Bowers and Wilkins Pi5 S2
Bowers and Wilkins Pi5 S2
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MUSIC: Fair—6.7/10
CALLS: Poor—5.0/10
GAMING: Poor—5.3/10
TV: Poor—5.6/10
PODCASTS & AUDIOBOOKS: Poor—5.6/10
EXERCISE: Fair—6.2/10
AIR TRAVEL: Very Good—8.5/10
NOISE REDUCTION: Very Good—8.3/10
BUILD QUALITY: Very Good—8.9/10
BATTERY: Good—7.0/10
The Bowers and Wilkins Pi5 S2 earbuds, released in 2023, come with a premium price tag. They are truly wireless with stemless design and offer a closed enclosure. They provide very good overall sound quality, a good soundstage, and excellent comfort. However, their performance for calls and meetings is rated as poor, as well as for gaming, TV and video watching, and listening to books or podcasts. Their build quality is sturdy, and they include active noise cancelling, making them excellent for air travel. They are suitable for exercise with sweat and dustproof certifications. The battery life is 5 hours, with an additional 19 hours provided by the case, which supports wireless charging. The Pi5 S2 earbuds support AAC codec but do not support lossless codecs. There's app support for audio controls, they feature ear detection, and they are optimized for both Android and Apple devices. However, there is no virtual surround feature, the mic's quality is only fair, and they do not have an app equalizer. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Evaluation
Pros
- Very good overall sound
- Excellent portability
- Good noise isolation
- Active noise cancelling included
- Sweatproof and dustproof
Cons
- Poor calls and meetings performance
- Not suited for gaming
- Unimpressive battery life of 5 hours
- Mic quality is only fair
Ratings by Category
Air Travel:4.6
This score evaluates the product for use on airplanes and other similar kinds of travel. It takes into account noise reduction and portability, including case shape, case size, and weight. It also incorporates the battery life of the product, long-haul comfort, noise reduction (both active and passive), and sound quality. We generally consider wireless products to be more suitable for air travel.
Portability:4.4
The Portability score is based on an overall assessment that includes volume and maximum dimension of the product (and case, if relevant), and its weight. Special features like foldability for headphones are also taken into account.
Battery Life:4.0
The Battery Life rating is based on hours of typical, actual usage.
Music:3.8
The Bowers and Wilkins Pi5 S2 earbuds provide good sound quality and imaging but lack lossless codec support and virtual surround features, which affects their performance in delivering the most accurate and immersive music-listening experience.
Exercise:3.3
This score evaluates the product when used for exercise and physical activity. It mainly takes into account comfort, whether or not the products are sweatproof and how secure are the earbuds or headphones while wearing them. We also consider products with wireless capabilities to be more suitable for this particular scenario
Full Specs
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
| Price | $129 | ||
Brand | Bowers and Wilkins | ||
Release Date | January 1, 2023 | ||
Form Factor | Earbuds | ||
Connectivity | Wireless | ||
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score  | 6.8/10 | ||
Phone Calls Score | 5.1/10 | ||
Gaming Score | 5.3/10 | ||
TV and Video Score | 5.6/10 | ||
Exercise Score | 6.3/10 | ||
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | 5 Hours | ||
Wireless charging | Yes | ||
Charging time | 0.75 Hours | ||
Bluetooth version | 5 | ||
Case Battery Life | 19 | ||
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | Yes | ||
Noise Reduction Score | 8.4/10 | ||
Virtual Surround | No | ||
Android App | Yes | ||
iOS App | Yes | ||
Mic Quality | 6.5/10 | ||
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | 8.9/10 | ||
Comfort score | 8/10 | ||
Size | Large | ||
Weight of single earbud | 6 Grams | ||
Microphone style | Integrated | ||
Shopping
Bowers and Wilkins Pi5 S2
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Dig into reviews and images
Major HiFi
Chris Golembeski | January 2023
"Bowers and Wilkins isn’t looking to make an obscure, premium wireless bud catered specifically towards audiophiles. Instead, it seems apparent that they’re going for the crown: a cool and popular look, an easy and comfortable fit, and an engaging stage with a great balance that is perfectly suited for mainstream listeners and audiophiles alike."
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