The new Bowers & Wilkins Pi6 and Pi8 wireless, active noise canceling (ANC) earbuds aim to redefine the premium earbud market with upgraded features, impeccable design and stellar sound quality, the venerable brand said Wednesday. The new buds come from the same team behind the company’s acclaimed Px7 S2e and Px8 headphones.
“I’m thrilled that the Bowers & Wilkins team has once again been able to raise the bar for premium design, performance and quality in the headphone category,” said Giles Pocock, vice president of Brand Marketing at Bowers & Wilkins, founded way back in 1966. “Our new Pi6 and Pi8 earbuds are truly special — I’m certain they will be just as successful as our Px7 S2e and Px8 headphones have been.”
Bowers & Wilkins Pi6 and Pi8 wireless noise-canceling earbuds
The new Bower & Wilkins Pi6 earbuds set, priced at $249 and available in early September, offers performance comparable to the brand’s previous flagship Px7 model at a more accessible price point. It features 12mm bio-cellulose drivers, Bluetooth 5.4 with multipoint support and aptX Adaptive wireless transmission at 24-bit/96kHz resolution.
And the flagship Pi8 earbuds, available now for $399, pushes boundaries further with proprietary Carbon Cone technology in its 12mm drivers. It supports both aptX Adaptive and aptX Lossless transmission. Dedicated DSP, DAC and amplification from ADI help provide stellar audio fidelity, the company said.
Both models showcase an all-new design optimized for comfort and fit, based on research into ear shapes, Bowers & Wilkins said. The earbuds feature IP54-rated protection, improved setup processes and enhanced user interfaces with larger touch-sensitive surfaces.
Bowers & Wilkins Pi6 and Pi8 earbuds features at a glance
Photo: Bowers & Wilkins
B&W described the earbuds’ main features this way:
- All-new earbuds combine supreme fit and comfort, outstanding sound quality, excellent noise cancellation and premium aesthetics.
- Both models support aptXTM Adaptive at 24-bit/96kHz for high-resolution sound quality, with aptX Lossless also included for the flagship Pi8.
- Pi6 uses new 12mm bio-cellulose drive units based on the technology used in the critically acclaimed Px7 S2e headphones.
- The flagship Pi8 adds upgraded DAC, DSP and amplifier components plus Carbon Cone drive unit technology, first developed for the multi-Award-
winning Px8 over-ear headphones. - Innovative Smartcase retransmission function for Pi8 supports high-quality audio for USB and 3.5mm connected music sources.
Improved battery life
And what’s more, battery life has been improved. Pi6 offers up to 24 hours of total playtime (8 hours from the buds, 16 from the case). Pi8 provides 20 hours (6.5 from the buds, 13.5 from the case). Both support rapid charging, delivering two hours of use from a 15-minute charge.
The Pi8’s charging case retains the innovative Wireless Audio Retransmission technology. It lets users to wirelessly connect to various audio sources, including in-flight entertainment systems.
Priced at $249, Pi6 comes in Storm Grey, Cloud Grey, Forest Green and Glacier Blue. At a price of $399, Pi8 comes in Anthracite Black, Dove White, Jade Green and Midnight Blue.
Where to buy: Amazon for Pi8 and B&H Photo for Pi6 (preorder)
David Snow, an expert on Apple hardware and software, writes on a variety of technological and cultural topics for Cult of Mac. They include Apple news, technology buying guides, and features about computer setups and Apple TV shows and movies.
With 30 years of experience covering technology and other subjects, he has written and edited for numerous print and online publications, including CMP Media, TechTV.com, CNET, Wired News, Red Herring magazine, Law.com, The National Law Journal and Law Technology News magazine. Among other roles, he served as executive editor of the Law.com network of websites and editorial director, technology, for ALM Media.
Snow graduated with a B.A. from Syracuse University with majors in magazine journalism and psychology. While there, he worked as a reporter for The Daily Orange newspaper and associate editor of Equal Time magazine.
Founder of the blog At the Waterline, he can be reached on X (formerly Twitter) via @atthewaterline and on Mastodon via @dsnow.
