With Apple’s top-shelf AirPods Max over-ear active noise cancelling (ANC) wireless headphones due for a refresh, competitors keep coming with hot new products.
High-end audio maker KEF jumped into the market for the first time this week with its KEF Mu7 headphones, not long after venerable brand Bowers & Wilkins (B&W) rolled out its newest flagship, the PX8.
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KEF and Bowers & Wilkins launch new premium wireless ANC headphones ahead of awaited AirPods Max refresh
That’s not to say that the new products are specifically lined up to compete against AirPods Max, which could see an update before the end of the year, if only minor tweaks and additional colors as some have suggested. However, a more substantial Bluetooth update with audio-quality ramifications is also possible. And some would say the headphones could be lighter in weight and, above all, less pricey.
But you could just as easily say these new headphone models from KEF and B&W have high-end cans from Sony, Sennheiser and Bose in their sights, among others. And the new products’ prices differ, with one on either side of the $549 AirPods Max.
Both sets of headphones look like promising alternatives, with high-end appointments for top-quality sound and comfort in place. Read more below.
KEF Mu7 Noise Cancelling Wireless Headphones
KEF, long known for its speakers, brought out its first pair of ANC headphones, the Mu7 (pictured above). Crafted from aluminum with a sleek and spare design, they arise from a partnership the company has with Ross Lovegrove, who helped design some of KEF’s super-pricey speakers.
At a price of $400, they look set to compete with the likes of Sony WH-1000XM5, Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 (or QuietComfort 45) and Sennheiser Momentum 4, as well as AirPods Max.
Mu7 cans use custom dynamic 40mm drivers and bring support for the hi-res Qualcomm aptX HD codec. They claim up to 40 hours of use with both Bluetooth and ANC enabled.
A capacitive touchpad on the right earcup lets you use taps and swipes to answer calls, skip tracks, adjust volume, activate voice assistants and more, the company said.
You can pick up KEF Mu7 headphones in silver gray or charcoal gray colors.
Price: $400
Where to buy: KEF
Bowers & Wilkins PX8 Headphones
Photo: Bowers & Wilkins
B&W recently upgraded its flagship PX7 and PX7 S2 models with the PX8. They feature improved drivers and even fancier materials than their highly regarded predecessors.
At $699, they’re closer than the KEFs to the AirPods Max price point, not to mention the prices of other premium headphones, like Master & Dynamic’s MW75 headphones, which go for $599.
The PX8 cans use “precisely angled Carbon Cone drive units reduce distortion, resulting in massively improved clarity. Coupled to a fully optimized drive unit ‘motor system,’ with revised magnet, voice coil and surround, the result is unparalleled accuracy and realism,” B&W said. They use aptX Adaptive wireless technology.
The headphones offer 30 hours of playtime from a 2-hour charge, the company said.
You can pick up the B&W PX8 in black or tan colors for $699.
Where to buy: Amazon
