hardwired
In Hardwired, AC senior editor Harish Jonnalagadda takes an in-depth look at all things hardware, including phones, audio products, storage servers, and networking gear.
I have a lot of headphones; I use the Audeze MM-500 at my desk, but that’s mostly for attending meetings or product briefings. The rest of the time, I rotate between several over-ear headphones, including the Maze 99 Classics, Fiio FT7, Dan Clark Aeon X, and Focal Alex.
But that doesn’t stop the Px8 S2 from being incredibly good, and that was evident from the moment I started using the headphones. Some of this has to do with design; I’m using the Warm Stone model, and it looks exquisite because of the aluminum body fused with leather. The design and build quality here makes the Bose QC Ultra Gen 2 look positively worldly.
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It’s not all about the design either, as the Px8 S2 are as stylish as they are comfortable. I’m no stranger to heavy headsets – have been using Audeze products for the past few years – but the Px8 S2 are relatively light at 310 grams. They’re just 50 grams heavier than the Bose QC Ultra Gen 2, and due to the weight distribution the extra weight isn’t noticeable at all. I had no trouble getting a good fit, and the leather ear cushions are extremely comfortable, and they remain just as good to wear even after extended use. The comfort and design make the Px8 S2 a great choice while traveling, and I used the headphones on more than half a dozen flights in the 2026.
But the main reason I use the Px8 S2 over all the other headphones I own is the sound quality. Bowers & Wilkins used custom 40mm drivers and 24-bit DSP, and the sound tuning is impressive; You get a neutral sound similar to the Bose, but with a hint of warmth that gives the headphones better musicality. This makes a big difference during daily listening sessions and on the go; B&W calls these reference quality, and I agree – these are the best-sounding among the current generation of Bluetooth headphones.
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Another positive is the inclusion of AptX Lossless and AptX Adaptive; With most high-end Android phones – like Vivo X300 Pro, Find It definitely makes a difference when using Roon to stream my music library.
While there’s no doubt that the Px8 S2 has the best sound, I will admit that the ANC isn’t as good as my Bose headset. It still does a commendable job at cutting out ambient sounds, but it’s not as effective, nor does it extend to as high a frequency range as the Ultra Gen 2 headset. That said, it’s more than enough if you’re taking a long-haul flight or just sitting in a café.
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There isn’t much in terms of customizability, but the default sound signature is good enough that I didn’t have to make changes to the EQ. That said, there’s a five-band EQ available in the mobile app, along with the ability to change other settings if you need to adjust the balance of the sound.
I’m not a fan of gesture controls on Bluetooth headsets (they’re always finicky), and I’m glad B&W added physical buttons on the Px8 S2. On the right is a multi-function button that lets you change music playback, dedicated volume controls, and on the left is a button that enables passthrough mode. Like most Bluetooth products, the Px8 S2’s Wear Detection automatically pauses music when you take off the headphones.
The Px8 S2 has all the extra features I want in a Bluetooth headset, including fast pairing and multi-device connectivity. Honestly, the combination of design and sound quality was enough to make me use these as my daily driver, and the addition of high-resolution codecs and physical controls is just icing on the cake. And after six months of regular use, I don’t really want to switch to any other headphones.
Obviously, the cost is prohibitive – as is the case with most Bowers & Wilkins products – but if you need a pair of luxury headphones with unmatched sound quality and a design guaranteed to turn heads, you should consider upgrading.
With a stylish design and excellent sound, the Px8 S2 stands out in a crowded category.
