.

 

[WillieS]

Hi all,

Over the years I've very much only listened to music properly at home, almost exclusively through my home hifi (currently a Densen amp and B&W 800 series speakers). I've bought the odd headphone over the years, but cables got annoying so they stayed in the cupboard.

Background on ANC headphones:
I bought a pair of Bose QC35ii 5 years ago mostly for the noise cancellation when travelling or in the office. Music was always insipid and boring, so I often found myself just playing minimal music (Glass, Reich, Cage, Part, Zimmer) on them to have something going to support the ANC. The QC35ii are so ridiculously comfortable compared to my old Sennheisers (for example HD565, HD580, Momentum v1) that I can wear them for hours.

When the QC35ii headphones ear cup material started to flake on me, I decided to just grab the newest Bose QC Ultras for the improved ANC not expecting anything much. However to my surprise they sound pretty decent, and made me realise that ANC bluetooth headphones have improved dramatically in the last 5 years.

After a few weeks with the Bose, I decided to go and demo the B&W Px8s just because I am a fan of the B&W sound. So I was wondering if B&W's modern headphones can do the same trick. Short answer: Yes.

I actually got the burgundy Px8s during Black Friday for only €15 more than my original QC Ultra purchase. So for me, the two headphones are direct competitors with almost identical price. Heck, they were €150 cheaper than the Apple AirPods Max!


Brief sound comparison/analysis:
The Bose QC Ultras have a reasonably neutral sound, which is pretty decent at all genres once you EQ out that nasty mid bass hump. I really like their immersive mode which projects a very stable musical image in front of you - kind of like moving from sitting in the orchestra to 10 rows into the audience (I'm a serious classical amateur musician so I can say this from experience). It's not perfect but it's surprisingly good. Likewise, the Bose ANC is really very impressive (that was the whole point for me at least): You hear almost nothing even in the busiest cafe or restaurant.

The B&Ws, on the other hand, are more musical, have more detail on offer (especially in the midrange), a slightly warmer and 'thicker' tone, and have that instrumental uniqueness (timbre accuracy?) I love from their speakers. It's not neutral, but it's fun and engaging and I often feel that it gets the unique sound of a classical musical instrument more correct than something which is fully neutral. The B&Ws are also much nicer in terms of materials, and I love the soft ear cups in particular. One slight downside is that they don't do well at very low volumes, so I have them slightly louder than the Bose to wake them up properly.

The B&W ANC is noticeably worse than the Bose, and they fold up larger so they are more annoying to take with you out of the house. In terms of comfort, the B&Ws are obviously heavier (320g versus 250g) but their shape fits me well. I haven't felt any fatigue or pinching from either pair even when listening for hours at a time. My ears don't fit the Sonys XM series, as an example, so I was a little worried.

Actually using them as travel headphones:
If I'm in situations with not too much noise (at home, on most public transport or in a reasonably quiet Starbucks) then the B&Ws win for me every time, and it's not close.

But if I'm heading somewhere with serious amounts of background noise (e.g. a busy food court at lunch time) then so much noise seeps into the B&Ws that pretty much any musical benefit over the Bose is lost. It then makes much more sense to bring the Bose along since their sheer quietness lets you enjoy the music more compared with the noise distractions in the B&Ws.


To cable the Px8 or not?
I've done A:B testing between bluetooth from my iPhone versus USB-c cable from my iPad. Volume matching was a bit tricky since for me the cable sound is a few notches louder by default than bluetooth.

I agree with other posters that the USB-c cable is slightly better: The music just feels more relaxed, smoother and airier. I attribute that to an increased noise floor from the additional compression of the AAC bluetooth codec. However, the difference is only detectable in a completely silent home environment. Add any background noise and the bluetooth sound's additional noise become inaudible.


Summary:
To nobody's surprise the Bose QC Ultras are easily beaten by the B&W Px8s, but I'm keeping both since the Bose ANC is amazing in certain situations.

I really enjoy the musicality and engagement of the B&Ws. Coupled with their comfort, looks and the reasonable (but nowhere near Bose) ANC, they are a great package. At list price they are too expensive in my opinion, but current prices (just over €400) are hard to beat.


And now it's time for some pictures of the gorgeous Burgundy Px8s:



And a comparison:

Interested to hear you feel the PX8 is "slightly" better when wired and only noticable in an extremely quiet environment . I can accept that even though I could not honestly say I could detect a difference . I struggle to understand those who make comments like " Vastly superior sound" etc when listening wired or with some dongle to give higher bit rate . I wonder how much of it is they are expecting to hear an improvement and they convince themselves that they do . It would be interesting to try a blind test on those who claim a " Vast improvement " I accept it is quite possible they just have much better hearing than me although I think my hearing is reasonably good . I am very pleased with my PX8 and no headband issues yet after over 12 months . As I can't hear any improvement wired I am quite happy not to continue searching for improved sounds . I have tried briefly , in a shop , slightly cheaper options from Sonos , Bose and Sony among others and think the PX8 has better sound and comfort as well as more premium feel . I have not compared to more expensive options like Focal Barthy's etc .

 

[Rat Tomago]

As I can't hear any improvement wired I am quite happy not to continue searching for improved sounds . I have tried briefly , in a shop , slightly cheaper options from Sonos , Bose and Sony among others and think the PX8 has better sound and comfort as well as more premium feel . I have not compared to more expensive options like Focal Barthy's etc .

I haven't tried the PX8 with USB-C but I can say that with the Bathys and the Dali IO-12s, I haven't been able to detect any difference at all.

Some people have pointed out that the IO-12s were basically optimized for BT listening. Thus, even if we stipulate that USB-C results in less audio compression, it might not make a difference with them -- and maybe other higher-end BT headphones as well.

Based on my own experience, I do feel skeptical of remarks like "these things really shine via USB-C." I tend to think it's a placebo effect, and it also largely disregards that these various headphones were intended to be outstanding vehicles for wireless listening. The cabled option seems to be a throw-in for certain connoisseurs who actually might be able to discern subtle differences, and for a larger cohort of people that want to feel that they are getting a lot of cool things for their money, even if it makes little-to-no difference.

If anyone is saying "vast improvement," I doubt this is based in reality. I question whether, from a technical standpoint, using USB-C with BT headphones could ever produce a difference that is "vast."

 

[skazz]

Interested to hear you feel the PX8 is "slightly" better when wired and only noticable in an extremely quiet environment . I can accept that even though I could not honestly say I could detect a difference . I struggle to understand those who make comments like " Vastly superior sound" etc when listening wired or with some dongle to give higher bit rate . I wonder how much of it is they are expecting to hear an improvement and they convince themselves that they do . It would be interesting to try a blind test on those who claim a " Vast improvement " I accept it is quite possible they just have much better hearing than me although I think my hearing is reasonably good . I am very pleased with my PX8 and no headband issues yet after over 12 months . As I can't hear any improvement wired I am quite happy not to continue searching for improved sounds . I have tried briefly , in a shop , slightly cheaper options from Sonos , Bose and Sony among others and think the PX8 has better sound and comfort as well as more premium feel . I have not compared to more expensive options like Focal Barthy's etc .

You're right that any difference is very subtle. But the testing was done in a completely silent home and after dithering for quite a while I decided to write it up as "slightly better". It's certainly not night and day, and this is me deliberately just using my plain old AAC iPhone 15 running Spotify as the bluetooth source.

Various errors could easily have crept in:
1. I didn't volume match the two correctly
2. I might have been subconsciously influenced by https://www.soundguys.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-bluetooth-headphones-aac-20296/


I'm very familiar with the hifi community and "snake oil" in the form of mats, cables, crystals, etc... Heck, back many years ago I did a test comparing 128kbit, 256kbit, 320kbit MP3 tracks (burned onto a CD) versus the original CD, and I definitely couldn't hear a difference between 320kbit and the CD. 256kbit was difficult and left you guessing. 128kbit and lower was very audible.

Then again, I do own a high end Marantz SACD player, and I can clearly hear improvements between CD and SACDs in (a few) well-mastered recordings. But the quality of the source recording was probably more important than the medium.


In the case of the bluetooth audio codec, the lossy nature of limited bluetooth bandwidth is absolutely no problem when there's any kind of background noise (at least on the PX8s), but during testing again and again I just had this feeling of relaxedness/smoothness via the USB-c cable. It happened so often that I gave it the benefit of the doubt.


Edit: By the way, I recommend forgetting about cables and just running the Px8 wireless. All you have to do is think to yourself "I'm having fun listening to music but I want to go get a cup of tea now". See, cable-free is the only solution!

 

[angelom]

Is APP2 Apple AirPods Pro 2 ?

Yes.

When the QC35ii headphones ear cup material started to flake on me, I decided to just grab the newest Bose QC Ultras for the improved ANC not expecting anything much. However to my surprise they sound pretty decent, and made me realise that ANC bluetooth headphones have improved dramatically in the last 5 years.

I think the Bose QC Ultra is a headphone that (together with the very more expensive AND excellent Mark Levinson 5909) never receiving the attention that is really deserving, at least not in head-fi where the word "Bose" (similar like the word "Apple", specially before the AirPods Max) is synonym with (very) poor or rubbish sound.

For me, personally, the problem I have with he QC Ultra is the volume control (I'm a person that changing volume all the time) that is making big jumps (up or down) and isn't so good like the very better, more incremental, volume control of the old QC 35 and QC 35II. Also, because I also changing tracks all the time, the clicking sounds for next/previous track are transmitting very loudly to the earcups.

When I posting here long time ago that the QC Ultra is a good alternative to the PX8 and that people maybe should investigating this headphone, the usual extreme PX8 fanboys ---without even hearing the QC Ultra--- reacting and declaring that "no way" the Bose can competing with the PX8.

The Bose QC Ultras have a reasonably neutral sound, which is pretty decent at all genres once you EQ out that nasty mid bass hump.

I think we clearly disagree here. I think the mid bass of the QC Ultra isn't actually so offensive like the mid bass boost (and not so good treble, by the way) of the PX8 -- this is, of course, using the factory sound (no EQ) in both headphones. I think the 8 years old B&W P7 Wireless have better tonal balance (specially in the treble) than the PX8, an opinion that the same PX8 fanboys, naturally, completely don't agreeing with.

I think that for orchestral classical and some chamber music the PX8 is sounding very, very thick and too often just muddy. The same is true with several 1970s very well mastered albums like Dark Side of the Moon -- here the PX8 muddiness is almost extreme and is needing heavy use of EQ.

I can understand, for example, that the PX8 factory sound is fine with some (specially 1980s masters or more old 1940a and 1950s) albums that have a thin sound -- in this cases the (very) bassy factory sound of the PX8 is helping this recordings sounding better.

Is also true that a bassy headphone isn't so bad for people using the PX8 for commuting or in more loud environments where low frequencies usually becoming more difficult hearing. Then you must adding that many people like a bassy sound signature with some types of modern pop. Also, because of the not so good treble performance the PX8 isn't so fatiguing in this part of the spectrum when playing more loud.

The B&Ws, on the other hand, are more musical, have more detail on offer (especially in the midrange), a slightly warmer and 'thicker' tone, and have that instrumental uniqueness (timbre accuracy?) I love from their speakers. It's not neutral, but it's fun and engaging and I often feel that it gets the unique sound of a classical musical instrument more correct than something which is fully neutral.

I think the word "musical" have a different meaning for different people. With the word "fun" I think I can agreeing to some extent, but maybe isn't so different, ultimately, to the word "musical".

nterested to hear you feel the PX8 is "slightly" better when wired and only noticable in an extremely quiet environment . I can accept that even though I could not honestly say I could detect a difference . I struggle to understand those who make comments like " Vastly superior sound" etc when listening wired or with some dongle to give higher bit rate . I wonder how much of it is they are expecting to hear an improvement and they convince themselves that they do . It would be interesting to try a blind test on those who claim a " Vast improvement " I accept it is quite possible they just have much better hearing than me although I think my hearing is reasonably good .

Yes, "vastly superior", "night and day" or "wiping the floor" are so typical expressions that many supposed audiophiles using when comparing lossy vs lossless vs hi-res, wired vs wireless, 192/256/320kbps vs LDAC, etc., etc. And this (or similar) expressions are often simply repeated by many, many, more people, propagating falsehoods and misinformation. Then, of course, mention of one or two very expensive wired headphones, and throw one or two fancy audio words (resolution, decay, timbre, etc.) for appearing credible, and you can becoming a master seller of snake oil.

Various errors could easily have crept in:
1. I didn't volume match the two correctly

This is one critical aspect when comparing 2 headphones or earphones that many people simply don't paying sufficient attention. That and the extremely real variable of expectation / confirmation bias. And of course being aware of the fact that our auditory memory is very poor, even in just a few seconds of difference.

I'm very familiar with the hifi community and "snake oil" in the form of mats, cables, crystals, etc... Heck, back many years ago I did a test comparing 128kbit, 256kbit, 320kbit MP3 tracks (burned onto a CD) versus the original CD, and I definitely couldn't hear a difference between 320kbit and the CD. 256kbit was difficult and left you guessing. 128kbit and lower was very audible.

Then again, I do own a high end Marantz SACD player, and I can clearly hear improvements between CD and SACDs in (a few) well-mastered recordings. But the quality of the source recording was probably more important than the medium.

When the recording/master of a CD and SACD are the same, there is no difference in sound (for human ears). But is true too that some SACDs actually have better (more audiophile) masters than the CD master. A 128kbps file of a good master is very better/preferable than a file of a poor master in the very more high hi-res format.

 

[skazz]

Thanks for the extensive reply. Some answers should really go to the QCU thread, but that would get confusing so hopefully I'm allowed to put them in here:

I think the Bose QC Ultra is a headphone that (together with the very more expensive AND excellent Mark Levinson 5909) never receiving the attention that is really deserving, at least not in head-fi where the word "Bose" (similar like the word "Apple", specially before the AirPods Max) is synonym with (very) poor or rubbish sound.

Agreed. Very much more capable than the expectation from Bose in years past.

I think we clearly disagree here. I think the mid bass of the QC Ultra isn't actually so offensive like the mid bass boost (and not so good treble, by the way) of the PX8 -- this is, of course, using the factory sound (no EQ) in both headphones. I think the 8 years old B&W P7 Wireless have better tonal balance (specially in the treble) than the PX8, an opinion that the same PX8 fanboys, naturally, completely don't agreeing with.

I found that in various classical orchestral tracks I tried, the orchestral bass drum and certain double bass notes were accentuated in the QC Ultras, but not other notes higher or lower in the bass range. I attribute this to some kind of "hump" in the bass. It was not consistent, which was my problem with it.

In comparison, the Px8 has probably even more bass relatively, but it seems to be more consistent across the frequency range (at least for my choice of music). I can listen to the Px8 without messing around with EQ and I don't feel that it exaggerates only certain tones, just the entire bass range. I do like a nice powerful bass, especially out of the house with background noise (which is the whole point of them), but I'm finding -2dB EQ in the bass works well for my needs when I want more balance.

Is also true that a bassy headphone isn't so bad for people using the PX8 for commuting or in more loud environments where low frequencies usually becoming more difficult hearing. Then you must adding that many people like a bassy sound signature with some types of modern pop. Also, because of the not so good treble performance the PX8 isn't so fatiguing in this part of the spectrum when playing more loud.

I am one of those people who find the extra bass is beneficial to combat background noise when in noisier places away from home in all of my music choices. I didn't buy the Px8 to sit and listen at home in silence, after all: I have other hifi gear for that.

I think the word "musical" have a different meaning for different people. With the word "fun" I think I can agreeing to some extent, but maybe isn't so different, ultimately, to the word "musical".

My definition is "Music reproduction which makes you unconsciously tap your feet and engage with the music". And the Px8s do this very well.
But you can probably tell that I'm more interested in this than a purely neutral sound: After all, I run my music at home through a Densen amp, and they subscribe to the NAIM school of PRaT (pace, rhythm and timing)

Maybe some people would say this is "fun", but then what is the definition of "musical" for those people?

Yes, "vastly superior", "night and day" or "wiping the floor" are so typical expressions that many supposed audiophiles using when comparing lossy vs lossless vs hi-res, wired vs wireless, 192/256/320kbps vs LDAC, etc., etc. And this (or similar) expressions are often simply repeated by many, many, more people, propagating falsehoods and misinformation. Then, of course, mention of one or two very expensive wired headphones, and throw one or two fancy audio words (resolution, decay, timbre, etc.) for appearing credible, and you can becoming a master seller of snake oil.

The best way is to properly do a blind A:B test yourself before daring to make any of these statements. But that takes time and effort to set up, and you need multiple people to help avoid unconcious bias. Sitting at home alone and switching between two options without blind testing is so much easier to do

This is one critical aspect when comparing 2 headphones or earphones that many people simply don't paying sufficient attention. That and the extremely real variable of expectation / confirmation bias. And of course being aware of the fact that our auditory memory is very poor, even in just a few seconds of difference.

Yeah, and unlike with speakers you can't just stick a dB meter (app) to match volume of 2 sources at home, since the headphone is enclosed and volume depends on the seal on your head. That's why I mentioned multiple times that my own non-blind testing of the USB-c cable was difficult due to the challenge of volume matching.

When the recording/master of a CD and SACD are the same, there is no difference in sound (for human ears). But is true too that some SACDs actually have better (more audiophile) masters than the CD master. A 128kbps file of a good master is very better/preferable than a file of a poor master in the very more high hi-res format.

There were so few recordings ever made in DSD format for SACDs. I got the impression that the audio industry went with 24-bit 192KHz recording (which was actually the HD-DVD standard before that died), and most SACDs were actually converted from that master rather than being recorded directly in DSD. But there were also plenty of SACDs where they just shovelled a 16-bit 44.1KHz master onto the SACD format, I'm sure


Anyway, let's just say for the record that the Px8 "might" benefit very slightly from USB-c cabling if you are using a lossy source such as Spotify and the AAC codec from your iPhone or iPad. But if the difference is audible and not purely bias/placebo, then I'd argue it's in a lowered noise floor which lets the music "breathe" a little better, causing smoothness and airiness.

Of course, saying this reminds me that I used the same terms to describe good SACD playback versus CD playback of the same recording. So maybe it was my SACD bias which pushed me to think this about the Px8 with USB-c. Ah, hifi is such a fun hobby

 

[itchyears]

Regarding B&W rumours, warranty/repairs. From B&W UK customer services:-

Thank you for your enquiry.

Firstly please let me assure you Bowers & Wilkins are not going anywhere, and the rumours of the closure of the business are incorrect and the article from Channel news have been misinterpreted.

The article in question was relating how our parent company Masimo report their financial figures to the stock market.

The “discontinued operation” classification simply reflects an accounting adjustment related to how the consumer business is included in Masimo’s overall financial statements. It has no impact on the day-to-day operations of the consumer audio business, our products, or our level of service

Kind regards,
Ken

 

[godkuma]

LOL, the APP2 sound absolutely amazing. I commend @angelom for his diligence and deliberation on this question, I never felt that the PX8 sounded that fantastic, and certainly not better than the APP2.

Reasonable minds can disagree about anything, and no one should be able to pull rank based on seniority, but @angelom has presented a lot of evidence that he deserves to be taken seriously. That's a strange guy to accuse of having defective ears.

I don't know if you saw it, but those guys at headphones.com did a video within the last couple of years discussing APP2 (and other AirPods I believe) compared to well-regarded IEMS. They concluded that a lot of people are favoring APP2, and that this is cutting into the vitality of IEMs as a product.

The notion that the APP2 are outstanding in many respects is not a fringe position -- in fact, it's a widespread view.

Feel free to disagree, but going ad hominem is never a sign of strong argumentative powers.

Sure the APP2 sound better than most TWS Iems but to day they are better tuned than actual IEMS is a stretch, when the competition for tws iems is resoundingly meh, then it's not saying much for the Apple big tech to make something that is objectively decent. Granted there's many tws iems that sound better for less money.

Alongside that, putting them above full-sized headphones is insane.