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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2 earbuds offer great overall sound quality, portability, and noise isolation, ideal for air travel and can be wirelessly charged, supporting high-quality codecs like aptX HD. They are better suited for those who prefer wireless convenience and modern features such as an app equalizer, sweatproof certification, and compatibility with both Android and Apple. On the other hand, the Sennheiser HD 400S headphones are over-ear, wired, and more comfortable for lengthy listening sessions, with superior microphone quality, making them more suitable for calls and gaming. They are also more affordable, but lack modern wireless features, active noise cancelling, and are not as easily portable as the Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2. 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
- Very good for air travel
Advantages of the Sennheiser HD 400S
- Very good for phone calls
- Very good for gaming
- Good for TV and video
- Good for podcasts and audiobooks
Key differences
Gaming
5.3
8.6
The Sennheiser HD 400S is very good for gaming, while the Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2 is poor.
Phone Calls
5.2
8.2
The Sennheiser HD 400S is very good for phone calls, while the Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2 is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
5.6
7.6
The Sennheiser HD 400S is good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2 is poor.
TV and Video
6.0
7.6
The Sennheiser HD 400S is good for TV and video, while the Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2 is only fair.
Noise Reduction
8.3
5.3
The Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2 is very good for noise reduction, while the Sennheiser HD 400S is poor.
Battery
5.0 Hours
N/A
The Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2 has 5 hours of battery life. The Sennheiser HD 400S does not have a battery.
Cost
$127
$61
$0
$50
$100
$150
$200
The Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2 has a price of $127 and the Sennheiser HD 400S costs $61.
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Key similarities
Music
7.5
7.1
The Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2 and Sennheiser HD 400S are both good for music.
Build Quality
8.9
8.5
The Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2 and Sennheiser HD 400S both have very good build quality.
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How the Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2 and the Sennheiser HD 400S compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2 | Sennheiser HD 400S |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$127 | $61 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Bowers and Wilkins | Sennheiser | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | January 1, 2023 | January 1, 2019 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Earbuds | Headphones | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wireless | Wired | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 7.5/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 5.2/10 | 8.2/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 5.4/10 | 8.7/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 6/10 | 7.7/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 6.3/10 | 4.2/10 | |
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 | 13 | N/A | |
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 | N/A | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | Yes | N/A | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 7/10 | 8.5/10 | |
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) | 7 Grams | 213 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."
Sennheiser HD 400S
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Dig into reviews and images
Headphone Dungeon
Jim | August 2022
"Sennheiser has done it again. The HD 400S performs well beyond its price range and is one of the better budget model headphones I’ve tried. It has very few bells and whistles and offers a simple means of listening that still delivers amazing clarity and quality. If you need a good first pair of headphones or need something that you can take out of the house, then the HD 400S is definitely for you."
Get a great deal on the Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2 or the Sennheiser HD 400S
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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