Bowers & Wilkins Pi7 S2 has mainly upgraded battery life and App experience, and other aspects are almost the same as Bowers & Wilkins Pi7. However, the upgraded battery life is still shorter in TWS earbuds.
Bowers & Wilkins Pi7 S2 specs and features:
- Bluetooth 5.0 with AAC/aptX Adaptive codec
- 3 – 5 hours playback of per charge (ANC on/off)
- Charging case can charge earbuds fully 3 times
- IP54 waterproof rating (rain and sweat resistant)
- 9.2mm dynamic driver + armature driver
- $329 – Check latest price on Amazon US, Amazon Germany or other Amazon countries
Design, Comfort and Battery Life
Bowers & Wilkins Pi7 S2 feels “familiar” to me. Whether it is the packaging or the product itself, it is very similar to the Bowers & Wilkins Pi7 in terms of design – only the color is slightly different.
The Pi7 S2 earbuds still use the bean-shaped design, and the appearance is consistent with the previous generation. However, the earbuds are the same color as the charging case, and the main part is more warm-colored. The touch area part of the earbuds are also different.
The weight of a single earbud is 7.2g, which is lighter than the previous generation (7.8g). Due to the bean-shaped design of the earbuds, the weight is evenly distributed around the sound chamber. The sound chamber curve of the earbud can fit closely with the auricle, and with the light weight, it will not bring a large burden to the ear.
After the ANC mode is turned off, the single battery life is up to 5 hours, and the total battery life is up to 21 hours. The battery life after turning on the ANC mode is about 3 hours. While a 25% increase over the Bowers & Wilkins Pi7, battery life is still shorter in TWS earbuds – a big drawback for the Pi7 S2.
Also, Bowers & Wilkins Pi7 S2 supports wireless charging and fast charging – charge for 15 minutes and listen to music for 2 hours.
Connectivity, APP and Control
The earbuds uses the Bluetooth 5.0 chip and supports SBC/AAC/aptX-Adaptive codec. Simply open the charging case lid and the earbuds will enter pairing mode – at this point connect “Pi7 S2” from the bluetooth list in your phone or tablet.
In addition, the App has also been upgraded to the new Bowers & Wilkins Music App. After connecting the earbuds to the phone, install and open the app, you can view the real-time status of the earbuds in the app, and control noise cancellation, transparency mode level, etc.
Compared with the Bowers & Wilkins Headphones App, the Music App is smoother in operation, and has added a lot of icon prompts – more intuitive and clear in use.
The control area of the Pi7 S2 is still located in the metal ring of the earbuds – the operation method remains the same. Support answer/hang up calls, pause/play, switch songs, ANC on/off, etc.
Noise Cancellation and Calls
The Bowers & Wilkins Pi7 S2 features adaptive hybrid noise cancellation technology with 3 microphones on each eaerbud. The active noise cancellation effect of the wireless earbuds is similar to that of Bowers & Wilkins PI7, which can effectively reduce ambient noise in a noisy environment and provide a relatively quiet listening environment.
For example, in very noisy scenes of subways and buses, with the help of ANC function, Pi7 S2 can greatly reduce the ambient sound. When listening to music with ANC turned on, the timbre does not feel dull, and the transparency is still maintained.
In addition, due to the upgrade of the Bowers & Wilkins Music App, the transparency mode needs to be turned on from the App.
What’s more special – the transparency mode of Pi7 S2 can be turned on together with the ANC mode. Both noise cancellation and sound transparency can be adjusted as needed – I don’t find it useful.
The CVC2 voice call microphone optimizes the vocal through the DSP chip, and intelligently controls the echo and environmental noise at the same time. The quality of the actual call is not bad. It should be noted that the ANC mode will be automatically turned off during the call.
Sound Quality and Configuration
Pi7 S2 earbuds use the hybrid dual-driver design. Not only is there a 9.2mm dynamic driver, it ensures the vigorous of the mid-bass. It is also equipped with armature tweeter to improve dynamic performance and transient details.
Bowers & Wilkins Pi7 S2 adopts Qualcomm aptX Adaptive wireless transmission technology, supports aptX, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive, SBC and AAC codecs. 24-bit true wireless design – support up to 48kHz/24bit wireless audio transmission, and can restore high-fidelity sound quality at the studio level.
The tuning of the Pi7 S2 has not changed much, and it still has a clear “popular” stylization tendency. The soundstage of the earbuds is very wide, and the sense of presence is sufficient. The low-frequency has been strengthened to a certain extent, and the overall sound is steady and mellow. The vocals are clear and delicate, and the layering is distinct. Very rich details are preserved in the music, and the hearing is very transparent.
Verdict
From an upgrade point of view, Bowers & Wilkins Pi7 S2 has limited upgrade points. Compared with Bowers & Wilkins Pi7, the improvements mainly focus on new colors, app experience and battery life. However, the upgraded battery life is still shorter in TWS earbuds.
Check Bowers & Wilkins Pi7 S2 price:
- Check latest price on Amazon US
- Check latest price on Amazon Germany
- Check latest price on other Amazon countries
