Bowers & Wilkins has new premium headphones: Pi6 and Pi8

A smart carrying case that knows how to connect to the media screen on the plane or in the gym, Bowers & Wilkins' new Pi6 and Pi8 headphones want to compete for the leadership of the premium market.

 David Beckham with Bower & Wilkins Pi8 (photo credit: PR)
David Beckham with Bower & Wilkins Pi8
(photo credit: PR)

Audio enthusiasts will be happy to hear that the British company Bowers & Wilkins has announced two new wireless headphones: Pi6 and Pi8, which should offer high sound quality.

The company's flagship model is the Pi8, headphones that will sell under a price tag of NIS 1,750 (through the official importer Top Audio) and are expected to arrive in Israel at the end of this month. The Pi6 model will be sold for NIS 1,150 and will arrive in Israel at the end of September - during October.

B&W emphasizes their focus in the field of design in the new models, when the company says that they carried out a comprehensive research project, which examined the differences in the shape of the human ear among different genders and ethnicities, in order to design the new headphones. The new design also repositions the antennas and microphones inside the earcup to eliminate the possibility of unintentionally blocking wireless or audio signals, while a new infrared proximity sensor provides more reliable and responsive wear sensing.

The headphones support connection to two devices at the same time (for example, a laptop and a smartphone) using upgraded Bluetooth antennas, they support the Made For iPhone standard that ensures a smooth connection with iOS devices and there is also support for Google Fast Pair for Android devices which will come later.

 Bower & Wilkins Pi8 (credit: PR)
Bower & Wilkins Pi8 (credit: PR)

Carrying case with wireless transmitter

The Pi8 model comes with a smart carrying case that includes wireless charging and wireless audio transmission technology that allows users to transmit audio to headphones, such as: from in-flight entertainment systems or on treadmills at the gym. This case includes aptX Adaptive codec support for higher audio quality.

Both Pi6 and Pi8 include microphones that can reject unwanted external noise during voice calls. The Pi6 is based on the noise-cancelling platform from the outgoing Pi7 S2 model, while the Pi8 incorporates the technology found in the flagship Px8 series Rainbow headphones. This is a new noise filtering technology (ANC), including a unique algorithm developed by the company to improve filtering capabilities.

Both models come with new 12mm drivers, with the Pi8 coming with a Carbon Cone driver (the speaker's cone is made of laminated carbon fiber, which allows it to produce higher quality sounds with low distortion). The Pi6 model comes with a Bio-Cellulose type driver (the driver is made of biological fibers that make them thin and flexible that can provide high quality sound). Both support aptX Adaptive and aptX Lossless codecs for listeners of high-quality streaming services (Pi8 only).

The battery time of the Pi8 including ANC is 6.5 hours and another 13.5 hours from the carrying case, a total of 20 hours. The Pi6 model provides up to 8 hours of playback and another 16 hours from the carrying case, a total of 24 hours. Both models include fast charging, 15 minutes of charging provide energy for two hours of work.

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