Bowers & Wilkins Px8 700 Review

The Bowers & Wilkins Px8 700 sits at the top of B&W's wireless headphone lineup — a product that makes no apologies for its price, its ambition, or its uncompromising approach to audio quality. If you've ever wondered what it feels like to wear a luxury item that actually sounds as good as it looks, the Px8 700 is a compelling answer.

Design and Build: The Real Deal

From the moment you unbox these, it's clear where your money went. The Px8 700 uses real Nappa leather on the earcups and headband, combined with precision-machined aluminum arms and a metal construction that feels genuinely premium — not premium in the "slightly better plastic" way, but in the "this belongs in a glass case" way. B&W's aesthetic is understated and sophisticated, and the Px8 700 carries that forward with a kind of quiet confidence.

The fit is comfortable for long sessions. The earcups swivel and fold flat for travel, and the included carry case is exactly what you'd expect at this price tier. This is a headphone built for someone who travels frequently and refuses to compromise on comfort or appearance.

Sound: B&W's Signature Tuning at Its Best

This is where the Px8 700 earns its stripes. B&W tuned these with a custom 40mm bio-cellulose driver — the same type of material found in their legendary 600 series bookshelf speakers — and it shows. The sound signature is natural and refined: well-extended highs without harshness, a midrange that brings out vocal texture beautifully, and bass that is full but controlled. These don't chase the "exciting" sound of bassier consumer headphones; they aim for accuracy with a warm, listenable quality.

Long-time B&W users who came from the older P9 or the Bathys will feel immediately at home. The house sound is consistent — detailed, composed, and musical without being clinical. If you're feeding them lossless audio from a capable source, the difference over lesser headphones is genuinely audible.

ANC and Wireless Performance

The active noise cancellation is strong — not class-leading in the same way Sony's top-tier ANC is, but effective and notably non-intrusive to the sound signature. Many ANC headphones compromise the tuning when noise cancellation is engaged; the Px8 700 keeps things remarkably coherent. The Transparency mode is natural enough for real-world use.

Bluetooth connectivity is solid, and the headphones support aptX Adaptive for higher-quality wireless streaming when your source supports it. Battery life sits around 30 hours with ANC on — real-world use lines up closely with that figure, which is a refreshing change from brands that quote best-case numbers.

The Samsung Acquisition Question

It's worth addressing the elephant in the room. Samsung recently acquired Bowers & Wilkins (along with Denon, Marantz, and Polk) for $350 million — a figure that surprised many in the audio community who felt the brands were worth considerably more. Reactions ranged from hopeful to genuinely worried, with some community members bluntly saying "Noooooo! B&W is superb. Please do not ruin this brand."

What this means for future products is unclear. For the Px8 700 as it exists today, it changes nothing. But if you've been sitting on the fence, the acquisition is a reasonable argument for buying now rather than waiting to see what direction the brand takes under new ownership.

Who Should — and Shouldn't — Buy These

The Px8 700 is best suited for the listener who already values sound quality above all else and wants wireless convenience without making real sonic sacrifices. It's for the person who has owned good speakers, knows what natural audio reproduction sounds like, and finds most consumer wireless headphones a little too processed or bass-heavy.

• If you want the most technically aggressive ANC available, Sony's XM5 or Bose QC45 compete more directly there at a lower price.
• If you want the highest-resolution wireless codec support at any cost, newer competitors like the Sennheiser HDB 630 are entering that space with aptX Lossless and USB-C audio.
• If you want best-in-class sound signature with premium materials and a brand with genuine acoustic heritage, the Px8 700 is hard to argue against.

Buyer Tips

Keep the companion app updated — firmware updates have refined the ANC behavior and EQ performance since launch. If you plan to use these wired, a proper 3.5mm cable (or the 6.35mm adapter for home use) lets you bypass the amp entirely for an even cleaner signal path. The Px8 700 also responds well to a dedicated DAC/amp setup for desk listening.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Is the Bowers & Wilkins Px8 700 worth the premium price?

A: For listeners who prioritize sound quality and build craftsmanship, yes. The Nappa leather construction, bio-cellulose drivers, and refined tuning justify the price for audiophile-leaning buyers. Those who primarily need maximum ANC effectiveness can find better value elsewhere.

Q: How does ANC performance compare to Sony or Bose?

A: The Px8 700's ANC is effective and preserves sound quality extremely well when engaged, but Sony XM5 and Bose QC45 offer more aggressive noise isolation in raw terms. B&W's strength is that the ANC doesn't compromise the tuning.

Q: What is the real-world battery life?

A: Approximately 30 hours with ANC enabled — consistent with the rated spec, which is better than many competitors that quote ideal conditions only.

Q: Does the Samsung acquisition affect the Px8 700?

A: Not for the current product. The Px8 700 as it stands is unaffected. Longer-term brand direction under Samsung ownership remains to be seen, which is why some community members suggest buying sooner rather than later.

Q: Can the Px8 700 be used wired without power?

A: Yes, a 3.5mm cable connection works passively when the battery is depleted, though the ANC and wireless features will be unavailable. Sound quality in passive mode remains solid.

— Tech Lead Editor, CPrice