Every person on this planet has a unique musical taste, and great wireless headphones should cater to your preferences by delivering authentic audio that’s customizable. While not the highest-end headphones offered by Bowers & Wilkins, the Px7 S3s are definitely premium quality and designed to provide an immersive listening experience.
These headphones offer the key features you’d want from higher-end headphones, from adaptive noise cancellation and spatial audio, to Bluetooth aptX Lossless and aptX Adaptive support to optimize wireless performance. And if you choose to use the supplied USB Type-C to 3.5mm audio jack cable to directly connect to an audio source, these headphones provide a true 24-bit audio listening experience.
Two other notable features baked into the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 headphones include a battery life of up to 30 hours, and the ability to do a 15-minute quick charge to extend listening time by up to seven hours. And these headphones are designed for comfort with a well-padded and adjustable headband and earcups.
Between the 40mm dynamic full range bio cellulose driver and four microphones incorporated into each earcup, not only do the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 headphones allow you to block out unwanted sound from the outside world thanks to advanced noise cancellation, but when you use these headphones to participate in hands-free phone calls or video calls, everything said by you and the other parties can be heard clearly.
Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 Headphones
Over the years, I have tested and reviewed literally hundreds of wireless headphones and earbuds, including the Bowers & Wilkins Px8 headphones and Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 wireless earbuds. As you’re about to discover, the Px7 S3 headphones are a step down from the Px8s, but they are as good, if not considerably better than most of the other premium-quality headphones available from well-known competitors.
Bowers & Wilkins recently provided me with a review unit of the Px7 S3 headphones, so I tested them thoroughly, and carefully compared them to the Px8s, too. Keep reading to discover what’s so special about these headphones, and why I believe they offer an impressive listening experience when used indoors or outdoors.
Specifications
- Price: $449.
- Hardshell Carry Case: Included.
- Drivers: 2x 40mm dynamic full range bio cellulose drivers.
- Active Noise Cancellation: Yes.
- Spatial Audio: Yes, with over-the-air update.
- Microphones: 4 per earcup.
- Bluetooth: 5.3 (Supports aptX Lossless, aptX Adaptive, aptX HD, aptX Classic, ACC, SBC).
- Frequency Range: 10Hz to 20Hz.
- Battery Life: Up to 30 hours playback; 7 hours with a 15 minute charge.
- Water Resistance: No.
- Wear Detection Sensor: Yes.
- Headphone Weight: 10.58 ounces.
- Available Colors: Canvas white, Anthracite black, or Indigo blue.
Pros
- Extremely comfortable.
- Long battery life.
- Features aptX Lossless and aptX Adaptive support. Capable of playing True 24-bit audio (using audio cable).
- Enjoy effective noise cancellation & spatial audio.
- Capable of playing True 24-bit audio (using audio cable).
- Offers multipoint connectivity.
Cons
- Fabric (not leather) accents.
- Requires Bowers & Wilkins app to access five band adjustable EQ.
- Not as elegant as the more expensive Bowers & Wilkins Px8s.
Who Will Get the Most From the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 Headphones
When it comes to top-quality, consumer-oriented wireless (over-ear) headphones, there are only a handful of brands worth considering such as Sony, Bose, Sennheiser, Apple, Masters & Dynamic, and Bowers & Wilkins. I recently had a chance to review the Bowers & Wilkins Px8 headphones ($699), which is the company’s flagship product, and I was literally blown away by their performance, sound quality, elegance, and overall design.
So, could headphones from the same company, but priced about $250 less, be equally impressive? After some hands-on testing in a variety of listening situations, I discovered the answer is yes.
In fact, there’s a lot of overlap between features and technologies built into both the Bowers & Wilkins Px8 and Px7 S3 headphones. As a result, if you can’t easily afford to drop $699 on new headphones, there’s a good chance the Px7 S3 headphones ($449) can provide the superior listening experience you’re seeking.
If you’re a music aficionado, enjoy listening to audiobooks and podcasts, use headphones when streaming TV shows and movies, or find yourself often participating in hands-free phone calls or virtual meetings, the Px7 S3s are headphones well worth considering. They’re elegant enough to be used in an office setting, and comfortable enough to be worn during long flights or commutes.
Keep in mind, the Px7 S3s are neither waterproof or water resistant, so I do not suggest wearing them during workouts or while participating in outdoor adventures (especially in bad weather), but if you want to block out ambient noise and focus on the audio you want to hear while relaxing at home, working, walking your dog, streaming TV shows or movies, or traveling, these headphones are ideal.
The Px7 S3 Headphones Offer A Modern Aesthetic and Extreme Comfort
Right out of the box, it’s easy to see that Bowers & Wilkins has done an excellent job designing the Px7 S3 headphones to look upscale and modern. Careful attention was given to various design elements, including the headband and earcup memory foam padding, the headphones’ size adjustability, and the accessibility of the onboard controls.
While the padding around the earcups forms a seal around the wearer’s ears, it does this without applying too much pressure, so even after an hour or two, I did not find my ears starting to feel warm or sweaty. It’s clear that when designing these headphones, as much attention was placed on appearance and comfort as was on ensuring the high quality of the audio.
Music, Podcast, Audiobooks, and Phone Calls All Sound Fantastic Using the Px7 S3 Headphones
A lot of technology has been baked into the Px7 S3 headphones to provide the most authentic listening experience possible. This starts with the auto adjusting noise cancellation. As the ambient sound around you gets louder or softer, the noise cancellation adapts automatically, so there’s no need to constantly be tinkering with the volume controls.
These headphones also do an excellent job authentically reproducing sound, so what you hear is exactly how it was intended to be heard. Thanks to the free over-the-air update offered by Bowers & Wilkins, the Px7 S3 headphones now support spatial audio, so they provide an even more immersive listening experience. This feature is particularly useful when listening to live or recordings of musical performances and concerts, as well as audio from TV shows and movies being streamed from any of the popular services.
You do not need to use these headphones in conjunction with the Bowers & Wilkins app unless you want to fully customize your listening experience by adjusting the five band EQ and taking advantage of other personalization options. To experience 24-bit audio, it’s necessary to use the supplied audio cable to physically connect the headphones to the audio source.
If you opt to use the headphones wirelessly, the aptX Lossless, aptX Adaptive, aptX HD, and aptX Classic allow for the Bluetooth connection to further enhance audio quality in ways many other headphones do not offer. What I appreciate about these headphones is that you don’t need to become an audio engineer or tech guru to experience the impressive audio quality that Bowers & Wilkins is known for.
The technologies work automatically once you place the headphones over your ears. And if you remove them while audio is playing, that audio pauses automatically, and then restarts when you place the headphones back over your ears.
The onboard controls are also intuitive, although the physical buttons are a bit on the small side. This adds to the visual appeal of the headphones, but may require a bit of feeling around with your fingers to find the right button to press. Even greater control over the headphones is offered using the Bowers & Wilkins app from an iOS or Android mobile device.
The best and most personalized listening experience using the Px7 S3 headphones, is realized with the Bowers & Wilkins mobile app. One key feature the app offers is the ability to fine-tune your listing experience using the five band EQ and activating the TrueSound mode. Using these features, you can hear richer detail, more bass, and enhanced clarity. The app also allows you to stream your favorite music and audio content from services Deezer, Last.FM, Qobuz, Tidal, HiFi Plus, and Pandora directly, so you do not need to download the separate apps for these services.
Travel in Style with The Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 Headphones
When it comes to transporting the Px7 S3 headphones you have two options. First you can wear them on your head or around your neck. The earcups rotate for added comfort either way. Second, you can store and carry them around in the included protective case.
This zippered, hardshell case is designed specifically for the Px7 S3 headphones and features a storage compartment on the inside that perfectly fits the two cables that also come with headphones. Aesthetically, the case matches the headphones and it will easily fit in a briefcase, carry-on, or backpack.
Key Differences Between the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 and Px8 Headphones
Visually, the Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S3 headphones are very similar to the Px8s in terms of design. But the materials used are different. Again, instead of leather accents with an aluminum frame, the Px7 S3 headphones rely on high-end cloth accents with a well constructed plastic frame.
Both models take advantage of a well padded and adjustable headband and earcups. One key difference — which when using the headphones the average user probably would not even notice — is that the Px7 S3s rely on two 40mm Dynamic full range bio cellulose drivers, while the Px8s take advantage of two 40mm Dynamic full range carbo drivers. In layman’s terms, this means the material used in the diaphragm (the vibrating part of the driver) is different.
The drivers that rely on bio cellulose are known for their warm, natural, detailed and clear sound quality with a stronger focus on the mid-range. Carbon diaphragms put added emphasis on bass to create a more energetic sound, since they’re a bit more powerful. That said, the 40mm drivers integrated into both headphone models do a nice job with bass, compared to headphones with smaller drivers that also use less advanced technologies.
Another subtle difference (also that the average person would probably not notice) is that the Px7 S3s use aptX Lossless Bluetooth, while the Px8s support aptX Adaptive Bluetooth. This relates to the Bluetooth audio codec that helps to improve audio and reduce latency between the source of the music and the headphones when there’s a wireless connection.
Comparing the two headphone models, the Px8s use higher-end materials and offer a slightly better quality overall sound that’s more refined. The more expensive model also provides a wider soundstage. The internal technologies are also a bit different in the Px8s. But again, the difference in sound quality would only be perceptible to a true audiophile with a trained ear. Both headphone models offer up to 30 hours of battery life per charge, as well as a quick charge feature. And both headphones support the same Bowers & Wilkins mobile app.
One analogy that might help you better understand the differences in quality between headphones is that the average headphones in the $100 to $300 price range would be equivalent to a Honda or Toyota vehicle. These cars drive nicely, are reliable, and often appeal to the average driver.
The Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3s are like the Mercedes of headphones. They’re fancier, better made, offer higher-end features, and more luxury. Meanwhile, the Px8s would be considered the Rolls Royce of headphones, providing the ultimate in luxury, comfort, craftsmanship and sound quality when it comes to consumer-oriented headphones.
Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 Headphones
My Final Thoughts: Are the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 Headphones Worth It?
The Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 headphones lack the leather accents and aluminum frame that add that extra touch of luxury to the Px8 headphones. Instead, you get a high-quality plastic frame with high-end fabric accents, as well as a $250 lower price tag. The lesser-expensive option still looks extremely elegant, however.
Bowers & Wilkins has done a really impressive job with the headphones’ design to provide extreme comfort, plenty of padding, and adjustability options that allow for a perfect fit (without causing pressure on or around your ears). And while the Px7 S3 headphones look and feel nice, what’s most important is their sound quality, which is equally impressive.
I love how any type of music sounds rich and immersive, while hands-free phone calls tend to be exceptionally clear. The noise cancellation does an excellent job greatly reducing or totally eliminating ambient sounds, while the headphones’ drivers and other integrated technologies maintain the authenticity and integrity of whatever audio you’re listening to.
Priced at $449, the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 headphones are on the high-end side, but after spending time testing them in a variety of situations, I discovered they’re well worth the investment. That is, unless you have the extra cash to drop on the added luxury offered by the company’s Px8 headphone.
