Headphones

Sound:
Value:
(Read about our ratings)

Bowers & Wilkins headphones are, for the most part, a niche within a niche, leaning toward the “premium” end of the mainstream market. The Px7 S3 headphones (US$449, CA$599, £399, €429), for instance, cost a bit more than similar options from Bose and Sony. Within that first niche of price, they’re unquestionably for the basshead niche.

Conveniently, that’s me! I liked B&W’s Px7 S2e ’phones when I reviewed them in 2023, and while the S3s are more similar than different, I’m always interested in later iterations of headphones I’ve previously enjoyed. For instance, the C5 Series 2 earbuds were my trusted companions for years. They were largely an improvement over the original C5s, enough so that I bought them three times.

According to Bowers & Wilkins, the S3s improve on the S2s with “greatly upgraded active noise cancellation” and “re-engineered drive units,” along with additional features in the app. That intrigued me, but I wasn’t a fan of the Pi8s over the Pi7s, so color me cautious.

In the box

Included with the Px7 S3s are a hardshell case, a USB-C-to-USB-C charging cable, and a USB-C-to-3.5mm cable to connect to analog sources.

Use

Though they look basically the same in pictures, the S3s are slightly flatter than the S2e headphones. The earcup padding seems about the same thickness, however, so it’s almost entirely due to less depth in the earcups themselves. That’s probably the “re-engineered drive units” B&W mentions. Overall, the Px7 S3s fit me quite comfortably, though if you have larger ears, you might have a tight fit. At 300g, they’re also fairly light.

There are buttons on each earcup. The left has a power switch, which I generally prefer, since I’ve gotten tired of waiting for things to turn on or off by holding down power buttons. Above that is a button that, out of the box, controls the noise canceling. In the app you can switch this to activate your digital assistant instead. On the right are the playback/volume controls.

The app also looks largely the same, with a black/grey/brown aesthetic. It still requires an account to use. New is a five-band EQ. It almost feels like Bowers & Wilkins engineers added this reluctantly. It’s here, which is good, but the bands aren’t labeled beyond Lo (sic), Mid, and Hi (also sic). So the bare minimum of usability for an EQ. Lots of brands offer more elaborate EQs in apps that don’t require a login, but whatever. I don’t typically use EQs anyway, but I know a lot of people like them.

Bowers & Wilkins claims up to 30 hours of playback with the noise canceling active, which is quite decent. Charging for 15 minutes should get you around seven hours of play time.

Sound

B&W’s signature bass-heavy sound is here, but it’s not muddy, and there are enough mids and treble that the Px7 S3s are very fun to listen to. I know this sound isn’t for everyone, but personally I really like it.

I started with “Friday Night” by The Knocks and Dragonette (Revelation, 16-bit/44.1kHz FLAC, Neon Gold / Qobuz). This electro-pop song has a driving beat that suited the Px7 S3s’ sound perfectly. They provided a powerful bass line that didn’t overwhelm the mids and highs. The synth cymbals had a crisp snap. There’s enough clarity in the treble that the S3s sound detailed, though they’re not as airy and open as more treble-friendly headphones can be.

Given the recent death of Brian Wilson, I’ve been listening to the Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds a bunch again. My hot take, one that may get me canceled, is that I think that Pet Sounds is a greater musical achievement than anything the Beatles were doing at the time. I look forward to your hate mail. The iconic “Sloop John B” (24/192 FLAC, Capitol Records / Qobuz) starts with a glockenspiel and a whistle, and through the S3s, they sounded delicate with none of the edge or harshness that some headphones can impart to these instruments. The bass was noticeably up a few clicks from more neutral headphones.

And, because why not, next was “Brian Wilson” from Barenaked Ladies’ Rock Spectacle (16/44.1 FLAC, Reprise Records / Qobuz). The bass and percussion competed a bit with Steven Page’s voice, but not enough for it to be distracting. In general, the soundstage is probably the Px7 S3s’ biggest weakness. Even compared to other closed-back headphones, these don’t sound particularly “large.”

I’m not sure B&W’s claim of “greatly upgraded” noise canceling is entirely accurate, but it does at least seem to be “upgraded” compared to the S2e headphones’ NC. The B&W ’phones do a decent job of reducing the rumbles and sounds typical of aircraft cabins, but not quite as well as, say, the Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones. So if you’re looking for the pinnacle of noise canceling, that’s not these, but they do a good enough job that you probably won’t need to bring a separate set of headphones when flying just for the noise canceling.

Comparison

It seemed obvious to compare to the Px7 S2e headphones, especially since they’re still available for very slightly less (US$399 as of this writing). I also grabbed my go-to pair of NC over-ears, the aforementioned Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones. The XM6s just launched, but I listen to these all the time. They’re basically my reference for mainstream, NC Bluetooth over-ears.

Starting with the older B&Ws, I cued up “Take Me Back” from Haim’s I Quit (24/96 FLAC, Columbia Records / Qobuz). I heard more mids and less bass through the S2e headphones. The treble on the S3s was smoother, the bass fuller. I suppose the S2e headphones are more balanced, but I preferred the more fun, livelier sound of the S3s.

Switching to the Sonys, I put on the Grateful Dead’s “Touch of Grey” (In the Dark, 24/96 FLAC, Rhino Entertainment / Qobuz). The Sonys’ soundstage was wider, more open. The bass was a bit more muddled, however, and there was less low bass. Despite the S3s’ extra bass, overall the Sonys were darker in tone. The S3s had more treble sparkle, which made them more lively. As someone who likes a little extra bass, as long as it’s well-controlled, between these two I’d reach for the S3s. No wrong choice between them, however.

Conclusion

I’ve reviewed a lot of iterations of various Bowers & Wilkins headphones over the years. The Series 2 of the C5 earbuds were better than the earbuds they replaced, but there were aspects of the original I preferred. I really liked the Pi7 S2s and felt the Pi8s were a step back. The Px7 S3s, on the other hand, are an improvement across the board. I like the sound better than the S2e headphones, the noise canceling is a bit better, and the S3s are smaller. They’re only available in three colors (black, white, and blue) compared to the S2e model’s five, but oh well. Overall, a solid update and a great-sounding, premium alternative in the noise-canceling, BT, over-ear world. If you like bass as much as I do, these are well worth checking out.

. . . Geoffrey Morrison
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Associated Equipment

• Smartphone: Google Pixel 9 Pro

Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 Earphones
Price: US$449, CA$599, £399, €429
Warranty: Two years, parts and labor.

Bowers & Wilkins
B&W Group, Ltd.
Dale Road, Worthing
West Sussex BN11 2BH
England, UK
Phone: +44 (0)1903-221-800

Bowers & Wilkins North America
5541 Fermi Ct. N.
Carlsbad, CA
92008
Phone: (800) 370-3740

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Website: www.bowers-wilkins.com