At $699, Bowers & Wilkins' flagship Px8 noise-cancelling headphones cost more than many competitors in the segment, approaching the realm of wired, audiophile-friendly models. In their favor, the headphones are exceedingly comfortable, offer hi-res audio playback on some Android devices, and even support wired playback via a USB-C port. We also experienced some improvement in noise cancellation over the $399 Px7 S2. But for $699, there's simply not enough here to compete with the likes Sony's top-tier $399.99 WH-1000XM5 headphones, which offer laudable audio quality and noise cancellation for nearly half the price.High Design and High-Quality Codecs The Px8 headphones are available in black with metallic gray details or in white with tan-and-silver details. No matter the color, they have a circumaural (over-ear) design with a heavily cushioned headband and earpads that both feature Napa leather. The fit is ridiculously comfortable, even over long listening sessions. The earpads hu...

Although Bowers & Wilkins' Px8 headphones offer high-quality audio and occasionally impressive noise cancellation, they don't quite justify their sky-high price.

Excellent audio performance with rich bass and bright highs; Luxurious, comfortable design; Adjustable EQ; Quality Bluetooth codec support

Overly expensive; Noise cancellation impacts sound signature

Sublime build quality and materials; Nuanced sound with exceptional detail; Long-lasting battery and quick charging;

Not a huge step up from the PX7 S2; Can’t listen with a flat battery; Carries a hefty price premium ;

Look, I agree with you. $699 — oh c’mon, who am I kidding, $700 — is a lot to pay for a set of wireless headphones, even if they are the Px8, the new flagship of the Bowers & Wilkins (B&W) personal audio lineup. The truth is once you start to head north of $400, the improvements to sound quality start to taper off and it becomes more about design, materials, and — in a sense — the whole “premium-ness” of the experience. But if that’s what you seek — a set of wireless headphones that epitomize sophistication, performance, and class — the B&W Px8 will wrap your head in luxury. The Px8 initially were set to sell for $549. That’s still pricey by most standards, but only $150 more than the $399 B&W Px7 S2, a set of wireless headphones that share a ton of DNA with the Px8. That would have put them on par with the Apple AirPods Max, within spitting distance of the $599 Master & Dynamic MW75, and made them considerably more affordable than the $800 Focal Bathys and $899 Bang & Olufsen Beoplay ...

Beautifully designed and built; Incredibly comfortable; Great sound quality; Decent noise cancellation;

Expensive; Not ideal for calls in noisy places;

Look, I agree with you. $699 — oh c’mon, who am I kidding, $700 — is a lot to pay for a set of wireless headphones, even if they are the Px8, the new flagship of the Bowers & Wilkins (B&W) personal audio lineup. The truth is once you start to head north of $400, the improvements to sound quality start to taper off and it becomes more about design, materials, and — in a sense — the whole “premium-ness” of the experience. But if that’s what you seek — a set of wireless headphones that epitomize sophistication, performance, and class — the B&W Px8 will wrap your head in luxury. The Px8 initially were set to sell for $549. That’s still pricey by most standards, but only $150 more than the $399 B&W Px7 S2, a set of wireless headphones that share a ton of DNA with the Px8. That would have put them on par with the Apple AirPods Max, within spitting distance of the $599 Master & Dynamic MW75, and made them considerably more affordable than the $800 Focal Bathys and $899 Bang & Olufsen Beoplay ...

Beautifully designed and built; Incredibly comfortable; Great sound quality; Decent noise cancellation;

Expensive; Not ideal for calls in noisy places;

Look, I agree with you. $699 — oh c’mon, who am I kidding, $700 — is a lot to pay for a set of wireless headphones, even if they are the Px8, the new flagship of the Bowers & Wilkins (B&W) personal audio lineup. The truth is once you start to head north of $400, the improvements to sound quality start to taper off and it becomes more about design, materials, and — in a sense — the whole “premium-ness” of the experience. But if that’s what you seek — a set of wireless headphones that epitomize sophistication, performance, and class — the B&W Px8 will wrap your head in luxury. The Px8 initially were set to sell for $549. That’s still pricey by most standards, but only $150 more than the $399 B&W Px7 S2, a set of wireless headphones that share a ton of DNA with the Px8. That would have put them on par with the Apple AirPods Max, within spitting distance of the $599 Master & Dynamic MW75, and made them considerably more affordable than the $800 Focal Bathys and $899 Bang & Olufsen Beoplay ...

Beautifully designed and built; Incredibly comfortable; Great sound quality; Decent noise cancellation;

Expensive; Not ideal for calls in noisy places;

Look, I agree with you. $699 — oh c’mon, who am I kidding, $700 — is a lot to pay for a set of wireless headphones, even if they are the Px8, the new flagship of the Bowers & Wilkins (B&W) personal audio lineup. The truth is once you start to head north of $400, the improvements to sound quality start to taper off and it becomes more about design, materials, and — in a sense — the whole “premium-ness” of the experience. But if that’s what you seek — a set of wireless headphones that epitomize sophistication, performance, and class — the B&W Px8 will wrap your head in luxury. The Px8 initially were set to sell for $549. That’s still pricey by most standards, but only $150 more than the $399 B&W Px7 S2, a set of wireless headphones that share a ton of DNA with the Px8. That would have put them on par with the Apple AirPods Max, within spitting distance of the $599 Master & Dynamic MW75, and made them considerably more affordable than the $800 Focal Bathys and $899 Bang & Olufsen Beoplay ...

Beautifully designed and built; Incredibly comfortable; Great sound quality; Decent noise cancellation;

Expensive; Not ideal for calls in noisy places;

Look, I agree with you. $699 — oh c’mon, who am I kidding, $700 — is a lot to pay for a set of wireless headphones, even if they are the Px8, the new flagship of the Bowers & Wilkins (B&W) personal audio lineup. The truth is once you start to head north of $400, the improvements to sound quality start to taper off and it becomes more about design, materials, and — in a sense — the whole “premium-ness” of the experience. But if that’s what you seek — a set of wireless headphones that epitomize sophistication, performance, and class — the B&W Px8 will wrap your head in luxury. The Px8 initially were set to sell for $549. That’s still pricey by most standards, but only $150 more than the $399 B&W Px7 S2, a set of wireless headphones that share a ton of DNA with the Px8. That would have put them on par with the Apple AirPods Max, within spitting distance of the $599 Master & Dynamic MW75, and made them considerably more affordable than the $800 Focal Bathys and $899 Bang & Olufsen Beoplay ...

Beautifully designed and built; Incredibly comfortable; Great sound quality; Decent noise cancellation;

Expensive; Not ideal for calls in noisy places;

Look, I agree with you. $699 — oh c’mon, who am I kidding, $700 — is a lot to pay for a set of wireless headphones, even if they are the Px8, the new flagship of the Bowers & Wilkins (B&W) personal audio lineup. The truth is once you start to head north of $400, the improvements to sound quality start to taper off and it becomes more about design, materials, and — in a sense — the whole “premium-ness” of the experience. But if that’s what you seek — a set of wireless headphones that epitomize sophistication, performance, and class — the B&W Px8 will wrap your head in luxury. The Px8 initially were set to sell for $549. That’s still pricey by most standards, but only $150 more than the $399 B&W Px7 S2, a set of wireless headphones that share a ton of DNA with the Px8. That would have put them on par with the Apple AirPods Max, within spitting distance of the $599 Master & Dynamic MW75, and made them considerably more affordable than the $800 Focal Bathys and $899 Bang & Olufsen Beoplay ...

Beautifully designed and built; Incredibly comfortable; Great sound quality; Decent noise cancellation;

Expensive; Not ideal for calls in noisy places;

Look, I agree with you. $699 — oh c’mon, who am I kidding, $700 — is a lot to pay for a set of wireless headphones, even if they are the Px8, the new flagship of the Bowers & Wilkins (B&W) personal audio lineup. The truth is once you start to head north of $400, the improvements to sound quality start to taper off and it becomes more about design, materials, and — in a sense — the whole “premium-ness” of the experience. But if that’s what you seek — a set of wireless headphones that epitomize sophistication, performance, and class — the B&W Px8 will wrap your head in luxury. The Px8 initially were set to sell for $549. That’s still pricey by most standards, but only $150 more than the $399 B&W Px7 S2, a set of wireless headphones that share a ton of DNA with the Px8. That would have put them on par with the Apple AirPods Max, within spitting distance of the $599 Master & Dynamic MW75, and made them considerably more affordable than the $800 Focal Bathys and $899 Bang & Olufsen Beoplay ...

Beautifully designed and built; Incredibly comfortable; Great sound quality; Decent noise cancellation;

Expensive; Not ideal for calls in noisy places;

The Bowers & Wilkins PX8 are the pinnacle of B&W's over-ear headphone offering, and the sound here raises the bar yet again in the world of wireless listening. Where to begin? Probably with the oodles of detail, agility and expanse on offer, all underpinned by a gloriously weighty bass. The effective (if not jaw-dropping) ANC and solid suite of features completes a compelling proposition from B&W. They’re also incredibly good-looking – and the 30-hour battery means they'll last the whole day.

Agile, detailed, class-leading sound; Supreme comfort during wear; Classy build and finish

Battery life has been beaten; Noise cancellation is average; Expensive