Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2 Over-Ear Noise-Canceling Headphones

Over the years, wireless Bluetooth ANC (active noise canceling) headphones have all gotten very good. Though the audio improvements for listening to music, in general, have gotten substantially better, I used to say that I wouldn’t recommend them as someone’s only pair of headphones. The Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2 headphones might change that advice.

The Px8 S2 are everything that I loved about the original Px8, including the tank-like build, beautiful Nappa leather, and brushed aluminum armature. However, beyond the aesthetics, which have been subtly redesigned, there are some major improvements in the sound. Now sporting Bluetooth 5.3 with aptX Lossless technology, optimized drive units, and eight microphones, the Px8 S2 delivers what Bowers & Wilkins calls a step up to reference, high-resolution audio.

The Px8 S2 combines a 24-bit high-performance DSP with a dedicated amplifier/DAC and a custom-designed 40mm dynamic full-range carbon-cone driver, which is a redesign of the original Px8 driver. The Bowers & Wilkins Music app fine-tunes the audio with a new five-band EQ. Phone calls feature ADI Pure Voice. The sumptuous Nappa leather rotating earpads and leather-padded headband provide hours of comfortable listening.

Bowers & Wilkins is known for their flagship audio gear and is a company that continues to innovate and build on those products, and the Px8 S2 over-ear noise-cancelling headphones are one of those flagship models that are an update of the original Px8, which I reviewed almost two years ago.

When I received the Px8 S2 for review, I was expecting a nice upgrade to the Px8, but what Bowers & Wilkins has created is almost a new model, as there are so many additions and refinements. The Px8 S2 is clearer, more balanced in the mids and highs, and the bass is more refined and not boomy like the original Px8 was. In every metric, the Px8 S2 has exceeded its predecessor. I wrote to the engineers and asked what they did to make a very good headphone become an audiophile headphone. Their response back was “We’ve changed more-or-less everything!” followed by a list of details that supported my first impression that this could be a brand-new model, not an update. One item they mentioned was a new Qualcomm wireless chipset and wireless pathway, which is more powerful and supports both aptX Adaptive at up to 24/96 and aptX Lossless, which wasn’t present in the previous model. The Px8 S2 are designed to support spatial audio and LE Audio in a future update. The engineers also said there was now an improved ANC with an 8-microphone design compared with 6 microphones in the Px8.

Bowers & Wilkins packages the Px8 S2 in a compact, zippered cloth case. Inside is a small compartment with a magnetic lid where the two included cables are nested. In a market that seems to feature rather large carry cases, I love the simple, oh-so-Bowers & Wilkins practical case. Classy and matching the color of the headphones (Warm Stone), it is also rather flat and can fit easily in my hand, like a small book. It lacks a handle, but I think that was a good decision, as it keeps it as compact as possible.

The headphones themselves are stunning. No plastic, just buttery-soft leather and brushed aluminum. All curves and no sharp edges. The buttons are placed on the side of the housing that attaches to the armature of the headband. They are small and feature different shapes and textures for tactile location. The left earcup has the power/Bluetooth pairing button and above that the mode button for ANC, ambient pass-through, and voice assistant, as well as the status lights and USB-C charging and wired audio. The right earcup has multi-function buttons that control volume, forward and back track selection/pause, and phone calls. The included quick start guide gives simple diagrams for the various controls. A more detailed manual can be downloaded from the website.

The earcups are sumptuously soft, oval-shaped, and are now user-replaceable. Though the earcups are modest in size, my ears fit nicely inside without being compressed. Someone with large ears might have a different experience. The leather-wrapped headband is well-padded, and adjustments are made by sliding the metal armature. They moved smoothly and stayed in place. The ear cups are slimmer than the original Px8 and feel compact, and the headphones, weighing only 310g, make long listening sessions very comfortable.

Bowers & Wilkins made a design choice to expose the normally internal sound cable as part of the decorative armature. It adds a jewel-like touch that makes the Px8 S2 stand out in a crowded field of pretty contenders.

The addition of aptX Lossless brought a clarity to Bluetooth audio that was significant. There will be support for spatial audio and LE Audio in future updates through the Music app. There is a new DSP chipset that is more capable and powerful than the previous Px8. The engineers mentioned that the tuning is new to take advantage of the hardware upgrades.

The Px8 S2 headphones came with about an 80% charge, and the quick start guide made set-up effortless. Pairing with the iPhone was fast, and once connected, the Px8 S2 paired up automatically. Since the headphones have both Apple MFI Made for iPhone support and Google Fast Pair, users of either platform should find Bluetooth pairing simple and dependable. The Bowers & Wilkins Music app offers controls for many functions. There is a five-band EQ, including a “True Sound” mode that leaves the original audio profile untouched, and connections to various music services, including Qobuz and “Curated by Bowers & Wilkins”. More than one headphone can be paired at a time. The app also has several custom settings. For example, the quick action button can be used as it comes out of the box, which is for environment controls, like ANC, but it can be programmed for another function, like speaking to a voice assistant. Also, the headphones have a power-saving/playback control sensor that pauses media playback when they are removed from the head and automatically wakes up when worn again. The sensitivity of the sensor can be adjusted in the Music app.

My music devices were the iPhone, iPad Pro, and the FiiO M21 DAP (digital audio player). I used the highest Bluetooth Codecs available from the various devices, and listened wired via USB-C.

I was surprised at the difference between the Px8, which I really enjoyed, and the Px8 S2. The Px8 S2 was like peeling off a frosted film from the Px8. In comparison, the original Px8 sounded muted, and the details were softer, something I didn’t notice until having them side by side. I decided to compare the two, plus the highly regarded Noble FoKus Apollo ANC wireless over-ear headphones I had reviewed in June 2025. The Noble FoKus Apollo is a hybrid headphone since it has both a dynamic and a planar magnetic driver, so it isn’t a direct comparison; however, they are in the same price range and have similar features, so I thought they would be an interesting comparison.

On first listen to the Px8 S2, the improvement in precision, clarity, and holographic imaging was noticeable. As I mentioned, it was as if a veil had been lifted from the previous model. It was clear in the first few minutes that I was listening to a major update, and when I bypassed Bluetooth by listening wired via USB-C, the improvements remained. Right out of the box, the bass, which, in the previous model, had been overbearing and needed to be dialed down in EQ, was tight, punchy, and weighty. I did create an EQ preset I labeled “less bass” for some heavy bass music, but in general, the “True Sound” mode, which turns off all EQ adjustments, was what I found gave the most balanced presentation.

I thought it would be interesting to do a mini comparison with two other similar wireless ANC headphones. In terms of ANC and phone call performance, both the Px8 S2 and the Noble FoKus Apollo performed great. Calls on either sounded very good, according to the reports I got. However, the original Px8 showed its age, especially with call quality, which tended to distort if there was any wind, and sounded less clear. I am fond of the Px8. They are extremely comfortable, compact, and a delight to travel with. I felt the audio quality with music was very good, and I still do. However, when compared to the Px8 S2, what I most noticed about the Px8 is that the details are softer, the highs lack sparkle, and the soundstage is narrower. In addition, without EQ, the bass is too dominant. As an aside, in general, ANC headphones, which are made for noisy environments and travel, are bass dominant to override the loss of dynamics a headphone in that environment suffers. For example, in the Px8 S2, the ANC adds more bass, and when ANC is turned off, the bass retreats a little.

The Noble FoKus Apollo offered a different challenge. They are stellar performers and are the only ones of the three that are a hybrid headphone, having both a dynamic and a planar magnetic driver. The combination of both drivers gives them a wider dynamic range since the addition of a planar driver gives a boost to the higher frequencies. By being able to route the lower frequencies to the dynamic driver, they have a tight and precise bass that delivers a hard-hitting punch. In contrast, the Px8 S2 must put the entire load of reproduction on the 40mm dynamic driver. However, the Noble FoKus Apollo has a thinness to the highs. They were vivid but lacked body and warmth. The Px8 S2, on the other hand, has clear and detailed highs, but with a warmer, more appealing tuning that makes for hours of fatigue-free listening. If someone wants to extract as much detail and dynamics from their music as possible from an ANC wireless headphone, and they don’t mind the lack of aptX Lossless, then, in my opinion, the nod goes to the Noble FoKus Apollo. Given the warmer, yet dynamic details and hours of fatigue-free listening, plus aptX Lossless, I would choose the Px8 S2. Both the Noble FoKus Apollo and the Px8 S2 can be used as wired headphones. However, the Noble FoKus Apollo actually sounded better when using Bluetooth. However, the Px8 S2 sounded great when connected by USB-C, which connects at up to 24-bit 192 kHz. I was impressed with how dynamic and clear they sounded.

Listening to music, either wired or via Bluetooth, the Px8 S2 has a musical, almost analog quality. They have a warmth that doesn’t sacrifice detail and clarity. They are spacious and give instruments room to shine. The timbre is accurate and lovely; I noticed this particularly when listening to jazz.

The Bowers and Wilkins PX8 S2 ANC headphones are an upgrade over the original version on every conceivable level. If you are in the market for a premium wireless listening experience, these headphones must be auditioned post haste!

Bowers & Wilkins is a company that doesn’t rest on its considerable reputation, producing some of the most highly regarded audio gear. Building on what was special about the original Px8, the engineers have given us luxurious and beautifully built headphones with the Px8 S2. They were a joy to use, whether as an ANC wireless headphone while traveling, or plugged into my phone as a wired headphone.