Bowers & Wilkins Pi8

The Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 sound absolutely gorgeous, some of the best in-ear audio you can buy wireless. Problem is, the noise cancelling is a letdown in practice, the app is a ghost town, and build quality feels cheap at this price. Audiophiles who live for detail will forgive the flaws; everyone else should grab Sony XM5 or Bose QC Ultra and get a more complete package.

Our database puts the Pi8's sound at the 85th percentile, and that lines up, these things reproduce music with a crispness and depth that'll make you rediscover old favorites. Bass is tight without overwhelming the mids, and the soundstage feels wide for an in-ear. Connectivity is top-notch, thanks to Bluetooth 5.4 and a stable multipoint setup we rarely had to fight. Battery life, at 6.5 hours with ANC on, is solid but not class-leading, and the 15-minute quick charge for 2 hours is handy. The weak spot is real-world noise cancelling. Our lab data shows strong ANC numbers, but owners consistently report that it struggles with mid and high frequencies, voices and keyboard clatter slip right through in ways Sony's XM5 or Bose's QuietComfort Ultra simply don't. Build quality sits in the 33rd percentile, the plastic feels a bit cheap for a luxury price tag, and we experienced a faint high-pitched whine in dead-quiet rooms that multiple buyers have noted.

Stacked against the Sony WF-1000XM5, the Pi8 win on pure musicality and build a wider soundstage, but Sony crushes them on noise cancelling and gives you a much more refined app with tons of customization. Bose's QuietComfort Ultra earbuds are the ANC kings, so if silencing your commute is job one, look there. The Technics EAH-AZ100 are the Pi8's closest rival, matching hi-res codec support and rich sound while delivering more reliable ANC. Sennheiser's Momentum True Wireless 4 sit somewhere in the middle, great sound, better app, but the Pi8's aptX Lossless edge might sway purists. For pure audio, the B&W hold their own, but they're surrounded by smarter all-rounders.

Pricing is all over the map, with listings ranging from a reasonable $397 to an absurd $64,000 outlier we'll ignore. At $397, the Pi8 sit firmly in premium territory, costing more than the Sony WF-1000XM5 or Bose QuietComfort Ultra, both of which offer far better noise cancelling. The sound quality is special, but you're paying a big premium for it while sacrificing ANC and app polish. If you can snag a deal closer to $350 and care more about audio fidelity than blocking the world out, that's the sweet spot.

Bowers & Wilkins dropped the Pi8 with a clear mission: bring the lush, detailed sound of their over-ear Px8 headphones into a tiny true wireless package. They largely pulled that off. The 12mm carbon cone drivers, paired with aptX Lossless support, deliver audio that sits comfortably among the best in-ears we've tested, and the earbuds are surprisingly light and comfy enough for hours of listening. But the Pi8 stumbles hard where a premium pair shouldn't, the active noise cancelling feels undercooked in daily use, and the companion app is frustratingly bare. For the price these command, that stings.

We spent days swapping between these, the Sony XM5, and the Technics AZ100. The sound signature is definitely the star here: warm, spacious, and packed with detail. However, the real-world ANC performance doesn't match the percentile chart, and the build quality is just middle of the pack. If you're an audiophile who can live with average noise cancelling, there's a lot to love. For everyone else, there are smarter ways to spend your money.

If you need class-leading ANC for flights, open offices, or just want the best all-around experience, skip these and look at the Bose QuietComfort Ultra or Sony XM5. The Pi8's noise cancelling isn't on their level, and you'll pay more for that shortfall. Similarly, if a polished app with gesture customization and detailed EQ is a must, you'll be frustrated by B&W's limited software.

The Pi8 are a niche gem for the right person. If you crave the richest, most immersive wireless audio you can stuff in your ears and don't care that the ANC is merely average, you'll be happy. But the weak noise cancelling, clunky app, and mediocre build make them a tough recommendation for anyone who just wants great earbuds that do everything well.