Excellent video my friend! I appreciate the history lesson on B&W, and your camera-work and editing was excellent all the way throughout the video! I unfortunately just sent back my pair of Focal Bathys as, for the price, I simply wasn't satisfied with them fully. However, you may have sold me on at least giving these a shot. You did a seriously excellent job going over all the aspects of the headphones, bravo! Also, as I felt with your Bathys video, I really enjoy your delivery and personality. It's very entertaining and relaxing! Keep this up and you're going to grow so quickly in no time!! Wishing you the best, take care :)
Thanks for your encouragement! 🙏 I hope this video will fly as high as the Focal Bathys video. 😀 Well, as I point out in the video, the headphone experience is the most personal listening experience, and what I might like, might not work for you - and that's okay. You should definitely try out the B&W Px8 - they have a different sound stage and a bass response that is 'fun'. 😃 Take care!
@@immersivesoundtech Unfortunately, I decided to pick up more than a few vinyl yesterday instead, so the PX8s will have to wait 🥴 I will try them out one day though! Vinyl aren't cheap, so I'm just gonna hang onto my highly-tuned Sony XM4s for now! 😅 (I also wanted to say that I love your little motto of "life is too short to not own a great sounding pair of headphones!")
It's been many years since vinyl was a poison for me, but I totally understand your financial predicament. 😉 I've been offered to borrow the Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones from a colleague, and I might just accept the offer. 😀 My other motto is: "Buy expensive, cry once." PS. My bank woman loves me 😂
@@immersivesoundtech Man that's funny 😂 Great other motto though, I *typically* agree with that when able to 😅 I would definitely love to hear your thoughts on the XM5s though! From what I gather, they're not a major step up from the XM4s, in fact they may be worse in some aspects, but nonetheless, getting you well-trained opinion would be insightful. I might just recommend you play around with EQing them since my XM4s can open up A TON with some good EQ settings. Whatever you decide to do, I'll be looking forward to whatever you come out with next :)
That was a really great review! - And you seems like an honest good guy! Thank you! - I bought the headphones after your review. - So now I can't wait for the mailman to come!
Best PX8 review that I have come across on youtube. Finally someone that does not just compare sound charts but actually is an audiophile at heart. Well done!
One last thing I was hesitating before I purchase this one was how it does look like when I wear it, and I have very good clue on it because my head shape is similar to you. Thank you very much and I should run tomorrow to buy this one. Great video! 🎉
Thanks for supporting my channel, Herbert! 😀 And thanks for your kind words! 🙏 It feels great reaching 1000 subscribers. I have a lot of video material in the making, so please keep supporting Immersive Sound Tech. All the best Frederick
Great video, my wife gave me them in the same color, I simply love them, I do not like to listen music by Bluetooth, in any form, including my home set (Marantz model 50 - speakers B&W) I have all wired, ok, it’s is the same with this headphones, I use a Dongle DAC FIIO BTR15, special usb cable, (no ecualization) and believe me the sound they give, is just amazing, for sure I used them with Bluetooth, ok, I never did it again, an I will never do it ever again, because by wire, dac, and tidal……. I feel the same when I am in my sound studio. Please use them as I suggest at least once, believe me, you will discover other reality about them!
hello, first of all, you have a very good explanation. You touched on topics that I hadn't heard in any of the videos I watched before. thank you for your hard work. It is a brand that I have used for many years both in my home and in my office. I have a pair of Matrix804 and 600series at home and MM-1s connected to my computer in my office. but what surprises me is that the sound color of PX8s is closer to Matrix804's. Is this bad ? definitely not. but I'm a little sad that I can't get the depth of the MM-1s on the PX8s. Maybe this situation has something to do with the situation you want to talk about in the 9:20 part of this video. I can't tell you exactly what I mean about this, but you can understand it if you compare the MM-1s with the PX8s. if you have such a possibility, please compare the MM-1 and PX8. I wish the PX8s were as good as the MM-1s. I have been using B&W products for about 25 years and I absolutely do not regret it, I do not need to experience a new brand. It's been a long post, thank you for taking your precious time to read it.
Thank you very much for your fantastic review! i did listened to the px8 and the px7s2E for about half an hour back and forward. despite their differnce, i like both of them and their strengthes. ultimate question now which one will i choose. still not decided. if anyone here did a similar resaeach and would like to comment of their choice whether if you have decided to go with the px8 or the px7s2e, it would be highly apreciated! kind rergards.
Thanks for you kind words! Highly appreciated! Please feel free to spread the word about my channel, I want to hit 1500 subscribers before Christmas. 😀 I have the B&W Pi7 S2 getting ready for a review in this very channel. Right now, they are 'breaking in' on the kitchen table, by playing music pretty much around the clock - and they already sound better than they did straight out of the box. It's a bit cumbersome, because I have to charge them every four hour or so - it's a bit like pampering a baby. 😅 Regarding the sound, I like them both, especially now that the Pi7 S2 are getting a bit 'burnt in'. To help you answer your question, ask yourself how you are going to use your new headphones. Are you using earbuds now? Is that what you want to use when you're at work or travelling? Or are you just going to use them at home and want the best possible sound experience from your headphones? To me, a pair of headphones will pretty much always outperform a pair of earbuds - in size and in sound. It's physics. Yes, I know that there are really expensive earbuds or in-ear monitors that sound really good - especially if you have them molded to your ear canals. But they will easily set you back $2000 and are mostly used by professional monitoring engineers and artists. If you are fine with using headphones and like the sound, my suggestion is to go for the Px8. And if you are used to earbuds, the Pi7 S2 is a nice alternative. In my review, I plan to compare them with the Apple AirPods Pro 2. Good luck with your decision and please let me know how it works out for you. 👍
@@immersivesoundtech appreciate your detailed answer/ feedback 🙌🏻. I meant the px7 s2e (over ear) compared to the Px8 😏 . They are not very different at first glance, but made of different materials and also differences in sound design
Roger that. I had the B&W Pi7 S2 earbuds in my ears, listening to music, when I read your post. 🎧🎶😅 Anyway, I haven't had the chance to listen to the B&W Px7 S2E yet. The distributor wasn't able to send me a pair. I got the Pi7 S2 instead. You write that you like them both, so my rhetorical answer is that you could go for the cheaper alternative, right? 😉 At some point, I will take a couple of hours off, and visit my local HiFi-store where they probably have both the Px8 and the Px7 S2E, but it's not going to happen during Black Week. 😃 Sorry that I can't be of more help right now.
Bought the PX8 based on the review here and I have to be honest it has an amazing sound stage for me, however, for such an expensive headphone it is really disappointing when the leather cover on the headband peels away. Seems this is a somewhat common problem and worse than that seems B&W don't really care to much either. Just as a point of interest my headphones are only used at home for my PC and always in their case or on the headphone stand, basically no reason for the issue. Disappointed B&W do better £600 wasted...
Thanks for sharing your findings, Andrew! I haven't had any problems with the headband on my B&W Px8, but some other users have reported problems with the headband. What was Bowers & Wilkins reply when you contacted them?
@@immersivesoundtech Sadly my headphones were just out of warranty by about a month so I understand that but it would be good for them to resolve the issue none the less. I have however found a video which shows you how to remove the plastic top of the headband and re-glue the leather in place. I am now thinking Focal Bathy's or Mark Levinsons next :)
@@Saturn-Matrix from a sound point of view you will not be sorry, although you might need surgery to remove the smile off your face the minute the first notes come through 🤣🤣
Thank you for delivering such a thorough and insightful review. In a sea of reviews, it's often a chore to sift through numerous strange audio reviews showcasing little to no expertise. Recently, I encountered a discussion on a UA-cam review (ua-cam.com/video/jBBsGifriHE/v-deo.htmlsi=X95QvwM4X3KG6E94)) concerning the PX8 headphones. The reviewer harshly criticized the product, and a disagreement arose when I suggested that the absence of a burn-in period might have skewed his experience negatively. The UA-camr brushed off my comment, asserting that the notion of breaking in headphones is merely a myth without any scientific foundation. It's reassuring to see in your review that you acknowledge the significant role burn-in plays with headphones. It was unfortunate to be labeled a self-proclaimed audiofool and accused of spewing nonsense by this rather self-righteous UA-camr posing as a 'reviewer.' Your reviews, however, speak volumes about your understanding and integrity. It's exasperating when reviewers use a machine to supposedly test the audio, record it, and play it back in their reviews. This method falls short as everyone will playback the recording on their own audio devices, ranging from high-quality setups to subpar speaker systems. Now, diving deeper into the quirky realm of audio reviews, some reviewers not only employ those so-called headset testers but also flaunt flashy infographics that seem impressive at first glance but really say little to nothing. It's quite the spectacle! I firmly believe that our ears are the best judges since sound perception is a personal experience, differing from person to person. The way the reviewer scolded me for my so-called nonsense during his oh-so 'honest' review was quite appalling. He failed to address all the crucial aspects while reviewing a pair of headphones, a glaring omission that speaks to his self-proclaimed 'audiophile UA-camr' status. Your grounded and well-informed reviews are a breath of fresh air amidst such instances, and I genuinely appreciate your efforts towards fostering a more knowledgeable audio community. Lastly, the saga of headphone burn-in remains a lively debate. Some swear by it, while others dismiss it as folklore. It seems like the tune might change from ear to ear, keeping the beat of this discussion alive and kicking! Your balanced perspective is like finding a needle in a haystack, and I am genuinely appreciative of your contribution to a more informed audio community. Thank you so much and keep up the good work!
Thanks for watching my reviews and thanks for your kind words! Much appreciated! 🙏 I briefly skipped though a couple of the other reviewer's videos, and I must say that he's quite full of it. The biggest difference between him and I, is that he shares him opinions, seemingly based on his mood of the day, whereas as I try to share my knowledge and experience, along with my personal opinions about a product. Having written reviews in trade magazines for over twenty years, I try to put myself in the reader's cloths and imagine what your expectations might be of the product, and how you might want to use it. What I think about a pair of headphones might not be what someone else thinks about them, so I try to package my thoughts about the product and put them in context with the similar products in the same price range, features and usability - for an interested viewer to make his or her's own judgement about possibly trying them out. All those "UA-cam professors" with 100 000+ subscribers just push me to create better material than they do - hopefully I will reach that kind of figures too, someday. Anyway, please spread the word of my channel, and I promise to do my best when publishing new videos. We are all here to learn and have fun doing it, right? 😃
love love my PX8s. I'm a professional sound mixer and I've listened to everything in all price ranges. My personal preference to wear for my own use is the PX8.
Thanks for watching my video, Derek! 🙏 The Px8 are great-sounding headphones and they are very comfy to wear for hours. 👍 How do you fancy listening and working with them? No filtering, ANC with inflated low-end or maybe with +2dB bass? Cheers Frederick
Thanks for your question, Tla! Well, to me, comparing over-ear headphones with IEMs, is a bit like comparing apples and oranges. Both designs will comparatively produce quite a divergent end-result - and one isn't necessarily better than the other. I think it boils down to personal taste, area of use and convenience. IEMs are great for bringing along during the workday and when traveling. They are small and weights almost nothing. Over-ear headphones are great for isolating your listening experience from the outside World in a more natural way, the comfort is usually better (though it's down to personal taste and preference) and the size of the drivers are a lot bigger compared to IEMs which means that the low-end and low-mid have better dynamics and less distortion (when well-built) and due to the fact that a lot of the sound generated will bounce off the outer ear before hitting the ear canal, offers the possibility of a more 'spacious' listening experience. I guess you can see what I prefer choosing between IEMs and normal headphones. To try and answer your question, yes, a great-sounding pair of IEMs will probably have better mid-range, but the B&W Px8 have a better low-end and low-mid response. It has more body, more warmth and more 'natural' punch. Personally, I've never found a pair of IEMs that can produce enough 'natural-sounding' low-end. I guess it's down to physics and the small sized drivers and the fact that the sound waves have very little distance until they hit the ear drums - again physics. Also, I firmly believe that we listen to music, using our whole body, and hitting the outer ears and the surrounding area of the head with sound waves, and the tiny tiny pressure change, will in itself help the brain to 'create' the sensation of low-end. At least, that's my personal theory (not backed up by scientific papers, yet) I'm off to bed! 🤓
Thank you so much for this lovely video! Enjoyed every bit of it. The review literally felt like a conversation as you pretty much covered all of my questions :) Curious to know if the test was done on firmware version 3?
Thanks for your kind words! 🙏 The 3.0 software wasn’t available as the time of my review. However, I am mentioning it in my latter video comparing Bathys, Px8 and 5909. 👍
Fantastic review! 🤩 I just received my PX8 today and I was amazed with them out of the box. They sound brilliant when loud, so I really need to watch out for my hearing as you said. Can’t wait for the comparison video with Focal Bathys! Regards from 🇩🇰
Refreshing to watch a review that does not judge the headphones based on Harman curve compliance. 👍👍 B&W headphones have always been dismissed by the “society of headphone review channels” that review based on confirmation bias from graphs and their beloved Harman curve. Meanwhile B&W owners enjoy their music, not measurement rigs.
Thanks for you kind words, Arnel! 🙏 Measurements don't mean much to me, especially not of headphones. The headphone sound experience is so subjective and personal - no measurement graphs can show that. 👍
Again a nice and relevant review. High quality build, pretty good sound for the price, better than the XM5, but the midrange expressivity is below the Bathys, something I could not improve with toning down the bass and/or changing the treble. Practicality is very good, and one coming from Sony could be really happy with them.
that's weird 🤔 because my north American unit had no boomy bass out the box, I actually had to crank the bass up four clicks in the Bowers & Wilkins app. now I hate that Bowers & Wilkins did not include a mid range slider because I actually think that the mid range do need dialing back three clicks if they had added that third mid range slider to their EQ. I'm using my Android device, and no my headphones are not completely broken in yet. so I'm looking forward to that beautiful sound these headphones are capable of after break in
Well, here's what you have to do before evaluating the sound quality of the B&W Px8. You need to break them in properly. You story only makes that more apparent to me. I've been reviewing headphones in magazines for more than twenty years, and the one thing that I've found to be universal for all headphones, is the importance of proper break-in before evaluating the sound quality and sound stage. Through the years, some headphones have sounded super-weird out of the box, and only 'settled' after several hundreds of hours of use. To me, it's just the way it is with headphones, and the reason why I keep pressing on it in my review videos. Basically no other reviewer does, because they don't know better, to be blunt about the subject. What you really need to do, is to break-in your headphones properly - then evaluate the sound quality. I know it's a hassle...but it just needs to be done. I'm going to post on my blog how to set up a proper break-in setup. Please visit my web page for further information: www.immersivesoundtech.com
Loved your review and it convinced me to order a pair today. Just a helpful tip from what I’ve learned recently is If you want to use these headphones with an iPhone or Android you’d need a DAC.
I glad to help out and I hope you will fancy the Px8 as much as I do. 😃 Regarding using an external DAC, I really don't think it's necessary. The beauty of wireless headphones is the fact that they are wireless... If you use a portable DAP and are okay with cables, then you might as well go for wired headphones, right? A good-sounding DAP and a pair of high-quality wired headphones have the potential of sounding spectacular. However, I'm travelling in the Middle East right now and have the B&W Px8 with me. Flying out from Istanbul Saturday night, the flight left at 01:35 am, so I sat down in my seat, dead-tired from a long wait at the airport (missed my booked flight due to delays) put on the headphones and enabled the ANC - then I slept for three and a half hours and woke up when the plane landed. 😉 Then last night at the hotel, after a long day of work and little sleep, I ended up laying in bed listening to music and watching old music videos on UA-cam - and it was a total blast. I haven't done that in ages. 🎵😃 Does the Px8 sound even better via cable? Yes Are there more detailed headphones around? Yes Does the B&W Px8 sound great anyway via Bluetooth? Oh yes! I like the intimate sound stage and the fact that they are 'fun' to listen to. I hope you will like them as much as I do. All the best Frederick
No - NOT 4 me 🤷🏻♂🤷🏻♂ Bought....listened to ......returning back. At least YOU have presented an HONEST and a CORRECT picture of these 🎧 So - 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
Thank you for this very informative review. Your persona, is like sitting down with a Grandfather, (holding a cup of hot chocolate) and telling stories of his life, very calm, relax and knowledgable. I am slowly becoming an audiophile, as I have to listen to music, virtually all the time for neuroplasticity reasons. I am a complete novice, as such, slowing working my way up (cost, quality and enjoyment) in buying and using over the ear headphones (my ear canals are too small to have earbuds) and was wondering, if the money that I was thinking of outlaying, was worth it or I could use my money to do something else. Yes, I have now purchased a pair, I really dont have your depth of knowledge or life experience, but you have sold me, and I look forward to listening to the music, I like anytime of the day or night
Thanks for your kind words! Much appreciated, and the first time I'm referenced as a grandfather, but I guess there is a first time for everything. ☺️ I'm feel honored to contribute to your journey in the wonderful world of Hi-Fi. You know what, I still learn new things everyday and that's why I love working with music. As a professional sound engineer, I feel blessed being around HiFi-enthusiasts and audiophiles. They often listen to music in the same way as when they were fifteen years old - when music meant everything. And I love being inspired by the way music still affect them. I try to tap into that feeling. How are your new headphones working out for you? Are they treating you well? 🎶❤️
A great review, and thank you for talking about break-in. I was getting mixed feedback from people that reached out to me about them that said it's an audiophile farce. But it's good to have an audio engineer talk about it. I'm gonna look around your channel and see if you talk more about it and why it's important. I have the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2e and the Px8 on the way. I did indeed find I liked the sound of the Px7 S2e much more after about 10 hours of "break in," far less than the 400 hours you did. I also appreciated you giving a quick overview of the heritage and history of Bowers & Wilkins. I really like the Px7 S2e but can't keep both those and the Px8. Thanks for your thorough reviews.
Thanks for watching my videos! 🙏 In my humble opinion, 'break in' or 'burn-in' is very important and can make all the difference for a pair of headphones. The change in sound is different from model to model. After having reviewed headphones and speakers for more than twenty years, I came to the conclusion many years ago, that 'burn-in' is important. I haven't had the chance to listen to the B&W Px7 S2e yet, but I like the Px8. Good luck with your headphones Frederick
@@immersivesoundtech Thank you very much, Frederick. For what little feedback an untrained consumer like myself can provide, I very much like the Px7 S2e. The Px7 S2e is has the fabric and plastic build, but they feel identical on the head (that "hug" you describe). To my untrained ears, they sound very similar. I have to say, it's a tough decision. I got both heavily discounted (Px7 S2e new at $239 USD, Px8 B&W Recertified at $399 USD), and I'd love to have both! However, if I was forced to recommend between the two to buyers in USA market, I'd suggest the Px7 S2e over the Px8 and over all the popular ANC headphones that are commonly used here (Bose QuietComforrt lineup, Sony XM lineup, Apple AirPods Max, and Beats Studios seem to be the most popular). The Px7 S2e feels more refined in build and sound over any of those I mentioned at a fair price. I know the market prices may differ overseas. Thank you for your video, and thoughtful feedback. Looking forward to seeing more of your content in the future.
Nice review! An enjoyable balance of presentation style and informed content. I've had my PX8 for about three weeks, and really like them - as you say, the louder they play the better they sound, some care is needed to preserve hearing! They haven't had 200+ hours yet, so I'll try running them continually for a week or two to see if and by how much they improve.
@@Drummer7 It's hard to say, as there has been a firmware update that has subtly changed the presentation, making it more spacious and reducing the mid-bass a little. I think it's an improvement, but very slight. I did have to return the original pair for replacement as the leather was coming away from the headband. They did the exchange within a couple of days, by courier at my front door, so no complaints there!
I own a few products from B&W both speaker and headphones and can confirm the break in period is a thing. I like the sound that B&W produce, my current B&W's are the P3 series 2 and think they sound great with my iPod video get 5.5 so these must be amazing (still like the sound of the P3's ). The colour you have look amazing better than boring black and build quality look good. Thanks for sharing and hope they did a firmware update to resolve the issues .
Excellent review! As an owner of the PX8, I found myself agreeing with most of your conclusions. I did want to add one point regarding your findings about the volume output being lower when connected to an Android phone via USB C in comparison to the wireless output. While you are correct in your assessment, the difference shouldn't affect the user experience. When connected to my S22 Ultra via USB C, I found that the volume would have to be cranked to unhealthy levels before even noticing that the output via wired connection to the phone was incapable of reaching the max volume of the PX8's wireless volume output. In fact, I myself hadn't even noticed this limitation until your video pointed it out and I decided to test it for myself. As you pointed out in your review, we should be good to our ears...and consitently listening at the volumes necessary to feel limited by the wired volume output is certainly not being good to our ears.
Thanks for your reply, Edwin! It just baffles me that the volume is lower, and I wonder if it's the same drop in volume with my old LG ThinQ compared to your much newer Samsung S22. Anyway, we should be grateful having the option of using the USB-C port as a soundcard - not every pair of wireless headphones offer that option. 👍🙏 Cheers Frederick
Thanks for the review. I just got the Px8 today. It's awesome. For the wear sensitivity issues, do a warm up and calibration before use. I been doing calibration by turn on and off power and wear sensor on the app. Hold the headphones on your hands for at least 30s before wearing them. Been doing this for 10m repetitively. All is good, I even had it on normal setting not low. My only disappointment, on my samsung s22 ultra, for some reason with the aptx I can only get 16bit connection. I was hoping for at least 24 bit. I have double check on the developer options. Cant seem to up to 24 bits. Any tips on increasing to 24 bits?
Thanks for the wear sensor tip! 👍 Are you using the aptX HD codec in the [Developer Options]? On my old LG G7 ThinQ phone with Android OS 10, I can set it to even 32bit/sample - which, I believe, the aptX HD codec doesn't support. So, I wouldn't be too worried what is shown in the phone settings regarding bit depth. The more important thing to set, is the latency, which affects the overall sound quality - and it's done by the developers, and not for us to be able to change - more than being able to choose between [Most stable] and [Best sound quality] connection. Also, you shouldn't worry too much about 16bit vs 24bit sound. You won't be able to hear the difference if the decoded music is properly dithered - which I presume it is. For me as a mixing engineer, working with music and processing individual instruments in the music, the bit depth is important, just because I'm doing processing and need the calculation "depth". Also, the aptX HD codec is lossy, which means that it analyzes the music and use psychoacoustic models, to determine elements in the music that can be taken away without us humans being able to hear the difference. So, whatever [fine-detailed] 24bit information that might be in the source file, will most likely be removed by the codec anyway. If you ask me, 16 vs 24bit sound is one of those HiFI "sales things", because I could play you a well-recorded 24bit music track on my TAD speakers, and then play a 16bit dithered version - and you wouldn't be able to tell the difference. Is there a difference recording music in 16bit versus 24bit? Yes, it is, because the 16bit recording is not dithered, because you don't want to to be dithered as you will do processing on it. And there is information in the 24bit recording that will be beneficial to have when processing the sound. But for final delivery, dithered 16bit sound is more than enough, me thinks. Maybe I'll do a video about bit rate and sample rate in the future. 👍
@Immersive Sound Tech looks like bloody samsung removed them, leaving me and Samsung users with no choice other than standard aptx, and only 16bits. I believe they try to promote their own sbc codec. I don't know if my ears can tell the difference between 16bit vs 24 bits, but with my other earbuds which uses LDAC at 32bit even at lowest speed I could tell a difference. Honestly never understand all these luxury brands, why can't they provide complete sets of codecs including LDAC, just pay Sony some royalty...they are making huge margins anyway.
Really??!! What a bummer if Samsung has removed the support for aptX HD. I guess it's a matter of not wanting to pay the license fee, if any... There certainly is a difference in sound quality going from aptX to aptX HD. I haven't tested the SBC codec yet, because my LG phone doesn't want to connect via SBC. I'm reviewing the Mark Levinson No5909 headphones right now, and they support the Sony LDAC codec. It's quite interesting switching between Sony LDAC at 990kbit/s, aptX HD at 576kbit/s and AAC at 320kbit/s. The Sony LDAC codec at full sound quality sound really good, so I understand the fuzz it's making in the headphone community. 🎵👍 In the case of LDAC and iPhone, is it even possible to use LDAC on an iPhone? Apple usually does its worse to make the user experience as locked in as possible.
@Immersive Sound Tech I don't think it's a royalty issues for Samsung more like they want to promote their own proprietary codec which is the sbc. LDAC by far is the best codec for Android users. Unfortunately for iPhone users they stuck with AAC only. Also it's a shame all the high end, 5905, px8, bathys they all don't support LDAC. I guess they want to save money by not paying sony license fees
@@orangedan5424 Yeah, it's a shame. The Sony LDAC codec is certainly remarkable. 🎵👍 On the horizon, Qualcomm is working on a lossless Bluetooth codec - aptX Lossloss - supporting 44.1kHz/16bit sound. It should have been released in 2022, but I can't find much information about it. Anyway, I guess it won't be beneficial to iPhone users.
I own the Beoplay H95, Focal Bathys and the PX8. My summary: if you're serious about sound just forget the PX8. No competition at all. At all. If you want a luxury headphone for work, multipoint Bluetooth with great features, comfort, good microphone quality and sound is not thaaaaaat important for you then yes go with the PX8. Value for money? I see the PX8 realistically in the area 450-500 EUR. For that price the value for money ratio is very good. Personnaly I would not buy a PX8 above 600 euro because that's a rip off.
@Fempire ASMR H95 - Techno, Dance, Rock Focal Bathys - Classic, PoP PX8 - just don't choose it because of sound. In Germany you can get the PX8 for 531 Euro gros already. Personally I would advise you to wait until it costs below 500 Euro gros. Later on you can sell it for 350 Euro and your loss will be limited.
Just scored a pair of those for 450euros today. Thought it was quite a steal at that price. First listen confirms they are in need of some serious burn in. I do have to say they're already a massive upgrade from my Bose 700 headphones and I look forward to their sound in a couple of months. No I aint going to let them play continuously but rather going to enjoy the sound change throughout their burn in period.
If you have the budget, I'd say the Focal Bathys. Why? Because they are "extra everything" compared to Beoplay H95. I do like the filter customization in the Beo-app because it lets the user tailor the headphone sound, more than the Bathys offer. But, comparing the sound stage of the two headphones, there is quite a big difference in overall sound quality - in favor of the Focal Bathys - at least to me. However, both headphones are well worth a listen. 👍
Thanks for watching my videos, Jacob! 🙏 It all depends on how much money you are willing to part with, and what sound quality you are looking for. The best would be for you to find a good HiFi-store that have both the Px8 and Bathys for auditioning. Then you can listen to both models and decide which one that sounds the best - to you. 👍 The Sony cans and the Px7 are playing in a lesser league, and are therefor priced accordingly. They're still good-sounding, but are not playing in the same league is the B&W Px8 or Focal Bathys. When you decide which model to buy, please let us know in the comments. Especially when you have lived with them for a while. Good luck with your headphones quest! 👍
I bought all 3 headphones and tested px8 x7s2 and xm5. Sony are terrible sound and bass compared to B&W, it’s anc is slightly better however. The px8 is on another league more bass than x7s2 and large sound stage with amazing detail. The build quality of Sony is terrible and sound isn’t the best so if you can afford px8 go for it otherwise go for s2
.... I want to use px8 wired Passively using a fiio btr7 Or fiio btr15 to get LDAC CODEC and ill set LDAC To PRIORITY ON SOUND QUALITY .... From what youre saying that wont be possible ....
I enjoyed both your reviews. Yours are very informative and genuine. My use case is in office or home using iPhone as source of music. In the office I will use the headphones for ANC and will use it for Teams/Webex calls on PC. Interruptions for conversation will be required on occasions…so transparency mode will be important. Which of the two will provide best results for my use case, the Bathys or PX8?
Thanks for watching my videos and thanks for your kind words! 🙏 I would say that the Focal Bathys are more suited for your needs, as they have better active noise cancelling both for listening to music and for taking phone calls. And you just have to press the multi-function button on the left ear piece once, to toggle between ANC and transparency mode - which is handy. And if you long-press the button, the headphones toggle between [soft] and [silent] noise cancelling. Also, the voice call quality is better on Focal Bathys. Personally, I always take off one earpiece when talking in person with someone, because it just feels odd to me, engaging in conversation whilst wearing headphones. Of course, our teenagers have no problem at all, speaking to us parents whilst wearing headphones, but I find it a bit ill-behaved to do so. It's an age thing, I guess. 😂 I love walking around in the house, wearing big ANC headphones, starring at the teenagers and shout: "What??!!" 🤣 Just like they do, when they are suppose to help out in the kitchen... 😏😜 But sure, the [transparent]-mode works and sound pretty natural. 👍 If you have the opportunity, you should try them out.
Hey Barry. If I might add, Sony's XM4s and XM5s have a nifty feature called "speak to chat" that, when you or someone speaks, transparency mode is automatically enabled and the volume of whatever you're listening to is lowered. The effect goes away after the conversation has been over after a few seconds. You can get the same effect by placing your hand over the right earcup, and when you take your hand away, the volume level seamlessly goes back to where it was. Those features can be a bit finnicky sometimes, but it's for situations like you're in that I think Sony implemented them. So, if don't necessarily need a "hi-fi" pair of headphones like the PX8s or Bathys, and want to save a lot of money but still get a killer pair of headphones, I'd recommend checking out Sony's offerings. (Sony's app and EQ options are pretty great and flexible too, sorry to sound like a Sony shill 😅) Otherwise, Frederick's advice is really good!
.... Id to return my shure aonic 40 as they hurt the top of my head .... i hated to because they sounded so nice .... when i look at these they look like theyd be heavy and cumbersome after wearing for a while .... ?¿ wHaT dO yOu SaY sIr ?¿
I find them rather light to wear and I can use them for hours without getting sore. But we're all different, so the only way to know if they are the 'right' headphones for you, is to try them out yourself. If you do, please let me know what you think about them, okay.
Thanks for your kind words, Kris! 🙏 The script for my take on the Mark Levinson 5909 is practically done. I just need to find the time to hit [REC] and publish the video. 👍 Please subscribe to my channel and hit the notification button, and you will get a notification when the review is online. I wish you a great and relaxing weekend Frederick
In regards to wired connection to iPhones with lightning. Wouldn’t it be possible to use a 3.5mm jack to lightning adapter and use that with the USB-C to 3.5mm included with the headphones? Or am I missing something here?
You could do that, but it means adding a digital -> analogue conversion in the lightning adapter, then an analogue -> digital conversion in the headphones. Both conversion will affect the sound quality. How much? Only you can decide.
Thanks very much for a detailed and informative review. It appears to me that the active noise cancellation is not excellent in these headphones. Based on your experience please advise what are the best headphones for great active noise cancellation. My gym is very noisy and I would like to have a good headphone to listen to music without all the loud noise inside the gym. I am an iPhone user using glasses. Thanks in advance.
I would be connecting these to a MacBook Pro lap top and an iPhone. My music flavor is almost all over the board- from classical to bluegrass, including rock, jazz, and ountry. Maybe these are the wrong choice for me.
I'd say that the two most important factors choosing the "right" pair of headphones are comfort and 'sound'. To me, the B&W Px8 fit my head very well and are comfortable wearing hours and hours again. And as I describe in my review, I really like how they sound. They have a 'signature' sound for sure, and inflated low-end with the ANC activated. Still I levitate towards using them because of their 'fun' low-end and smooth 'sound'. I hope this helps making your decision. Please let me know how they work out for you, okay. Best of luck! Frederick
I bought a pair of these in January. I had to return them because within a couple of weeks the leather around the headband had completely fallen into bits. Wasn’t very impressed with the workmanship for this amount of money. Not only had the leather come unglued, but it had ripped as well. I always kept the headphones in the case, in the hi-fi cabinet by my chair. I’ve tried to order another pair, but they seem to be supply issues for these at the moment. I intend to get another pair as I did very much like the sound and couldn’t agree more with the comment about breaking the headphones in. I did continue to use them from the time that the headband began to come unravelled, until I finally managed to get Amazon to agree to accept the return. BMW were completely unhelpful by the way. As a blind person I particularly value the lack of touch pads on these headphones, Lovely buttons to press! I couldn’t work out how to get them to play in wired mode via USB. Hopefully I’ll manage to work that one out when I get the replacement. Really enjoyed the review, as I’ve got to get a replacement anyway, I’ve been looking at these against the mark Levenson and the focal ones.
Thanks for your report! I think user reports like yours are important for potential buyers to read and consider before buying. To play music via a USB-cable, you have to connect the headphones to a computer/laptop and choose them as a soundcard in Windows or OSX. Then you will be able to enjoy lossless sound quality. I guess they might work via USB-cable connected to the USB-port on an iPhone 15, but I haven't had the chance to try that out. I still use an iPhone 14 Pro with lightning connection. I hope your new pair of Px8 will work better for you and that the headband won't wear down so fast. May I ask a couple of personal questions. How can I improve my videos for vision impaired subscribers? Am I verbal enough when I describe, let's say, a pair of new headphones? I want my videos to be as accessible as possible for all visitors. Thanks for visiting my channel. Cheers Frederick
I watched many reviewes of the PX8 since i cant use my Fiio FH7 In ears because my ears got sore... After this review i decided to buy em :) Thank you!
Wow, thanks! 🤗 Your words are heartwarming to read! ❤️ I'm very busy right now, but more videos are in the making. 👍
Рік тому
@@immersivesoundtech Dark Audio says this PX8 sound as good as the AirPods max, is that the case? are the APMax that good? I think you can use a USB-c cable to connect to an android phone with the PX8, right? that is huge win.
Great video!!, describing the situation under Android and iOS. I‘m wondering that the only thing I can found the latest update had improve the performance of bass, but I want to know if the volume problem when connecting to USB-C has been fixed or not. Thank you for making videos and sharing your experience!
Thanks for your kind feedback! 🙏 Yes, the bass performance has certainly been improved with the latest update - with ANC enabled, the low-end is more controlled than before, and not as inflated. I also think the headphones sound better in the low-end when the ANC disabled. Still, I prefer the slightly 'inflated' sound stage produced when the ANC is enabled. Overall, I find the sound to be slightly 'smoother' now - in a good way. Good thing the designers at B&W work on improving the sound quality. 🎶👍 Last week, I brought the Px8 on a work trip to the Middle East, and they performed extremely well. I made good use of the ANC, sleeping three hours none-stop on the night flights. And the "pass-through" mode worked really well during airplane announcements etc. The B&W Px8 are great travel companions. 😃 To answer you question, the volume drop connecting the Px8 via USB-C to an Android phone is still a lot. I haven't measured it, but I would say it's 12dB or so. So, quite a lot. I think it's an "Android OS"-thing. And trying to connect the headphones via USB-C to an iPhone via the Apple Camera Adapter, still doesn't work. I think that is an "Apple iOS"-thing.
Hello there, great video. I am currently own bang and olufsen H95, not satisfied with loudness and lack of punchiness of bass. Is px8 better at overall sound quality compared to H95 ? Most satisfied sound characher so far for me is sennheiser momentum 3 over ear. Do you recommend px 8 ? Thank you soo much 😊
Hi! Thanks for watching the video! I have listened to both the BEOplay H95 and the Sennheiser Momentum 3, and to my ears, the Bower & Wilkins Px8 sound significantly better. I do recommend that you take a good listen to the Px8. I think that you will like both the low-end punch, loudness and overall sound. I certainly do. 🎵❤️
@@immersivesoundtech Well, hello again. I just bought royal burgundy one from amazon. Thx for the review, without your honest and detailed answer to my question, effected my purchase behavior in a good way. Calling from here to advertisement companies, fund this guyy!! :)
Hi Mike Thanks for your kind words! I have reached out to the B&W distributor about reviewing the Px7 S2 and Px7 S2E and Pi7 S2 - but I haven't received the review headphones yet. They will hopefully show up for review in the near future. I want to know the differences and similarities too. 😃
Hi Lucas I haven't had the chance to listen to the Sennheiser Momentum yet, but I've reached out to Sennheiser and asked them for a pair of demo headphones. Let's see how it works out. 👍
@@immersivesoundtech super ! I have them actually and i red that the px8 have better sound quality, that seems normal for 200 dolls of différence i guess. Thank you very mich for your fast answer ! Cheers from France !
Really thanks for your review , ı m sure u did it honestly..i already ordered this headphone without testing still waiting for it. Just i dont understand that is it possible to use usb c type cable wth iphone 13 pro?dac mode wont work well?
Hi Kitoro! Yes, you are right, I tried to be as honest as I could possibly be, and still prove diverse information and not just my own opinions about the headphones. 👍 No, the B&W Px8 won't work via USB-C cable connected to an iPhone. After finding that out, I contacted my distributor and they replied that it couldn't and that the main focus was on the wireless transmission of sound. It's a bit of a shame, because they do sound better via USB-C. That said, they are still great-sounding headphones, and I hope they sound great to you too. Good luck with your purchase! 👍
Great review and commentary! I own a pair (McLaren), and do like them very much. But, I'm a little worried about losing out on the best potential good sound by not wanting to crank the volume up. Also, as you indicate they sound better with ANC on, it this generally found true on other brands of headphones? I thought it was usually the other way around. So unlike my Masters & Dynamics MW75, there is no pass through cabling that would let me get the best sound by using my Schiit Asgard3 external DAC/Amp. BTW I rotate my different brands of headphones depending on my mood and music. Finally, thank you for the music list to try out! Subscribed!!!
Hi Bill Thanks for your kind words and for subscribing to my channel! Much appreciated! 🙏😃 I would say that most active headphones sound the best when the active noise cancelling is disabled - because what the ANC does, is to mix in noise from outside, out-of-phase with the headphone sound and through clever processing cancel out some of the outside noise. Any kind of processing will have some kind of detrimental effect on the sound quality - it's a force of nature. But, as I point out in the review, the B&W Px8 sound better to me, when the ANC is active - due to the inflated low-end that the ANC creates. If you are happy with using your Px8 without ANC, then go for it. You can add a couple of dBs of low-end with the bass filter and get some of the firm low-end - but it won't sound as good as the inflated low-end, me thinks. And you're right, you won't gain any sound quality by using an external DAC/headphone amp, because the incoming sound will be digitalized and processed by the headphones anyway. Regarding my thoughts about the headphones, they are only my personal thoughts, and I still think they are great-sounding headphones. What's more important to you, is that you think they sound great to you. 🎵👍
Great track! Slightly harsh vocals for my taste, but great performance. The sound engineer in me wants to add a 'dynamic eq' on the vocals, and ride the levels before hitting it with compression. But, great track. Thanks! 👍
Regarding the analog input, I still think that this is a big flaw on the part of B&W (most likely intentional), since the lithium battery tends to wear out and, as a result, these expensive headphones after 3-4 years of active use will serve not 30 hours, but 3 hours. B&W does not replace the battery in the headphones, and judging by the disassembly of the original PX on UA-cam, not everyone can replace the battery in the PX8. It is worth understanding this nuance when buying these headphones. IMO, Hi-end stuff should last for many-many years and not just become completely useless after 5 years
I don’t know where you got the information that B&W won’t change the battery, I’m in good contact with B&W and have specifically asked them about service and changing battery. Here is their reply, do what you will with it: “We will exchange the Px8 battery at a local service center - contact your reseller for more information”. So if you like how the B&W Px8 sound - buy with confidence. 👍
@@immersivesoundtech good day to you. Thanks for the answer. Unfortunately, the only service centre B&W have in my country is located in another city, but they offer to buy spare parts to order, so it doesn't scare me much
Okay, understood. I've never dealt with the B&W support, but got a very good impression of them when asking them about replacing the battery in the Px8. In the end, it is just a battery that you most likely can find on the Internet, but it's a good thing that they offer spare parts for you to order. 👍
Thanks for watching and supporting my channel! 🙏 To my knowledge, unfortunately not, and it has to do with several reasons: * The Px8 currently can't be connected via USB-cable to an iOS-device. * The Bluetooth connection used by iOS-devices is AAC - Advanced Audio Coding - and it's lossy at a bit rate up to 320kbit/s with variable bitrate. Hopefully Apple will launch a lossless codec for Bluetooth in the future, but you just don't know with Apple. * Apple won't support other Bluetooth codec than their own. * There currently isn't any Bluetooth codec on the market that offers lossless transmission. Qualcomm is launching the aptX Lossless codec but it looks like a brand-new Android phone is needed due to the processing done. So, if you are using the Bluetooth connection, you are left using your Px8 via the lossy AAC codec. I haven't got access to an iPad Pro with USB-C port. It would be interesting to know if that might work with the Px8.
I'm using ifi go link (small DAC) with usb-c to jack cable and I don't think those sounds horrible, opposite I think they play great, comparing with my Sony xm4 and Momentum4.
On your note of using an external audio DAC, between the source (usb) and the headphones… the resulting sound is terrible, and cannot be mitigated… lots of audible digital noises introduced, and a truly gut wrenching awful experience… tested using the Firefly middle range DA converter, before that one was promptly returned to the store as a mis-purchase, for the reasons I just gave…
No, the Px8 headphones can't be driven passively, so there really isn't a good idea to use the 'analogue' minijack -> USB-C cable - even if it's possible.
@@immersivesoundtech exactly - I just verified your brief statement, expanded upon it with my experiences, as to assist others in not choising the external DAC solution
@@mortenthorpewhat is wrong of using let's say ifi go link with cable connection? For instance an iphone using only AAC codec which is rubbish, so I have no different choice than to use DAC or change phone 😂
Hi Barry Thanks for supporting my channel! 🙏 I plan to make a video comparing Focal Bathys, B&W Px8 and Mark Levinson 5909. I will consider reviewing the Master and Dynamic and Beoplay H95. I need to find whom to contact to ask for review products. Please stay tuned for more videos. 👍
@@immersivesoundtech You are very welcomed!! The luxury ANC space is getting very crowded. I consider the luxury segment anything north of Air Pods Max in terms of price. Others might disagree. I am looking forward to your reviews. Thanks!!
The ANC headphones segment has certainly taken a huge leap forward in terms of sound quality the last two years, and it's becoming a very exciting market. As a long-time sound engineer, headphones have just been a tool used when needed, during location recordings and for checking channel sound during events etc. I basically never used headphones whilst mixing music, because I didn't think any headphones sounded good enough for the task But, that has changed, and I fancy using headphones more and more, and I now enjoy listening to music on certain headphones, which is a development for me personally. Regarding ANC headphones, I believe it's the fact that consumers now are willing to pay extra for a pair of really good headphones, and that gives the manufacturers more finances to develop better headphones. I guess the ever increasing prices for mobile phones, makes the consumers accepting higher prices for anything portable. Or at least, that's my very unscientific analysis. 🧐 Today is cleaning day at our house, and I'm going to enjoy vacuum-cleaning whilst wearing my ANC headphones. Happy Friday and have a great weekend! 🥳
@@immersivesoundtech Agreed. If you walk through an airport or go to the gym, many people are wearing ANC headphones. Bose and Sony seem to be the most popular. They are great for noise cancelling. But, I think the sound quality leaves something to be desired. Now consumers can have best of both worlds. It just cost a bit more. I think the technology will only improve. Personally, I wear my ANC headphones quite a bit in my house. Especially if I am working or talking on the phone. You have a nice weekend, as well!!
Thanks for your support! 🙏 The short answer is that it depends on which mode I'm in... 🙂 The B&W Px8 has a more forward sound stage, which is great for some types of music, whereas Focal Bathys has a more laid-back sound stage that sounds more 'natural'. Yesterday I was listening to electronic music on the Px8 whilst doing laundry and they sounded great. 'Fun' punchy low-end and very comfortable to wear and easy on the ears even at high listening levels. Smooth forward-sounding headphones. Right now I'm digging to a really cool jazz album that Qobuz presented to me last night in the app - using the Focal Bathys hooked up via USB-cable to my laptop, trying to promote this video at online forums. And the sound stage is great, very inspiring with depth, width and dynamics. Perfect for jazz! 🙂 I plan to make video comparing Bathys, Px8 and No.5909 where I will expand on the similarities and differences of the trio. They all have their strengths and weaknesses. PS. If you like jazz, check out the album: Magic Moments 15 (In the Spirit of Jazz) 🎵🥳
Well thank you for your detailed answer. The thing is, I don’t intend on using the wired dac on the Bathys, because I have a pair of Audeze headphones for at home listening, so my primary use case will be on the go via Bluetooth. Just like you, I enjoy listening to a broad range of Genres. Metal, Rock, Jazz, Tech, Old School Rap, the occasional Mozart. So I prefer a flat tune out of the box so that I can adapt to everything using an EQ. And thanks for your recommendation. I‘ll suggest you listen to the Album „Piano Jazz“ by the Stockholm Jazz Quartet.
@@joelbregy1819 Well, Focal Bathys is 'flatter' and more transparent compared to B&W Px8 - and Bathys offers a five-band graphic EQ that's quite useful. I haven't felt the need to use it, but it's there if I need it. Regarding portability, the Px8 are handier and set with a nice squeeze on the head. Focal Bathys are a little more bulkier but offers really nice sound via iPhone, and more efficient active noise cancelling. Spontaneously, it sounds like the Bathys are the better alternative for you. You should give them a good listen. 👍
@@immersivesoundtechI was able to listen to the Bathys in Singapore a few weeks ago, but the salesman told me, they were having problems getting the new PX8, so I didn’t have the chance to try them both yet. But it seems like it won’t be necessary. Thanks for your insight. PS; I was listening to your suggestion on the way to work. That’s a pretty good album
Excellent dissection and presentation of the PX8s. I've been deliberating whether to go for the Beoplay H95s, Focal Bathys or PX8s. After watching and reading many reviews finishing with yours I'm happy that my research is over as I've just placed an order for the PX8s. Many thanks!
Well, personally I use in-ears at the gym, simply because I sweat a lot. I use ANC headphones when I mow my lawn, and they make me sweat a lot, but I use them to protect my hearing. But if you're comfortable wearing headphones at the gym, the B&W Px8 will most likely fit your head well and feel comfortable during your workout. 👍
@immersivesoundtech i ended up getting sony headphones for the gym as I'm not much of a fan of in ear ones, I bought the px8 and I use it while travelling to work in the train and they work amazing
I just get my pair of PX8's yesterday after watching this review! Absolutely loving the sound signature so far - dynamic and fun. On the latest version of iOS they work on my 2021 M1 iPad Pro via USB C with no issue. In terms of USB C vs Bluetooth I use an iPhone which doesn't support AptX it uses AAC and I'm using an iPhone 13 Pro which doesn't support Bluetooth 5.2 (the headphones do, the phone doesn't) which is supposed to give extra bandwidth for audio so my experience may differ to others with different phones. Firstly the max volume is significantly louder with USB than with bluetooth on both my iPad and Mac. Secondly the bluetooth implementation is pretty close to the USB sound signature but you can tell the soundstage is wider and they are more controlled on the lower end via USB. A note for iPhone users - I had 'Headphone Safety' turn on which was supposed to reduce loud sounds but it seemed to not work with the PX8s - it absolutely butchered the sound quality and is significantly better with it off (including at low volumes). Currently breaking them in based on your advice.
@@immersivesoundtech I already did :) at the end stayed with px7 S2. Px7 sounds warmer and more balanced for my taste. Px8's heights were to harsh for me and after longer listening, tiring. But this is my feelings, sound preferences are subjective ;)
Okay, good that you were able to compare them - only way to know. I found the Px8 a bit harsh-sounding straight out of the box, but after a couple of hundred hours of 'break-in' they loosened up and started sounding really good. No more harshness or boomy bass. And with the latest firmware update, the low-end is even tighter and I find the sound stage slightly 'smoother' - in a good way. To me, they are far from tiring. Just came back for a work trip to the Middle East, and the Px8 served me well as travel companions. The ANC let me sleep for three hours straight on both night flights, and the music kept me calm when I missed my flight due to delays and got stuck at Istanbul airport for five hours. But anyway, headphone listening is the most personal listening experience to me. That's why it's important to do your own listening tests to find out which headphones that sounds and feels the best to you. 👍
@@immersivesoundtech now I'm starting to regret that I have returned them. I personally was listening them for about 40h only, and I had to decide whether to keep them or not as I had a 14 days of return period ending. Px8 are much more comfortable though, basically there is a big difference in comfort on plus for px8.
Well Damian, that's why I talk about the importance of proper 'break-in' of headphones before doing any judgement of sound quality. I've been reviewing headphones and speakers for twenty-five years now in different trade magazine and nowadays on UA-cam, and early on, I realized the importance of proper 'break-in' when I received expensive studio headphones and out-of-the-box they sounded plain 'weird'. Now and then, I get condescending comments regarding my advice to always do proper 'break-in' before performing any serious listening tests. But I don't mind being bashed by lesser knowledgeable Internet trolls. For some people, ignorance is a bliss. For me, doing my own listening tests and experiencing the sound stage of headphones and speakers, is the most important thing to me. In your case, you should have given the headphones more time to 'break-in'. A two-week period is in my humble opinion not enough. Even if playing music 24/7. Sometimes when I read or watch reviews online and the "reviewer" says that the sound is slightly "detached", "harsh" and "held back". Then I know pretty much 100% that the headphones or speakers haven't been properly 'broken in" before doing the listening tests. It's sad but true...to me...
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Excellent video my friend! I appreciate the history lesson on B&W, and your camera-work and editing was excellent all the way throughout the video! I unfortunately just sent back my pair of Focal Bathys as, for the price, I simply wasn't satisfied with them fully. However, you may have sold me on at least giving these a shot. You did a seriously excellent job going over all the aspects of the headphones, bravo!
Also, as I felt with your Bathys video, I really enjoy your delivery and personality. It's very entertaining and relaxing! Keep this up and you're going to grow so quickly in no time!!
Wishing you the best, take care :)
Thanks for your encouragement! 🙏
I hope this video will fly as high as the Focal Bathys video. 😀
Well, as I point out in the video, the headphone experience is the most personal listening experience, and what I might like, might not work for you - and that's okay.
You should definitely try out the B&W Px8 - they have a different sound stage and a bass response that is 'fun'. 😃
Take care!
@@immersivesoundtech Unfortunately, I decided to pick up more than a few vinyl yesterday instead, so the PX8s will have to wait 🥴
I will try them out one day though! Vinyl aren't cheap, so I'm just gonna hang onto my highly-tuned Sony XM4s for now! 😅
(I also wanted to say that I love your little motto of "life is too short to not own a great sounding pair of headphones!")
It's been many years since vinyl was a poison for me, but I totally understand your financial predicament. 😉
I've been offered to borrow the Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones from a colleague, and I might just accept the offer. 😀
My other motto is: "Buy expensive, cry once."
PS. My bank woman loves me 😂
@@immersivesoundtech Man that's funny 😂 Great other motto though, I *typically* agree with that when able to 😅
I would definitely love to hear your thoughts on the XM5s though! From what I gather, they're not a major step up from the XM4s, in fact they may be worse in some aspects, but nonetheless, getting you well-trained opinion would be insightful. I might just recommend you play around with EQing them since my XM4s can open up A TON with some good EQ settings.
Whatever you decide to do, I'll be looking forward to whatever you come out with next :)
you mean that you want to give a shot for bathys or px?
That was a really great review! - And you seems like an honest good guy! Thank you! - I bought the headphones after your review. - So now I can't wait for the mailman to come!
Thanks for your kind words, Dennis!
Glad to help out. How are the headphones treating you? 🎶🤩
Best PX8 review that I have come across on youtube. Finally someone that does not just compare sound charts but actually is an audiophile at heart. Well done!
Thanks for your kind words, highly appreciated! 🙏
you just have to search for non-english reviews
I want to buy these but the active noise cancellation is average at best. Do you know if they plan to upgrade the ANC?
One last thing I was hesitating before I purchase this one was how it does look like when I wear it, and I have very good clue on it because my head shape is similar to you. Thank you very much and I should run tomorrow to buy this one. Great video! 🎉
Thanks for sharing!
I hope you will be happy with them, they sound great! 😃
I was your 1000th subscriber! Amazing video!
Thanks for supporting my channel, Herbert! 😀
And thanks for your kind words! 🙏
It feels great reaching 1000 subscribers. I have a lot of video material in the making, so please keep supporting Immersive Sound Tech.
All the best
Frederick
Great video, my wife gave me them in the same color, I simply love them, I do not like to listen music by Bluetooth, in any form, including my home set (Marantz model 50 - speakers B&W) I have all wired, ok, it’s is the same with this headphones, I use a Dongle DAC FIIO BTR15, special usb cable, (no ecualization) and believe me the sound they give, is just amazing, for sure I used them with Bluetooth, ok, I never did it again, an I will never do it ever again, because by wire, dac, and tidal……. I feel the same when I am in my sound studio. Please use them as I suggest at least once, believe me, you will discover other reality about them!
Thanks for your kind words and your advice! 🙏
As you point out, they sound even better wired. 🎶👍
hello, first of all, you have a very good explanation. You touched on topics that I hadn't heard in any of the videos I watched before. thank you for your hard work. It is a brand that I have used for many years both in my home and in my office. I have a pair of Matrix804 and 600series at home and MM-1s connected to my computer in my office. but what surprises me is that the sound color of PX8s is closer to Matrix804's. Is this bad ? definitely not. but I'm a little sad that I can't get the depth of the MM-1s on the PX8s. Maybe this situation has something to do with the situation you want to talk about in the 9:20 part of this video. I can't tell you exactly what I mean about this, but you can understand it if you compare the MM-1s with the PX8s. if you have such a possibility, please compare the MM-1 and PX8. I wish the PX8s were as good as the MM-1s. I have been using B&W products for about 25 years and I absolutely do not regret it, I do not need to experience a new brand. It's been a long post, thank you for taking your precious time to read it.
Well done!
Thank you very much for your fantastic review! i did listened to the px8 and the px7s2E for about half an hour back and forward. despite their differnce, i like both of them and their strengthes. ultimate question now which one will i choose. still not decided. if anyone here did a similar resaeach and would like to comment of their choice whether if you have decided to go with the px8 or the px7s2e, it would be highly apreciated! kind rergards.
Thanks for you kind words! Highly appreciated!
Please feel free to spread the word about my channel, I want to hit 1500 subscribers before Christmas. 😀
I have the B&W Pi7 S2 getting ready for a review in this very channel.
Right now, they are 'breaking in' on the kitchen table, by playing music pretty much around the clock - and they already sound better than they did straight out of the box.
It's a bit cumbersome, because I have to charge them every four hour or so - it's a bit like pampering a baby. 😅
Regarding the sound, I like them both, especially now that the Pi7 S2 are getting a bit 'burnt in'.
To help you answer your question, ask yourself how you are going to use your new headphones.
Are you using earbuds now?
Is that what you want to use when you're at work or travelling?
Or are you just going to use them at home and want the best possible sound experience from your headphones?
To me, a pair of headphones will pretty much always outperform a pair of earbuds - in size and in sound.
It's physics.
Yes, I know that there are really expensive earbuds or in-ear monitors that sound really good - especially if you have them molded to your ear canals.
But they will easily set you back $2000 and are mostly used by professional monitoring engineers and artists.
If you are fine with using headphones and like the sound, my suggestion is to go for the Px8.
And if you are used to earbuds, the Pi7 S2 is a nice alternative.
In my review, I plan to compare them with the Apple AirPods Pro 2.
Good luck with your decision and please let me know how it works out for you. 👍
@@immersivesoundtech appreciate your detailed answer/ feedback 🙌🏻.
I meant the px7 s2e (over ear) compared to the Px8 😏 .
They are not very different at first glance, but made of different materials and also differences in sound design
Roger that. I had the B&W Pi7 S2 earbuds in my ears, listening to music, when I read your post. 🎧🎶😅
Anyway, I haven't had the chance to listen to the B&W Px7 S2E yet. The distributor wasn't able to send me a pair. I got the Pi7 S2 instead.
You write that you like them both, so my rhetorical answer is that you could go for the cheaper alternative, right? 😉
At some point, I will take a couple of hours off, and visit my local HiFi-store where they probably have both the Px8 and the Px7 S2E, but it's not going to happen during Black Week. 😃
Sorry that I can't be of more help right now.
Bought the PX8 based on the review here and I have to be honest it has an amazing sound stage for me, however, for such an expensive headphone it is really disappointing when the leather cover on the headband peels away. Seems this is a somewhat common problem and worse than that seems B&W don't really care to much either. Just as a point of interest my headphones are only used at home for my PC and always in their case or on the headphone stand, basically no reason for the issue. Disappointed B&W do better £600 wasted...
Thanks for sharing your findings, Andrew!
I haven't had any problems with the headband on my B&W Px8, but some other users have reported problems with the headband.
What was Bowers & Wilkins reply when you contacted them?
@@immersivesoundtech Sadly my headphones were just out of warranty by about a month so I understand that but it would be good for them to resolve the issue none the less. I have however found a video which shows you how to remove the plastic top of the headband and re-glue the leather in place. I am now thinking Focal Bathy's or Mark Levinsons next :)
@andrewchilds3653 I was going suggest reglueing them too. I want the px8 still
@@Saturn-Matrix from a sound point of view you will not be sorry, although you might need surgery to remove the smile off your face the minute the first notes come through 🤣🤣
Do they have a video lag?
That would be an issue with your phone
Thank you for delivering such a thorough and insightful review. In a sea of reviews, it's often a chore to sift through numerous strange audio reviews showcasing little to no expertise. Recently, I encountered a discussion on a UA-cam review (ua-cam.com/video/jBBsGifriHE/v-deo.htmlsi=X95QvwM4X3KG6E94)) concerning the PX8 headphones. The reviewer harshly criticized the product, and a disagreement arose when I suggested that the absence of a burn-in period might have skewed his experience negatively. The UA-camr brushed off my comment, asserting that the notion of breaking in headphones is merely a myth without any scientific foundation. It's reassuring to see in your review that you acknowledge the significant role burn-in plays with headphones. It was unfortunate to be labeled a self-proclaimed audiofool and accused of spewing nonsense by this rather self-righteous UA-camr posing as a 'reviewer.' Your reviews, however, speak volumes about your understanding and integrity. It's exasperating when reviewers use a machine to supposedly test the audio, record it, and play it back in their reviews. This method falls short as everyone will playback the recording on their own audio devices, ranging from high-quality setups to subpar speaker systems. Now, diving deeper into the quirky realm of audio reviews, some reviewers not only employ those so-called headset testers but also flaunt flashy infographics that seem impressive at first glance but really say little to nothing. It's quite the spectacle! I firmly believe that our ears are the best judges since sound perception is a personal experience, differing from person to person. The way the reviewer scolded me for my so-called nonsense during his oh-so 'honest' review was quite appalling. He failed to address all the crucial aspects while reviewing a pair of headphones, a glaring omission that speaks to his self-proclaimed 'audiophile UA-camr' status. Your grounded and well-informed reviews are a breath of fresh air amidst such instances, and I genuinely appreciate your efforts towards fostering a more knowledgeable audio community. Lastly, the saga of headphone burn-in remains a lively debate. Some swear by it, while others dismiss it as folklore. It seems like the tune might change from ear to ear, keeping the beat of this discussion alive and kicking! Your balanced perspective is like finding a needle in a haystack, and I am genuinely appreciative of your contribution to a more informed audio community. Thank you so much and keep up the good work!
Thanks for watching my reviews and thanks for your kind words! Much appreciated! 🙏
I briefly skipped though a couple of the other reviewer's videos, and I must say that he's quite full of it.
The biggest difference between him and I, is that he shares him opinions, seemingly based on his mood of the day, whereas as I try to share my knowledge and experience, along with my personal opinions about a product.
Having written reviews in trade magazines for over twenty years, I try to put myself in the reader's cloths and imagine what your expectations might be of the product, and how you might want to use it.
What I think about a pair of headphones might not be what someone else thinks about them, so I try to package my thoughts about the product and put them in context with the similar products in the same price range, features and usability - for an interested viewer to make his or her's own judgement about possibly trying them out.
All those "UA-cam professors" with 100 000+ subscribers just push me to create better material than they do - hopefully I will reach that kind of figures too, someday.
Anyway, please spread the word of my channel, and I promise to do my best when publishing new videos.
We are all here to learn and have fun doing it, right? 😃
400 hrs of break-in? A serious reviewer 👍 Thanks for the effort. Subscribed!
Thanks for your support!
At some point, I will publish a proper video about the importance of ’break-in’. 👍
love love my PX8s. I'm a professional sound mixer and I've listened to everything in all price ranges. My personal preference to wear for my own use is the PX8.
Thanks for watching my video, Derek! 🙏
The Px8 are great-sounding headphones and they are very comfy to wear for hours. 👍
How do you fancy listening and working with them? No filtering, ANC with inflated low-end or maybe with +2dB bass?
Cheers
Frederick
did u notice the midrange a bit lacking and clarity not as good as $1k IEMs?
Thanks for your question, Tla!
Well, to me, comparing over-ear headphones with IEMs, is a bit like comparing apples and oranges.
Both designs will comparatively produce quite a divergent end-result - and one isn't necessarily better than the other.
I think it boils down to personal taste, area of use and convenience.
IEMs are great for bringing along during the workday and when traveling. They are small and weights almost nothing.
Over-ear headphones are great for isolating your listening experience from the outside World in a more natural way, the comfort is usually better (though it's down to personal taste and preference) and the size of the drivers are a lot bigger compared to IEMs which means that the low-end and low-mid have better dynamics and less distortion (when well-built) and due to the fact that a lot of the sound generated will bounce off the outer ear before hitting the ear canal, offers the possibility of a more 'spacious' listening experience.
I guess you can see what I prefer choosing between IEMs and normal headphones.
To try and answer your question, yes, a great-sounding pair of IEMs will probably have better mid-range, but the B&W Px8 have a better low-end and low-mid response. It has more body, more warmth and more 'natural' punch.
Personally, I've never found a pair of IEMs that can produce enough 'natural-sounding' low-end. I guess it's down to physics and the small sized drivers and the fact that the sound waves have very little distance until they hit the ear drums - again physics.
Also, I firmly believe that we listen to music, using our whole body, and hitting the outer ears and the surrounding area of the head with sound waves, and the tiny tiny pressure change, will in itself help the brain to 'create' the sensation of low-end.
At least, that's my personal theory (not backed up by scientific papers, yet)
I'm off to bed! 🤓
@Tla I did I thought the music was dull and not as crisp as the BEOPLAY h95. I returned the PX8.
@@Viewer13128bit late to the party, but the midrange problem can be solved pretty easily by boosting the mids in your eq
Thank you so much for this lovely video! Enjoyed every bit of it. The review literally felt like a conversation as you pretty much covered all of my questions :)
Curious to know if the test was done on firmware version 3?
Thanks for your kind words! 🙏
The 3.0 software wasn’t available as the time of my review.
However, I am mentioning it in my latter video comparing Bathys, Px8 and 5909. 👍
You’re welcome and thank you!
Fantastic review! 🤩 I just received my PX8 today and I was amazed with them out of the box. They sound brilliant when loud, so I really need to watch out for my hearing as you said. Can’t wait for the comparison video with Focal Bathys!
Regards from 🇩🇰
Refreshing to watch a review that does not judge the headphones based on Harman curve compliance. 👍👍 B&W headphones have always been dismissed by the “society of headphone review channels” that review based on confirmation bias from graphs and their beloved Harman curve. Meanwhile B&W owners enjoy their music, not measurement rigs.
Thanks for you kind words, Arnel! 🙏
Measurements don't mean much to me, especially not of headphones.
The headphone sound experience is so subjective and personal - no measurement graphs can show that. 👍
Again a nice and relevant review. High quality build, pretty good sound for the price, better than the XM5, but the midrange expressivity is below the Bathys, something I could not improve with toning down the bass and/or changing the treble. Practicality is very good, and one coming from Sony could be really happy with them.
Could you please do a review of the Bang & Olufsen H95?
I’m literally listening to this review with the px8s and this man is 100% right on EVERYTHING he’s said.
THE BEST headphone review. SUBBED !!
Thanks for your kind words! Much appreciated! 🎶🙏
And thanks for subscribing!
Feel free to spread the word about my channel. 👍
Best PX8 review I've watched. Exceptionally well done, thank you.
Wow, thanks! 😃
Your kind words means a lot to me. 👍
Great review.
I ordered my pair of headphones, your comments and advices are very useful.
Thanks and keep up !
I'm so glad you found the review helpful! Enjoy your new headphones, and let me know how you like them!
"Break-in"...is that really necessary?
www.immersivesoundtech.com/post/break-you-stuff-in-man
that's weird 🤔 because my north American unit had no boomy bass out the box, I actually had to crank the bass up four clicks in the Bowers & Wilkins app. now I hate that Bowers & Wilkins did not include a mid range slider because I actually think that the mid range do need dialing back three clicks if they had added that third mid range slider to their EQ. I'm using my Android device, and no my headphones are not completely broken in yet. so I'm looking forward to that beautiful sound these headphones are capable of after break in
Well, here's what you have to do before evaluating the sound quality of the B&W Px8.
You need to break them in properly.
You story only makes that more apparent to me.
I've been reviewing headphones in magazines for more than twenty years, and the one thing that I've found to be universal for all headphones, is the importance of proper break-in before evaluating the sound quality and sound stage.
Through the years, some headphones have sounded super-weird out of the box, and only 'settled' after several hundreds of hours of use.
To me, it's just the way it is with headphones, and the reason why I keep pressing on it in my review videos.
Basically no other reviewer does, because they don't know better, to be blunt about the subject.
What you really need to do, is to break-in your headphones properly - then evaluate the sound quality.
I know it's a hassle...but it just needs to be done.
I'm going to post on my blog how to set up a proper break-in setup.
Please visit my web page for further information:
www.immersivesoundtech.com
Loved your review and it convinced me to order a pair today. Just a helpful tip from what I’ve learned recently is If you want to use these headphones with an iPhone or Android you’d need a DAC.
I glad to help out and I hope you will fancy the Px8 as much as I do. 😃
Regarding using an external DAC, I really don't think it's necessary.
The beauty of wireless headphones is the fact that they are wireless...
If you use a portable DAP and are okay with cables, then you might as well go for wired headphones, right?
A good-sounding DAP and a pair of high-quality wired headphones have the potential of sounding spectacular.
However, I'm travelling in the Middle East right now and have the B&W Px8 with me.
Flying out from Istanbul Saturday night, the flight left at 01:35 am, so I sat down in my seat, dead-tired from a long wait at the airport (missed my booked flight due to delays) put on the headphones and enabled the ANC - then I slept for three and a half hours and woke up when the plane landed. 😉
Then last night at the hotel, after a long day of work and little sleep, I ended up laying in bed listening to music and watching old music videos on UA-cam - and it was a total blast. I haven't done that in ages. 🎵😃
Does the Px8 sound even better via cable? Yes
Are there more detailed headphones around? Yes
Does the B&W Px8 sound great anyway via Bluetooth? Oh yes!
I like the intimate sound stage and the fact that they are 'fun' to listen to.
I hope you will like them as much as I do.
All the best
Frederick
No - NOT 4 me 🤷🏻♂🤷🏻♂ Bought....listened to ......returning back.
At least YOU have presented an HONEST and a CORRECT picture of these 🎧
So - 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
Combined with Tidal and a PaW s1 (DAC), I have a pretty good hifi experience!
Thanks for the tip! I haven't listened to the Paw S1, but it looks really sharp. 🤩
Thank you for this very informative review. Your persona, is like sitting down with a Grandfather, (holding a cup of hot chocolate) and telling stories of his life, very calm, relax and knowledgable. I am slowly becoming an audiophile, as I have to listen to music, virtually all the time for neuroplasticity reasons. I am a complete novice, as such, slowing working my way up (cost, quality and enjoyment) in buying and using over the ear headphones (my ear canals are too small to have earbuds) and was wondering, if the money that I was thinking of outlaying, was worth it or I could use my money to do something else. Yes, I have now purchased a pair, I really dont have your depth of knowledge or life experience, but you have sold me, and I look forward to listening to the music, I like anytime of the day or night
Thanks for your kind words! Much appreciated, and the first time I'm referenced as a grandfather, but I guess there is a first time for everything. ☺️
I'm feel honored to contribute to your journey in the wonderful world of Hi-Fi.
You know what, I still learn new things everyday and that's why I love working with music.
As a professional sound engineer, I feel blessed being around HiFi-enthusiasts and audiophiles. They often listen to music in the same way as when they were fifteen years old - when music meant everything.
And I love being inspired by the way music still affect them. I try to tap into that feeling.
How are your new headphones working out for you? Are they treating you well? 🎶❤️
A great review, and thank you for talking about break-in. I was getting mixed feedback from people that reached out to me about them that said it's an audiophile farce. But it's good to have an audio engineer talk about it.
I'm gonna look around your channel and see if you talk more about it and why it's important. I have the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2e and the Px8 on the way. I did indeed find I liked the sound of the Px7 S2e much more after about 10 hours of "break in," far less than the 400 hours you did.
I also appreciated you giving a quick overview of the heritage and history of Bowers & Wilkins.
I really like the Px7 S2e but can't keep both those and the Px8. Thanks for your thorough reviews.
Thanks for watching my videos! 🙏
In my humble opinion, 'break in' or 'burn-in' is very important and can make all the difference for a pair of headphones. The change in sound is different from model to model. After having reviewed headphones and speakers for more than twenty years, I came to the conclusion many years ago, that 'burn-in' is important.
I haven't had the chance to listen to the B&W Px7 S2e yet, but I like the Px8.
Good luck with your headphones
Frederick
@@immersivesoundtech Thank you very much, Frederick.
For what little feedback an untrained consumer like myself can provide, I very much like the Px7 S2e.
The Px7 S2e is has the fabric and plastic build, but they feel identical on the head (that "hug" you describe). To my untrained ears, they sound very similar. I have to say, it's a tough decision. I got both heavily discounted (Px7 S2e new at $239 USD, Px8 B&W Recertified at $399 USD), and I'd love to have both!
However, if I was forced to recommend between the two to buyers in USA market, I'd suggest the Px7 S2e over the Px8 and over all the popular ANC headphones that are commonly used here (Bose QuietComforrt lineup, Sony XM lineup, Apple AirPods Max, and Beats Studios seem to be the most popular). The Px7 S2e feels more refined in build and sound over any of those I mentioned at a fair price.
I know the market prices may differ overseas.
Thank you for your video, and thoughtful feedback. Looking forward to seeing more of your content in the future.
I found Px8 (50hrs break in)To Be boomy as well especially compared to H95(bass tight and low like subwoofer in your ear)
Your videos are so well put together! A really nice indepth review and told by someone who really know his stuff. Subscribed!
Thanks for your kind words! 🙏
Incredible review from a legitimate audiophile perspective, thank you please keep it up!
I loved your rwview. Greetings from Mexico.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Nice review! An enjoyable balance of presentation style and informed content. I've had my PX8 for about three weeks, and really like them - as you say, the louder they play the better they sound, some care is needed to preserve hearing! They haven't had 200+ hours yet, so I'll try running them continually for a week or two to see if and by how much they improve.
Any changes after the additional hours?
@@Drummer7 It's hard to say, as there has been a firmware update that has subtly changed the presentation, making it more spacious and reducing the mid-bass a little. I think it's an improvement, but very slight.
I did have to return the original pair for replacement as the leather was coming away from the headband. They did the exchange within a couple of days, by courier at my front door, so no complaints there!
It's a review that helps you buy headphones.
Let's get along well from now on.
I own a few products from B&W both speaker and headphones and can confirm the break in period is a thing. I like the sound that B&W produce, my current B&W's are the P3 series 2 and think they sound great with my iPod video get 5.5 so these must be amazing (still like the sound of the P3's ). The colour you have look amazing better than boring black and build quality look good. Thanks for sharing and hope they did a firmware update to resolve the issues .
That’s it!! I was looking for a reference to follow on these matters! Your knowledge, smile and sense of humor made me subscribe instantly!
Thanks for your kind words! Much appreciated! 🙏
Excellent review! As an owner of the PX8, I found myself agreeing with most of your conclusions. I did want to add one point regarding your findings about the volume output being lower when connected to an Android phone via USB C in comparison to the wireless output. While you are correct in your assessment, the difference shouldn't affect the user experience.
When connected to my S22 Ultra via USB C, I found that the volume would have to be cranked to unhealthy levels before even noticing that the output via wired connection to the phone was incapable of reaching the max volume of the PX8's wireless volume output. In fact, I myself hadn't even noticed this limitation until your video pointed it out and I decided to test it for myself. As you pointed out in your review, we should be good to our ears...and consitently listening at the volumes necessary to feel limited by the wired volume output is certainly not being good to our ears.
Thanks for your reply, Edwin!
It just baffles me that the volume is lower, and I wonder if it's the same drop in volume with my old LG ThinQ compared to your much newer Samsung S22.
Anyway, we should be grateful having the option of using the USB-C port as a soundcard - not every pair of wireless headphones offer that option. 👍🙏
Cheers
Frederick
Thanks for the review. I just got the Px8 today. It's awesome. For the wear sensitivity issues, do a warm up and calibration before use. I been doing calibration by turn on and off power and wear sensor on the app. Hold the headphones on your hands for at least 30s before wearing them. Been doing this for 10m repetitively. All is good, I even had it on normal setting not low. My only disappointment, on my samsung s22 ultra, for some reason with the aptx I can only get 16bit connection. I was hoping for at least 24 bit. I have double check on the developer options. Cant seem to up to 24 bits. Any tips on increasing to 24 bits?
Thanks for the wear sensor tip! 👍
Are you using the aptX HD codec in the [Developer Options]?
On my old LG G7 ThinQ phone with Android OS 10, I can set it to even 32bit/sample - which, I believe, the aptX HD codec doesn't support. So, I wouldn't be too worried what is shown in the phone settings regarding bit depth.
The more important thing to set, is the latency, which affects the overall sound quality - and it's done by the developers, and not for us to be able to change - more than being able to choose between [Most stable] and [Best sound quality] connection.
Also, you shouldn't worry too much about 16bit vs 24bit sound. You won't be able to hear the difference if the decoded music is properly dithered - which I presume it is.
For me as a mixing engineer, working with music and processing individual instruments in the music, the bit depth is important, just because I'm doing processing and need the calculation "depth".
Also, the aptX HD codec is lossy, which means that it analyzes the music and use psychoacoustic models, to determine elements in the music that can be taken away without us humans being able to hear the difference.
So, whatever [fine-detailed] 24bit information that might be in the source file, will most likely be removed by the codec anyway.
If you ask me, 16 vs 24bit sound is one of those HiFI "sales things", because I could play you a well-recorded 24bit music track on my TAD speakers, and then play a 16bit dithered version - and you wouldn't be able to tell the difference.
Is there a difference recording music in 16bit versus 24bit? Yes, it is, because the 16bit recording is not dithered, because you don't want to to be dithered as you will do processing on it. And there is information in the 24bit recording that will be beneficial to have when processing the sound.
But for final delivery, dithered 16bit sound is more than enough, me thinks.
Maybe I'll do a video about bit rate and sample rate in the future. 👍
@Immersive Sound Tech looks like bloody samsung removed them, leaving me and Samsung users with no choice other than standard aptx, and only 16bits. I believe they try to promote their own sbc codec. I don't know if my ears can tell the difference between 16bit vs 24 bits, but with my other earbuds which uses LDAC at 32bit even at lowest speed I could tell a difference. Honestly never understand all these luxury brands, why can't they provide complete sets of codecs including LDAC, just pay Sony some royalty...they are making huge margins anyway.
Really??!! What a bummer if Samsung has removed the support for aptX HD. I guess it's a matter of not wanting to pay the license fee, if any...
There certainly is a difference in sound quality going from aptX to aptX HD.
I haven't tested the SBC codec yet, because my LG phone doesn't want to connect via SBC.
I'm reviewing the Mark Levinson No5909 headphones right now, and they support the Sony LDAC codec.
It's quite interesting switching between Sony LDAC at 990kbit/s, aptX HD at 576kbit/s and AAC at 320kbit/s.
The Sony LDAC codec at full sound quality sound really good, so I understand the fuzz it's making in the headphone community. 🎵👍
In the case of LDAC and iPhone, is it even possible to use LDAC on an iPhone? Apple usually does its worse to make the user experience as locked in as possible.
@Immersive Sound Tech I don't think it's a royalty issues for Samsung more like they want to promote their own proprietary codec which is the sbc. LDAC by far is the best codec for Android users. Unfortunately for iPhone users they stuck with AAC only. Also it's a shame all the high end, 5905, px8, bathys they all don't support LDAC. I guess they want to save money by not paying sony license fees
@@orangedan5424 Yeah, it's a shame.
The Sony LDAC codec is certainly remarkable. 🎵👍
On the horizon, Qualcomm is working on a lossless Bluetooth codec - aptX Lossloss - supporting 44.1kHz/16bit sound.
It should have been released in 2022, but I can't find much information about it.
Anyway, I guess it won't be beneficial to iPhone users.
Brilliant review, looking to purchase these headphones, and come across your channel and liked that you love the sound of music.
Thanks for your kind words!
Good luck with the B&X Px8. I hope you're going to like them. 🎧😃
I own the Beoplay H95, Focal Bathys and the PX8. My summary: if you're serious about sound just forget the PX8. No competition at all. At all. If you want a luxury headphone for work, multipoint Bluetooth with great features, comfort, good microphone quality and sound is not thaaaaaat important for you then yes go with the PX8. Value for money? I see the PX8 realistically in the area 450-500 EUR. For that price the value for money ratio is very good. Personnaly I would not buy a PX8 above 600 euro because that's a rip off.
@Fempire ASMR
H95 - Techno, Dance, Rock
Focal Bathys - Classic, PoP
PX8 - just don't choose it because of sound.
In Germany you can get the PX8 for 531 Euro gros already. Personally I would advise you to wait until it costs below 500 Euro gros. Later on you can sell it for 350 Euro and your loss will be limited.
Don't know what you mean don't take it because of sound, what is wrong with it in your opinion?
So what headphone will you recommend for the sound quality?
Best unbiased review. What I like others may not like but, the truth must come out.
Just scored a pair of those for 450euros today. Thought it was quite a steal at that price. First listen confirms they are in need of some serious burn in.
I do have to say they're already a massive upgrade from my Bose 700 headphones and I look forward to their sound in a couple of months.
No I aint going to let them play continuously but rather going to enjoy the sound change throughout their burn in period.
These or the Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H95?
If you have the budget, I'd say the Focal Bathys.
Why? Because they are "extra everything" compared to Beoplay H95.
I do like the filter customization in the Beo-app because it lets the user tailor the headphone sound, more than the Bathys offer.
But, comparing the sound stage of the two headphones, there is quite a big difference in overall sound quality - in favor of the Focal Bathys - at least to me.
However, both headphones are well worth a listen. 👍
Really nice review! I am split between these and the Bathys OR something cheeper like the Sony WH1000XM5/PX7s2..
Thanks for watching my videos, Jacob! 🙏
It all depends on how much money you are willing to part with, and what sound quality you are looking for.
The best would be for you to find a good HiFi-store that have both the Px8 and Bathys for auditioning. Then you can listen to both models and decide which one that sounds the best - to you. 👍
The Sony cans and the Px7 are playing in a lesser league, and are therefor priced accordingly. They're still good-sounding, but are not playing in the same league is the B&W Px8 or Focal Bathys.
When you decide which model to buy, please let us know in the comments. Especially when you have lived with them for a while.
Good luck with your headphones quest! 👍
I bought all 3 headphones and tested px8 x7s2 and xm5. Sony are terrible sound and bass compared to B&W, it’s anc is slightly better however. The px8 is on another league more bass than x7s2 and large sound stage with amazing detail. The build quality of Sony is terrible and sound isn’t the best so if you can afford px8 go for it otherwise go for s2
.... I want to use px8 wired Passively using a fiio btr7 Or fiio btr15 to get LDAC CODEC and ill set LDAC To PRIORITY ON SOUND QUALITY .... From what youre saying that wont be possible ....
No, unfortunately the B&W Px8 doesn't support the Sony LDAC codec.
I enjoyed both your reviews. Yours are very informative and genuine. My use case is in office or home using iPhone as source of music. In the office I will use the headphones for ANC and will use it for Teams/Webex calls on PC. Interruptions for conversation will be required on occasions…so transparency mode will be important.
Which of the two will provide best results for my use case, the Bathys or PX8?
Thanks for watching my videos and thanks for your kind words! 🙏
I would say that the Focal Bathys are more suited for your needs, as they have better active noise cancelling both for listening to music and for taking phone calls.
And you just have to press the multi-function button on the left ear piece once, to toggle between ANC and transparency mode - which is handy. And if you long-press the button, the headphones toggle between [soft] and [silent] noise cancelling.
Also, the voice call quality is better on Focal Bathys.
Personally, I always take off one earpiece when talking in person with someone, because it just feels odd to me, engaging in conversation whilst wearing headphones. Of course, our teenagers have no problem at all, speaking to us parents whilst wearing headphones, but I find it a bit ill-behaved to do so. It's an age thing, I guess. 😂
I love walking around in the house, wearing big ANC headphones, starring at the teenagers and shout: "What??!!" 🤣
Just like they do, when they are suppose to help out in the kitchen... 😏😜
But sure, the [transparent]-mode works and sound pretty natural. 👍
If you have the opportunity, you should try them out.
Hey Barry. If I might add, Sony's XM4s and XM5s have a nifty feature called "speak to chat" that, when you or someone speaks, transparency mode is automatically enabled and the volume of whatever you're listening to is lowered. The effect goes away after the conversation has been over after a few seconds. You can get the same effect by placing your hand over the right earcup, and when you take your hand away, the volume level seamlessly goes back to where it was. Those features can be a bit finnicky sometimes, but it's for situations like you're in that I think Sony implemented them.
So, if don't necessarily need a "hi-fi" pair of headphones like the PX8s or Bathys, and want to save a lot of money but still get a killer pair of headphones, I'd recommend checking out Sony's offerings. (Sony's app and EQ options are pretty great and flexible too, sorry to sound like a Sony shill 😅)
Otherwise, Frederick's advice is really good!
.... Id to return my shure aonic 40 as they hurt the top of my head .... i hated to because they sounded so nice .... when i look at these they look like theyd be heavy and cumbersome after wearing for a while .... ?¿ wHaT dO yOu SaY sIr ?¿
I find them rather light to wear and I can use them for hours without getting sore. But we're all different, so the only way to know if they are the 'right' headphones for you, is to try them out yourself.
If you do, please let me know what you think about them, okay.
Heja, Freddan!❤
One of the better HP reviews I've seen; I'd love to hear your take on the T+As and Mark Levinson 5909s
Thanks for your kind words, Kris! 🙏
The script for my take on the Mark Levinson 5909 is practically done. I just need to find the time to hit [REC] and publish the video. 👍
Please subscribe to my channel and hit the notification button, and you will get a notification when the review is online.
I wish you a great and relaxing weekend
Frederick
@@immersivesoundtech Looking forward to it, especially any sound comparisons you have between to the Px8 and also to any of the benchmark wired HPs
Incredible review. Currently loving my px8s
In regards to wired connection to iPhones with lightning. Wouldn’t it be possible to use a 3.5mm jack to lightning adapter and use that with the USB-C to 3.5mm included with the headphones? Or am I missing something here?
You could do that, but it means adding a digital -> analogue conversion in the lightning adapter, then an analogue -> digital conversion in the headphones. Both conversion will affect the sound quality. How much? Only you can decide.
Thanks very much for a detailed and informative review. It appears to me that the active noise cancellation is not excellent in these headphones.
Based on your experience please advise what are the best headphones for great active noise cancellation.
My gym is very noisy and I would like to have a good headphone to listen to music without all the loud noise inside the gym.
I am an iPhone user using glasses.
Thanks in advance.
I would be connecting these to a MacBook Pro lap top and an iPhone. My music flavor is almost all over the board- from classical to bluegrass, including rock, jazz, and ountry. Maybe these are the wrong choice for me.
I'd say that the two most important factors choosing the "right" pair of headphones are comfort and 'sound'.
To me, the B&W Px8 fit my head very well and are comfortable wearing hours and hours again.
And as I describe in my review, I really like how they sound. They have a 'signature' sound for sure, and inflated low-end with the ANC activated. Still I levitate towards using them because of their 'fun' low-end and smooth 'sound'.
I hope this helps making your decision.
Please let me know how they work out for you, okay.
Best of luck!
Frederick
I bought a pair of these in January. I had to return them because within a couple of weeks the leather around the headband had completely fallen into bits. Wasn’t very impressed with the workmanship for this amount of money. Not only had the leather come unglued, but it had ripped as well. I always kept the headphones in the case, in the hi-fi cabinet by my chair. I’ve tried to order another pair, but they seem to be supply issues for these at the moment. I intend to get another pair as I did very much like the sound and couldn’t agree more with the comment about breaking the headphones in. I did continue to use them from the time that the headband began to come unravelled, until I finally managed to get Amazon to agree to accept the return. BMW were completely unhelpful by the way. As a blind person I particularly value the lack of touch pads on these headphones, Lovely buttons to press! I couldn’t work out how to get them to play in wired mode via USB. Hopefully I’ll manage to work that one out when I get the replacement. Really enjoyed the review, as I’ve got to get a replacement anyway, I’ve been looking at these against the mark Levenson and the focal ones.
Thanks for your report!
I think user reports like yours are important for potential buyers to read and consider before buying.
To play music via a USB-cable, you have to connect the headphones to a computer/laptop and choose them as a soundcard in Windows or OSX. Then you will be able to enjoy lossless sound quality.
I guess they might work via USB-cable connected to the USB-port on an iPhone 15, but I haven't had the chance to try that out. I still use an iPhone 14 Pro with lightning connection.
I hope your new pair of Px8 will work better for you and that the headband won't wear down so fast.
May I ask a couple of personal questions.
How can I improve my videos for vision impaired subscribers?
Am I verbal enough when I describe, let's say, a pair of new headphones?
I want my videos to be as accessible as possible for all visitors.
Thanks for visiting my channel.
Cheers
Frederick
Which one is better? Px7 s2e or PX8? I usually listen acoustic songs, pop and sometimes i watch movies. How is the bass? Thank you.
I haven't had the chance to listen to the Px7 S2E yet.
Maybe someone else here can share their experiences with both models? 🙏
I watched many reviewes of the PX8 since i cant use my Fiio FH7 In ears because my ears got sore... After this review i decided to buy em :) Thank you!
Glad to help out! Please let me know how they work out for you...
Good luck!
Best review in UA-cam. I’ve seen them all. You are the best by far.
Wow, thanks! 🤗
Your words are heartwarming to read! ❤️
I'm very busy right now, but more videos are in the making. 👍
@@immersivesoundtech Dark Audio says this PX8 sound as good as the AirPods max, is that the case? are the APMax that good? I think you can use a USB-c cable to connect to an android phone with the PX8, right? that is huge win.
Great video!!, describing the situation under Android and iOS. I‘m wondering that the only thing I can found the latest update had improve the performance of bass, but I want to know if the volume problem when connecting to USB-C has been fixed or not. Thank you for making videos and sharing your experience!
Thanks for your kind feedback! 🙏
Yes, the bass performance has certainly been improved with the latest update - with ANC enabled, the low-end is more controlled than before, and not as inflated. I also think the headphones sound better in the low-end when the ANC disabled. Still, I prefer the slightly 'inflated' sound stage produced when the ANC is enabled.
Overall, I find the sound to be slightly 'smoother' now - in a good way.
Good thing the designers at B&W work on improving the sound quality. 🎶👍
Last week, I brought the Px8 on a work trip to the Middle East, and they performed extremely well.
I made good use of the ANC, sleeping three hours none-stop on the night flights.
And the "pass-through" mode worked really well during airplane announcements etc.
The B&W Px8 are great travel companions. 😃
To answer you question, the volume drop connecting the Px8 via USB-C to an Android phone is still a lot.
I haven't measured it, but I would say it's 12dB or so. So, quite a lot.
I think it's an "Android OS"-thing.
And trying to connect the headphones via USB-C to an iPhone via the Apple Camera Adapter, still doesn't work.
I think that is an "Apple iOS"-thing.
Hello there, great video.
I am currently own bang and olufsen H95, not satisfied with loudness and lack of punchiness of bass. Is px8 better at overall sound quality compared to H95 ? Most satisfied sound characher so far for me is sennheiser momentum 3 over ear.
Do you recommend px 8 ?
Thank you soo much 😊
Hi! Thanks for watching the video!
I have listened to both the BEOplay H95 and the Sennheiser Momentum 3, and to my ears, the Bower & Wilkins Px8 sound significantly better.
I do recommend that you take a good listen to the Px8. I think that you will like both the low-end punch, loudness and overall sound.
I certainly do. 🎵❤️
@@immersivesoundtech Well, hello again. I just bought royal burgundy one from amazon. Thx for the review, without your honest and detailed answer to my question, effected my purchase behavior in a good way. Calling from here to advertisement companies, fund this guyy!! :)
Apple uses proprietary computation audio ... hence ime it's only optimized for apple hw
Yes, everything Apple, is proprietary...
Very comprehensive review. Hope you can compare review cans we bring about outside like px7 s2 ... rarely risk luxury cans outside
Hi Mike
Thanks for your kind words!
I have reached out to the B&W distributor about reviewing the Px7 S2 and Px7 S2E and Pi7 S2 - but I haven't received the review headphones yet.
They will hopefully show up for review in the near future.
I want to know the differences and similarities too. 😃
I have no issues connecting px8 to my iPad Pro with the usb c cable
I can't wait to throw all Apple lightning cables in the garbage - planning to upgrade to iPhone 15 Pro soon. 👍
How these are compared to the sennheiser momuntum 4? In term of sound quality
Hi Lucas
I haven't had the chance to listen to the Sennheiser Momentum yet, but I've reached out to Sennheiser and asked them for a pair of demo headphones.
Let's see how it works out. 👍
@@immersivesoundtech super ! I have them actually and i red that the px8 have better sound quality, that seems normal for 200 dolls of différence i guess. Thank you very mich for your fast answer ! Cheers from France !
Really thanks for your review , ı m sure u did it honestly..i already ordered this headphone without testing still waiting for it. Just i dont understand that is it possible to use usb c type cable wth iphone 13 pro?dac mode wont work well?
Hi Kitoro!
Yes, you are right, I tried to be as honest as I could possibly be, and still prove diverse information and not just my own opinions about the headphones. 👍
No, the B&W Px8 won't work via USB-C cable connected to an iPhone.
After finding that out, I contacted my distributor and they replied that it couldn't and that the main focus was on the wireless transmission of sound.
It's a bit of a shame, because they do sound better via USB-C.
That said, they are still great-sounding headphones, and I hope they sound great to you too.
Good luck with your purchase! 👍
Great review and commentary! I own a pair (McLaren), and do like them very much. But, I'm a little worried about losing out on the best potential good sound by not wanting to crank the volume up. Also, as you indicate they sound better with ANC on, it this generally found true on other brands of headphones? I thought it was usually the other way around. So unlike my Masters & Dynamics MW75, there is no pass through cabling that would let me get the best sound by using my Schiit Asgard3 external DAC/Amp. BTW I rotate my different brands of headphones depending on my mood and music. Finally, thank you for the music list to try out! Subscribed!!!
Hi Bill
Thanks for your kind words and for subscribing to my channel! Much appreciated! 🙏😃
I would say that most active headphones sound the best when the active noise cancelling is disabled - because what the ANC does, is to mix in noise from outside, out-of-phase with the headphone sound and through clever processing cancel out some of the outside noise.
Any kind of processing will have some kind of detrimental effect on the sound quality - it's a force of nature.
But, as I point out in the review, the B&W Px8 sound better to me, when the ANC is active - due to the inflated low-end that the ANC creates.
If you are happy with using your Px8 without ANC, then go for it. You can add a couple of dBs of low-end with the bass filter and get some of the firm low-end - but it won't sound as good as the inflated low-end, me thinks.
And you're right, you won't gain any sound quality by using an external DAC/headphone amp, because the incoming sound will be digitalized and processed by the headphones anyway.
Regarding my thoughts about the headphones, they are only my personal thoughts, and I still think they are great-sounding headphones.
What's more important to you, is that you think they sound great to you. 🎵👍
Gött :)
You may want to try Zombie performed by Maiya Sykes. It’s really a fantastic song but with the PX8 is another level.
Great track!
Slightly harsh vocals for my taste, but great performance.
The sound engineer in me wants to add a 'dynamic eq' on the vocals, and ride the levels before hitting it with compression.
But, great track. Thanks! 👍
Regarding the analog input, I still think that this is a big flaw on the part of B&W (most likely intentional), since the lithium battery tends to wear out and, as a result, these expensive headphones after 3-4 years of active use will serve not 30 hours, but 3 hours. B&W does not replace the battery in the headphones, and judging by the disassembly of the original PX on UA-cam, not everyone can replace the battery in the PX8. It is worth understanding this nuance when buying these headphones. IMO, Hi-end stuff should last for many-many years and not just become completely useless after 5 years
I don’t know where you got the information that B&W won’t change the battery, I’m in good contact with B&W and have specifically asked them about service and changing battery.
Here is their reply, do what you will with it:
“We will exchange the Px8 battery at a local service center - contact your reseller for more information”.
So if you like how the B&W Px8 sound - buy with confidence. 👍
@@immersivesoundtech good day to you. Thanks for the answer. Unfortunately, the only service centre B&W have in my country is located in another city, but they offer to buy spare parts to order, so it doesn't scare me much
Okay, understood.
I've never dealt with the B&W support, but got a very good impression of them when asking them about replacing the battery in the Px8.
In the end, it is just a battery that you most likely can find on the Internet, but it's a good thing that they offer spare parts for you to order. 👍
Excellent stament and great reviews ... Thank you🏒🏒🏒🏒
Thank you! 👍
Where can I get my B&W wonder headphones fixed?
My suggestion is to contact your B&W reseller - especially if the headphones still are under warranty. 👍
Hola, estos PX8 los puedo usar con un dac amp?
Really cool video and a very pleasant voice!
Thanks for watching my videos! Highly appreciated!
Focal are way better.
Thx for this review sir,
Is it possible to hear losless audio on apple music via my ipad with the px8 headphones?
Thanks for watching and supporting my channel! 🙏
To my knowledge, unfortunately not, and it has to do with several reasons:
* The Px8 currently can't be connected via USB-cable to an iOS-device.
* The Bluetooth connection used by iOS-devices is AAC - Advanced Audio Coding - and it's lossy at a bit rate up to 320kbit/s with variable bitrate. Hopefully Apple will launch a lossless codec for Bluetooth in the future, but you just don't know with Apple.
* Apple won't support other Bluetooth codec than their own.
* There currently isn't any Bluetooth codec on the market that offers lossless transmission. Qualcomm is launching the aptX Lossless codec but it looks like a brand-new Android phone is needed due to the processing done.
So, if you are using the Bluetooth connection, you are left using your Px8 via the lossy AAC codec.
I haven't got access to an iPad Pro with USB-C port. It would be interesting to know if that might work with the Px8.
I'm using ifi go link (small DAC) with usb-c to jack cable and I don't think those sounds horrible, opposite I think they play great, comparing with my Sony xm4 and Momentum4.
Great review! Thank you for you for your work.
Your headgoal reference was pure gold 😂
Looking good bro! Great video 🤌🏾
On your note of using an external audio DAC, between the source (usb) and the headphones… the resulting sound is terrible, and cannot be mitigated… lots of audible digital noises introduced, and a truly gut wrenching awful experience… tested using the Firefly middle range DA converter, before that one was promptly returned to the store as a mis-purchase, for the reasons I just gave…
No, the Px8 headphones can't be driven passively, so there really isn't a good idea to use the 'analogue' minijack -> USB-C cable - even if it's possible.
@@immersivesoundtech exactly - I just verified your brief statement, expanded upon it with my experiences, as to assist others in not choising the external DAC solution
@@mortenthorpe Thank you! 🙏
@@mortenthorpewhat is wrong of using let's say ifi go link with cable connection? For instance an iphone using only AAC codec which is rubbish, so I have no different choice than to use DAC or change phone 😂
These are better or Focal Bathys?
The answer will be published in a video - hopefully soon. 👍
I got mine yesterday…😊
Congrats!
Now, make sure to 'break in' the headphones properly, before judging the sound quality. 🎵👍
Very helpfull. Thanks.
Glad to hear it!
Thank you for the deep review!
My pleasure!
Thanks!
fantastic review
Thank you kindly
Hows the bass?
Well Jay, as I describe it in the video - the bass is 'fun' and somewhat 'inflated' when the ANC is engaged. 👍
Best reviewer ever.🙏🏻✨
Thanks for your kind words! Highly appreciated! 🙏
Can you compare them to the anc offerings from, Focal, Mark Levinson, Master and Dynamic, and Bang and Olufson?
Hi Barry
Thanks for supporting my channel! 🙏
I plan to make a video comparing Focal Bathys, B&W Px8 and Mark Levinson 5909.
I will consider reviewing the Master and Dynamic and Beoplay H95. I need to find whom to contact to ask for review products.
Please stay tuned for more videos. 👍
@@immersivesoundtech You are very welcomed!! The luxury ANC space is getting very crowded. I consider the luxury segment anything north of Air Pods Max in terms of price. Others might disagree. I am looking forward to your reviews. Thanks!!
@@immersivesoundtech Looking forward to those comparisons!
The ANC headphones segment has certainly taken a huge leap forward in terms of sound quality the last two years, and it's becoming a very exciting market.
As a long-time sound engineer, headphones have just been a tool used when needed, during location recordings and for checking channel sound during events etc.
I basically never used headphones whilst mixing music, because I didn't think any headphones sounded good enough for the task
But, that has changed, and I fancy using headphones more and more, and I now enjoy listening to music on certain headphones, which is a development for me personally.
Regarding ANC headphones, I believe it's the fact that consumers now are willing to pay extra for a pair of really good headphones, and that gives the manufacturers more finances to develop better headphones.
I guess the ever increasing prices for mobile phones, makes the consumers accepting higher prices for anything portable. Or at least, that's my very unscientific analysis. 🧐
Today is cleaning day at our house, and I'm going to enjoy vacuum-cleaning whilst wearing my ANC headphones.
Happy Friday and have a great weekend! 🥳
@@immersivesoundtech Agreed. If you walk through an airport or go to the gym, many people are wearing ANC headphones. Bose and Sony seem to be the most popular. They are great for noise cancelling. But, I think the sound quality leaves something to be desired. Now consumers can have best of both worlds. It just cost a bit more. I think the technology will only improve. Personally, I wear my ANC headphones quite a bit in my house. Especially if I am working or talking on the phone.
You have a nice weekend, as well!!
Was looking very forward to this video. Now for just pure listening pleasure, would you get the bathys or the px8s?
Thanks for your support! 🙏
The short answer is that it depends on which mode I'm in... 🙂
The B&W Px8 has a more forward sound stage, which is great for some types of music, whereas Focal Bathys has a more laid-back sound stage that sounds more 'natural'.
Yesterday I was listening to electronic music on the Px8 whilst doing laundry and they sounded great. 'Fun' punchy low-end and very comfortable to wear and easy on the ears even at high listening levels. Smooth forward-sounding headphones.
Right now I'm digging to a really cool jazz album that Qobuz presented to me last night in the app - using the Focal Bathys hooked up via USB-cable to my laptop, trying to promote this video at online forums. And the sound stage is great, very inspiring with depth, width and dynamics. Perfect for jazz! 🙂
I plan to make video comparing Bathys, Px8 and No.5909 where I will expand on the similarities and differences of the trio. They all have their strengths and weaknesses.
PS. If you like jazz, check out the album: Magic Moments 15 (In the Spirit of Jazz) 🎵🥳
Well thank you for your detailed answer. The thing is, I don’t intend on using the wired dac on the Bathys, because I have a pair of Audeze headphones for at home listening, so my primary use case will be on the go via Bluetooth.
Just like you, I enjoy listening to a broad range of Genres. Metal, Rock, Jazz, Tech, Old School Rap, the occasional Mozart. So I prefer a flat tune out of the box so that I can adapt to everything using an EQ.
And thanks for your recommendation. I‘ll suggest you listen to the Album „Piano Jazz“ by the Stockholm Jazz Quartet.
@@joelbregy1819 Well, Focal Bathys is 'flatter' and more transparent compared to B&W Px8 - and Bathys offers a five-band graphic EQ that's quite useful. I haven't felt the need to use it, but it's there if I need it.
Regarding portability, the Px8 are handier and set with a nice squeeze on the head.
Focal Bathys are a little more bulkier but offers really nice sound via iPhone, and more efficient active noise cancelling.
Spontaneously, it sounds like the Bathys are the better alternative for you.
You should give them a good listen. 👍
@@immersivesoundtechI was able to listen to the Bathys in Singapore a few weeks ago, but the salesman told me, they were having problems getting the new PX8, so I didn’t have the chance to try them both yet. But it seems like it won’t be necessary. Thanks for your insight.
PS; I was listening to your suggestion on the way to work. That’s a pretty good album
Great!
Glad to be able to help out!
The Stockholm Jazz Quartet are great! 🎼👍
Excellent dissection and presentation of the PX8s. I've been deliberating whether to go for the Beoplay H95s, Focal Bathys or PX8s. After watching and reading many reviews finishing with yours I'm happy that my research is over as I've just placed an order for the PX8s. Many thanks!
How do you like them, I ordered the H95 and PX8 arriving tomorrow lol
@@shanew7361 As good as I’d hoped and heard they would be! Still curious to hear the H95s though.
@@peterring2714 I returned the PX8 they didn't sound as crisp as the H95.
@@shanew7361u must be a damn rich guy 💵
@@shanew7361I’ve heard so many times that the H95 volume is very low. Is that an issue?
Will they be good for going to the gym?
Well, personally I use in-ears at the gym, simply because I sweat a lot.
I use ANC headphones when I mow my lawn, and they make me sweat a lot, but I use them to protect my hearing.
But if you're comfortable wearing headphones at the gym, the B&W Px8 will most likely fit your head well and feel comfortable during your workout. 👍
@immersivesoundtech i ended up getting sony headphones for the gym as I'm not much of a fan of in ear ones, I bought the px8 and I use it while travelling to work in the train and they work amazing
@@nathanmatthey6282 Glad to hear that you like them! 😀
Bra jobbat ❤
I just get my pair of PX8's yesterday after watching this review! Absolutely loving the sound signature so far - dynamic and fun.
On the latest version of iOS they work on my 2021 M1 iPad Pro via USB C with no issue.
In terms of USB C vs Bluetooth I use an iPhone which doesn't support AptX it uses AAC and I'm using an iPhone 13 Pro which doesn't support Bluetooth 5.2 (the headphones do, the phone doesn't) which is supposed to give extra bandwidth for audio so my experience may differ to others with different phones. Firstly the max volume is significantly louder with USB than with bluetooth on both my iPad and Mac. Secondly the bluetooth implementation is pretty close to the USB sound signature but you can tell the soundstage is wider and they are more controlled on the lower end via USB. A note for iPhone users - I had 'Headphone Safety' turn on which was supposed to reduce loud sounds but it seemed to not work with the PX8s - it absolutely butchered the sound quality and is significantly better with it off (including at low volumes).
Currently breaking them in based on your advice.
can you do beyerdynamic amiron?
Thanks for the suggestion.
I will take it under consideration. 👍
@@immersivesoundtech awesome, thanks!
Great content! Really enjoyed it. How would you compare px7 s2 with px8 in terms of sound quality ?
Thanks for your kind words!
I haven't had the chance to compare Px7 S2 and Px8.
@@immersivesoundtech I already did :) at the end stayed with px7 S2. Px7 sounds warmer and more balanced for my taste. Px8's heights were to harsh for me and after longer listening, tiring. But this is my feelings, sound preferences are subjective ;)
Okay, good that you were able to compare them - only way to know.
I found the Px8 a bit harsh-sounding straight out of the box, but after a couple of hundred hours of 'break-in' they loosened up and started sounding really good. No more harshness or boomy bass.
And with the latest firmware update, the low-end is even tighter and I find the sound stage slightly 'smoother' - in a good way.
To me, they are far from tiring.
Just came back for a work trip to the Middle East, and the Px8 served me well as travel companions.
The ANC let me sleep for three hours straight on both night flights, and the music kept me calm when I missed my flight due to delays and got stuck at Istanbul airport for five hours.
But anyway, headphone listening is the most personal listening experience to me. That's why it's important to do your own listening tests to find out which headphones that sounds and feels the best to you. 👍
@@immersivesoundtech now I'm starting to regret that I have returned them. I personally was listening them for about 40h only, and I had to decide whether to keep them or not as I had a 14 days of return period ending. Px8 are much more comfortable though, basically there is a big difference in comfort on plus for px8.
Well Damian, that's why I talk about the importance of proper 'break-in' of headphones before doing any judgement of sound quality.
I've been reviewing headphones and speakers for twenty-five years now in different trade magazine and nowadays on UA-cam, and early on, I realized the importance of proper 'break-in' when I received expensive studio headphones and out-of-the-box they sounded plain 'weird'.
Now and then, I get condescending comments regarding my advice to always do proper 'break-in' before performing any serious listening tests.
But I don't mind being bashed by lesser knowledgeable Internet trolls.
For some people, ignorance is a bliss.
For me, doing my own listening tests and experiencing the sound stage of headphones and speakers, is the most important thing to me.
In your case, you should have given the headphones more time to 'break-in'. A two-week period is in my humble opinion not enough. Even if playing music 24/7.
Sometimes when I read or watch reviews online and the "reviewer" says that the sound is slightly "detached", "harsh" and "held back". Then I know pretty much 100% that the headphones or speakers haven't been properly 'broken in" before doing the listening tests.
It's sad but true...to me...
U🧥
I bought both the focal and the px8 i can’t tell which ones are better but man the px8 Is addictive
Yes, I know what you mean - they are both great-sounding headphones, for various reasons.