Bowers & Wilkins Pi7 S2

Premium earbuds with not-so-premium performance

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Does the hi-fi equipment we are testing justify shelling out a couple of thousands (or lakhs)? And how can we recommend a premium product when a perfectly capable alternative exists at a much lower price? These are the questions we ask ourselves every time we test a new product at What Hi-Fi?. And they are particularly pertinent when it comes to the Bowers & Wilkins’ Pi7 S2 premium wireless earbuds.

We reviewed the original B&W Pi7 two years ago and were impressed with their “wonderfully detailed and clear” sound. But connectivity issues, low battery life and ‘basic’ noise-cancelling left us wanting more, especially at the high asking price. Can the sequel deliver a more promising performance?

About that price. There’s no getting away from it: these buds are very expensive. In fact, they are one of the most expensive true wireless earbuds we have tested, costing more than our current premium Award-winner, Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II, and Apple’s flagship five-star AirPods Pro 2. We know there are similarly pricey (if not pricier) models out there from the likes of Bang & Olufsen and Master & Dynamic, but this still feels steep from a brand that is as close to mainstream as a hi-fi company can get.

At least the Pi7 S2 earbuds’ build and design still exude the same level of high quality befitting the high price tag. The elliptical design returns, with a metallic circular protrusion that houses the buds’ drivers, capacitive touch controls and antenna. The buds are a tad on the large side and do stick out of your ears in a chic Cyberman kind of way, but they look more sleek than bulky.