Bowers & Wilkins P×7 S3

Beautiful headphones that make a stunning sound

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Maybe it's just us, but the Px7 S3 are such a lovely pair of headphones that we're almost reluctant to extract them from their case and actually wear them. B&W has always known how to make a pair of cans look chic and classy, continuing that keen-eyed legacy with these ever-so-stylish third-generation headphones.

We considered the Px7 S2e to have nailed that air of high perceived value, but if anything, their successors see the headphones line looking and feeling better than ever.

To handle, they are a delight. Every part of the construction feels as though genuine care and attention has been made in its design, be it the hinges adjoining the earcups, the textured woven fabric of the headband or the subtle metallic embellishments gleaming when exposed to the light. It’s all subjective, but we're struggling to think of a nicer-looking pair at this price.

Following feedback that some users found the Px7 S2e to be just a little weighty and oversized, B&W has put its newest cans on a crash diet, resulting in a lighter weight of just 300 grams and a shallower profile when laid flat. That makes the newer model easier to wear and transport, and while the S3 don't fold away, the accompanying carry case also boasts a flatter, smaller footprint for sliding into a backpack or slipping into a suitcase.

That new lightness, combined with an established configuration that never exactly starved us for comfort, leads to a pleasant fit. The clamping force is well-judged, while the earpads' blend of firmness and forgiving suppleness (they feel slightly softer than their predecessors) doesn't have our ears begging for relief after mere minutes, even if we do experience some on-ear heat during testing. With one eye on sustainability, the S3's various components - ear cushions, headband, even the internal drive units - are replaceable should they begin to falter.