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Updated January 10, 2024·
If you prefer earbuds over headphones, the Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2 are a good fit, offering better overall sound quality, a more immersive soundstage, and higher build quality compared to the Soundcore Space Q45. However, the Soundcore headphones have exceptional battery life and are foldable for added portability. They also have wired connectivity, which the Bowers and Wilkins lack, meaning you can use them even when the battery is dead. Both support high-quality codecs and active noise cancelling, but if you need the longest listening times between charges, the Soundcore Space Q45 has the edge. 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
The Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2 has no clear advantages over the Soundcore Space Q45.
Advantages of the Soundcore Space Q45
Excellent for air travel
Key differences
Battery
5.0 Hours
41.0 Hours
The Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2 has 5 hours of battery life. The Soundcore Space Q45 has 41 hours of battery life.
The Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2 and Soundcore Space Q45 are both good for music.
Gaming
5.3/10
5.4/10
The Soundcore Space Q45 and Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2 are both poor for gaming.
Phone Calls
5.2/10
4.9/10
The Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2 and Soundcore Space Q45 are both poor for phone calls.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
5.6/10
5.9/10
The Soundcore Space Q45 and Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2 are both poor for podcasts and audiobooks.
TV and Video
6.0/10
5.6/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2 to be only fair for TV and video, while the Soundcore Space Q45 is poor.
Noise Reduction
8.3/10
8.7/10
The Soundcore Space Q45 and Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2 are both very good for noise reduction.
Cost
$127
$130
$0
$50
$100
$150
$200
The Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2 has a price of $127 and the Soundcore Space Q45 costs $130.
Build Quality
8.9/10
8.5/10
The Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2 and Soundcore Space Q45 both have very good build quality.
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How the Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2 and the Soundcore Space Q45 compare to other earbuds and headphones
"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."
"The Anker Soundcore Space Q45 is a great pair of active noise canceling (ANC) headphones, and the $150 USD price tag only sweetens the deal. Unlike many mid-tier wireless headphones, the Q45 microphone system rejects quite a bit of background noise, making this a great work headset too."
Get a great deal on the Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2 or the Soundcore Space Q45
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 Soundcore
Soundcore is a sub-brand belonging to Anker Innovations. Starting in 2014, initially marketing wireless, Bluetooth, speakers, Anker now offers an array of, budget-friendly, wireless earbuds and headphones that directly compete, especially in the Active Noise Canceling field, with other brands several times as expensive.
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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
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Earbuds and Headphones Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
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Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Luis Torres
Earbuds and Headphones Expert
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.