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What we think
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Updated January 10, 2024·
If you prioritize portability and convenience, the Bowers and Wilkins Pi5 S2 earbuds are wireless, making them suitable for travel and exercise, plus they might offer active noise cancellation for quieter listening in noisy environments. However, if you are looking for a headset that excels in gaming and immersive audio experiences, the EPOS PC38X, being a wired option, provides stellar sound quality and directional accuracy, beneficial for gaming, plus a microphone for clear communication. The EPOS may also be more comfortable for long listening sessions due to its over-ear design. Keep in mind that the Pi5 S2 may have a more modern feature set like touch controls, whereas the PC38X is directed towards the gaming community with its emphasis on audio precision and communication clarity. Choose based on whether mobility and noise cancellation or gaming performance and audio fidelity in a stationary setting are more important to you. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Bowers and Wilkins Pi5 S2
- Very good for air travel
Advantages of the EPOS PC38X
- Best in class for music
- Best in class for phone calls
- Best in class for gaming
- Excellent for TV and video
- Good for podcasts and audiobooks
Key differences
Music
6.7
9.5
The EPOS PC38X is best in class for music, while the Bowers and Wilkins Pi5 S2 is only fair.
Gaming
5.3
10.0
The EPOS PC38X is best in class for gaming, while the Bowers and Wilkins Pi5 S2 is poor.
Phone Calls
5.0
10.0
The EPOS PC38X is best in class for phone calls, while the Bowers and Wilkins Pi5 S2 is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
5.6
7.9
The EPOS PC38X is good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Bowers and Wilkins Pi5 S2 is poor.
TV and Video
5.6
9.0
The EPOS PC38X is excellent for TV and video, while the Bowers and Wilkins Pi5 S2 is poor.
Noise Reduction
8.3
2.5
The Bowers and Wilkins Pi5 S2 is very good for noise reduction, while the EPOS PC38X is poor.
Battery
5.0 Hours
N/A
The Bowers and Wilkins Pi5 S2 has 5 hours of battery life. The EPOS PC38X does not have a battery.
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Key similarities
Cost
$129
$139
$0
$50
$100
$150
$200
The Bowers and Wilkins Pi5 S2 has a price of $129 and the EPOS PC38X costs $139.
Build Quality
8.9
8.5
The Bowers and Wilkins Pi5 S2 and EPOS PC38X both have very good build quality.
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How the Bowers and Wilkins Pi5 S2 and the EPOS PC38X compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Bowers and Wilkins Pi5 S2 | EPOS PC38X |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$129 | $139 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Bowers and Wilkins | EPOS | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | January 1, 2023 | September 1, 2020 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Earbuds | Headphones | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wireless | Wired | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 6.8/10 | 9.6/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 5.1/10 | 10/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 5.3/10 | 10/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 5.6/10 | 9.1/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 6.3/10 | 4.5/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 5 Hours | N/A | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | Yes | N/A | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 0.75 Hours | N/A | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 5 | N/A | |
Case Battery Life | |||
Case Battery Life | 19 | N/A | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | Yes | No | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 8.4/10 | 2.5/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | No | N/A | |
Android App | |||
Android App | Yes | N/A | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | Yes | N/A | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 6.5/10 | 10/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 8.9/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 8/10 | 8.4/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | Large | N/A | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 6 Grams | 249.4 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | Integrated | Boom | |
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."
EPOS PC38X
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Dig into reviews and images
Everyday Listening
Ryan Soo | November 2021
"Lightweight and comfortable design, Mic arm with mute, Excellent tuning, Highly natural midrange voicing, Clean and separated bass, Solid soundstage dimensions. Combining all day comfort and integrated coms with a balanced and spacious sound from essentially any source, it is hard to deny the versatility and value provided by the PC38X."
Get a great deal on the Bowers and Wilkins Pi5 S2 or the EPOS PC38X
About Bowers and Wilkins
Bowers and Wilkins is a British audio equipment manufacturer with a focus on innovation and product development. It was founded by a couple of real-life James Bonds, the co-founders John Bowers and Roy Wilkins, who met while working for MI6 during World War II. The company keeps being favored by enthusiasts due to their sound quality, craftsmanship and signature aesthetics.
About EPOS
EPOS is a relatively new company with a very long heritage. Previously known as Sennheiser Communications, EPOS is the result of the joint venture between the German headphone manufacturer Sennheiser and the Danish Demant that sought to develop premium audio communication solutions. They specialize in two main product groups, enterprise communications and gaming communication headsets and processing devices.
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