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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If you're focusing on sound quality for music listening, both Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2 and Grado GT220 earbuds offer excellent performance. The Bowers and Wilkins model might provide better noise isolation which is great for air travel and busy environments, along with more advanced codecs supporting high-quality Bluetooth streaming. If you take a lot of calls or attend virtual meetings, the Grado earbuds have a slight edge for those purposes. For exercise enthusiasts, both are sweatproof but the Grado lacks active noise cancelling which the Bowers and Wilkins provides. Grado offers longer battery life in the case, which could be crucial for extended use without access to a charger. In summary, if price is a significant factor, the Bowers and Wilkins offer robust features at a lower cost, but for longer usage between charges, Grado may 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 Pi7 S2
- Good for music
- Very good for air travel
Advantages of the Grado GT220
- Very good for podcasts and audiobooks
Key differences
Music
7.5
6.3
The Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2 is good for music, while the Grado GT220 is only fair.
Phone Calls
5.2
6.9
The Grado GT220 is only fair for phone calls, while the Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2 is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
5.6
8.8
The Grado GT220 is very good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2 is poor.
Noise Reduction
8.3
5.3
The Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2 is very good for noise reduction, while the Grado GT220 is poor.
Cost
$399
$259
$150
$200
$250
$300
$350
$400
The Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2 has a price of $399 and the Grado GT220 costs $259.
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Key similarities
Gaming
5.3
5.1
The Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2 and Grado GT220 are both poor for gaming.
TV and Video
6.0
5.5
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2 to be only fair for TV and video, while the Grado GT220 is poor.
Battery
5.0 Hours
5.5 Hours
The Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2 has 5 hours of battery life. The Grado GT220 has 5.5 hours of battery life.
Build Quality
8.9
8.8
The Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2 and Grado GT220 both have very good build quality.
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How the Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2 and the Grado GT220 compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2 | Grado GT220 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$399 | $259 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Bowers and Wilkins | Grado | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | January 1, 2023 | September 1, 2020 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Earbuds | Earbuds | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wireless | Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 7.5/10 | 6.4/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 5.2/10 | 7/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 5.4/10 | 5.2/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 6/10 | 5.5/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 6.3/10 | 6.2/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 5 Hours | 5.5 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | Yes | Yes | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 0.75 Hours | 2 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 5 | 5 | |
Case Battery Life | |||
Case Battery Life | 13 | 36 | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | Yes | No | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 8.4/10 | 5.3/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | No | No | |
Android App | |||
Android App | Yes | No | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | Yes | No | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 7/10 | 6/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 8.9/10 | 8.8/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 8/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | Large | Small | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 7 Grams | 5 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | Integrated | Integrated | |
Shopping
Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2
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Dig into reviews and images
Engadget
Billy Steele | March 2023
"While the overall sound quality is great, these earbuds fall short in terms of battery life, customization and ANC performance. Bowers & Wilkins’ ability to consistently deliver pristine sound isn’t enough to make up for what the Pi7 S2 lacks, which is unfortunately quite a bit."
Grado GT220
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Dig into reviews and images
Major HiFi
Alex Schiffer | October 2020
"With its superb and functional interface and its highly satisfying imaging, Grado has shown a new talent for delivering a solid true wireless system, and with future improvements, has the potential to really be one of the best."
Get a great deal on the Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2 or the Grado GT220
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 Grado
Grado Labs is a small, family-owned, business based in Brooklyn New York that specializes in high-end, boutique, dynamic headphones and turntable cartridges. They boast a particular house sound, that is to say their products have a particular sound signature unique to Grado, that some audiophiles seem to really like and are unable to find anywhere else. Their high-end headphones are all hand made, completely in house, from a variety of exotic woods and materials going so far as to making one of their most popular products out of hemp.
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Why trust us
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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