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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
For an immersive music experience, the Sennheiser 450BT would be a solid choice given its over-ear design, which typically offers better soundstage than earbuds like the Bowers and Wilkins Pi5 S2. The Sennheiser also has a longer battery life and includes a cable for wired listening, which is great for TV and gaming due to its low latency feature. On the other hand, the Bowers and Wilkins offer better portability and are optimized for both Android and Apple devices, with features like ear detection and wireless charging that the Sennheiser lacks. However, for calls and meetings, the Sennheiser has a better mic quality. If you prioritize convenience and portability for use on the go with smart features, the Pi5 S2 might be worth the higher price, whereas if you prefer overall sound quality and versatility for various media content, especially when budget is a concern, the Sennheiser 450BT would be the better choice. 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
- The Bowers and Wilkins Pi5 S2 has no clear advantages over the Sennheiser 450BT.
Advantages of the Sennheiser 450BT
- Very good for gaming
- Very good for TV and video
- Excellent for air travel
- Good for podcasts and audiobooks
Key differences
Music
6.7
6.2
The Bowers and Wilkins Pi5 S2 and Sennheiser 450BT are both only fair for music, though the Bowers and Wilkins Pi5 S2 is somewhat better.
Gaming
5.3
8.8
The Sennheiser 450BT is very good for gaming, while the Bowers and Wilkins Pi5 S2 is poor.
Phone Calls
5.0
6.9
The Sennheiser 450BT is only fair for phone calls, while the Bowers and Wilkins Pi5 S2 is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
5.6
7.9
The Sennheiser 450BT is good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Bowers and Wilkins Pi5 S2 is poor.
TV and Video
5.6
8.1
The Sennheiser 450BT is very good for TV and video, while the Bowers and Wilkins Pi5 S2 is poor.
Noise Reduction
8.3
9.1
The Sennheiser 450BT is excellent for noise reduction, while the Bowers and Wilkins Pi5 S2 is very good.
Battery
5.0 Hours
27.5 Hours
The Bowers and Wilkins Pi5 S2 has 5 hours of battery life. The Sennheiser 450BT has 27.5 hours of battery life.
Cost
$149
$90
$0
$50
$100
$150
$200
The Bowers and Wilkins Pi5 S2 has a price of $149 and the Sennheiser 450BT costs $90.
Build Quality
8.9
8.0
The Bowers and Wilkins Pi5 S2 and Sennheiser 450BT both have very good build quality, though the Bowers and Wilkins Pi5 S2 has somewhat better build quality.
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How the Bowers and Wilkins Pi5 S2 and the Sennheiser 450BT compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Bowers and Wilkins Pi5 S2 | Sennheiser 450BT |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$149 | $90 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Bowers and Wilkins | Sennheiser | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | January 1, 2023 | February 1, 2020 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Earbuds | Headphones | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wireless | Wired + Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 6.8/10 | 6.2/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 5.1/10 | 7/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 5.3/10 | 8.9/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 5.6/10 | 8.1/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 6.3/10 | 6.1/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 5 Hours | 27.5 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | Yes | No | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 0.75 Hours | 2.3 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 5 | 5 | |
Case Battery Life | |||
Case Battery Life | 19 | N/A | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | Yes | Yes | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 8.4/10 | 9.1/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | No | No | |
Android App | |||
Android App | Yes | Yes | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 6.5/10 | 8.5/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 8.9/10 | 8/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 8/10 | 7/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | Large | N/A | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 6 Grams | 240.4 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | Integrated | 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."
Sennheiser 450BT
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Dig into reviews and images
Sound Guys
Lily Katz | March 2022
"The Sennheiser HD 450BT is a very good pair of headphones for the price, noise canceling is good and sound quality is great—quite rare at this price point. Like any product, this headset isn’t without its faults."
Get a great deal on the Bowers and Wilkins Pi5 S2 or the Sennheiser 450BT
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 Sennheiser
A family-owned company, Sennheiser is a German, high fidelity, audio equipment manufacturer founded in 1945. Their consumer audio division is now owned by the Swiss hearing aid and cochlear implant manufacturer Sonova. Sennheiser offers a wide variety of, very high quality, audio equipment solutions, from headphones to earbuds, full sets of monitoring speakers, amplifiers and microphones. They also make what is widely regarded as the best, and most expensive, headphones in existence, the HE-1 Orpheus, costing a whopping $59,000 dollars.
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This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec earbuds & headphones team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest earbuds or headphones information and makes it digestible for you.
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About the Earbuds or Headphones team
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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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Luis is a Mexico-based headphones expert. He’s been making headphone recommendations for five years and has close to 100 pairs in his personal collection.
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