Bowers & Wilkins has just announced its all-new flagship 800 Series Diamond speaker range to celebrate 60 years of the iconic British brand.

The fifth generation of the established 800 Series of loudspeakers once again incorporates B&W's iconic Diamond Dome tweeter, and features seven new models, including the two-way 805 D5 standmounter and a trio of three-way floorstanding models: the the 804 D5, 803 D5, and 802 D5.

And the good news is, we've already heard them. We're on the ground at High End Vienna 2026 so we took B&W up on the offer of some listening time with the range-topping 801 D5 (£43,000 / $65,000 / €50,000).

We'll get a chance to have an even more in-depth listen in due course, but a pair of flagship Bowers & Wilkins speakers don't tend to come around too often, so we were eager to take this first opportunity.

First, the usual caveats. It wasn't the longest demo we'll ever be given – around 45 minutes – and demo rooms at hi-fi shows are rarely conducive to giving the best sound possible, especially when you're competing with below par acoustics and the sound of a few thousand hi-fi enthusiasts trying to get their bearings.

With all that said and done – the signs are positive.

It's taken around five years for B&W to bake its latest speakers in the proverbial oven, but as we get our demo underway, the promise of enhanced resolution and forensic levels of detail look set to be proved true.

B&W has promised a more "even-handed" and "generous" character without any loss of resolution from the 801 D5, and when coupled with a system which includes Mark Levinson's 626 preamp and 632 power amp, plus a high-end Innuos Nazaré music streamer, our demo speakers are ready to show some of their clear capabilities.

Odetta's Hit or Miss is our aperitif, with cascading opening drums sounding three-dimensional and authentic before that soulful central performance is given ample room in the spotlight.

We're sitting slightly off-centre, so it's hard to judge just how well the 801 D5 speakers assemble each musical element, but the impression we get is of speakers with a knack for putting music together in a neat, precise and cinematic manner.

We're also promised solid, integrated bass, something that B&W showcases with Eric Clapton's After Midnight and Thom Yorke's Black Swan.

There's ample power and authority to the lower end reproduction across both tracks, with strong evidence of a bass that, in B&W's words, blends "scale and integrity".

We're certainly keen to let the B&W 801 D5 loose in a larger, more conditioned room where the speakers have greater space to blossom and breathe, but regardless, there are strong hints at serious talent here.

Antigravity by Sohn finishes off our session, letting the B&W towers further showcase their dynamic abilities.

Flagship floorstanding speakers such as these should be able to tackle small scale shifts alongside those big dynamic swings, a balance the 801 D5 seem to manage as various instruments scatter and tumble all around.

We'll reserve any concrete judgements until we've had far more time to really dig into the 801 D5 and discover the bounds of their talents.

Initial signs point to a powerful, vivid and impressively detailed pair of flagship floorstanders, even if it's hard to escape the limitations of the listening space working against them.

Once we have a chance to get the speakers into a space where they can really shine, we'll be in a better position to see whether B&W has added a genuine classic to its long-running Diamond line-up.

MORE:

High End Vienna 2026: all the news and what to expect from Europe's biggest hi-fi show

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This is a big one: British brand Bowers & Wilkins has announced the new model in its legendary 800 Series Diamond range – and during its 60th anniversary year. The D5 is the fifth generation of the 800 Series to feature the Diamond Dome tweeter; it follows multiple five-star and Award-winning entries.

So what’s new? The D5 range includes new technology, a refined design and new finishes to deliver what B&W claims is its most advanced speaker range ever.

You can read our first impressions here: I've had a first listen to Bowers & Wilkins' new flagship 800 Series Diamond speakers – and now I'm desperate to hear more

The range comprises seven models: the two-way 805 D5 standmount, 804 D5, 803 D5, 802 D5 and 801 D5 three-way floorstanders, and HTM81 D5 and HTM82 D5 centre channel speakers for home cinema use.

Like previous models in the Diamond series, the speakers are luxuriously designed. The new models have new top plates, spines and plinths, and revised drive unit pods, tweeter bodies, trim rings and grilles. They also have new finishes with more durable paint than previous models.

We also get tighter production tolerances, with visible transitions between surfaces minimised, fixings hidden and gaps between panels greatly reduced. All of which should amount to a more seamless and premium finish.

There are improvements under the hood, too, resulting in “more openness, lower distortion, heightened resolution and superior dynamics,” B&W says. One of the highlights is Space Frame Bracing, which features parallel aluminium bracing rails that are periodically enforced longitudinally and transversely bolted onto the rear of the Matrix inside the speaker cabinet. This stiffens the inside of the enclosure, reducing the unwanted impact of vibrations and resonances.

The new plinths have been redesigned to match the form of the cabinet they support. They have new metal trims and have been extended to conceal the speakers’ wheels and spikes to make them more aesthetically pleasing. They benefit from constrained-layer and tuned-mass damping, again to reduce unwanted output.

The new aluminium top-plate braces the top section with thicker aluminium ribbing sections for greater stiffness. It also has more mechanical location points and revised coupling mounts, and an upgraded collar trimmed in Leather by Connolly.

The 804 D5 features an internal aluminium enclosure for its Continuum Cone FST assembly. This is derived from the stiff Turbine Head structure used on all larger floorstanding 800 Series Diamond models, and isolates the midrange assembly while also providing a consistent mechanical decoupling point for the drive unit. All of which should make for a more free and open sound from the Continuum Cone midrange.

All the new speakers have the same tweeter grille mesh design as the 801 D4 Signature, but made more acoustically transparent for greater resolution. Each midrange, bass/midrange and bass drive unit in the new range has lower-distortion motor systems based on Signature-specification components. Which should deliver a “cleaner, more accurate sounding presentation with better resolution, transient response and dynamics.”

They also have upgraded crossovers, again derived from B&W’s Signature speakers, and new wiring harnesses with higher-quality cabling and terminal post links for better resolution.

New stereo models benefit from a crossover assembly which is housed on an all-aluminium plate construction which is coupled into both the cabinet and the rear Space Frame Bracing using substantial M8 and M4 fixings to improve cabinet stiffness. But the fixings are concealed behind brand and model identifier plates for a more elegant look.

The 801 D5 is the flagship, while the cheaper 802 D5 has the same proportions and same same 6-inch FST midrange cone. The 803 D5 is cheaper still, with a smaller footprint, while the 804 D5 has a more traditional design than its siblings. The 805 D5 is the standmount.

The HTM81 D5 centre-channel speaker is for use with the 801 and 802 D5, whereas the HTM82 D5 is for use with the 803 and 804 D5. Both centre-channel speakers are three-way designs.

There are also stands: the FS-805 D5 (for the 805 D5) and FS-HTM D5 (for the HTM81 D5 or HTM82 D5).

Pricing is as follows:

• 801 D5: £43,000 / $65,000 (around AU$81,000)
• 802 D5: £32,500 / $45,000 (around AU$61,000).
• 803 D5: £25,500 / $35,000 (around AU$48,000)
• 804 D5: £16,000 / $25,000 (around AU$30,000)
• 805 D5: £10,000 / $15,000 (around AU$19,000)
• HTM81 D5: £10,000 / $15,000 (around AU$19,000)
• HTM82 D5: £8000 / $12,000 (around AU$15,000)
• FS-805 D5: £1600 / $2000 (around AU$3000)
• FS-HTM D5: £1100 / $1500 (around AU$2000)

MORE:

All the news from High End Vienna 2026

The best B&W speakers around

And the best speakers you can buy

Denon and Marantz are two of the biggest names in audio, especially if you’re obsessed with AVRs like me. Whether it’s the affordable Denon AVR-X2800H or the premium (and super stylish) Marantz Cinema 30, these sister companies occupy three of the five slots on our best AV receivers list.

Speaking of, that list is probably about to receive a bit of a shake-up. Last month, I travelled all the way to Tokyo for a secret mission, which I can now reveal was to check out the highly anticipated AVR-X2900H and AVR-X3900H: both sequels to two home cinema test-room legends.

You can check out our AVR-X2900H hands-on review for our extended first impressions of the new amplifier. But seeing (or should we say hearing?) the new AVRs was only half of the experience.

The other half centred around touring Denon and Marantz’s facilities, which included speaking to the companies’ respective Sound Masters, and experiencing the listening rooms in which these products are developed and tuned.

Denon is based in the historic city of Shirakawa, 185km northeast of Tokyo. It has called this city home for more than 40 years, and around 200 people work here across various divisions, including manufacturing and research and development (R&D).

Marantz joined Denon here in 2002, and now both companies share the space. There’s a Hall of Fame and a museum dedicated to products that define both audio companies’ respective histories, and there’s a manufacturing plant on site. Everything from handmade turntable cartridges to mass-produced AV receivers are assembled here.

The most enticing part of my tour of this facility, however, was the listening-room experience that the brands hosted. Denon opted to show off a multi-channel demonstration, whereas Marantz stuck to stereo; both were equally entrancing.

The room featured a 9.4.6 speaker arrangement, with four pairs of Bowers & Wilkins 801 D4 floorstanders as the headliners. These cost £36,000 a pair, so it should be clear just how serious Denon and Marantz are about home cinema and hi-fi sound.

These were joined by a matching centre channel – the B&W HTM81 D4 at £8250 – and four B&W DB1D subwoofers at £4600 a pop. Height channels were handled via six in-ceiling Bowers & Wilkins speakers, including one pair of CCM663s (around £650/pair) and two pairs of the CCM664 speakers (around £600/pair).

If our maths serves us correctly, that prices the speaker package at a staggering £172,500, and that’s before we take into account the room treatment, cables, disc players and amplification.

Put simply, this room is an audiophile’s dream, and it was the perfect space to experience the top-of-the-range products being shown by each brand.

Denon also confirmed that this is where it tests and benchmarks new products, including the freshly announced AVR-X2900H and AVC-X3900H home cinema amplifiers.

Each step in the production cycle is tested at the Shirakawa facility, from the first prototype model to the mass production units. Denon confirmed that it uses a mixture of measurements and real-world cinematic content to verify performance, with Godzilla: Minus One, Top Gun: Maverick and Dune: Part One being selected as standout test titles.

Finally, the room has been designed and laid out so that the engineers don't need to use Audyssey room correction during the testing process. This allows for a cleaner and more authentic sound so that the audio engineers know exactly what they are working with when designing a new amplifier.

With all of that important context explained, let’s get into the listening experience...

Denon’s cinematic AVR-A1H...

Denon led with its AVR-A1H home cinema amplifier, known as the AVC-A1H in the UK due to it lacking an AM/FM tuner.

This amplifier launched at £6800, and it sits above the top of the range X-series AVC-X6800H and AVC-A10H amplifiers.

It has been on the market for a few years now, but as the premier of Denon’s AVR offerings, it remains a stalwart for devoted home cinema fans. Featuring 15.4 channels of amplification, it supports Denon’s reference system without breaking a sweat, and is rated to deliver 150W of amplification with two channels driven, meaning it’s plenty powerful.

Denon opted to use three well-known demo sequences, one of which we often use to test Dolby Atmos soundbars and surround sound speaker packages.

Starting with the first performance of the track Shallow from A Star Is Born, the AVR-A1H delivered a powerful, rich and enveloping performance. It balanced immense scale with intricate detail and subtle dynamic shifts, resulting in a supremely natural sound.

I have heard this sequence at countless hands-on events, and in our home cinema testing room, and yet this demonstration revealed some subtle sonic elements that I'd never heard before.

Speaking of sequences I've heard more times than I can count, Denon followed up with the introduction to Unbroken. The dynamic build of the plane approaching at the very start of the film was conveyed with an impressive balance of subtlety and weight, allowing the engine sounds to swell naturally, and ultimately pass to the surround and height channels fluidly.

When the bomber comes under fire, the flak explosions were expressed with a crisp, weighty punch of bass that remained totally in control while also delivering the intended impact.

Denon rounded out the experience with chapter nine of Gravity, in which (spoilers ahead) the space shuttle reenters the Earth’s atmosphere, and the Denon AVR-A1H takes us full circle.

It carried the same authoritative, muscular and rich sound of the five-star AVR-X6800H, but with a much broader and more powerful character that tackles cinematic scale with ease.

The rattling and creaking of the shuttle as it plummets towards Earth felt textured, while the stray debris whizzing past carried a genuine sense of speed and danger.

While the wonderfully overkill speaker system undoubtedly played a part in making this demo as impressive as it was, the AVR-A1H’s balance of sheer power and finesse made it all the more impressive.

Marantz’s musical Model 10, Link 10n and SACD 10 trio...

Marantz followed up with a triple threat of reference hi-fi products. The Model 10 Reference Integrated Amplifier, to give it its full title, was the star of the show, launching back in 2024 for £13,000.

It was joined by the Link 10n network preamplifier (which launched at £10,400) and the SACD10 (also £10,400); essentially, this is Marantz’s full reference hi-fi lineup. While the same B&W sound system was used, Marantz switched to stereo instead of surround and used only the front left and right channels.

To establish its musical prowess, Marantz used classical compositions by Shostakovich and Stravinsky, alongside a duo of jazz renditions from Miyuki Koga and Fourplay.

The classical tracks revealed the system's ability to deliver punch, scale and drama, all while remaining intricately detailed and superbly controlled.

Shostakovich's Symphony No.5 II Allegretto emphasised the big, powerful and rich sound that this system can produce. It did come across as a touch too forward and assertive at times during this track, but that didn't detract from the scale and spaciousness shown during the demo.

Miyuki Koga's rendition of Put the Blame on Mame demonstrated a rich and natural vocal presentation, with a solid sense of timing to back the lyrics up. Despite a lot of words starting with ‘s’ in this track, there was very little sibilance to note.

Finally, Fourplay’s Chant was underpinned by a fresh, airy and open sound, held together by snappy, tight bass that kept everything in check. All of the instruments featured in the track sounded realistic and natural, with the bass guitar and woodwind instruments being two standout elements.

Both systems lived up to expectations in many regards – given the price, I would have been shocked if they hadn't. We’re eager to hear how this testing environment influences the sound of the final products – and the good news is that we won’t have to wait long.

The Denon AVR-X2900H has just landed in our AV testing room, so stay tuned for our full review.

MORE:

Read our Denon AVR-X2900H hands on review

As well as our full Denon AVR-X2800H review

And check out our list of the best AV receivers

Stop what you’re doing – there’s a new pair of Sony wireless headphones in town.

The 1000X range has been Sony’s flagship wireless series for a whole decade, and the brand has decided to mark this anniversary with a completely new addition to its established line-up: the Sony 1000X The Collexion over-ears.

These may be ‘celebratory’ headphones, but think of The Collexion as a fully fledged product in their own right, rather than a limited edition one-off designed for the sake of novelty or sentimentality. These are headphones which exist separately from Sony's WH-1000XM6 – with their own unique sound, design philosophy and materials – and sit comfortably above their stablemates in price.

In fact, Sony has focused on sound above all else for The Collexion cans, for what it has dubbed “the best sounding headphones we’ve ever made”. When you consider some of the absolute gems the Japanese brand has produced in the past few years, that’s a mouthwatering claim. We’d be letting you down if we didn’t give them a listen…

Price

While the 1000X series has always remained a decidedly premium line, Sony had always resisted the urge to move up into the sort of ‘high-end’ territory occupied by the likes of the the Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2 (£629 / $799) and the Focal Bathys (£699 / $799), but with the 1000X The Collexion clocking in at £550 / $650, these are the closest Sony has ever come to operating within that more rarefied area of the market.

With the B&W and Focal rivals above them, the new Sonys have the likes of the Apple AirPods Max 2 (£499 / $549) and Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) (£449 / $449 / AU$700) sitting just below.

If you need reminding, the What Hi-Fi? Award-winning Sony WH-1000XM6 are priced at around £400 / $450 / AU$699, even if discounts are now knocking a few pounds or dollars off that RRP, while the five-star rival Sennheiser HDB 630 will set you back around £400 / $500 / AU$1000.

Build & comfort

Get hold of a pair of Sony’s latest and, if you squint your eyes a little, you might be fooled into thinking that you’d picked up a pair of Sonos Ace instead. The Sonys have the same clean, minimalist exterior as the Ace, as well as similarly designed oval earcups adorned with a few metallic physical buttons on the left earcup.

Sony’s engineers describe 1000X The Collexion as a pair of cans that should both look good and make you feel good when you wear them, and for the most part, that aim has been achieved. Everything on The Collexion is made either from metal or faux leather, with a nicely padded headband designed to spread pressure evenly for extended user comfort and slightly firmer ear padding than found on the WH-1000XM6.

We don’t have an issue with the look or feel of the faux leather, though our test pair are more susceptible to marks and stains than the smooth plastic of most of Sony’s other headphones. That faux material adorns pretty much the whole exterior of the earcup, so grubby fingers, not to mention the rigours of everyday use, do end up making their mark after a time.

A slimmer profile does help to add lightness, though, with the width of the earcups measuring around 40mm from inside to out, compared with the 45.4mm of the WH-1000XM6.

That does make for an appreciably lightweight and unobtrusive wearing experience, and though The Collexion actually weigh more than their XM6 counterparts – 312g against 254g – rarely do we feel that extra weight.

Some of our testers did experience some rocking and instability from the earcups when walking from place to place, but if you’re stationary, the new Sonys often simply melt away into obscurity as you forget you’ve got a pair plonked on your head at all.

While there are a few physical buttons to be found, touch controls are the main way of controlling your Sony over-ears. They work as well as you’d expect, responding quickly and effectively to our various commands, with ample levels of control customisation available via the useful Sony SoundConnect app.

Unlike the XM6 over-ears or the Bose QC Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen), these aren’t headphones which fold up into a ball, but their flattened profile and accompanying carry case – with its hollowed-out handle putting us in mind of a small handbag – mean they’re still relatively portable.

Features

Sony has very much positioned its new premium cans as sound-first headphones, but the 1000X The Collexion’s feature set matches the same generous level as that found on the do-it-all WH-1000XM6.

Battery life clocks in at around 32 hours with ANC off and roughly 24 hours with noise cancelling switched on, and while that’s down from the 30-or-so hours of the WH-1000XM6, it’s still a reasonable lifespan. The AirPods Max 2 only manage around 20 hours, although the Sennheiser HDB 630 are streets ahead with a whopping 60 hours with noise cancelling in play.

If you’re a fan of spatial audio, you get three versions of Sony’s ‘360 Reality Audio Upmix’ tech – ‘Music’, ‘Cinema’ and ‘Game’ – each of which add varying degrees of spatial processing depending on the media content. They’re fun modes to play around with, and we particularly enjoy the more immersive ‘Cinema’ setting which just about lives up to its billing by providing a more open, cinematic experience when watching movies.

On the subject of signal processing, these are the first Sony headphones to make use of its DSEE Ultimate tech for improving lower-quality digital audio files. In the app, you also get access to a 10-band equaliser for tweaking the sound alongside several simple presets, or you can deploy ‘Background Music’ mode to make it seem as though your tunes were playing in the distance to better aid your concentration.

The 1000X The Collexion support standard SBC and AAC codecs alongside higher-quality LDAC – which lets you stream hi-res music at higher data rates over Bluetooth from a compatible source device, such as Sony’s latest smartphones. Bluetooth LE Audio is also on board for lower power consumption and better-quality sound. You can also listen to the Sony headphones wired, thanks to the included 3.5mm to 3.5mm audio cable, though note that the headphones will have to be powered on when listening through a physical connection.

Sony’s Speak-To-Chat feature, which drops the volume level when you start talking, also returns, though we’d caution that the headphones can often confuse human speech with other sounds, particularly wind. If you don’t want your cans to keep cutting out every few minutes, we’d suggest switching Speak-to-Chat off when you’re outdoors and it’s a bit blustery.

ANC & call quality

While Sony has warned that noise cancelling wasn’t as much of a focus for The Collexion as it was for the WH-1000XM6, it’s still operating at a decidedly high level. Much of the same tech from the XM6 is on-hand here, including the QN3 chip and a total of 12 mics to capture and monitor surrounding noise.

When working in full noise-cancelling mode, Sony’s latest over-ears do an excellent job of suppressing noise throughout the frequencies, and while you might get the slightest hint of a shrill bird tweet just about breaking through that barrier, middle and lower range frequencies are filtered out expertly. The ANC quality on the WH-1000XM6 is still Sony’s best, but it’s very unlikely that you’ll feel short-changed by the noise cancelling on offer with The Collexion.

Call quality is excellent, too. The Collexion house six beamforming mics complemented by a wind noise reduction structure for enhanced vocal clarity and reduced external sonic intrusions, and it really pays off. Voices are clear, articulate and emotive, while background sounds rarely, if ever, intrude on our conversation as we stand next to a busy motorway on a decidedly blustery day.

Sound

Let’s reiterate what we mentioned in our introduction – the 1000X The Collexion are distinct headphones in their own right, with a sound, says Sony, which prioritises refinement, detail and maturity over the punchier, more flavoured personality of the WH-1000XM6.

To achieve this, The Collexion headphones feature a bespoke carbon composite 30mm drive unit, constructed using soft edging and a hard centre in pursuit of an “exceptional frequency response”. Sound has been optimised using a low-phase noise crystal oscillator, while premium components and circuitry, including advanced gold-containing solder, aim for an improved signal to noise ratio to reveal finer musical details and offer a wider soundstage.

That’s a lot of tech under hood, but how does that translate to the real-life listening experience?

Well, in many ways, the Sony 1000X The Collexion do live up to their billing. Just as described by Sony, they’re headphones that deal primarily in spaciousness and clarity, qualities which suffuse nigh-on every track as we bounce from Max Richter’s Never Goodbye to Radiohead’s Everything In Its Right Place.

That latter track sounds particularly good – The Collexion’s wide, open presentation grants the track a broad canvas on which to play, like an epic drama unfolding on a lovely big widescreen TV.

Detail levels are excellent, and when you have a pair of over-ears that offer clarity, textural insight and spaciousness to this extent, it’s hard not to be impressed. The elegiac strings on Never Goodbye are rich and mournful, while the piano on Debussy’s austere Sarabande strikes a wonderful balance between rich intent and subtle delicacy.

For all of their openness and delicacy, the Sonys don’t lack musical muscle. Think of them as being like a pro ballerina – nimble and graceful, yes, but strong and immensely robust when the time calls for it. It’s a nice balance to have, all aided by a deep, powerful yet controlled lower-end reproduction.

Bass tones are expertly handled, something that really comes across when we load up Massive Attack’s Atlas Air and feel the full force and punch of the tune’s full-blooded drum hits. That bass is nicely separated from the overlaid synth sounds working away above, yet not to the extent that the composition starts to lack any sense of cohesion between frequencies.

These premium Sony headphones really are impressive performers in so many aspects, but they appeal more to the head than to the heart. They certainly trade off some of that signature expressiveness we’ve heard in other Sony headphones for greater openness and detail, something that reduces the extent to which we feel truly involved with our music. Talented as they are, there’s something slightly removed, almost standoffish, about their reproduction.

That’s not something of which we’d accuse the outstanding, and cheaper, Sennheiser HDB 630. The Sennheisers have a more natural fluidity, especially with how they handle dynamic shifts, which makes them a more engaging listen. For us, the Sennheisers seem to strike that balance between naturalness, entertainment and analysis a touch more acutely than the Sonys.

Their rather aloof personality also robs the Sony cans of some of their intimacy. Listen to the first 30 seconds of Black Veil Brides’ Saviour II, and there’s a greater feeling of closeness to the opening guitar and vocal lead when listening via the costlier Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2. When the track opens up as the chorus hits, however, The Collexion show their hand, allowing it to blossom and reveal its gothic grandeur with more scale than the rival B&W cans.

Verdict

There’s much to admire about Sony’s 1000X The Collexion over-ears. It’s impossible to ignore their poised, detail-rich performance, while that ample feature set and classy construction make them tough to resist.

There is a ‘but’, however. In pursuing a particular sonic signature – namely, one that goes after scale, detail and clarity – it’s hard not to feel as though Sony has slightly thrown the baby out with the bathwater.

Yes, these are seriously talented performers, but deep down, they feel like headphones which were built to impress rather than entertain. As a result, we find ourselves admiring them rather than completely falling in love.

Review published: 19th May 2026

SCORES

• Sound 4
• Build 4
• Features 5

MORE:

Read our review of the Sony WH-1000XM6

Also consider the Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2

Read our Sennheiser HDB 630 review

Sony WH-1000XM6 vs 1000X The Collexion: which premium wireless headphones should you pick?

Best wireless headphones reviewed and rated by our in-house experts

It’s fair to say the quality of JBL’s flagship wireless headphones has been increasing gradually over the years, even if they haven’t been quite able to match their biggest rivals in the space such as Sony, Bose and Bowers & Wilkins.

We’ve already tested JBL’s current Tour One M3 over-ear flagships and deemed them solid four-star performers. And JBL will be hoping its latest move will go one step further in catching up with the competition.

So what has happened, exactly?

There’s been an interesting development, which looks like it’s ushering in a new direction for sound quality from the brand’s top headphones, starting with the Tour One M3.

JBL has tweaked what it calls its sound curve, which is a given target response that its headphones have been designed to meet.

According to JBL, users can expect “a sound that is clearer, more balanced, and truer to the artist”. It also claims that the updates will be “setting a new benchmark for precision and clarity”.

So, how do you get the new, improved audio quality? The sound curve change is available as a firmware update for the over-ears from today, 23rd April.

"The way people listen has fundamentally shifted with better hardware, higher-quality content and smarter streaming, making today's ears more discerning than ever.

"We are always striving to push the boundaries of sound performance and saw this as the perfect moment to refine the JBL sound curve for our premium headphones,” says Carsten Olesen, President of Consumer Audio at Harman.

With the change coming as a result of a firmware update rather than a hardware update, it will be interesting to hear how the sonic character changes and if it is indeed for the better.

JBL is also updating the interface of the Smart Tx transmitter, which is an accessory for the Tour One M3 over-ears and the interface of the charging case for its flagship Tour Pro 3 earbuds. They share many similar features and functions.

It’s promising a new menu system with horizontal and vertical scrolling, better graphics, larger icons and more intuitive layouts designed to make for a smoother user experience.

Last, but by no means least, the headphones and earbuds are also getting a new green finish (see above), complete with copper accents. It has been “Inspired by heritage British motorsport and modern luxury trends” and looks particularly striking in the images we’ve seen so far.

The new finish will be available from mid-May in select retailers and from JBL’s website, with pricing for the JBL Tour Pro 3 at £279.99 / €299.99, the JBL Tour One M3 £329.99 / €349.99, and the JBL Tour One M3 with Smart TX £379.99 / €399.99.

MORE:

Read our JBL Tour One M3 Smart Tx review

And our JBL Tour Pro 3 review

Portable hi-fi has progressed so much, I'd choose it over a traditional system

Our pick of the best wireless headphones you can buy

It’s early days for 2026 TVs, with some brands (Sony, for one) yet to reveal their full ranges – but I’ve already spotted a front-runner for TV of the year, and it’s probably not the model you’re expecting.

The model I’m talking about is the Philips OLED951.

In picture terms, this is Philips’ flagship TV for 2026, and while many brands seem to be taking a fairly evolutionary approach to their OLEDs this year, Philips is really pushing the boat out.

On paper, it ticks almost every box: picture performance, gaming features, spectacular flourishes and future-proofing.

Of course, there’s no guarantee that the on-paper promise will translate to real-world perfection, and we’ll have to conduct a full review before we can deliver our verdict on that.

But, having now briefly seen it in action, I think there’s a good chance the OLED951 can really deliver.

Here, then, are seven reasons I think this Philips flagship OLED could end up being the TV of 2026.

It’s an OLED

An obvious one this, but the Philips OLED951 is… well… an OLED.

That’s a good thing in my book. The RGB Mini LED invasion is upon us, and there are some very good RGB Mini LEDs already out and on the way (including one from Philips), but I’m yet to see any evidence that the technology’s various strengths are a match for the pixel-level contrast control of OLED.

Perfect black pixels next to bright white or coloured ones make for unbeatable contrast, which has benefits right across the picture, particularly in terms of solidity and perceived three-dimensionality.

An OLED-beating RGB Mini LED TV might one day materialise – I’m open to that – but I predict that in 2026, at least, the best TV will be an OLED.

Brighter than the LG G6

We’ve written plenty of times about how brightness is a long way from the most important thing for a TV to deliver.

Still, lots of brightness headroom can be useful for a TV to deliver the goods in a brightly lit room. It also adds a degree of future-proofing, just in case Hollywood suddenly starts mastering lots of movies to 4000 nits (something I see very little evidence of, for what it’s worth).

Brightness isn’t going to be an issue for the OLED951, though, because Philips claims it can hit a peak brightness figure of 4500 nits, and a full-screen brightness of 400 nits.

Those are improvements over last year’s already very bright OLED950 of 800 and 50 nits, respectively.

Those figures, if achieved, will also make the OLED951 a good deal brighter than the LG G6, which shares a ‘Meta 4.0’ Primary RGB Tandem OLED panel with it – something that Philips says is down to its unique picture engine.

But will those figures be achieved? Having seen the OLED951 running against the OLED950 (see the photo above), it certainly looks like it. The OLED951 looked so much brighter that the figures given actually seem conservative.

And this isn’t just brightness for the sake of brightness, either, because, as we’ve seen in our own testing, when increased brightness is combined with OLED’s perfect black and pixel-level light control, the result is even greater contrast, which, as mentioned above, tends to make images look more solid and three-dimensional.

That was certainly the case in the side-by-side demo – the OLED951 really popped.

Four HDMI 2.1 sockets and custom settings for every game

Finally, Philips’ flagship OLEDs (and most of its other models, in fact) will have four HDMI 2.1 sockets.

These will all be able to accept gaming signals of up to 4K/165Hz, complete with VRR and HDR, including in the Dolby Vision format.

Sure, LG and Samsung have been offering OLEDs with four HDMI 2.1 sockets for years, but when combined with everything else the OLED951 offers (more of which I’ll get to), that still makes it a tantalising proposition for gamers.

Another feature that will appeal to gamers like me is the ability to customise settings for individual titles.

These settings can be designed to improve the picture (extra brightness and vibrancy for Rocket League, perhaps, and a darker, broodier presentation for Alan Wake II), give you an advantage over online rivals (through an onscreen crosshair or enhanced shadow detail, for instance), or deliver geeky gaming info such as the current frame rate.

If you’re a gaming picture quality obsessive, that’s very neat.

Ambilight and AmbiScape

Look, I know it’s not to everyone’s taste, and I certainly don’t think it makes sense for all content, but Ambilight – which extends the onscreen action onto the wall around the TV in the form of coloured light – remains a spectacular feature.

And now your room lights can be synchronised with what you’re watching more easily, too. This isn’t an entirely new feature, but previously, you needed Hue bulbs.

Now, thanks to the new AmbiScape feature, lights that conform to the Matter standard will be supported – and there are loads of those. That will make it far more affordable and flexible to get your lounge lights in on the Ambilight action.

Again, this won’t be an upgrade for all content, but play the aforementioned Rocket League, and it’s impossible not to get an extra thrill when a goal creates a flash of brilliant colour right across your room. It works brilliantly for colourful animated movies, too, such as the Spider-Verse series.

Dolby Vision 2

Will Dolby Vision 2 be a big deal in 2026? There’s a strong possibility it won’t be, as we’ve still had no news on actual content in the format.

It is coming at some point, though, and our first looks at it in action have been very impressive, so if you’re buying a TV this year, it’s well worth considering going for a model that supports the format.

That makes Philips’ new OLED951, OLED911 and OLED811 particularly appealing, because they will be the first OLED TVs to support Dolby Vision 2. In fact, they will also support the even more advanced Dolby Vision 2 Max, which adds, among other things, the very interesting Authentic Motion feature.

The Dolby Vision 2 and 2 Max support will be added via a post-launch software update (October is the current ETA), but don’t go thinking that 2026 OLEDs from other brands will follow suit: Dolby Vision 2 also needs to be baked into the hardware, and based on what we’ve been told so far, this hasn’t been done in the case of, for example, LG’s new models.

Excellent anti-reflection tech

Fighting reflections is a key theme in current TV development.

It’s probably fair to say that Samsung is best at it: its top OLEDs suppress reflections incredibly effectively.

But it does this by using a matte panel, and that tends to make blacks look quite grey in a well-lit room.

The new Meta 4.0 OLED panel from LG Display, though, suppresses more reflections than the previous version while still retaining the glossy finish that allows it to produce almost perfect blacks, even in strong ambient light.

According to official figures, the reflectance has been reduced from 0.6 per cent to 0.3 per cent. That doesn’t sound like a huge change, but in reality, it makes a clear difference.

We first saw this new anti-reflection tech in the G6, which massively impressed us with its combination of reflection suppression and deep blacks, and it looked equally excellent in the demo of the OLED951 against last year’s OLED950.

This is one of those things that really comes down to taste, with some people being perfectly happy with the matte look of the Samsung models. I personally prefer the glossy look, though, and the new panel in the LG G6 and Philips OLED951 strikes the best balance of anti-reflectivity and black performance that I’ve so far seen.

Dual Engine picture processing

Those already in the know about Philips’ 2026 TV lineup might be wondering why I’m getting all excited about the OLED951 rather than the OLED911.

After all, everything I’ve written so far also applies to the OLED911, and the OLED911 also has a Bowers & Wilkins sound system that, if form is to be believed, will make it one of, if not the, best-sounding TV in its class.

The reason is that the OLED951 has the Dual Engine version of Philips’ new 10th Gen P5 AI processor, whereas the OLED911 has the single-chip version. This unlocks some extra picture processing features that should further improve certain things, such as bright details and banding suppression.

The difference perhaps won’t be huge – we’ll need to fully test both models to find out – but as someone who subscribes to the ‘all TVs should be partnered with a dedicated sound system’ philosophy, I’ll always choose the potential for better picture quality over a better sound system.

You may feel differently, of course, and that’s fine. If that’s the case, I strongly recommend you read Lewis Empson’s Philips OLED911 hands-on.

That also looks like an excellent TV – but on paper (and from what I’ve seen of it so far), the OLED951 is the one that ticks every box for me.

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What Hi-Fi? turns 50 in 2026 and we're looking back on some of the most important hi-fi and home cinema products in our lifetime – and beyond!

We're going back further than 1976 in this article as we look back on a series of debut speakers from hi-fi brands that went on to great things.

Our list details the first-ever models from some of the most renowned loudspeaker brands in history, including Bang & Olufsen, Bowers & Wilkins, KEF and Quad, some (but not all) of which started life long before What Hi-Fi?.

Wharfedale Bronze 2 (1932)

Wharfedale’s first speaker was built in the cellar of founder Gilbert Briggs' llkley home in 1932.

The Bronze was purely a drive unit (in those days, radio enthusiasts assembled their own cabinets). A year later, it was housed in a wooden cabinet for those who wanted an ‘extension’ speaker. Shortly after came the ‘Nubian’ cabinet speaker in 1934.

But it was a whole decade before Wharfedale marked the first of many milestones: the invention of the first two-way loudspeaker.

In 1945, the company combined a 30cm bass driver with a 25cm full-range ‘treble’ unit, using a crossover at 1kHz. And in the years after the company’s introduction of ceramic magnets to moving coil drive units led to the company’s much-celebrated Diamond series.

• That Was Then... Wharfedale Diamond review

Bang & Olufsen Hyperbo (1934)

Not uniquely, Bang & Olufsen came to the speaker market through radio manufacturing. In 1925, Peter Bang & Svend Olufsen’s first commercial radio – the modest production of which began in Olufsen’s attic – was the Eliminator, a radio component that allowed the connection of a radio directly to the mains, eliminating the need for batteries.

Having moved to a factory in Struer just two years later (B&O remain at that same site today), the Hyperbo – a radio, gramophone and integrated loudspeaker – arrived in 1934.

Like every B&O product produced since, the Hyperbo was heavily influenced by the emerging Bauhaus style in the early 1900s: a design attitude that has consistently manifested itself in the artistic craft behind the company's many speakers and TVs.

Acoustic Research AR-1 (1954)

Acoustic Research was founded in 1952 by inventor Edgar Villchur and his student Henry Kloss. Based on the acoustic suspension principle patented by Villchur in 1956, its first model, the AR-1, sold for $185 (over £1000 in today’s money).

The AR-1's woofer trapped air in the speaker’s sealed enclosure to provide a spring for the diaphragm, enabling it to move back and forth – doing the same job as the more conventional mechanical spring.

This was followed quickly by the AR-2 but it was the AR-3, released in 1958, that became Acoustic Research's landmark speaker, borrowing the AR-1's acoustic suspension technology but bringing onboard newly designed drivers.

Quad ESL-57 (1957)

Quad founder Peter Walker was the first to implement electrostatic technology in loudspeakers, waving goodbye to traditional driver cones and cumbersome cabinets.

In their place he put a thinly-stretched, electrically-charged diaphragm between two metal grilles, which received the music signal from the amplifier.

The first in what has become a brand-defining range of electrostatic speakers, the ESL-57, was in production for nearly 30 years, while the ESL-63 continued Quad’s electrostatic legacy until 1999. Quad continues to manufacture electrostatic speakers to this day.

KEF K1 Slimline (1961)

KEF’s oldest speaker was born out of founder Raymond Cooke’s desire to achieve outstanding sound quality from a slim, living room-friendly enclosure.

At 12.5cm deep, the K1 Slimline incorporated the same driver innovations as the Monitor versions that arrived in the K1 series: the B1814 woofer with its flat rectangular diaphragm of aluminium skinned polystyrene, the M64 elliptical midrange unit with a similar diaphragm construction, and the T15 tweeter with its hemispherical Melinex diaphragm.

To minimise colouration, the wall panels of the braced cabinet were dampened with bituminous pads. And, lounge-friendly in their aesthetic as well as their size, the K1 Slimlines were finished in walnut with 'coffee' fleck grilles – a far cry from some of the designs it employs today.

• That Was Then… KEF Reference Model 101/3

B&W P1 (1966)

Beginnings don’t get much more humble than B&W’s. The year after founder John Bowers started hand-assembling speaker systems in the electrical store he ran with Roy Wilkins in Worthing, Bowers & Wilkins (then B&W Electronics Ltd) released its first loudspeaker: the P1.

The cabinet and filter were B&W's own, but the drivers came from EMI and Celestion – this was in the decade before the company started using the bright-yellow Kevlar woven composite.

The profits from the P1 allowed Bowers to purchase a Radiometer Oscillator and Pen Recorder, meaning that every speaker the company sold could have calibration certificates.

• That Was Then… B&W 602 S3 review

Spendor BC1 (late ’60s)

Bextrene was the material of choice for the speaker diaphragms in Spendor’s first pair of speakers, the BC1.

A product of BBC engineer Spencer Hughes (co-founder with Dorothy Hughes, hence the Spendor name) and co-designer Dudley Harwood, the BC1 speakers had a three-way design: the only commercial 8in Bextrene mid-bass driver, a Celestion HF 1300 tweeter and a Coles 4001 G supertweeter.

They were fed by a nine-element crossover comprised of film capacitors for frequency and temperature stability, and radio metal cored chokes that allowed for high transients and low resonances.

The BC1s hit the market in the late ‘60s and found their way into broadcast and recording studios before eventually being available to buy for consumers. Some 600 pairs were supposedly in operation at the BBC at one time.

• That Was Then… Spendor SP2/3E review

Harbeth HL Monitor Mk1 (1977)

British speaker brand Harbeth came about due to the discovery, by founder H.D. Harwood, of a potential new film plastic for speaker cones.

Towards the end of his career in the BBC’s Research Department, and during investigation into bextrene plastic as a cone material for BBC monitors in the ‘60s, Harwood proposed that polypropylene would make a good cone material.

And so, upon his formal retirement, he set up Harbeth to make a speaker with his patented polypropylene-coned driver. The HL Monitor was released in 1977, and four versions subsequently followed over the next decade.

Dynaudio P-series (1977/78)

We have to pedal back almost 50 years to find Danish brand's first speakers – the five P-series models in 1977. However, they were short-lived, had limited distribution and, while using the company’s own crossovers, were the only Dynaudio speakers to rely on OEM drivers.

The P series (P for 'passive') comprised the P16 (pictured), P21, P31, P46 and P76. All models used specially coated soft dome tweeter with high power handling – something Dynaudio would later become renowned for.

The first range to use Dynaudio’s in-house MSP (Magnesium Silicate Polymer) woofers and tweeters, and receive international distribution, was the four-strong MSP series in 1984. Dynaudio has used its own drivers ever since.

• That Was Then… Dynaudio Audience 52 review

ATC S50/S85 (1978)

After a few years making drive units, ATC produced its first speaker systems in 1978: the bass-reflex S50 (pictured) and infinite baffle S85, which established a naming tradition based on the internal volume of the speaker.

Inside the plywood-based 50- and 85-litre cabinets were 2.5cm soft dome tweeters, a 7.5cm soft dome midrange driver and a 22.5cm woofer (two in the S85).

Unusually, the crossover arrangement allowed for true active tri-amping, allowing you to choose between either the internal passive crossover or an external electronic crossover via a rotary switch.

ProAc Tablette (1979)

A few years after founding loudspeaker manufacturer Celef Audio Ltd in 1973, Stewart Tyler decided that producing more expensive designs in smaller quantities, rather than increasing production capacity and potentially sacrificing quality, was the way forward.

With that decision came a new company name: ProAc, short for Professional Acoustics.

The first speaker to bear the name was the Tablette; mini monitors – they really are dinky – which have spawned more than ten variations since their original production in 1979.

Wilson Audio WAMM (1982)

Following Wilson Audio’s Smart turntable, which was essentially a re-jigged Acoustic Research deck and became Wilson Audio’s first ever product, founder Dave Wilson introduced the company’s first pair of speakers, the Wilson Audio Modular Monitor (WAMM), in 1982.

Each channel comprised two towers: one sub-bass module, and one with twin mid-bass drivers and an electrostatic supertweeter flanked by twin midrange/tweeter modules. It sold for $28,000 and was the most expensive speaker you could buy at that time.

The WAMM evolved through six versions from 1982 to 1993, and has since been revived, with the Master Chronosonic and Master Subsonic speakers still current in the company's catalogue.

Focal DB13 (1982)

JMlab established Focal for speaker driver production in Saint-Étienne in 1979, and three years later the company's first pair of speakers appeared.

The DB13 bookshelf speakers were equipped with a double voice coil driver plus Polyglass and Polykevlar driver cones, and were capable of volumes more akin to larger speakers.

They propelled the company towards the high-end audio market and to international shores.

Martin Logan Monolith (1983)

Convinced they could make a class-leading electrostatic speaker capable of adequate bass and suitable for rock music, Gayle Martin Sanders and Ron Logan Sutherland (later ‘Martin Logan’) conceived a prototype in 1980. Unfortunately, its flat aluminium panel blew up when they turned up the volume...

Undeterred, their first production-ready speaker arrived three years later: the Monolith. A revised transducer saw a clear Mylar diaphragm sandwiched between two perforated-steel stators.

And to ensure good sound dispersion, a horizontally curved panel was implemented, and this curvilinear transducer has been central to the design of every Martin Logan electrostatic since.

Sonus Faber Parva (1983)

In 1983, three years after Sonus Faber founder Franco Serblin produced his first system (an all-wood, all-in-one model called the "Snail" that really needs to be seen), the brand was established in a small laboratory in Monteviale, northern Italy.

It was in that year Sonus Faber launched its first product: the Parva 2-way speaker, featuring a Kevlar midrange cone and solid walnut wood cabinet.

This paved the way for some legendary models (such as the Extrema and Guarneri ranges), and what is today, 35 years later, one of the world’s most distinguished and design-savvy high-end speaker brands.

Dali 2 (mid '80s)

The Dali 2 was released shortly after the renowned Danish speaker company Dali (Danish Audiophile Loudspeaker Industries) began in 1983.

The debut speaker had a two-way configuration, with a 6.5in laminate pulp/polyvinyl cone woofer, 1in tweeter with a soft polypropylene dome, and walnut veneered wooden cabinets.

The Dali 2 was followed by larger models in the range, the 3, 4, 6 and 8, which Dali explained shared the same design philosophy and signature sound: they don't "'thunder' or 'boom' bass – they just handle more power and provide better bass response".

Acoustic Energy AE1 (1987)

With the introduction of the AE1 Loudspeaker in 1987, Acoustic Energy Ltd was officially born. The concept was to create a compact studio monitor (it measured 30cm tall and 18cm wide) that could handle the high volumes and dynamics of larger speakers.

To achieve this, Acoustic Energy lined its cabinet with a concrete/plaster compound to eliminate as much resonance as possible, and developed a new mid/bass driver. It featured a 10cm cone of spun aluminium, thicker at the centre than the edges and anodised to create a ‘ceramic sandwich’, and used an oversized magnet assembly that allowed the AE1 to accept 200W of power.

The AE1 was refined in several revisions until 2016, when its SEAS tweeter went out of production. The design has since resurfaced in the amplified AE1 Active model.

• That Was Then... Acoustic Energy AE2 Signature review

Neat Petite (1991)

Neat Acoustics began life as a hi-fi shop in Darlington called North Eastern Audio Traders. After identifying a gap in the market for a small musical speaker, its owners developed the Neat Petite.

When we reviewed them in 1993, we heralded these speakers a musical success. We called their sound 'hugely stimulating', mostly due to the way they portrayed timing and dynamics – something that's continued to be a trademark in the brand’s more recent speakers.

• That Was Then... Neat Petite review

PMC BB5-A (1991)

After a stint as the manager of BBC's Maida Vale studios, Peter Thomas and former BBC engineer Adrian Loader designed the first PMC speaker, the BB5-A.

It introduced the company’s hallmark Advanced Transmission Line technology, in which drivers were used to improve bass output.

In an interview with What Hi-Fi?, Thomas said: “The design was certainly not conventional. Whereas the majority of speaker designers used ported or sealed cabinets, we found that a transmission line system for bass loading, if refined, gave a performance that significantly exceeded conventional bass loading principles.”

Wilson Benesch A.C.T. One (1994)

Five years after launching its first product, the Wilson Benesch Turntable, the British company launched a second: the A.C.T. One loudspeaker.

Unveiled at the 1994 Frankfurt High End show, the A.C.T. One used carbon fibre – the world’s first curved carbon fibre composite panel in a speaker design. It sported the sloping top and solid metal baffle that remain part of the company’s distinctive designs today.

While many years before the implementation of crossover-free midrange driver designs, as seen in the company’s Eminence series, the A.C.T. One placed great importance on phase coherence and the reduction of crossover elements.

Eclipse TD 512 (2002) 

Deviating from the traditional two-driver configuration and box design, Eclipse’s speakers are as distinct as they come. The company’s first, the 36cm-tall TD 512 speakers, were a "radical departure from the speaker norm" (as we stated in our 2002 review), with only one drive unit and an egg-shaped enclosure made of marble-loaded resin.

The former’s job to cover the whole frequency resulted in some shortcomings – namely, a rolled-off treble – but ultimately these beautifully imaged and detailed speakers did more than enough to enjoy a five-star debut. As we said at the time: "Little else at their price (£2350) will deliver such unrestricted access to the recording."

Q Acoustics 1000 series (2006)

Q Acoustics may not have the heritage of some other brands, but the British company’s debut, the six-strong 1000 series in 2006, has been one of the most notable of the 21st century.

The 1000 series comprised the 1010 and 1020 bookshelf speakers, 1010C centre channel, 1030 and 1050 floorstanders, and 1000S active subwoofer. Each model featured the same ferro-fluid cooled, micro-polyester weave tweeter and Linkwitz-Riley crossovers, and every drive unit was ‘torque mounted’ into its front baffle.

The 1010s were five-star performers in their own right, and later received another five-star review as part of a complete multi-channel surround package.

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Bowers & Wilkins has introduced a range of new finishes for two of its most popular headphones: the Pi8 flagship wireless earbuds and the five-star Px7 S3 over-ear cans.

The range-topping Pi8 buds are now available in new 'Dark Burgundy' and 'Pale Mauve' finishes, expanding on the four established colourways already on the market.

Further, B&W is introducing a new 'Vintage Maroon' finish for its five-star Px7 S3 noise-cancelling cans, sitting alongside the established Canvas White, Anthracite Black, Indigo Blue and Frost Blue finishes already available.

We never felt that either the Px7 S3 were particularly lacking in style to begin with, calling the latter a "delight" and noting that we were "struggling to think of a nicer-looking pair at this price" during our review.

The Pi8, meanwhile, have always been a "stylish" pair of buds which we liked "to see and touch" during testing, but given that you'll likely pick up a pair for their chic sense of style as much as their five-star sound, a few extra colourways are very much on-brand for B&W.

The new Pi8 Pale Mauve and Dark Burgundy finishes will be available from 19^th March, priced at £369 / €419 / $499, an advance on their original £349 / $399 price from 2024.

The Vintage Maroon finish for the Px7 S3 will be available on the same date, and will set you back £399 / €429 / $479, an increase of $20 on the original price for US buyers.

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I traded my Award-winning wireless earbuds for a pair of “trendy” wired earbuds – is being stylish worth the sonic sacrifices?

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These are the best wireless earbuds you can buy

Take one look around a crowded London Underground train carriage, and you’ll see an interesting revolution in the world of audio. Wired earbuds are back, and they’ve become a serious trend among my generation. Yes, I can hide it no longer; I am Gen Z.

Let’s not dwell on that and get back to the matter at hand. Wired earbuds were, once upon a time, the only discreet in-ear option for listening to music from your smartphone, and there was rarely a point where I didn’t have a pair hooked up to my iPhone 5 during my time at secondary school.

For my sake, I won't share what I was listening to through those earbuds.

Speaking of, remember when phones had headphone jacks? I do, and while I have to give Sony credit for being practically the only manufacturer to keep the socket on its smartphones, I have come to terms with the fact that the battle against wireless audio alternatives is more or less over.

I bought my first pair of AirPods in 2018, and I quickly upgraded them to the first-generation AirPods Pros in 2021 after realising that cutting the cord really was the future – and I haven’t really used a pair of wired earbuds since.

However, my TikTok For You Page informs me that 2026 is the new 2016, and I’m seeing a lot of trendy, well-dressed individuals online and IRL with wired earbud cords trailing from their ears and into pockets.

In a feeble attempt to be vaguely fashionable, I have decided to imitate them. I have banished my five-star Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 wireless earbuds and my Award-winning Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones to a drawer, as my pocket is now occupied by a pair of wired USB-C earbuds.

And you'll never guess which earbuds I've picked...

The popular choice

I’ve decided to go with the most popular pair of wired buds, according to what I’ve seen online and in London: the Apple EarPods.

From what I gather, the main draw of these earbuds isn’t anything to do with their sonic credentials, but instead their features.

The wire is a huge asset for those who are prone to losing earbuds (a friend of mine is currently on his third or fourth pair of AirPods, I’ve lost count), as they naturally keep the buds attached to your phone.

Furthermore, the microphone on the Apple EarPods seems to be surprisingly good for a pair of £19 earphones. I put this to the test, speaking to one of my friends over the phone while exiting a busy London Underground station and the results, err, spoke for themselves – I didn’t have to repeat myself once.

I think this is a key reason that these earbuds are so popular, as I frequently see influencers on TikTok record voiceovers for their videos using the microphone built into the Apple EarPods. And of course, for calls or voice notes, for us mere mortals.

You also don’t have to worry about the battery running out. Plenty of times when using wireless earbuds, I’ve got comfortable in my seat for a long plane ride or coach journey, only for my earbuds (and the charging case) to be completely dead.

The plug-and-play guarantee, plus no pairing faff or battery anxiety, has been my biggest pro from making this swap. With wired earbuds, I know I’ll be able to enjoy my music on my morning commute without any complications.

Another bonus has been the physical controls. Using these has been an absolute treat after dealing with unreliable touch controls on many of the wireless audio peripherals I’ve used over the years. The tactile volume and play/pause buttons "just work", and I found myself using them more than I’d expect.

However, it’s not all rosy in Apple EarPods land. My biggest issue with these buds is the fit. Apple’s hard plastic earbuds have never agreed with my ear shape, and I’m reminded of many embarrassing instances in which I’d have to chase one of my AirPods as it tumbled down the road after leaping to freedom out of my ear.

The EarPods are, thankfully, a slightly better fit, and they didn’t fall out quite as much, but they didn’t feel very secure either. I struggled to get any sort of seal, and while I’m not expecting miraculous noise isolation without silicone ear tips (more on that momentarily), I found that my music was easily drowned out by the screeching of the Northern line.

I’ve had to turn the EarPods up to maximum volume to counteract this, whereas my Pi8 earbuds can happily sit at the middle volume point while remaining perfectly audible.

These downsides comprise the most important aspect of any earphones for me: audio quality. Which is why I don’t think I can make the EarPods my day-to-day earbuds.

The fact that I have to crank the volume up to compensate for a poor seal and lack of noise cancelling, and I've found that bass and dynamics leave a lot to be desired. That being said, I found the mids and highs to be clear and balanced, which also meant that vocals sounded pretty good.

Now, is it fair to compare a pair of £349 noise-cancelling wireless earbuds created by one of the most notable British hi-fi brands to a pair of £19 wired earbuds?

No, it is not, but considering I’ve seen plenty of people online supposedly drop their AirPods in favour of the wired alternatives, it’s also quite a relevant comparison.

This means that, unfortunately (but ultimately not surprisingly), I won’t be joining the trendiest echelon of London’s most fashionable individuals.

However, not all hope is lost…

The smart choice

Surprise! I haven’t just been using the Apple EarPods. I’ve also taken the five-star Sound Magic E80D buds for a test drive as part of this experiment, and these have yielded much better results.

These buds come with a selection of silicone eartips. Personally, the dual-layered eartips suited me, as I could burrow them into my ear holes for a more secure fit and better sound isolation.

Furthermore, these buds sound great and are a cut above Apple EarPods. They sound fuller and more dynamic, and the tighter seal against my ears does wonders for the bass.

It’s not all perfect. As expected, they don’t rival my Bowers & Wilkins buds in terms of volume or musicality.

I also found cable noise to be pretty problematic with these earbuds. The sound from the cable rubbing against my coat was irritating, although this may become less prominent in the warmer months when I can comfortably leave the house without layering up.

There's also the annoying “L” shape connector. It’s amazing for laptop use, but using them with a phone is another story – as someone who shifts their phone between hands fairly frequently, I found the palm of my hand often clashed with the wire.

And this is the one instance in which style counts (I’m testing “trendy” earbuds after all), so seeing “Made In China” staring at me as I plug them in is somewhat utilitarian.

My overall choice?

I won’t beat around the bush here – I’m going back to my wireless earbuds and headphones. I’m sorry.

That being said, there are some genuine audio and quality of life upgrades that I enjoyed while trialling these wired earbuds.

Not having to charge my earbuds, and the tactility of the physical controls, were both major bonus points, but the lack of noise cancelling proved to be the biggest hurdle in how I use my earbuds day-to-day. Having to crank these wired buds to their limit is far from ideal (and I’m being constantly nagged by my phone that the volume is too high).

For the sake of my music (and my ears), I’ll be crawling back to the imperfect, but ultimately preferable, world of wireless earbuds.

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Check out our picks for the best wireless earbuds

As well as the best wired earbuds

And read our full Sony WF-1000XM6 review

In all my years of testing wireless headphones, one thing I have never thought to myself is, “is Bose falling behind the competition?”

After all, this is a brand that has consistently mixed it with the best in the market and has been a benchmark for noise-cancelling headphones of all shapes and sizes.

And it’s not just because of its brilliant noise-cancelling that Bose consistently found itself among the class-leaders. Historically, its wireless headphones have produced some of the best sound quality too.

But in the past year or so, I’ve been testing Bose’s premium wireless earbuds and wireless headphones, comparing them with their main rivals; and the more time I’ve spent listening, the more I have found myself thinking that the cracks are starting to show.

Most recently, I’ve heard the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) against the Sony WF-1000XM6, and the QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) against the Sennheiser HDB 630.

Both Bose pairs are still very comfortable, with good build quality, great noise-cancelling and decent features for the money. But there is a clear gap between them and the competition when it comes to overall sound quality.

The Bose offerings aren’t poor performers by any stretch, and when compared with their predecessors, you can certainly hear that the tech brand has managed to make small improvements in sound quality.

But when you compare the levels of detail, dynamics and clarity, they just can’t match what the class-leaders now offer.

And that lies at the heart of Bose’s current position. Rival brands have made significant advancements in sound quality in recent years.

Apple is now a serious contender in the headphones space – its AirPods Pro 3 earbuds being arguably its best wireless earbuds to date. And the AirPods Max show there is room for luxury wireless headphones at higher price points, offering exceptional build quality and sound quality for the money.

Technics has arrived on the premium scene and is now a contender, while Bowers & Wilkins has continued to push its headphones to new levels of performance. We have also seen Sennheiser do its own disrupting in the space with its new flagship, the HDB 630.

The market has evolved and improved when it comes to sound quality, and rivals now offer much more bang for your buck – they, it seems, have been making significant strides compared with Bose’s baby steps.

Have we reached a point where perhaps it's time for Bose to consider a serious overhaul of its tech and engineering? Possibly.

If its current trajectory continues, the noise from the competition could become too loud for even Bose’s talented noise-cancelling to handle.

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Our pick of the best wireless headphones you can buy

Sony WH-1000XM6 vs Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen): which flagship wireless over-ears are best?

Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 vs Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones: which noise-cancelling pair is better?

Sony WH-1000XM6 vs Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen): which flagship wireless over-ears are best?

It's a battle of the British hi-fi Titans today; and this time it's being fought on the home cinema battleground.

We are pitting two five-star 5.1 surround sound speaker packages against one another. Each is a fierce competitor – and a What Hi-Fi? Award-winners at that – but which one is worth your hard-earned cash?

In the KEF corner, we have the Q Concerto Meta 5.1 Speaker System, which combines the talents of the Q Concerto Meta standmount speakers, Q1 Meta bookshelf speakers, Q6 Meta centre channel, and Kube 12 MIE powered subwoofer.

And in the Bowers & Wilkins corner, it's the three-time Product of the Year winning 606 and 607 S3 Speaker Package. This includes the 606 S3 standmount speakers, 607 S3 standmount speakers, HTM6 S3 centre channel, and ASW610 subwoofer.

Both sound great, and they look good too, but which should take pride of place in your home cinema setup?

KEF vs Bowers & Wilkins: price

These two launched with a pretty significant price disparity, but the current-day story brings something of a plot twist.

When we reviewed each of these speaker packages, we found that neither was available to purchase at an all-in-one bundle price. This meant that we tested the KEF package at £3146 / $4050 / AU$5650, and the Bowers & Wilkins package at £2496 / $3799 / AU$3947 – those prices established by adding the cost of each component separately.

However, since we bestowed these systems with five-star reviews and various Awards, retailers have begun selling the packages as convenient bundles, with all components supplied together.

The Bowers & Wilkins system can now be found at a heavily discounted price of £1999 (at Sevenoaks Sound & Vision), whereas the KEF package is down to an all-in-one price of £2549.

It's worth noting that these systems don't seem to be sold in bundles outside the UK.

That still gives the Bowers & Wilkins system an edge in the pricing department; however, the KEF can be found at a much more comparable price than initially seemed likely.

**Winner: Bowers & Wilkins**

KEF vs Bowers & Wilkins: design

We won't beat around the bush here; there's one speaker package that we have been swooning over ever since it strutted into our home cinema testing room late last year.

The KEF Q Concerto Meta 5.1 package is a rather handsome set of speakers, especially in the all-black finish that adorns our review sample. The finish is good too; the whole system is furnished in solid-feeling wood cabinets and wrapped in quality vinyl.

This is the more expensive package of the two, but its more premium feel goes some way to justifying the extra outlay.

The Bowers & Wilkins package, on the other hand, still looks and feels rather nice and is plenty premium enough for the asking price. It looks suitably suave in all three of its available finishes; but the little touches make the KEF system the better-looking of the duo.

The top-mounted KEF tab on the front and surround speakers, paired with the fossil-like waveguide, Uni-Q driver array (more on that in a moment), and sharp lines, really seal the deal.

We should note that you will need to invest in appropriate speaker stands to accommodate either of these systems – unless you want to set them up at shin-height, which we wouldn't recommend.

**Winner: KEF**

KEF vs Bowers & Wilkins: features

Each brand features its own proprietary driver technology throughout their respective speaker packages.

KEF employs its Uni-Q driver array, which places the tweeter in the centre of the mid-range driver, and accompanies the company's “tangerine waveguide”, which supposedly removes the traditional “sweet-spot” position that is a common factor with other speakers, producing an overall wider dispersion of sound throughout your listening space.

This is backed up by the company's Metamaterial Absorption Technology (MAT), which is claimed to “absorb 99 per cent of the unwanted noise from the rear of the driver for pure and natural sound”, according to KEF.

Taking a closer look at each component, the Q Concerto Meta speakers feature a 10cm aluminium midrange driver combined with a 19mm vented aluminium dome tweeter in the Uni-Q array configuration, alongside a 16.5cm hybrid-cone bass driver with a rear-firing port that's used to tune the lower frequencies.

The Q6 Meta centre channel sports an almost identical driver setup, but it sports an additional bass driver.

The Q1 Metas have a slightly larger Uni-Q array, comprising a 25mm vented aluminium dome tweeter with MAT, and a 130mm aluminium cone for mid/bass purposes.

As we reference in our review, “while that driver is a few millimetres bigger, it’s also expected to do a lot more due to the lack of a dedicated bass driver.”

Finally, the Kube 12 MIE features a 12-inch woofer, powered by 300W of Class D amplification.

Jumping over to the Bowers & Wilkins package, the 606 S3, 607 S3, and HTM6 S3 speakers all feature the company's titanium-dome tweeter, accompanied by midrange and bass drivers made of B&W’s Continuum cone material.

The 606 S3 sports a 25mm-dome tweeter and a 16.5cm-cone driver, whereas the 607 S3 surround speakers feature the same dome tweeter and a slightly smaller 13cm-cone driver. The HTM6 is most akin to the surround speakers, with the same 25mm tweeter and two 13cm mid/bass drivers.

Rounding things out, the B&W ASW610 subwoofer features a 25cm paper and aramid fibre cone long-throw driver and 200W of Class D amplification.

Taking stock, we find that the KEF package is the more fully featured of the two. It sports larger drivers for the front speakers, with KEF's Award-winning MAT technology, alongside a more powerful subwoofer and the Uni-Q driver array that features in many other What Hi-Fi? Award-winning speakers.

**Winner: KEF**

KEF vs Bowers & Wilkins: sound

This is the all-important category in this head-to-head speaker package comparison. So which surround sound system comes out on top?

Well, the good (and diplomatic) answer is that both of these surround sound packages sound fantastic, hence why they proudly sit shoulder to shoulder on our current Awards list. We'll start with the B&W package as it is defending its place as our Award-winner for three consecutive years.

We pretty much had only good things to say about the 606 & 607 S3 package's sound performance in our review, citing its warm, rich and detailed sonic signature as being a key component as to why we score it so highly. It blends insight and agility, without sounding too lean or skipping important details; it truly ticks all of the boxes.

We find it to be dynamically impressive at each end of the scale, too. The delicate handling of low-level dynamics captures the subtle inflexions of emotion in dialogue, whereas the system's extraordinary subwoofer delivers punchy, controlled and tonally varied bursts of bass when required.

This is all packaged in a system that works harmoniously, with no obvious sonic mismatches or conflicts, and the dispersion of sound means that no obvious gaps are left between the channels.

If there is one small drawback to this system, it would be the scale of the sound. It's by no means a deficiency of the system as a whole, but compared with other speaker systems we have tested, we find that the B&W package isn't as spacious or large-scale as others on the market.

This is where the KEF system steps in. It delivers all of the above, and more.

We rave, in our review, about its rich, powerful sound that ticks all of the boxes. Detail, agility, dynamics, timing; it's all here, and it handles all of this with an added sense of scale that helps tip the scales into KEF's favour.

All of this comes at the minor expense of a slightly less tuneful subwoofer, but its controlled and precise bass presentation ensures it remains a very worthy component of this Award-winning system.

What really seals the deal is the KEF's seriously impressive centre channel. It delivers crisp and deeply detailed dialogue to an extent that it almost feels as if the characters are in the room with you. This natural, balanced and rich sound is supported by the talented Q Concerto Meta front speakers, which capture fine details with ease, and the Q1 Meta speakers are the icing on the cake, delivering a tonally matched surround sound experience.

**Winner: KEF**

KEF vs Bowers & Wilkins: verdict

The truth is that you would find little to complain about if you pick either of these systems, as they both deliver high-quality cinematic sound. That being said, the KEF system puts the extra outlay to good use, as it comes wrapped in a more stylish design, and puts an emphasis on upping the ante when it comes to scale and subtlety.

Bowers & Wilkins has delivered an impressive speaker system in its own right, so if you're looking for something slightly more compact and a touch cheaper, you definitely won't be disappointed if you opt for the B&W package.

**Overall winner: KEF**

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Check out our full list of the best surround sound speaker systems

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If you want a great pair of premium wireless headphones, you are currently spoiled for choice. Many of the major audio brands are desperately vying for wire-free supremacy, with each sending its flagship champion out to bat armed with alluring designs, bulging feature sets and boundary-pushing sound in a bid to tempt would-be buyers into making a lasting commitment.

Sony’s What Hi-Fi? Award-winning WH-1000XM6 spent much of 2025 as the champions of the arena, but don’t think for a moment that this is a one-horse race. The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) are still staking their claim as the active noise-cancelling kings, while Bowers & Wilkins’ Px7 S3 blend style and substance into one very appealing package.

Then there’s Sennheiser’s five-star HDB 630 flagship headphones which made a late play at the end of last year with one thing on their mind: knock Sony off its perch and take the premium wireless crown back to Sennheiser Towers.

We’re struggling to think of a time when this particular space has been so competitive. That’s great news for the consumer – higher standards and greater choice are never a bad thing – but all of that fierce competition can be a double-edged sword. After all, how are you supposed to know which cans deserve a place atop your noggin when they all promise potent performance and so many tantalising tricks?

That’s where we come in. Thanks to our exhaustive Group Test of the most talented premium headphones around, we're in the best position possible to let you know which wireless wonders are right for you.

We have tested the top four models across a range of criteria, including design, comfort, features and sound quality, putting you in the best position when it comes to picking your perfect pair of premium partners.

Each year, it seems, the needle is pushed further and further north, so that some brands which could once have expected a full five-star haul might find themselves outmatched by the sheer quality showcased by their talented rivals.

In isolation, Bose's flagship QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen are better than ever, and their punchy, entertaining sound is certainly a noticeable step up over their first-generation antecedents.

For their lightweight comfort, foldable design and class-leading noise cancelling, they have so much to recommend them, especially for frequent flyers and commuters who value noise-cancelling above all.

Bose’s problem is that it hasn’t quite kept up with the rest of the pack on the audio front. We can still see the appeal of the overall package they provide, but if you’re looking for the best sound available at this premium level, their price-comparable adversaries have widened the margin to such an extent that Bose is in danger of being somewhat left behind.

Partly responsible for such a growing divide are the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3. While the Sony WH-1000XM6 and Sennheiser HDB 630 advance things further in the sound quality department, we can’t deny that the B&Ws’ premium quality materials and design make them worthy of their high price tag.

Their noise-cancelling abilities may not be class leading, but they deliver a rich, full-bodied sound that drops you into the centre of your music to thrilling effect.

Bluetooth codec support is impressive. The higher-quality aptX Adaptive codec is on board, and of the four pairs of headphones tested here, the Px7 S3 are the only ones to offer support for aptX Lossless, offering CD quality (16-bit/44.1kHz) audio transmission from compatible sources.

The B&Ws’ sonic talents, combined with the sleek, prestige design, will make them an eye-catching proposition to anyone who values style as much as substance.

The Sonys push those sonic boundaries even further in nearly every area, all while boasting some of the most impressive all-around credentials you’ll find. Whether it’s their excellent noise cancelling, the superbly detailed and excellent dynamic presentation, effortless usability or superb comfort, the WH-1000XM6 are headphones built to please most of the people most of the time.

Topping the might of their predecessors was never going to be easy, but clever design and performance tweaks have elevated Sony’s flagship cans to the next level.

That next level is, on the sound front at least, not quite enough to overcome the fresh challenge of the Sennheiser HDB 630 – the HDB 630 have proved themselves to be a true force of nature.

Their standard sound quality is nuanced, spacious and a detail-rich delight, outstripping the Sony XM6 for textural insight, emotional engagement and the breadth of their soundstage.

The clever USB-C Bluetooth dongle that comes bundled with the headphones takes the sonic ability to new heights, as it lets you stream in hi-res aptX Adaptive Bluetooth quality from practically any source you plug it into, be it Android or iOS.

Plus, they don’t leave us feeling starved in other areas. While they might look a little bland for some (especially at this premium level), and they don’t quite reach the heights set by Sony or Bose’s noise-cancelling powers, they are still capable enough for everyday use. The HDB 630s’ plush headband and well-cushioned earpads make long listening sessions a breeze.

Additionally, a claimed 60-hour battery life and solid call quality only sweeten the deal. If only they folded away…

It’s gratifying to see the myriad ways the biggest headphone brands in the game have approached the premium wireless space, with each of these strong contenders bringing their own unique skillset to the table to appeal to specific needs.

For us, sound quality is king, so we’re giving the win here to the headphones that impressed us the most on the audio front. If you want the best-sounding wireless headphones you can get at this level it’s impossible to look past the benchmark-setting Sennheiser HDB 630 – for our money, they’re the cream of the current crop.

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2025 was a massive year for premium wireless headphones, with many of the big-name manufacturers pulling out all the stops in a bid to eke out a slender advantage in this hugely competitive market.

Such a standard was typified by the arrival of both the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 early in the year, before Sennheiser threw its oar in at the last moment with its unveiling of the HDB 630 flagship over-ears.

Fierce competition is clearly pushing brands to new heights of performance and innovation, evidenced by the ever-climbing quality of the premium arena. Both B&W and Sennheiser have staked serious claims to this contested territory, but which should you pick if you want the best premium performance possible?

Sennheiser HDB 630 vs Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3: price

The Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 cost £399 / €429 / $449 / AU$699 at launch, placing them firmly into what we would term the 'premium' tranche of the wireless headphone market. Discounts have occasionally knocked that UK figure down to £329, but at the time of writing, we've never seen the Px7 S3 fall below the £300 mark.

The Sennheiser HDB 630 will set you back a good deal more cash, especially if you're buying them outside the UK. At £400 / $500 / AU$1000, they're also decidedly premium over-ears, and unlike their sometimes-discounted rivals, we don't expect to see major price cuts just yet – the HDB 630 were only reviewed in December 2025, lest we forget.

**Winner: Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3**

Sennheiser HDB 630 vs Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3: design and build

What our two head-to-head rivals prove, at least from the outside, is that there's more than one way to design a pair of premium wireless headphones. Both cost the same sort of money, yet from an aesthetics perspective, they walk decidedly different paths.

The Sennheisers are about as straight down the line as a pair of headphones can be, adopting the design language of recent Sennheiser Momentum cans via their chunky ovular earcups and complete lack of adornments or thrills. Functional is the word we'd be tempted to use.

The B&W Px7 S3 are a blingier, more eye-catching affair, and if you're into perceived value, this is where you'll find it. Every part of the cans' more complex construction has been lovingly realised, from the premium hinges adjoining the earcups to the textured woven fabric of the headband.

In terms of comfort, it's a closer affair. The Sennheisers aren't flashy, but they're also easy to wear, with a nicely judged clamping grip which, when combined with their nicely cushioned earcups and headband, means they're rarely an oppressive experience.

They offer a less plush, padded fit than the more all-encompassing Sennheisers, but we imagine many wearers will prefer their slimmer earcups and lighter overall profile.

It's the same when switching over to the Px7 S3. The clamping force is again well-judged, while the earpads’ blend of firmness and suppleness means our ears rarely feel as though they're being squashed into oblivion. We did experience some on-ear heat during testing, but nothing too disastrous.

Rather interestingly, the B&W opt for the more traditional physical buttons rather than flashy touch controls for their on-unit operations, but we've no gripes when the systems works as well as it does here.

The backside of the right earcup offers a play/pause button flanked by longer volume controls, whereas the left cup features a sliding Bluetooth/power toggle alongside a configurable ‘Quick Action’ button we currently have reserved for cycling through our test pair’s noise-cancelling modes.

For Sennheiser, it's mainly a touch-control affair, with the only proper button reserved for launching your phone's voice assistant. Happily, the HDB 630 offer solid touch integration, with controls which we find are responsive and work across a generous surface area.

Not a huge amount to choose from here, so this might depend on whether you have a preference for button or touch controls.

**Winner: Draw**

Sennheiser HDB 630 vs Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3: features

These are premium headphones we're dealing with, so naturally, both are equipped with premium-level feature sets as befits their status.

Let's start with the simple stuff. The HDB 630 are ahead of the game when it comes to battery life, clocking in at a maximum of 60 hours of playtime with ANC switched on when compared with the Px7 S3's 30 hours. A 10-minute fast charge will provide a further seven hours of life for the Sennheisers, while you'll get the same amount of playtime from a 15-minute boost to the Px7 S3.

Whichever over-ears you pick, you'll get access to Bluetooth Multipoint, so listening and switching between multiple connected source devices should be a doddle.

App support for the Px7 S3 is handled by the Bowers & Wilkins Music app, an admirably exhaustive platform from which you can adjust your user experience, tinker with the equaliser or checking your headphones’ key vitals, all while granting direct access to music streaming service libraries such as Tidal, Deezer and Qobuz.

With the HDB 630, you'll be handling similar functionalities from the SmartControl+ app, and while there's less all-in-one streaming integration here, excellent ANC, EQ and touch control customisation than make up for it.

Both pairs of headphones offer Auracast support, meaning that they can receive audio transmissions from compatible broadcast sources, although that's only true of the Sennheisers when they have their clever Bluetooth dongle plugged in. Speaking of which...

Right, let's talk about that dinky USB-C dongle bundled in with the Sennheiser headphones, shall we? Our full Sennheiser HDB 630 will give you a full rundown, but basically, the clever little accessory (BTD 700) grants superior quality codec powers to devices which might not have otherwise had them, providing hi-res streaming up to 24-bit/9kHz via aptX Adaptive. That means you can stream in higher quality when the dongle plugged into an iPhone, for example, which doesn't natively support the aptX codecs.

For the more straightforward Px7 S3, Bluetooth codec support comes courtesy of the standard AAC and SBC codecs living alongside higher-quality flavours such as aptX Adaptive and aptX Lossless. Those codecs are higher than Sennheiser's, but they will only work with certain compatible smartphones, so if you have an iPhone, they won't be supported.

If you want to go all out on audio fidelity with the Px7 S3, USB-C and 3.5mm cable connections are provided straight out of the box for listening at rates up to 24-bit/96kHz.

Impressive on both counts, but for that clever dongle and a much more durable battery span, we're giving the win to Sennheiser here.

**Winner: Sennheiser HDB 630**

Sennheiser HDB 630 vs Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3: active noise cancelling and call quality

We'll be blunt: at this level, you can find better noise cancelling, with the Sony WH-1000XM6 and Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) both leading the charge in this regard.

Sennheiser's effort is far from bad, but it's what we'd term 'good' rather than 'great', and certainly not class leading. Still, as we said in our review, the cans' ANC "takes the sting out of disruptive surrounding noise, reducing the rumble of traffic and bus engine noise", so it'll do the job if your music is playing at a decent volume anyway.

With the B&W Px7 S3, we're a little disappointed. While the chic over-ears are capable of reducing the low-frequency rumbles of, say, road traffic, they're less able to match their rivals when it comes to muting traffic noise or the chatter of voices, while high-frequency noises will intrude on your listening with surprising insistence.

Voice calls are ably handled by both rivals. Calls via the Sennheisers are crisp and clear, albeit with a hint of that slightly processed sound some headphones are capable of producing, while the Px7 S3, thanks to their repositioned microphones and B&W’s ‘ADI Pure Voice’ voice processing technology, make speech sound a touch fuller and more natural without seeming muffled or mechanical. They're not quite as clear as the Sennheisers, but perhaps a little more personable.

Each set, be it the Px7 or the HDB 630, does a fine job of reducing background noise, and as we stand next to a busy road in the pouring rain, the splash of puddles and the pitter patter of the falling raindrops subside nicely into the background.

For their finer ANC talents, the HDB 630 take the win.

**Winner: Sennheiser HDB 630**

Sennheiser HDB 630 vs Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3: sound

When they landed last year (and before the Px8 S3 had been released), Bowers & Wilkins claimed that the Px7 S3 were its most “advanced and capable” wireless headphones ever.

Big words, yet thanks to their redesigned 40mm paper drivers furnished with a new chassis, voice coil, magnet and suspension, it's hard to disagree with what might initially have seemed like marketing hyperbole.

As we stated at the time, the Px7 S3 "are exceptionally refined and detailed headphones", a pair of cans that are capable of dropping you right into the heart of your music to rather thrilling effect.

Play Nick Cave & Warren Ellis’s Song For Bob, and you'll marvel at the bite and grip of those mournful strings, while the varying components of John Williams’ Duel Of The Fates blend authenticity with a thrilling sense of drama when pumped through the B&W over-ears.

These are muscular, forceful headphones, with grip and power in spades. There's more than enough lower-end clout to keep bassheads happy, and while headphones that go big on bass can often sound blobby or out of control, we remain impressed by how well the Px7 S3 are able to meld power and punch with control and bottom-end refinement.

The Px7 S3 are tremendously talented performers, and unequivocally entertaining, but even they aren't quite capable of outgunning the remarkable abilities of their Sennheiser rivals. As our review verdict summarises, the HDB 630 "move the goalposts for wireless sound quality at this level, while going the extra mile to upgrade iPhones and other audio sources to make it easier for people to benefit from it".

Plug in that clever USB-C dongle, get them playing from an appropriately quality source and the HDB 630 will reward you with arguably the most detailed and nuanced performance we've heard at this level. We perform much of our testing using an iPhone 16 and a Samsung Galaxy S21, with the dongle upgrading their connectivity to aptX Adaptive and helping us eke out news levels of clarity and solidity.

The dongle certainly helps, but however you listen, you'll find the HDB 63O to be strikingly smooth and natural sounding headphones that go big on dynamism and articulation across the frequency range.

Instrumental textures are replete with detail and body, while the rhythmic patterns are outlined with outstanding precision, all of which gives tracks a lush, emotional appeal that we find utterly gripping.

The Sennheisers are also capable of painting on a pleasingly expansive canvas, one that sounds much wider and more cinematic than the outgoing Momentum 4 Wireless over-ears can manage. Musical elements are cleverly and precisely placed, making even dense productions seem more easily digestible.

All of that lovely precision and analysis are wedded to a tangible feeling of drive and liveliness, making for, we think, "the most informative and entertaining sound we’ve heard from wireless headphones at this price". What a result!

**Winner: Sennheiser HDB 630**

Sennheiser HDB 630 vs Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3: verdict

There's no question that the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 are very, very good wireless headphones. These are five-star operators, and we completely understand their appeal given just how nice they look, how easy they are to use and, of course, how great they sound. That robust, punchy personality is never less than thrilling, all underpinned by outstanding levels of textural insight.

The Sennheiser HDB 630, however, are in a class of one. Put up against any price comparable rival we can think of, the Sennheisers are at the top of the leader board, and it's going to take something remarkable in 2026 to knock them from their perch.

If class-leading sound is your priority and you're happy to spend a decent sum to get it, there's simply no looking past what might be the best wireless headphones Sennheiser has ever made.

**Overall winner: Sennheiser HDB 630**

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Sony WH-1000XM6 vs Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen): which flagship wireless over-ears are best?

Sennheiser HDB 630 vs Sony WH-1000XM6: which wireless headphones should you buy?

These are the best wireless headphones you can buy

Take Bowers & Wilkins’ top 700 Series bookshelf speaker, add a new luxury finish, take some of the components from the 705 S3 Signature, and you arrive at the 707 Prestige Edition.

Being billed as the “Ultimate Bowers & Wilkins bookshelf loudspeaker” the new 707 model comes in a special Santos Gloss finish, which is created using 12 layers of paint and lacquer, and is inspired by the Santos Rosewood finish of the 805 D3 Prestige Edition.

The 707 S3 on which it’s based is a two-way loudspeaker with a rear-firing bass port and curved baffle. It already uses a 25mm Carbon Dome tweeter and 13cm Continuum cone mid-bass driver, and these carry over to the Prestige Edition.

The new model adds the “carefully optimised” tweeter grille mesh and upgraded speaker terminals from the 705 S3 Signature, which, according to Bowers & Wilkins, help deliver “an even more refined and spacious sound than the standard model.” The speakers also get a new “unique identifying logo plate” which highlights the new model.

And how much do they cost? Well, the 707 Prestige Edition come in at £1550 / €1750, which is a slight increase compared to the standard 707 S3, which launched at £1300 / €1500 back in September 2022). Need stands? Bowers & Wilkins has the optional FS-700 floorstands in either black or silver.

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It’s no secret that we’re big fans of the Sony Bravia 8 II. It did, after all, take home the TV Product of the Year gong from the most recent What Hi-Fi? Awards.

To win that prize, Sony’s flagship OLED set had to defeat not only the Samsung S95F, with which it shares its QD-OLED panel, but also the LG G5 and Panasonic Z95B, which both feature cutting-edge Primary RGB Tandem OLED panel technology.

All four of those TVs are utterly awesome, so for the Bravia to come out on top was quite the achievement.

But there was one rival that didn’t make it in time for our Awards-deciding flagship OLED shootout – the Philips OLED910.

This features the same super-bright Primary RGB Tandem OLED panel tech as the LG G5 and Panasonic Z95B, but it combines it with super-sexy European styling, a B&W sound system, dazzling Ambilight and super-aggressive pricing.

So, is all of that enough to unseat our current Award-winner? We directly compared these two flagship sets over several days, using all of our favourite discs and streams, to find out.

Spoiler alert: it’s a mighty close contest.

Sony Bravia 8 II vs Philips OLED910: Pricing

Philips went super-aggressive with the OLED910’s launch pricing, releasing it to the market for £2199 at 65 inches and £3399 at 77 inches.

Even though rival sets, including the Bravia 8 II, had been on sale a while and been discounted, the OLED910 was cheaper out of the gate.

It’s dropped in price now, too, with the 65-inch model currently available for £1799, and the 77-inch version for £2799.

The Bravia 8 II has been further discounted, too, but the 65-inch model still currently costs £2199. There’s no 77-inch version, but unlike the Philips, there is a 55 incher, which is £1799 at the time of writing.

So, in the 65-inch size in which both sets are available (and which we directly compared), there’s a big £400 price difference. That’s extremely hard to ignore, and means the OLED910 takes first blood in this face-off.

WINNER: Philips OLED910

Sony Bravia 8 II vs Philips OLED910: Design

The Sony Bravia 8 II is a smart-looking TV, but it’s barely any different in appearance to the preceding A95L, which launched back in 2023. A design refresh to match the ambitious performance upgrade would have been nice.

Still, this is a very purposeful-looking, monolithic TV that looks particularly neat when the feet are installed at their default low–profile setting, which keeps the bottom edge of the TV within about a millimetre of the surface upon which it’s placed.

Those feet can alternatively be installed in a taller setting that creates a gap of a few centimetres between TV and furniture, into which you can slot a soundbar.

The Bravia 8 II does, of course, have an integrated sound system (a good one at that), but thanks to the technology it uses, it’s completely invisible from the front, contributing further to the stylishly clean appearance of the TV.

The Philips OLED910 is a very different aesthetic proposition. The integrated sound system includes front-facing speakers, but these are incorporated into a slim bar that’s wrapped in grey Kvadrat fabric and has nicely rounded corners, giving the set a softer, more appealing appearance.

Like the Sony, the Philips OLED910 has feet rather than a pedestal, but these feet are installed further towards the centre of the bottom edge of the TV, rather than the furthest points as they are on the Bravia 8 II. In other words, while the Sony can only be placed on top of furniture that’s at least as wide as the TV, the Philips will be happy on something narrower.

And, unlike the Sony, which has a fairly uniform thickness of about 3.4cm, the Philips combines its fairly chunky 5.6cm section with super-thin panel sections at the sides and top of the chassis. To our eyes, that makes it more visually striking, but beauty is, of course, in the eye of the beholder.

On that note, we have to mention Ambilight here. This is Philips’s unique bias lighting system, which features coloured LEDs around four sides of the OLED910’s rear. These can dynamically extend the on-screen image onto the wall around the TV in the form of coloured light.

Ambilight isn’t for everyone and isn’t a bonus for all content, but it does look spectacular, and for bright, colourful movies and games, it can really add something special.

All told, while the Bravia 8 II’s monolithic styling will certainly appeal to many, the OLED910’s softer, more living room-friendly appearance and (at least occasionally) thrilling Ambilight mean it wins this round.

WINNER: Philips OLED910

Sony Bravia 8 II vs Philips OLED910: Features

On paper, the Sony Bravia 8 II and Philips OLED910 take notably different approaches.

The Bravia 8 II uses Samsung Display’s latest QD-OLED panel, paired with a custom heatsink and the XR processor. Sony claims this enables a 25 per cent brightness increase over the preceding A95L and a 50 per cent uplift over the Bravia 8 W-OLED, alongside improved colour volume and better dark gradation.

Philips, meanwhile, has stuck with LG Display technology but upgraded from MLA to Primary RGB Tandem OLED. Philips quotes eye-catching brightness figures of up to 3700 nits for small highlights and 350 nits full-screen – numbers that should translate into a more dynamic image than the preceding OLED909, even in restrained picture modes.

Processing is a major talking point for both sets. Sony’s XR Processor introduces a new AI scene recognition system, which analyses content in real time and adjusts picture parameters for greater realism.

Philips counters with its 9th Gen P5 AI Engine – a powerful processor packed with features including Machine Learn Sharpness, AI Smart Bit Enhancement and AI Perfect Reality, all designed to optimise sharpness, colour and contrast depending on what’s on screen.

HDR support is one area where Philips holds a clear advantage.

The OLED910 supports all four HDR formats: HDR10, HLG, Dolby Vision and HDR10+. The Bravia 8 II, meanwhile, supports Dolby Vision, HDR10 and HLG, but, as ever with Sony, HDR10+ is not supported.

The Sony does, however, boast IMAX Enhanced certification, and leans heavily into its Studio Calibrated Modes, with dedicated Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Sony Pictures Core presets designed to present content as the creators intended.

On the subject of Sony Pictures Core, the Bravia 8 II also comes with credits that can be used to ‘buy’ movies from Sony’s exclusive streaming service, which delivers content in almost 4K Blu-ray quality.

Gaming support is broadly similar. Both TVs offer 4K/120Hz, VRR, ALLM and a Dolby Vision game mode, though the Philips also supports 4K/144Hz, which will appeal to hardcore PC gamers with super-serious rigs (current consoles can’t go beyond 120Hz).

Frustratingly, both sets are limited to two full-bandwidth HDMI 2.1 ports, one of which doubles as the eARC socket, potentially leaving just a single 4K/120Hz input once a soundbar is connected.

Sony adds its ‘Perfect for PlayStation 5’ features, but these are a little less grand than they sound – only the HDR Auto Tone Mapping does something beyond the capabilities of other sets, such as the OLED910, and while this is useful for getting a fairly accurate HDR performance out of most PS5 games, it isn’t quite 100 per cent accurate.

Both TVs use the Google TV smart platform, which is pretty good these days, but while Sony has sought to fill in Google TV’s terrestrial catch-up app gaps through the addition of YouView, the Philips OLED910 is missing BBC iPlayer.

We’re not going to factor the two different OLED panel technologies into the round, as it’s the actual picture performance that matters, and we’ll cover that in the next section. That leaves the two TVs fairly evenly matched on the features front: the Philips has HDR10+ and 4K/144Hz support, but the Sony has IMAX Enhanced, Sony Pictures Core, and the BBC iPlayer.

Ultimately, we’re calling this a draw, but you can call it a win for one or the other TV based on which of those feature differences matters to you.

WINNER: draw

Sony Bravia 8 II vs Philips OLED910: Picture quality

Both the Sony Bravia 8 II and Philips OLED910 deliver genuinely excellent pictures, but when viewed side by side, it becomes clear that they prioritise slightly different strengths.

The Bravia 8 II sets the benchmark for balance and effortlessness. Straight out of the box, its core presets – Dolby Vision Dark and Professional – deliver a beautifully judged image with no need for tweaking.

Peak highlights are brighter and more piercing than those of Sony’s previous OLEDs, colours are richer without exaggeration, and improvements to dark gradation reveal noticeably more shadow detail.

Crucially, all of this combines to create an image with exceptional solidity and three-dimensionality: objects have weight, people feel rounded and lifelike, and backgrounds possess genuine depth.

That sense of realism holds across all content types. HDR movies benefit from punchy highlights and immaculate tone mapping, animation bursts with colour without tipping into garishness, and even standard-definition material is upscaled with impressive cleanliness, sharpness and restraint.

Nothing ever feels forced or over-processed, and the Bravia 8 II consistently presents content in a way that feels authentic and natural.

The OLED910, by contrast, can take more work to get right, but rewards that effort with a thrilling, high-impact image.

Once switched into HDR Filmmaker Mode and properly dialled in, it delivers bright, punchy HDR with excellent sharpness, fluid motion and a strong sense of vibrancy.

OLED’s perfect blacks are paired with strong shadow detail and consistent colours in dark scenes, and motion handling is a particular highlight, striking a rare balance between smoothness and cinematic integrity. In fact, we’d go as far as to say it’s a match for the Sony in terms of motion processing – something we absolutely hadn’t anticipated.

Where the Philips falls slightly short of the Sony is in absolute accuracy and subtlety. Reds can occasionally appear a touch over-emphasised, particularly in skin tones, and while this is rarely obvious in isolation, it becomes more apparent when compared directly with the Bravia 8 II’s more natural colour handling.

In HDR10 content, the OLED910 gets impressively close to the Sony overall, but the Bravia has the edge in terms of contrast control, three-dimensionality and overall image cohesion.

Dolby Vision performance on the Philips is excellent in Filmmaker Mode, though blacks can appear slightly raised in very dark scenes – again, something that’s most noticeable next to the Sony.

SDR content, meanwhile, is significantly over-brightened in all picture modes. It looks great, with oodles of punch, but having at least one preset that tracks SDR brightness accurately would have been nice.

Ultimately, the OLED910 is a superb picture performer and one of the closest challengers to Sony’s flagship. But the Bravia 8 II remains the reference, delivering a more natural, solid and consistently cinematic image across all formats, with less effort required from the viewer.

WINNER: Sony Bravia 8 II

Sony Bravia 8 II vs Philips OLED910: Sound quality

Both the Sony Bravia 8 II and Philips OLED910 rank among the very best-sounding TVs available, but they go about their audio delivery in notably different ways – and in this case, the Philips ultimately comes out on top.

The Bravia 8 II uses Sony’s Acoustic Surface Audio+ system, with actuators vibrating the screen itself to produce sound, supported by twin subwoofers.

This creates an unusually strong sense of cohesion between picture and sound, with voices and effects locked precisely to their on-screen positions. Dialogue is clear, detailed and warm, and there’s enough dynamic subtlety to convey emotional nuance in performances, as well as enough punch to handle larger shifts without flattening out.

Spaciousness is also impressive by TV standards. Effects stretch well beyond the edges of the screen, creating a soundstage that feels wider and more immersive than most integrated systems can manage.

Bass depth isn’t class-leading, but it’s controlled and weighty enough to underpin action scenes convincingly, without unwanted distortion or boom. Overall tonal balance is excellent, making the Bravia 8 II one of those rare TVs that doesn’t immediately demand the addition of a budget soundbar.

The OLED910, though, raises the bar further. Its Bowers & Wilkins-tuned 3.1-channel system delivers a sound that’s bigger, weightier and more room-filling than the Sony’s, with excellent width, precise effect placement and impressive dynamic range.

Dolby Atmos soundtracks are handled with confidence, producing a convincing sense of scale and height, particularly when the Entertainment mode is engaged.

Low-level detail is a real strength, with subtle background sounds and musical elements placed clearly and naturally, while dialogue remains full-bodied and expressive. Dynamics are handled with assurance, too, from quiet conversational moments to louder, more demanding sequences.

Deep bass is a touch soft, but crucially remains clean and distortion-free – and there’s much more of it from the Philips than there is from the Sony. Compared directly, the Philips sounds more powerful, more immersive and more expansive than the Sony.

While both TVs will still benefit from the addition of a dedicated sound system, the OLED910 noses ahead if you’re determined not to go down that route. If you are prepared to add discrete sound, you need to be looking at something on the level of a Sonos Arc Ultra before you’ll hear a clearly worthwhile improvement on either TV.

In short, the Bravia 8 II delivers excellent, finely balanced sound with superb picture-to-audio cohesion, but the OLED910 sets a new benchmark for built-in TV audio at this level, edging ahead as the best-sounding TV of the two.

WINNER: Philips OLED910

Sony Bravia 8 II vs Philips OLED910: Verdict

This is one of the closest TV head-to-head battles we’ve seen in some time, and the fact that the Philips OLED910 gets so close to the Sony Bravia 8 II is a huge achievement – particularly given its lower price, more adventurous design and genuinely outstanding built-in sound.

The OLED910 wins convincingly on value, and edges the Sony on design flair and audio performance. It also delivers a thrilling, high-impact picture once properly set up.

If you want a premium OLED that looks and sounds spectacular, and you’re keen to avoid adding a separate sound system, the Philips makes a hugely compelling case.

But picture quality remains the deciding factor – and here, the Bravia 8 II still stands apart.

Its image is more natural, more consistent and more three-dimensional across all formats, with none of the small compromises that occasionally creep into the Philips’s delivery.

Just as importantly, it achieves this with less effort from the user, delivering reference-level results straight out of the box.

That combination of accuracy, balance and cinematic realism is why the Bravia 8 II earned its Product of the Year crown – and why it keeps it here.

The OLED910 pushes it harder than almost any rival we’ve tested, but when it comes to the overall best TV you can buy right now, Sony’s flagship remains the one to beat.

OVERALL WINNER: Sony Bravia 8 II

When I go on a press trip overseas, I need to make several difficult choices. These include how many pairs of pants to take, how many shirts, and occasionally how many pairs of trainers – if I’m going to be covering miles stomping around a show floor like CES, I want to be comfy.

The toughest choice, though, is which pair of noise-cancelling headphones to take.

You see, having reviewed headphones of all shapes and sizes for the best part of two decades, I have a wide range of models available (from our vast stockroom) to take for a spin, and I find myself looking at the options like an all-you-can-eat buffet. In this instance, however, filling my plate isn’t going to leave much room in my case for pants.

So imagine my procrastinating at the thought of having to pick a pair for a pre-Christmas long-haul flight to the US to see a sneak preview of some upcoming audio goodness from one particular brand. But more on that in a few weeks…

When it comes to trips, I always find myself torn between big and bulky wireless headphones and more pocketable wireless earbuds. Most of the time, I end up taking one of each, so I can wear them depending on my mood and what I’m doing.

This time round I took three. First was the Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2, which I had just tested. I know from my extensive testing just how amazing they sound, but I wanted to take them for a spin in the noisy confines of an aeroplane cabin to see how their noise-cancelling coped.

But this meant I needed a pair for comparison. Step forward a pair of Apple AirPods Max. Not the original version, but the updated 2024 version in Apple’s rather eye-catching Blue finish. (The other pair I chose was the AirPods Pro 2 earbuds, if you were wondering).

I haven’t spent a huge amount of time with the Max in the past, and, given I’m pretty immersed in Apple’s ecosystem, I thought it might be a good opportunity to spend some quality time with its flagship five-star headphones.

They have been around for quite some time now (the originals launched in December 2020), so I thought it would be good to see how they stack up against a more modern rival.

And, following my time with them, I’ve come to a couple of conclusions.

My overriding thought is that Apple missed a trick with the lightly tweaked 2024 version. Instead of going for a bigger, bolder revamp, it stayed super safe, just adding USB-C for charging and wired listening, and a sprinkling of new colour options.

They still look the same, feel the same, and use the same H1 chip. Oh, and they still come with that ridiculous carry case.

And it might be just me, but I think the Max now look rather dated. I also think they look quite bulky, feel heavy and lack a little luxury compared with the refined-looking Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2. Dare I say the AirPods Max have an air of clown feet about them compared with the stylish brogues of the Bowers? Well, I just said it.

The digital crown control is still an intuitive way of interacting with the headphones, although the way I sometimes hold the headphones when taking them on and off can have me pressing both the crown and the sound mode button at the same time, which isn’t ideal.

In absolute terms, Apple’s over-ears no longer sound as good as the very best at the money. For example, they don’t have the insight or dynamic thrust of the Bowers & Wilkins. They are still very likeable, listenable, and easy to live with, but a skilled rival such as the Px8 S2 is simply capable of digging up extra layers of detail and giving a greater sense of dynamic expression.

The AirPods Max are still a comfortable design, though. That wide headband looks like a suspension bridge stretching between left and right earpieces, but it helps spread the weight well.

The earpieces might be chunky, but the material used for the earpads, in my experience at least, is very breathable and makes a nice change from the leather or pleather used by some rivals, which I find can make my ears feel hot during extended listening.

The noise-cancelling feature for the AirPods Max is also still very good by current standards, with the Apple over-ears proving more than a match for the Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2. During my time on the plane with both pairs, the AirPods Max did a better job of cutting out frequencies across the board.

The Bowers seemed to allow more bleeding in of the outside world, from people having a conversation around you to the tunes being played through the plane’s speakers.

Of course, the differences shrink a little when you’re playing music through both pairs, but you can still tell that the Bowers are struggling to suppress the outside world that little bit more.

So while I believe the AirPods Max are starting to show their age, I think they’re still competitive enough, and this is perhaps why Apple decided against a wholesale upgrade, favouring just the tiniest bit of tinkering.

I haven’t seen sales figures for Apple’s flagship cans – perhaps it’s also the case that they’re not selling in big enough numbers for Apple to justify going back to the drawing board. Or perhaps it’s a combination of the two?

All I know is that I’d like to see Apple push the design to the max (pun intended). Their flagship headphones blazed a trail for premium cans, and, given how big the brand went on the iPhone Air, I’d love to see a similar design-philosophy applied to its top-of-the-range headphones, whether they retain the Max moniker or they make way for a whole new model.

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Read our Bowers & Wilkins PX8 S2 review

How do active noise-cancelling headphones work? Are they worth it?

The Philips OLED910 really surprised me when I tested it right at the tail end of last year.

It's a TV that combines the latest and brightest Primary RGB Tandem OLED panel technology with a Bowers & Wilkins sound system, great styling, and delightful Ambilight.

It's the best-sounding TV you can buy right now, and it gets close to the awesome Sony Bravia 8 II for picture quality, all while costing a lot less.

In fact, not only did the OLED910 launch for significantly less than rivals such as the Bravia 8 II, LG G5 and Samsung S95F, but it's been discounted further, too, so you can now pick up the 65-inch model for just £1699 at Richer Sounds.

That's almost £300 less than the equivalent Bravia 8 II, which is currently £1979 at Richer Sounds.

Right out of the box, the OLED910 looks and feels like a high-end television: a slim, elegant screen framed by a clean, understated design, and finished off with Philips’ signature four-sided Ambilight.

This isn’t a gimmick – the ambient lighting genuinely enhances immersion, framing movies and games with dynamic light that dances with the action on screen. It's not necessary for all content, but with bright, colourful movies and games, it's stunning.

Under the hood, Philips has chosen a Primary RGB Tandem OLED panel (the same panel that's found in the LG G5 and Panasonic Z95B) and its P5 AI processor, giving you bright, vivid images with punchy highlights and rich shadow detail.

Unlike the LG G5, Samsung S95F and Sony Bravia 8 II, the OLED910 also supports all major HDR formats, including Dolby Vision and HDR10+, so you’re set up for the best possible streaming, disc and gaming content.

One of the OLED910’s standout features is its built-in Bowers & Wilkins 3.1-channel sound system. By TV standards, this is exceptional: full, detailed, and spacious enough to fill a room.

A premium soundbar such as the Sonos Arc Ultra will sound even better, but if you're determined to stick with your new TV's built-in speakers, the OLED910 is the best-sounding model you can buy right now.

There are a couple of small compromises – slightly raised blacks in Dolby Vision, over-brightened SDR and just two full-fat HDMI 2.1 ports – but these are minor caveats given the overall package.

At this price, you’re getting a super-premium OLED picture, class-leading integrated audio and a stylish, feature-rich package – making the OLED910 arguably the best performance-per-pound flagship OLED available right now.

MORE:

Read the full Philips OLED910 review

And here's our Sony Bravia 8 II review

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As one of What Hi-Fi?’s resident wireless headphones aficionados, I will regularly be found pinching the latest pairs from our stockroom to take for a test drive. And, over the past 12 months, I’ve spent a lot of time swapping between new pairs while also revisiting older models to get a good feel for how the market has (or hasn’t) evolved.

The more I’ve heard, the more it’s given me time to take stock of different brands, what they offer and where there might be a little room for improvement. After all, even with all the five-star models we have reviewed, there really isn’t such a thing as a perfect pair of wireless headphones.

I have cherry-picked four of the biggest brands in the business and made a note or two on what I think they need to bring to the table with any future models they might be thinking of launching in 2026.

Here’s what I’m wishing for and why…

Apple

I can’t be the only person who was disappointed by the September 2024 update for the AirPods Max. I’m still surprised this premium pair of cans was given barely more than a lick of fresh paint. I’m of the opinion that these impressively engineered over-ears are still competitive in the current market, but I think it’s time for Apple to consider a bigger revamp.

To me, they need a bit of an update in terms of design – and I’m not just talking about that travel case. They do now feel quite bulky and hefty compared with many of their rivals. Multiple pairs have passed through my hands this year and although build quality is excellent on the AirPods I think the time is right for a revamp.

I also think that sound quality could be improved, especially given that key, cheaper rivals from the likes of Sony and Sennheiser have now caught up. The AirPods Max showed there was mileage in premium-priced headphones back in 2020; now it’s time to move things on.

Bose

I have always been a fan of Bose’s premium wireless headphones, especially when it comes to noise-cancelling, but I can’t help but feel that the brand might have taken one eye off the ball when it comes to sound quality with its latest top of the range over-ears.

We rate the QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) as four stars – they’re solid performers, but we do think they have fallen behind the current class-leaders when it comes to clarity, detail and dynamics.

For me, there’s now a clear gap between Bose and the top performers from Sony and Sennheiser. That’s mainly down to sound quality, but I also think build quality could be improved given their asking price.

Bowers & Wilkins

I have been impressed with the consistent level of sound quality from B&W’s recent premium over-ear and in-ear headphones. Anyone looking for an entertaining sound that majors in insight should start their search with what this brand has to offer.

But moving forward, and being very picky, I’d like to see more from the noise-cancelling technology used in its headphones. This is especially the case when it comes to its over-ears such as the Px8 S2, which, based on our recent experience, do struggle to block out external noise as effectively as some rivals, especially in the upper midrange and treble.

Bose and Sony’s implementations of ANC in its premium headphones are quite different from each other, but both are hugely effective and leading the way in this department.

Sony

It’s fair to say that Sony’s recent highlight reel for its wireless headphones is nothing short of astounding. Its most recent premium over-ears, the WH-1000XM6, arrived on the scene in May 2025 and basically swept all before them, winning our Product of The Year gong in the wireless headphones category at the What Hi-Fi? Awards 2025.

One launch I’m crossing my fingers for in 2026, though, is a potential replacement for the existing WF-1000XM5 in-ears. They are still great performers for the money, but having used them on and off for some time now and having had the chance to compare them with a lot of rival models, I do believe they’re in need of an update.

The main thing I want any successor to address is comfort. I struggle to gel with the eartips on offer from these particular Sony buds, and I’m not the only member of the What Hi-Fi? review team to feel this way. A new, softer, more pliable yet acoustically isolating material would be very much appreciated.

MORE:

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Sony WH-1000XM6 vs Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen): which flagship wireless over-ears are best?

Sony WF-1000XM6: release date and price predictions, plus 6 features on our wishlist

Apple AirPods Max vs AirPods Max 2024: what are the differences?

Isn’t it fascinating how such seemingly similar recipes can produce such wildly different results?

The exciting world of cooking keenly highlights this phenomenon. Add just a touch too much flour to your Yorkshire puddings and they’ll let down your entire Sunday roast. Too much salt in your Bolognese will have your Italian grandmother weeping similarly saline tears, while dialling up your mustard intake by a fraction can take a perfectly palatable sausage from tasty treat to eye-watering episode.

All very similar things, but change things just a touch and you’ve got something new entirely – a pancake and a Yorkshire pudding are the same recipe cooked in a different way, lest we forget, but you don’t eat Yorkshire puddings for breakfast. Anyway, enough of this culinary detour.

Standmount speakers are the same, believe it or not. This year, we’ve had the pleasure of testing (or else revisiting) a raft of contenders drawn from the same tranche of the market, and while our assessments have tended to be positive across the spectrum of models sampled, the underlying reasons for our enthusiasm have varied significantly from case to case.

2025: the year of the standmount speaker

Perhaps the most notable set to pass through our doors were the Acoustic Energy AE300 Mk2, a pair of mid-price (£649 / $1099 / AU$1580) standmounts featuring a two-way design and a rear port. In case you missed it, they went on to become 2025 What Hi-Fi? Award winners (and received a coveted Product of the Year trophy) thanks to their natural, nuanced sound.

We also enjoyed the talents of KEF Q3 Meta (originally £649 / $900 / AU$1300), another pair of bookshelf belters which, while a little shorter and squatter than their Acoustic Energy rivals, again featured a rear port and a two-way design.

Then there’s the Monitor Audio Bronze 50 7G (£500 / $849 / AU$1099), which go in a different sonic direction to their rivals. Not that you’d know it to look at them – once again, two drivers housed in a handsome cabinet with a port at the back.

The only pair to break that pretty rigid formula have been the recently reviewed Triangle Borea BR04 (£529 / $649 / AU$1100), yet another pair of standmounters which hover around the same sort of price point and employ a two-way design, but with the key difference of having a port at the front rather than hidden away around the back.

What’s remarkable about this ever-growing roster of budget-to-mid-range speakers is just how different they are in terms of audio performance. Each showcases a unique character and general temperament which is distinct from its rivals, to the extent that our recommendations can often fluctuate depending on what any would-be buyer desires in their chosen speaker candidate.

Similar designs, different results

Push us, and the Acoustic Energy would be our pick as the speakers that we’d want were it our money being spent. They’re subtle and nuanced performers as opposed to showy dynamos, but that character only grows more engaging and enthralling when, after a time, you realise just how revealing these Award-winners can be. That all said, they’re still the most expensive pair here as they push well into what we would term ‘mid-range’ territory.

Were we to choose a safe alternative at a lower price, however, it’s hard to look past the KEF Q3 Meta, especially now that their price has dropped considerably since release. With their balanced, controlled presentation, flexible, accommodating temperament and impressive levels of resolution, they’re speakers that we’re confident would please most people most of the time. These aren’t specialists boasting one standout feature – instead, they’re truly accomplished all-rounders.

KEF’s Q3 Meta standmounts use the 12th generation of the company’s signature Uni-Q driver, in which the driver array acts as a single point source to disperse audio more evenly, something which lends to that immersive, cohesive soundstage we’ve experienced across other models in the KEF range, such as the LS50 Meta and KEF LSX II LT.

If you are after a more characterful presentation, the Monitor Audio Bronze 50 7G might be more to your tastes. The Monitors take a completely different direction entirely, prioritising punch and snap over trying to be even-handed and conciliatory. They’re not ones to sit back and relax with, but if sheer entertainment is what you want in speakers, these are born to have a good time.

Oh, and let’s not forget that the Bowers & Wilkins 607 S3 and 606 S3 are still around at this price range (albeit lower than their launch a few years ago) and they too have their own signature sounds. Clear, crisp and detailed, with a slightly forward treble and a looser, freer bass, they’re not the most forgiving standmounts you’ll hear, but these are still former What Hi-Fi? Award-winners, lest we forget. And yes, both are two-way configurations with a port at the back.

So, all seemingly similar designs at similar price points and with so many common elements, all producing wildly different sounds. The lesson here, naturally, is how those subtle differences in design philosophy, construction and tuning preference add up to create a diverse array of standmounted wildlife.

Put the smaller 607 S3 side-by-side with the larger Triangle Borea BR04, and it won’t surprise you to learn, it’s the latter pair that pump out more bass than the leaner, treble-forward Bowers boxes. That extra cabinet size clearly makes a serious difference, as does the fact that the BR04 are working with a 16cm mid/bass driver, whereas the 607 S3 have a comparatively compact 13cm alternative.

Then you’ve got to factor in driver materials. The 607 S3 employ a titanium dome and favour a clear, slightly bright treble reproduction, whereas the Bronze 50 7Gs’ light, thin 25mm C-CAM gold dome tweeter with an updated waveguide makes good on its promise of a wide, precise sound with excellent time alignment.

There are other factors at play, of course, from cabinet construction to how the crossovers are designed, but those materials are unquestionably having an effect, adding or complementing the other to give each speaker its own unique flavour.

Choice is king

The take home point is that all this is great news for the end consumer. That there are currently so many good, if not excellent, standmount speakers available in this mid-price range, with different styles, sizes and sonic characters – meaning there should be a pair to suit almost any set of personal sonic tastes for those looking for a new set of speakers.

Yes, we believe in certain qualities that make hi-fi objectively ‘good’, ‘bad’ or somewhere in the middle, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t lots of ways of achieving a positive outcome, as all the speakers we've tested here prove.

In the world of midrange standmount speakers, you’ve rarely been so spoiled for choice. Now it’s time to go out and find exactly which pair is right for you – once you do, it’ll be a match made in heaven.

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In the grand scheme of things, most TVs sound pants.

It's little wonder: as TVs have become ever-thinner, the space for speakers has become even smaller, so tinier and tinier drivers are having to be used.

Manufacturers do what they can with clever processing, but there's really no compensating for shifting air when it comes to making decent sound, and small speakers will always struggle to shift big air.

One manufacturer has a special solution to all of this, at least when it comes to OLEDs: Sony uses actuators that actually vibrate the OLED panel itself, essentially turning it into one big speaker.

Before you ask, no, you can't see the panel vibrating, and what you get in terms of sound is a really big (by TV standards), open, direct and detailed performance. There's not a great deal of bass depth, despite the presence of two accompanying integrated subwoofers, but the Bravia 8 II is nevertheless the benchmark for TV sound in 2025.

Well, it was.

Philips has taken a different approach to Sony and its other rivals. Instead of trying to come up with creative ways to make tiny, hidden speakers sound good, it's partnered with British hi-fi stalwart Bowers & Wilkins, which has built a sound system for the new OLED910 that you can see, and that actually adds to the TV's visual appeal.

This isn't a new initiative – the Philips/B&W partnership goes back a few years and several models – but the OLED910 is the most effective implementation of it so far.

This is a mild refinement of the sound system that was developed for the OLED909, which is no great surprise, as that was a near-perfect blend of form and function.

It involves a speaker bar that is attached to the bottom of the TV's screen. If that sounds ungainly, the opposite is true: the bar is slim, rounded and covered in Kvadrat fabric, and it softens and enhances the appearance of the TV, rather than detracts from it.

Within that stylish bar are nestled three sound channels (for left, right and centre), each one consisting of two 30x50mm midrange drivers, a single titanium dome tweeter, and a Nautilus tube.

There's a subwoofer mounted to the back of the TV's chassis, too, resulting in a 3.1-channel system with 81W of claimed power.

None of that would matter if the sound was poor, but I wouldn't be harping on about it if that were the case.

No, the OLED910 sounds excellent for a TV. B&W's hi-fi heritage is evident in the detail, dynamics and rhythmic precision of the delivery. Voices sound more human and evocative as a result, soundtracks deliver the drama they're designed to, and action scenes have punch and excitement.

There's plenty of spaciousness to proceedings, too, with Dolby Atmos soundtracks stretching far to the sides and above the TV, and effects placed precisely within the wall of sound.

And there's plenty of bass, too. It could be a little tighter, but the OLED910 reaches depths that the Sony Bravia 8 II won't dare dive to, and completely avoids the distortion that is the bane of flagship sets from the likes of LG and Samsung.

And, if you want to add some serious bass, the OLED910 actually has an old-school subwoofer output among its array of physical connections, so you can add any traditional sub that you fancy.

To qualify all of this, I'm not saying that the OLED910 sounds amazing in an ultimate sense.

A dedicated audio system is absolutely the way to go if you want the sound to match the excellent picture quality, but you will need to go for a soundbar in the region of the Sonos Arc Ultra for the extra component to be worthwhile, whereas most TVs can be substantially sonically improved by a Sonos Beam Gen 2.

And I'm very aware that for many people, the idea of adding an extra component (even a stylish soundbar) to their set-up is an absolute no-no. For those people, there's a new best-sounding TV in town, and it's the Philips OLED910.

MORE:

Read the full Philips OLED910 review

And here's our Sony Bravia 8 II review

Here are all the best TVs you can buy right now

We've revealed the coveted Product of the Year winners for 2025 in the AV and home cinema categories, spanning a wide range of products.

From TVs and projectors, to soundbars and home cinema packages, and even smartphones and tablets, we've hand-selected the very best products that make your favourite movies and TV shows even more enjoyable to watch.

On this list, you'll find a stunning flagship OLED TV from Sony, a souped-up smartphone from Apple, a sensational soundbar package from Samsung, and a plucky 4K streaming stick from Amazon.

Each product wowed us during our thorough comparative testing process, standing above the competition in its respective field. You'll notice that these might not be the most premium option from each price category, as we judge on a performance-per-pound basis.

With that out of the way, here are the biggest winners from the AV side of What Hi-Fi? this year...

When it comes to our yearly Awards testing, the best surround sound speaker package category is easily one of our favourites to judge. While it involves a lot of physical labour – constantly swapping subwoofers and floorstanding speakers is a workout for sure – we're often treated to an immersive cinematic sound experience that floors even the very best soundbars.

This year has been no exception, and the good news is that after a fairly stagnant 2024, we have a new entry to our Award-winners list. The list, which features returning champs from Wharfedale, Dali and Bowers & Wilkins, now includes a premium package courtesy of KEF; and it happens to be really quite good.

Each entry is a 5.1 system. However, the beauty of any surround sound speaker package is the flexibility to swap in different elements. Adding a pair of height channel toppers to most of these systems can easily result in a 5.1.2 Dolby Atmos system, or you could hypothetically turn any of these into a 7.1 system with an additional pair of surround speakers.

That said, we've judged these systems in their respective 5.1 configurations and found plenty to like about each. We'll start with the newest addition to our list...

KEF delivers a truly stunning speaker system

KEF has made an impressive return to our AV testing room, not long after delivering one of the best Dolby Atmos soundbars of the year in the form of the XIO. The Q Concerto Meta 5.1 speaker package takes a pair of five-star standmount speakers, adds a mighty good subwoofer and centre channel, and rounds things out with a very capable pair of bookshelf speakers to create a rich, powerful and superbly cinematic system.

It's a pricier package than the previously Product of the Year-winning Bowers & Wilkins package (more on that in a moment), but we found its dashing good looks, impressive cohesion and, most importantly, its exceptional cinematic sound to easily justify its price tag.

We raved about its "rich, warm and engaging sound" in our full review, noting how capable the Kube 12 MIE subwoofer is in underpinning the overall experience with a controlled-yet-punchy dose of low-end oomph.

That's balanced nicely with how agile and dynamic the other components of the system are. The centre channel does an excellent job of capturing clear and emotive dialogue with plenty of detail, while the Q Concerto Meta speakers (which serve as the namesake and front left and right channels of this system) deliver a rich and punchy sound.

The system as a whole sounds precise and keeps pace without sounding thin or analytical; in fact, we were pleasantly surprised at how rich and dynamic it sounded during our testing.

It's a step up over the B&W system, but we couldn't overlook it during our judging, which is why we've bestowed it with the "Best speaker package over £2500" title.

Wharfedale, Dali and Bowers & Wilkins all defend their titles

The rest of this list is comprised of previous Award winners, as each remains a shining example of what makes a great surround sound speaker package.

The cheapest entry is the Wharfedale DX-3 HCP, a pint-sized system that's designed for those who want top-notch cinematic sound in smaller rooms, yet you shouldn't let its compact footprint deceive you. It has no trouble in firing out a wide, spacious sound that is simultaneously crisp and dynamic. This is a great choice for anyone looking to dip their toes into the world of 5.1 speaker systems for the first time, too, as it comes in one convenient package.

Stepping up to a much larger Wharfedale system, we have the Diamond 12.1 HCP, which has just earned its fifth What Hi-Fi? Award. It's a composed, spacious and insightful system that bears Wharfedale's usual warmth and depth in equal measure. We struggled to find a moment where this system put a foot wrong in our original review, and it remains a seriously compelling option in the £500-£1000 range.

Next up is another firm favourite, the Dali Oberon 5 5.1. It's won countless Awards, and for good reason too. It's a stylish system that delivers a rich, detailed and dynamic sound without breaking a sweat. We especially like how cohesive it sounds, and when we consider the cons of this system, we simply reach this conclusion: there's "nothing at this price".

Rounding out the list is the formidable Bowers & Wilkins 606 & 607 S3 speaker package. This two-time Product of the Year winner comprises two pairs of five-star stereo speakers, while the ASW610 packs a punch in the bass department. This system has it all: clarity, dynamism, warmth and agility, which is why we've featured it on our Awards list for the third year running.

The real question is who will take home the Product of the Year title? Can B&W defend its title and score the hat trick, or will KEF steal its thunder? No spoilers here – but the good news is that you'll only have to wait a few more days to find out the answer.

MORE:

Find all of the What Hi-Fi? 2025 Award winners here

Read our full KEF Q Concerto Meta 5.1 review

And check out our picks for the best surround sound speaker systems

In case you missed it, Amazon launched a sort of 'Prime Day 2.0' with its Big Deal Days earlier this week. From 7th-8th October, Amazon was making some seriously tempting price cuts, with rival retailers matching, or even bettering, the best that Bezos could offer.

Some of the those deals are still going, whereas others have bungeed back up to full price. Naturally, we discovered some stellar bargains while the big event was going on, as well as some crackers that emerged outside of those Big Deal Days.

Provenance doesn't really matter. What matters is getting great deals on great gear, and that's exactly what you're getting with our expertly curated rundown below.

MORE:

All four of the best 2025 flagship OLED TVs are on sale, and I've ranked them so you know which to buy

7 things I wish I had known before having a bespoke TV cabinet made

These are the 7 scarily good tunes we've been using for testing this month

A new pair of B&W headphones is always big news, but especially when they come with a bold claim or two. B&W says the Px8 S2 are the "best headphones we have ever created".

And the company might have a point – with an even more luxurious design, and improved sound and noise cancellation, they are a real improvement on the excellent Px8.

But they do carry a higher price tag, which is even more noticeable now the original model is discounted. So, are these improvements worth the extra spend? Let's find out.

Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2 vs Px8: price

When it comes to build quality, B&W's headphones don't spare any expense, with premium materials and a luxurious finish. But this means they do cost more than your standard pair of Sony or Sennheiser headphones.

The original Px8 launched at £599 / $699 / AU$1150, but have come down quite a bit in the three years since then. They currently cost around £399, and you can probably expect further discounts come Black Friday in a bid to shift stock.

That's significantly cheaper than the Px8 S2, which cost £629 / $799 / AU$1299. Deals on the S2 aren't likely for a long time, so they will have to do a lot to justify that higher price. Let's see if they're up to the job...

** Winner: Bowers & Wilkins Px8 **

Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2 vs Px8: comfort & build

Both pairs of headphones are eminently classy to look at and use, and to our eyes, they manage to be luxurious but not too showy. And that's despite having David Beckham as a brand ambassador.

Both come clad in Nappa leather on the headband, earcups and earpads, while the cast aluminium arms are beautifully finished and precisely engineered while feeling built to last.

The Px8 S2 continue this design language, however the ear cushions and headband have been redesigned slightly in order to be replaceable by trained service engineers, should the need arise. This could add years to the headphones' life.

The Px8 S2 also have a little exposed cabling along the aluminium arms. That's a nod to B&W's first ever headphones, the P5 from 2010. The S2 are 10g lighter than the original pair, but come in fewer finishes (two to the Px8's four) – though we expect the S2 to gain more colours at some point.

The S2 retain the same size carbon driver as the originals, but with a stiffer chassis and motor system.This was first seen in B&W's Px7 S3, as were the S2's amplifier and DSP engine (though the S2's is tuned slightly differently).

The S2 have four mics on each earcup, compared to three each on the S1. This should improve call quality and ANC, which we'll come on to later.

** Winner: Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2 **

Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2 vs Px8: features

In keeping with the luxury aesthetic, B&W uses physical buttons on its headphones, as opposed to touch controls. These are generally easier to use than touch controls, as you can feel them with your fingers and know which button you're pressing.

There is one issue though – B&W shrunk certain buttons for the S2, which makes them harder to locate and press.

The Bowers & Wilkins Music app is decent, and allows for a greater degree of customisation on the S2 than the standard Px8. The originals lets you control bass and treble tone (plus the sensitivity of the wear sensor), whereas the S2 also have a five-band EQ.

The app is not without issue. With the original Px8, we experienced music cutting out due to the wear sensor being mistakenly activated (it thought we had taken the headphones off), while the S2 had some problems connecting to the app.

Both pairs share plenty of similarities. They let you listen wired via the USB-C or USB-C-to-3.5mm cables included in the box. Both also support the aptX Lossless and aptX Adaptive high-equality audio codecs alongside the standard SBC and AAC.

Both models have a 30-hour battery life, alongside Bluetooth Multipoint for seamlessly pairing with multiple devices.

They both lack spatial audio and Bluetooth LE, though B&W says these are both coming to the S2 via a firmware update.

** Winner: Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2 **

Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2 vs Px8: noise cancelling & call quality

In our original review, we described the Px8's call quality as "decent". While clear, voices did have a bit of an edge, background noise was suppressed but not eliminated and blustery wind could interfere with the call.

While improved, it's a similar story for the S2. Voices have good clarity and expression, and don't sound unnatural like on some headphones. But background sounds are still there, unfortunately, which can prove a mite distracting.

ANC is generally good on the Px8. "Things are nice and quiet during our train journeys, though sudden or non-regular sounds such as workers digging the street or traffic noise still manage to break through," we wrote in our review.

The Px8 S2 do improve this, with the extra mics meaning less sound leaks in from outside. But they're still not as good as some of the very best noise-cancelling headphones, which also cost less.

** Winner: Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2 **

Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2 vs Px8: sound

Fancy design is all well and good, but it doesn't count for much without the sound quality to back it up. Thankfully, B&W's headphones have that in spades.

Of the original Px8, we wrote: "There is a level of clarity and insight here that we haven’t heard bettered at this level. Performance is a clear step ahead of talented but cheaper alternatives."

The sound is taut and controlled and packed with excitement, though this excitement does tend to wane when you lower the volume. But otherwise it's positive on all fronts, with a crisp and clear midrange, loads of detail and a great sense of rhythmic drive. They stay composed when the music gets demanding, and never sound anything but authoritative.

But the Px8 S2 push things forward, to paraphrase Mike Skinner. They're more natural than their predecessors, with a greater sense of scale and openness, which makes the original Px8 headphones sound more analytical in comparison.

The S2 have real power and authority in the bass but it remains tightly controlled. There's a healthy dose of punch and dynamism, and an exceptional level of clarity.

The S2 have more punch and more conviction, with a greater sense of space around a track's various elements. "This makes for a more interesting, entertaining listen that’s bristling with energy," we wrote in our review.

** Winner: Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2 **

Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2 vs Px8: verdict

The Px8 S2 are better than their predecessors in pretty much every regard. The sound quality is a cut above, the noise cancellation and call quality have been improved, and the design refined. But they do cost a lot more.

If you have the funds, the S2 should make you very happy indeed. But if you want a taste of luxury on a slightly tighter budget, the original Px8 still fit the bill.

MORE:

Read our Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2 review

And our Bowers & Wilkins Px8 review

Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2 vs Sony WH-1000XM6: which flagship wireless headphones are better?

Want more choice? Read our full round-up of the best headphones we've tested

Bowers & Wilkins' headphones are plenty luxurious, perform very well indeed and cost a pretty penny. Indeed, they usually make flagship pairs like the Sony WH-1000XM6 look cheap by comparison.

Its new pair is no different. The B&W Px8 S2 follow the five-star Px8, and promise to be the brand's "best sounding headphones" so far. Given its pedigree, that's quite some boast.

But if it wants to best Sony's finest, it certainly has a fight on its hands. Not only are the XM6 cheaper, they're terrific all rounders.

Can B&W make good on its word? Let's find out.

Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2 vs Sony WH-1000XM6: price

• B&W Px8 S2 are more expensive than the Sony WH-1000XM6
• The XM6 are older, so are more likely to be discounted
• Sony headphones are often discounted during sales

Both of these are flagship pairs, which fit most people's definition of premium. But they're actually priced very differently.

Bowers & Wilkins is a higher-end brand than Sony, and as such uses more premium materials in its headphones. Of course, this comes with a premium. The Px8 S2 cost £629 / $799 / AU$1,299. Ouch.

The Sony WH-1000XM6 still aren't cheap, at £400 / $450 / AU$699. But they look positively affordable next to B&W's finest.

Remember also that the XM6 have been available for a few months, whereas the Px8 S2 are brand new. Add the fact that Sony devices are often discounted during big sales events, and the XM6 are far more likely to see a deal this sales season.

** Winner: Sony WH-1000XM6 **

Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2 vs Sony WH-1000XM6: design

• The Px8 S2's build quality is higher than the Sony XM6's
• The Px8 S2 are heavier than the XM6, but still very comfortable
• The XM6 can fold up into a ball for easy storage
• The XM6 are still well made and come in more finishes

The Px8 S2 are noticeably more luxurious than the XM6, which isn't surprising given the difference in price. It's also not surprising given the PX8 S2's provenance.

They carry over the premium materials of the original Px8, with soft, plush nappa leather on the headband, earcups and earpads. Some chunky cushioning can heat up your ears during a long listen, but that wasn't an issue we encountered with the PX8 S2.

The arms are colour-coordinated and made of cast aluminium, and their movement feels precisely engineered. They are over 50g heavier than the XM6, but we never felt weighed down by them.

The earpads and clamping force also give the headphones a slightly different fit compared to the XM6 – the Bowers feel a bit more precise in place on your head, while the Sonys spread their cushioning more. At the end of the day, though, this will come down to personal preference.

The Px8 S2 ear cushions and headband have been redesigned, and can now be replaced if need be (though only by trained service engineers). The exposed cabling is a nice nod to the P5, B&W's first-ever headphones, which launched in 2010.

While still a flagship pair, the XM6 are a very different proposition in terms of design.

They've been overhauled significantly since the XM5, with hinges making a return from earlier pairs. This means they can fold up into a ball ready to be stashed in a bag or pocket.

The headband is wider and flatter than the XM5's, and with the cushioned earcups provides a comfortable fit with a slightly tighter clamping pressure than the XM5.

Touch controls again come as standard, and they're again nice and responsive.

The Px8 S2 are streets ahead in terms of materials and build quality – you can really see what your extra outlay gets you. Though the Sonys are still very well made and intuitive to use, and they come in one more finish than the B&W (though we expect the Px8 S2 to launch in more colours at some point).

** Winner: Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2 **

Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2 vs Sony WH-1000XM6: features

• The Px8 S2's buttons are small and difficult to reach
• Both pairs have a 30-hour battery life
• The XM6 don't support wired listening, but the Px8 S2 do
• The XM6 have the better app, and more extensive feature set

B&W has played around with the physical controls on the S2, but we think they feel less ergonomic. The buttons are now smaller than the previous model, which makes them tricky to use, especially given some of their locations.

The Px8 S2 have the same size of dynamic carbon cone driver as the first-gen model, but with a stiffer chassis and motor system first used in the five-star Px7 S3.

The new driver unit has fixing on its edges that allow it to be pinned down more tightly in the enclosure, and they can also be removed should one need replacing at any point.

They also use the same amplifier and DSP engine as the Px7 S3, but tweaked slightly for the revamped carbon driver.

The XM6 use a new 30mm 'soft edge' dome driver that's the same size as the XM5's. It's made from the same light and rigid carbon fibre composite material.

Both pairs have Bluetooth 5.3, which means they're compatible with the standard SBC and AAC codecs, plus some higher-quality ones – aptX Lossless and aptX Adaptive 24-bit/96kHz for the Px8 S2, and Sony's LDAC for the XM6. The aptX codecs are more common than LDAC, so if it's higher quality listening you're after, you'll have a wider choice of tracks with the S2.

It's even-stevens in terms of battery life, with both offering 30 hours' playback. The Px8 S2 give you seven hours of use from a 15-minute charge, while the XM6 give three hours from a three-minute charge using a USB-PD charger.

You can listen wired to the PX8 S2 using either a USB-C or USB-to-3.5mm cable (both of which come in the box). The XM6 don't support wired listening.

The Px8 S2 don't currently support spatial audio or Bluetooth LE Audio, both of which the Sonys do. B&W says both will arrive via a future software update. Both pairs support Multipoint for switching between wireless devices seamlessly.

The Bowers & Wilkins Music app has a greater degree of customisation for the S2 than the previous model, though we prefer Sony's Sound Connect app – it's more stable, for one thing, and gives you a wealth of features, including a new 10-band equaliser and a new dedicated Gaming EQ.

The XM6 build on the solid foundation of features laid by the XM5, including the DSEE Extreme sound enhancement engine to boost lower-quality audio to near high-res.

Also returning are Speak-To-Chat (which drops the volume level when you start talking), Quick Attention Mode (which lets you hear ambient sounds by placing a hand on the right earcup) and Ambient Sound (to constantly allow in outside noise).

But they also borrow some tech from Sony's premium Walkman range of portable music players, like the low phase noise crystal oscillator to improve timing and gold-infused solder in certain parts of the circuit. Components and circuitry have also been optimised to minimise crosstalk and interference.

The new 360 Reality Audio Upmix for Cinema feature turns any stereo sound into spatial audio, and Auracast support has also been added. As you can see, it's an extensive list.

** Winner: Sony WH-1000XM6 **

Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2 vs Sony WH-1000XM6: noise cancelling & call quality

• Noise cancelling is more natural with the XM6 than Px8 S2
• The XM6 cancel a wider range of sounds
• Wind noise especially is more noticeable with the Px8 S2
• Calls are clearer with the XM6, though the Px8 S2 are still clear

B&W has paid attention to the ANC, upping the number of mics from six on the previous model to eight (four on each earcup) on the S2. Six of these monitor external noise, while two do so internally to check on the driver output. Make a call, and all eight mics get involved. And there's a new algorithm to improve call quality.

They are a step up on previous B&W pairs, but their ANC isn't a match for the XM6's. They let in more noise across the frequency range, be it engine sounds, voices, or the high-frequency whines of a petrol-powered lawnmower. Wind noise is also more noticeable.

The XM6 excel in this area. Their ANC never seems anything but natural, while also reducing external sounds to barely more than a whisper. They have a total of 12 mics on noise-cancelling duties, alongside Sony’s new HD Noise Cancelling Processor QN3 which is seven times faster than that inside the XM5.

The QN3 also includes what Sony calls a ‘look-ahead noise shaper’ to improve the digital-to-analogue process by reducing distortion and improving dynamics. The adaptive NC optimiser constantly adapts to changes in your environment, so the ANC is always optimised for peak performance.

They are "wonderfully consistent in dealing with bass and midrange rumblings and just giving you a nice clear background on which you can place your music," we wrote in our review.

Call quality is superb. That's thanks to Sony’s precise voice pickup technology, which works arm-in-arm with the mics and beamforming AI to nullify background noise so you can focus on the caller's voice.

The S2 "deliver your voice with good clarity and expression," we wrote in our review, and vocals never sound overly processed as on some pairs. But because they let in more background sound, voices aren't as clear as with the Sonys.

** Winner: Sony WH-1000XM6 **

Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2 vs Sony WH-1000XM6: sound

• Px8 S2 sound purer and more detailed; the XM6 excel for musicality
• The Px8 S2's sound is more 'hi-fi', the XM6 are more entertaining
• Px8 S2 have precision, accuracy, power and authority
• XM6 sound dynamic, precise and rhythmic

Sonically, the Px8 S2 are a treat. They have plenty of power and authority, with a bass weight that's significant yet kept on a tight leash. They have precision and accuracy in spades, while Everybody’s Changing by Keane is "delivered with punch, dynamism and exceptional clarity," we wrote in our review.

They're engaging and more natural-sounding than their rather analytical forebears. They even deal well with the tricky 15 Step by Radiohead, keeping a hold on all of the various threads and displaying an impeccable sense of timing.

In short, they sound very good indeed. But then so do the XM6.

In fact, we described them as offering "the most detailed, dynamic, precise and open sound we’ve heard from a wireless Sony flagship". And if you've read our reviews of Sony flagships past, you'll know that's high praise indeed.

Detail levels are excellent, although they are pipped by the Bowers & Wilkins, with a great sense of space around the notes, putting across the full dynamic contrast. Elements are knitted together skilfully, and the sense of rhythmic drive is compelling. They place instruments around the soundscape with precision, while the bass is "meaty yet well defined." Tasty.

Sonically, the Px8 S2 are superior. They have more detail and insight, and a more 'hi-fi' sound. The Sonys have amazing musicality, but if it's purity of sound you're after, it's the Px8 S2 all the way.

** Winner: Draw **

Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2 vs Sony WH-1000XM6: verdict

• The XM6 are better all-rounders and better suited to most people
• They're also significantly cheaper than the Px8 S2
• But the Px8 S2 sound better, and definitely feel more expensive

Both of these pairs of headphones excel at what they set out to do. The B&W are a sumptuous, luxurious pair that redefine build quality. They also sound superb.

The Sonys are another worthy entry in the firm's flagship line. Because of their cheaper price, broader feature set and superior noise cancellation, they're the better bet for most people. But if you want luxury and sonic supremacy, the Px8 S2 are a great shout.

MORE:

Read the full Sony WH-1000XM6 review

And the Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2 review

Sony WH-1000XM6 vs WH-1000XM5: which wireless headphones are better?

With their bold colour palette, eye-catching design and space-friendly compact form, the new Dali Kupid speakers are made to appeal to a wider audience of music fans.

The Kupid are designed to fit into people’s spaces easily and be used with modern compact hi-fi, micro systems or as TV speakers. Indeed, part of our testing period was spent hooking the Kupid speakers up to the WiiM Amp Ultra streaming amplifier we also have in for testing – and the pair showed just how simple, compact and streamlined a modern hi-fi system can be.

And affordable, too. The Dali Kupid are priced at £299 / $600 / AU$599 per pair – that puts them right up against the Award-winning Wharfedale Diamond 12.1 (£249 / $399 / AU$699).

Considering the Danish brand has spent the last handful of years focusing on the higher echelons of the high-end hi-fi scale – from the flagship Kore and Epikore speakers, to the premium IO-8 wireless headphones – this is a welcome return to the budget speaker market.

Dali’s wallet-friendly Lektor, Zensor and Spektor ranges have entertained us in the past with their enjoyable, dynamic sound from compact forms, and the new Kupid model is cut from the same cloth.

Build & design

While they’re not as titchy as the Neat Iota II speakers, the Dali Kupid are small speakers that are designed to be placed just about anywhere. Standing 23.7cm tall and 14cm wide, they are a little bigger than desktop speakers such as the Ruark MR1 Mk3, but are still a fair bit more compact than standard small speakers such as the B&W 607 S3 and Neat Petite Classic.

This means they can be placed on desks, cabinets, bookshelves, TV stands or large windowsills rather than on dedicated speaker stands, and are especially suited to those with limited space. You can even wall-mount them, with the required wall brackets and fixing screws included in the box – helpful!

The overall build quality is good, with smooth curves and a neat finish, while its lightweight frame speaks to its budget billing. But these aren’t plain Janes. We really like the styling of these speakers – they come in colourful shades that set them apart from the traditional hi-fi speaker crowd.

Our review sample comes in an appealing “chilly blue” finish, but you can also choose from a bright “golden yellow” or subtler shades of black, white and walnut. Those starburst lines radiating from the tweeter are a lovely design flourish and are present in every colourway, with the contrasting gold detail standing out on our blue sample in particular.

Compared with the brand’s own Zensor and Spektor speakers or their main rival, the long-running Wharfedale Diamond 12.1, the Kupid’s build does feel a little on the ‘budget’ side. The Diamonds are sturdier and have a more refined build quality with their wood finish, but they are also larger and more traditional-looking. The Kupid are clearly aiming for a different (and most likely younger) audience who are looking for something fresher and more modern.

Underneath that more accessible outlook lies Dali’s decades of acoustic engineering expertise, with the Kupid speakers promising to deliver a rich performance from such a compact form and at this price level.

The two-way speakers feature a 26mm “ultra-light” soft dome tweeter and an 11.4cm mid/bass driver made from a paper and wood fibre material that Dali has long used in its speakers. The dished tweeter waveguide is shaped to help integration with the midrange driver, and the custom crossovers are designed to deliver accurate timing overall.

There is a “dual flare” reflex port at the back of the cabinet that optimises airflow, minimises turbulence and aims to deliver deep bass from this compact cabinet size. It’s all very sensible, and there are magnetic grilles included in the box to protect the drivers.

Compatibility

The Kupids have a rather low sensitivity of 83dB to get enough bass extension out of such compact speakers, which is a balancing act Dali has done before in its Spektor 1 standmounts.

Despite this figure, we found they were easy enough to drive with most amplifiers we tried during testing, and got good volume levels out of them. The Kupids start to complain just a little when pushed to party levels in our fairly large test room, but as these speakers will be used mostly in smaller spaces, this shouldn’t be much of a problem.

During our testing period, we had the Kupids plugged into our usual reference system of Naim Nait XS 3 amplifier and Cyrus CDi CD player. Shifting to more appropriately priced partners, we tried the Kupid with the Arcam A5 and Rotel A8 amps, and the budget Pro-Ject Primary E turntable and Bluesound Node Icon streamer as sources, and then finally connected the speakers straight into the one-box WiiM Amp Ultra streaming amplifier.

With all combinations throughout our testing time, the Kupid speakers more than hold their own and retain their innate lively character.

Sound

Right from the moment we hit play, the Kupid reveal a lively, nimble presentation that is packed with enthusiasm.

We have to accept they won’t deliver the hugest spread of sound or the deepest bass due to their cabinets’ physical constraints, but we find ourselves looking past any such limitations as the speakers themselves sound well balanced. They have a particularly expressive and solid midrange, with enough slam in the lower frequencies to contrast against the sweeter, more delicate moments.

They exhibit a knack for snappy timing and agile rhythm. From Kendrick Lamar’s King Kunta to Tunng’s Didn’t Know Why to the KPop Demon Hunters soundtrack, the Kupid have a fleet-footed quality that zips along with all kinds of tracks in an engaging manner.

The bassline in Rag’n’Bone Man’s Human sounds tuneful and agile enough to keep the track’s fierce momentum going, while the brooding quality and build-up of tension in Massive Attack’s Angel is felt thanks to spot-on timing and clear, precise edges to notes.

There’s enough space to allow instruments and textures to flourish, from the crunchy depth of a grungy guitar to the sweeping orchestral strings in the Game Of Thrones soundtrack.

Dynamically, the Kupids deliver the ebbs and flow of tracks with conviction, while also revealing subtler moments with a deft hand. The smooth, soulful quality of Marion Black’s 1970s hit Who Knows is full of richness and body; the hi-hats in Max Roach’s Lonesome Lover have enough fizz and snap without sounding thin, and that saxophone glides through with verve.

The Kupids do a great job in expressing the high drama and frenetic attitude of Fontaines D.C.’s Starburster, with those punctuating gasps in the chorus stopping and starting with alacrity. There’s ample excitement and solidity underpinning the high-octane track to get into the groove, but there is also no undue brashness at the top and no flab at the bottom.

Equally, the subtle differences in pressure on the piano keys in Erik Satie’s Gnossienne No.1 are delivered clearly, which is quite impressive for such budget speakers.

We particularly like how expressive, detailed and fluid the Kupids are in the midrange. Laura Marling’s strong yet intimate vocals in Hope In The Air are communicated with crystal clear focus and all the nuances and emotion in her singing are laid bare. Her voice hangs beautifully in the centre, against a fairly low-noise background.

Play Still Dre and we find ourselves tapping our toes and snapping our fingers along to the melody, with the Kupids' infectious sense of enthusiasm and stellar sense of timing and agility keeping our attention hooked. Sure, those bass notes would hit deeper with bigger speakers, but we find that the Dali speakers deliver a satisfying amount of punch that keeps us entertained.

These are very capable performers for their modest price and size. We find ourselves listening to song after song and never get bored; the Kupids also allow the personality and tone of each recording era to come through with little fuss – something that even more expensive speakers struggle to do.

The Kupid speakers are livelier and more dynamically exciting than the Diamond 12.1 rivals, even if the larger speakers are more spacious and a touch more refined. The Kupids punch harder and win us over with their sure-footed rhythm and sheer sense of fun – sonic characteristics that have run through Dali’s previous budget speakers, and which we are delighted to hear resurrected here.

Verdict

Dali has hit upon a winning combination in the Kupid speakers. Small size, attractive looks, entertaining sound and an affordable price – what more could you want?

Give them a whirl, and don’t be afraid to opt for the bolder, colourful finishes.

Review published: 1st October 2025

SCORES

• Sound 5
• Build 4
• Compatibility 4

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Our guide to the best bookshelf speakers for every budget

We’re in the final days of September, and to celebrate the imminent arrival of 2025’s spooky season, we’ve penned a fresh entry into our weekly hi-fi and home cinema news digest.

It was an incredibly busy week for the What Hi-Fi? team with massive hi-fi brands including Bowers & Wilkins, KEF, Pro-Ject and Bang & Olufsen all launching new products. On top of that we also got fresh word from Harman, which completed its acquisition of Sound United.

Here’s everything you need to know.

We had a chinwag with Harman about its plans for B&W, Denon and more

The biggest news to break last week was Harman completing its purchase of Sound United, a giant group that includes Bowers & Wilkins, Denon, Marantz, Polk Audio, Definitive Technology, Classé, HEOS and Boston Acoustics under its umbrella.

The deal was announced in May but Harman, which has been owned by Samsung since 2016, has been tight-lipped about its specific plans for each brand.

Which is why, with the deal now complete, eager folks that we are we got straight on the phone to Dave Rogers, President, Lifestyle Division, Harman, to find out what the purchase means for each company.

Read the full story: “Maintaining that core identity of each brand is imperative” – Harman won't be tinkering with Bowers & Wilkins' sound following Sound United acquisition

Bowers & Wilkins launched new wireless headphones

Last week Bowers & Wilkins unveiled its latest Px8 S2 wireless headphones, claiming they’re “the best it has ever created”.

The new headphones are a follow up to the five star B&W Px8 we reviewed in 2022. B&W’s making some punchy claims about the upgrades it has made, the biggest being the use of a new 40mm Carbon Cone drive unit. B&W claims the new unit will let the headphones offer "exceptionally low colouration and distortion" and "stunning detail and clarity".

We’ve been testing the Px8 S2 for over a week and are on the verge of publishing our review, where we'll verify if the bold claims ring true with real-world use. So make sure to check back soon for our final verdict of the Px8 S2 and how they compare to their main rivals, the Sony WH-1000XM6 and Dali IO-8.

Read the full story: Bowers & Wilkins pledges its new flagship wireless cans are the "best headphones we have ever created"

KEF has a new Bluetooth speaker

KEF’s been on a run recently, launching a wealth of new products over the past nine months. These range from its first soundbar, the five-star KEF XIO, which we reviewed earlier this year, to a new Bluetooth speaker it unveiled last week.

Specifically, the brand launched its second generation Muo, a colourful unit looking to dominate the upper echelons of the Bluetooth speaker market, with pricing starting at £249 / $249 / AU$460.

The speaker has been redesigned internally from the ground up, making it a completely different beast to the original KEF Muo, which launched all the way back in 2015 and proved to be good, but not best in class – earning four, rather than five stars.

Technical highlights include the use of a tweaked version of the P-Flex Surround Technology seen in KEF’s KC62 and KC92 subwoofers, alongside the Music Integrity Engine DSP processing, previously found in larger hi-fi speakers, including the KEF LS60 Wireless.

Read the full story: KEF’s new Muo speaker promises premium sound, wrapped in funky colour options

Bang & Olufsen’s latest wireless earbuds are uber-expensive

Wireless headphones costing over £1000 / $1000 are becoming increasingly common. Bang & Olufsen, Mark Levinson, Focal, T+A and even luxury brand Loewe all offer premium pairs at the moment.

Thousand-bucks wireless earbuds, however, are still something of a rarity. Which is why when Bang & Olufsen unveiled its new £1000 / €1200 / $1500 Beo Grace earbuds, the move turned a few heads in What Hi-Fi? towers.

What has B&O done to justify their price? There are two key things. First is the use of premium 12mm titanium drivers and an “advanced acoustic architecture” that the firm claims will let them deliver “unrivalled audio performance”.

The second is their custom ‘EarSense-powered’ Adaptive ANC, which B&O claims is “four times” more effective than any previous B&O earbuds.

We haven’t had a chance to check either claim as we’re yet to get a pair in for testing. But the price and bold marketing claims make the Grace an interesting beast nonetheless.

Read the full story: Bang & Olufsen promises its new flagship wireless buds are its “best-sounding and most intelligent ever”

Pro-Ject’s new premium turntables look swish

After showing them off as prototypes earlier this year, Austrian hi-fi brand Pro-Ject has finally fully launched its flagship Signature 12.2 and The Classic Reference, putting them on sale in the UK.

The Signature 12.2 is the star of the show, with the firm claiming it is the most advanced turntable it has ever made – a bold message considering Pro-Ject's strong record in the record playing market. Built from 100 individually CNC-machined parts, the record player is full of custom hardware you won’t find anywhere else and is available at Henley Audio for £10,599 (around $14,000 / AU$22,000).

Below it, the Classic reference is a limited edition greatest-hits piece that combines elements of Pro-Ject's Classic EVO and VPO 175 Vienna Philharmonic. But, be warned, while it’s a lot less than its launch partner, the Classic is still an undeniably premium turntable, with pricing set at £4349 (around $6000 / AU$9000).

Read the full story: Pro-Ject's new flagship Signature 12.2 turntable is its "most advanced" ever

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Our picks of the best wireless earbuds

We rank the best wireless headphones

“The best headphone Bowers & Wilkins has ever made” – that’s certainly one way to sell your new flagship wireless headphones, which is exactly the claim Bowers is making for the Px8 S2.

The outgoing Px8 set the platform, offering a potent combination of luxury, performance and wireless convenience that elevated the brand’s wireless headphone offering to a new level.

So, how do you improve on the original? Bowers & Wilkins hasn’t gone back to the drawing board completely for its latest flagship, but has made changes in a couple of key areas that, on paper, will have a significant effect on sound quality.

Are these positive changes for the Px8 S2, or has B&W broken something that didn’t really need fixing? Let’s find out, shall we?

Price

The original Px8 went on sale in 2022 and cost £599 / $699 / AU$1150. Bowers & Wilkins’ second-generation model brings with it a slight increase to £629 / $799 / AU$1299.

This places the Px8 S2 in the same price ballpark as the five-star Focal Bathys (£699 / $799 / AU$1199) and above the likes of the Apple AirPods Max (£499 / $549 / AU$899), Dali IO-8 (£499 / $900 / AU$999), the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (Gen 2) (£449 / $449 / AU$700), class-leading Sony WH-1000XM6 (£400 / $450 / AU$699), and the Px8’s five-star siblings, the B&W Px7 S3 (£399 / AU$699 / $449).

Design

If it’s classy looks and luxurious feel you’re after, then the Px8 S2 will not disappoint. They carry over the premium materials and design flourishes of the original, which means they look every ounce a premium headphone, and we can confirm they feel it in hand too.

Place Sony or Bose’s flagship pairs up against the Bowers and you can see and feel where the extra money has gone. Both pairs feel significantly cheaper, especially the Bose.

The nappa leather that adorns the headband, earcups and earpads is wonderfully soft and plush. Our ears didn’t feel uncomfortable or start to heat up following long listening sessions and the padding is comfortable enough.

The ear cushions and headband have been slightly redesigned so they can now be replaced by trained service engineers, should they need to be.

The colour co-ordinated cast aluminium arm structures are exquisitely finished, and the movement feels precisely engineered in terms of how they rotate on axis.

A nice little design touch we should mention here is the exposed cabling along the aluminium arms, which is a little nod to the design of the Bowers & Wilkins P5, the company’s first headphones, which launched back in 2010. The cabling was hidden in the previous generation Px8.

At launch, finishes are limited to the Onyx Black of our review sample and Warm Stone, but don’t be surprised to see other finishes join the line-up over time.

Weight-wise, the Px8 S2 are 310g, which is actually 10g lighter than their predecessors and well in keeping with rivals around similar money. By contrast, the Focal Bathys weigh 350g and both look and feel bulkier than the B&Ws.

The Px8 S2 feel comfortable enough in situ – the earpads sit over your ears and on your head with greater precision than, say, the Sony WH-1000XM6, which give the impression they are spread around your ear more. Both quite different, but both still effective.

There’s decent force behind the clamping weight without the headphones feeling too tight when they are sat in position.

A pair of headphones' drive units obviously dictate the underlying flavour of sound, and the headline news for Px8 S2 is that it keeps the same size of dynamic carbon cone driver used in the original but uses a brand new, stiffer chassis and motor system (including a new voice coil) that Bowers & Wilkins first used in its cheaper, but still brilliant, Px7 S3 model.

The new driver unit has fixing on its edges that allow it to be pinned down more tightly in the enclosure, and they can also be removed should one need replacing at any point.

In terms of electronics, the Px8 S2 use the same amplifier and DSP engine as Px7 S3, although the tuning has been tweaked slightly to take into account how the revamped carbon driver behaves.

Besides the new chassis and motor system, one of the other big changes for Px8 S2 relates to the microphones. The latest model uses eight mics in total, compared to six on the original. Six mics monitor external noise, with two doing so internally, monitoring the output of the drivers.

All eight mics get involved when you are taking and making calls, while six take part in noise-cancelling. The headphones also use a new algorithm to improve call quality, which we’ll discuss later.

Features

Eagle eyes will notice there have been a few tweaks to the button layout and design compared with the Px8. But we aren’t sure they are positive moves. The control buttons have shrunk on the back of the right earcup, especially the play/pause button, while the power and Bluetooth pairing rocker switch has moved from the right earcup to the left.

We found the main controls a little on the small side, especially when you consider their location, right on the slim inner edge of the right earpiece, which is adorned with the Bowers & Wilkins logo. This can make them slightly fiddly to locate and press.

The button you use to toggle ANC on/off and enable pass-through (transparency) mode remains on the back inner edge of the left earcup, albeit slightly higher up, above the power switch. Again, we found them slightly awkward to locate when on the move.

The Bowers headphones support Bluetooth 5.3, are compatible with standard SBC and AAC codecs, plus you can take advantage of aptX Lossless and aptX Adaptive 24-bit/96kHz from compatible sources.

Battery life remains unchanged at 30 hours, which is pretty standard for wireless headphones at this level. A fifteen-minute charge should inject another seven hours of playtime.

There’s no spatial audio or Bluetooth LE audio on the menu here, but we wouldn’t deem either of these a deal breaker – although Bowers & Wilkins has promised them via a future firmware update.

The padded carry case is slightly trimmed down compared to previously, and it contains a USB-C charging cable and a USB-C to 3.5mm cable, both of which can be used for wired listening.

As with the previous generation, you can use the Bowers & Wilkins Music app to make adjustments – the Px8 S2 allows for greater adjustment and customisation than the older model, thanks to a five-band EQ (compared to just bass/treble adjustment on the previous model), but you can bypass this completely by using the True Sound mode.

Pairing, done through the Bowers & Wilkins Music app, is okay, although it feels as though there is an extra step there that simply isn’t required, especially for a piece of tech that you should just be able to pair to and play music through. Adding a second device using Bluetooth Multipoint is painless enough, though.

With our original review sample, one member of the team did suffer a handful of connectivity quirks when out and about, with the app not recognising a switch of sound mode. On one occasion, the app also said they weren’t connected despite the Bluetooth connection being on in the phone menu.

We called in a second sample, and although they were more stable, we aren’t one hundred per cent confident in the relationship between app and the headphones.

Noise-cancelling & call quality

When it comes to active noise-cancelling, the Px8 S2 are a step up from their Px7 S3 siblings, which you would hope to be the case. However, they still aren’t a match for the very best, which is a little disappointing for a pair of wireless headphones at this level.

During testing, we notice more train rumble, and more voice penetration compared to the Sony WH-1000XM6 when commuting into the office. The Sony noise-cancelling sounds natural but also manages to make external noises whisper quiet, especially those in the higher frequency realms.

When faced with the background whirrs, rumbles and scrapes of a petrol-powered lawn mower, again, we hear greater high-frequency leakage compared to the Sonys, and also find wind noise to be more penetrating. The Px8 S2 are good, but not in the same class as the best noise-cancelling headphones.

Regarding call quality, the Bowers are on par with most premium wireless headphones. They deliver your voice with good clarity and expression. There’s detail to phone calls and they don’t make your voice sound unnatural and slightly processed, which some headphones can do.

They do, however, let a little more background noise through than the Sonys, which still have the edge when it comes to dampening any external kerfuffle during calls.

Sound

We start our testing with Move Me by Charlie XCX, and we’re immediately impressed with the way in which the Px8 S2 dispatch low frequencies. There’s a real sense of power and authority to each note as it slams into your ears.

There’s ample bass weight but, more importantly, it’s tightly controlled, with clearly defined edges to the big notes but also the bass ripples that are injected into the track.

Bass comes at you hard and fast, and the notes don’t hang around – the Px8 S2 stop and start with impressive precision and accuracy, which allows the momentum of the track to continue without any awkward speed bumps getting in the way.

We switch to the awesomely melodic Everybody’s Changing by Keane, and the Bowers’ strengths shine brightly here. The track is delivered with punch, dynamism and exceptional clarity.

They extract plenty of detail from the percussion, lead vocal, even the little synthy flutters that jump between your ears.

The rise and fall in dynamics is handled superbly. The instruments deliver enthusiasm and life but the Bowers also communicate the tinge of sadness that comes from the lyrics.

They’re engaging to listen to, and you come out of a listening session feeling emotion, which is all you can ask for from a pair of premium headphones like the Px8 S2.

The old Px8 favoured a slightly more analytical approach, but the new version sounds more natural. There’s a greater sense of scale and openness too.

Raidiohead’s 15 Step is an old favourite of ours, not least because its slightly haphazard nature can give poor-sounding headphones nightmares when it comes to timing and being able to follow multiple different strands operating at different speeds.

It’s easy to trip over, but the Bowers manage to hang on to each of those strands and follow the track through to the very end without putting a foot wrong.

Compared to the Px8, punchier, more dynamic tracks are delivered with even greater conviction. With the Radiohead track, there’s more of a sense of space around the different elements, which gives the music room to breathe. This makes for a more interesting, entertaining listen that’s bristling with energy.

Playing Nothing But Thieves’ orchestral version of Impossible recorded at Abbey Road studios, there’s breathtaking clarity and intimacy as the Px8 S2 treat us to a rousing rendition.

The background is beautifully quiet as the track starts with a delicate vocal, solo electric guitar and drums setting an early, smooth tempo. Strings slowly creep in before soaring into view with the rest of the orchestra as the entire ensemble elevates the track to a new level. Strings rise and Conor Mason’s vocal leaps up in tandem, the headphones showing impressive dynamic reach.

Verdict

Bowers & Wilkins delivered a hit with the original Px8, but you can’t argue with the improvements that the Px8 S2 bring to sound quality.

They not only look and feel the part, but the headphones deliver refinement and detail in spades. They provide a potent, punchy listen that’s hugely entertaining. This is clearly five-star sound.

However, although the ANC performance is good, we couldn’t put it in the class-leading bracket. We also experienced connectivity issues, and having spent a good couple of weeks testing them, we think the ergonomics could be better, too.

If you want luxury design and sound, though, the Px8 S2 should definitely be on your list to audition.

Review published: 26th September 2025

SCORES

• Sound 5
• Build 5
• Features 4

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Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2 vs Px8: which premium headphones are better?

Best wireless headphones reviewed and rated by our in-house experts

Review samples of the Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2, its new flagship noise-cancelling headphones, are out there, and you might have already read a couple of verdicts before you arrived here.

But, if you're (sensibly) holding out for our final verdict, you're going to have to wait just a little longer as we're crossing the i's and dotting the t's on a couple of atypical issues we spotted with our sample before giving them a star rating.

We were lucky enough to be included in the first wave of samples and have been deep in the throes of testing for days now.

On our travels, though, we’ve encountered a couple of atypical connectivity issues through the Bowers & Wilkins app, relating to pairing and sound modes, which we think just need checking over.

This has resulted in us calling in a second review sample of the Px8 S2, which Bowers & Wilkins has been kind enough to supply, and we are now going through the testing process as I type.

The quirks we’ve encountered don’t affect sound quality (which is very promising), but they relate to the user experience. We just want to do our due diligence and ensure we’ve been as thorough as possible by calling in a second pair to see how they are to use.

Why go to the trouble if you've done the majority of the testing and the issues don't affect audio quality? It's because we always want our buying advice to be as accurate as possible.

Reviews are the building blocks of What Hi-Fi? and are something we don’t take lightly. We strive to bring you the most thorough verdicts on hi-fi, TV and home cinema, and reaching those verdicts can take a little time.

We dedicate days of testing to bring you verdicts you can trust, and every so often, we have to spend a little longer and go that extra mile when something comes up on our radar while we are putting a product through its paces.

Rest assured, we’ll be delivering our full verdict once we’ve put the second sample through its paces and are happy our review is 100 per cent accurate. Stay tuned!

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Bowers & Wilkins is aiming to "set a new benchmark for performance and design in the wireless over-ear category" with its new flagship wireless headphones, the Px8 S2.

The successors to the five-star B&W Px8 we reviewed a few years back tease wholesale upgrades across the board, vowing better sound, noise-cancelling, comfort and usability in the premium audio space.

B&W is gunning for class-leading performance with the second-gen Px8, teasing them as "the best sounding headphones the brand has ever created" thanks to a new 40mm Carbon Cone drive unit which strives for a "exceptionally low coloration and distortion" combined with "stunning detail and clarity".

The new drive units feature a redesigned and improved chassis, voice coil, suspension and magnet, angled to the listener’s ears to ensure a consistent distance from every point across the surface of each driver to each ear for better stereo imaging.

Each driver is powered by a dedicated headphone amplifier, with B&W promising more scale and energy than their predecessors could muster.

The Px8 S2 support aptX Adaptive and aptX Lossless for hi-res streaming over Bluetooth via compatible sources devices. Thanks to Bowers & Wilkins' own digital signal processing algorithm, the new cans promise 24-bit/ 96 kHz high-resolution sound, and if you want even sharper performance, 3.5mm and USB-C wired listening are also supported.

Noise cancelling is, naturally, on the menu, with the Px8 S2 featuring eight high-performance microphones located across each ear cup to eliminate noise from the outside world.

We found the noise cancelling of the Px7 S3 to lag behind the class-leaders when we tested them earlier in the year, so we'll hope for a bit more oomph from the Px8 S2s' performance in this area.

The new flagship cans promise 30 hours of battery life with ANC switched on, while a 15-minute quick charge will provide around seven hours of further listening in a pinch.

The Px8 S2 have been designed to be future-proof, with a series of over-the-air updates set to be rolled out later this year, the first of which will include support for spatial audio. The likes of Bluetooth LE Audio, as well as Auracast audio sharing technology, will also be added further down the line later.

The sophomore over-ears have been engineered for increased wearer comfort over longer listening stints, boasting a slimmer profile than the outgoing Px8 and a more compact carry case. The Px8 S2 use Nappa leather alongside aluminium arms and exposed cable detailing, producing what B&W described as the "perfect combination of "optimised mechanical stiffness" and "exquisite design".

According to B&W's VP of Brand Marketing Giles Pocock: “We are incredibly proud to launch the Px8 S2, the best headphone we have ever created. The Px8 S2 sets the benchmark once again, recalibrating expectations for sound quality, design, and craftsmanship".

The Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2 will be available from 24th September in Warm Stone or Onyx Black finishes, priced at £629 / $799 / €729 / AU$1,299. That's an advance on the £599 / $699 / AU$1,150 of the outgoing first-generation Px8.

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Where is our Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2 review? We're spot-checking a couple of quirks before publishing it

The recent news that Harman International’s $350 million acquisition of Sound United and all the brands associated with it has been signed, sealed and delivered is one of the biggest pieces of hi-fi news to break in recent memory.

In case you missed it, Bowers & Wilkins, Denon and Marantz are all now under the same ownership as AKG, Arcam, Harman Kardon, JBL, Mark Levinson and Revel.

This makes Harman quite the audio behemoth, with an even longer list of major brands under its belt, all with serious pedigree and impressive global reach.

We sat down with Dave Rogers, President, Lifestyle Division, Harman, to give us a bit of background on the deal, explain how Sound United and all its brands fit into the Harman family, and how things might take shape moving forward.

Rogers reveals that when Sound United was originally bought by Masimo back in February 2022 for $1.025 billion, Harman was also in the mix as a potential purchaser.

“When Masimo bought them, we were in the discussion at that point. We were one of the companies – there were some other parties involved – and then Masimo stepped in while we were talking to them, made the offer that they made, and we stepped away at that point.”

According to Rogers, many of the people involved in the 2022 discussions were involved this time around, too. “We’ve had interest in Sound United for a long time, and many of the leadership team were involved in those (2022) discussions. Those same people were in the meetings this time.

“At the end of last year, there was some press that was starting to show up before CES. And when we went to CES 2025, we arranged a first discussion to connect again – and it just evolved from there.”

Rogers mentions it’s only natural that Harman would be interested.

“99 per cent of the products we build are audio related, and they (Sound United) are pre-eminent brands in the space, in categories where we don't have a super strong presence.”

Rogers clarifies, “The AVR space, I mean. Arcam’s a great brand; we do nice business, but it's in a very small sliver of the market geographically, and we plan to keep it in that space, in that niche space.

“Maybe there's some learning on feature set or manufacturing capability in the plant in Japan, that Denon and Marantz have – maybe they could do some manufacturing there.”

It’s in manufacturing and engineering where Rogers feels big things could potentially happen.

“Leveraging the manufacturing capability of Sound United in the Worthing plant and in Shirakawa, could there be benefits? That would be the first place we'll look – but no decisions have been made.

“We'd look to leverage those facilities and then create a dialogue between engineers to share best-in-class, knowledge, information, testing that they’re doing and so on. Certainly, facilities are open to share; there are no hard lines between them.”

Denon has consistently made some of the best AV receivers we have tested in recent years, while the Marantz Cinema 30 is the AV receiver we use in the reference home cinema system in our dedicated London test room.

Rogers continues, “Equally, with the Bowers brand, we hope to leverage the UK plant for some Harman speaker manufacturing, assuming they have the capacity.

“There are some great engineers in Japan designing products. We'd like to get the team in England over there, or the team in Japan over to England, to share ideas on Arcam with the Japanese colleagues.

“We'd like to have some of the (Harman) loudspeaker engineers collaborate with the Bowers engineers looking for improvement.”

With that many brands under one roof, could there be any big clashes?

“In JBL, there's not a lot of crossover. There's not a lot of crossover in the headphone space. Bowers sits more premium, above everything that we're doing with the JBL brand; even Denon does to a certain degree.”

Part of the appeal for Harman appears to be in brands that have different appeal in different markets, due to the different sounds those territories favour. Rogers points to Bowers & Wilkins speakers as an example.

“You’ve got a UK/Europe-based loudspeaker, which has a different sonic signature from a US-based, dome and cone speaker, such as a Revel or a Polk, or a horn or waveguide speaker, such as a JBL. There's a different sonic character. So we believe there's a market for all those brands to coexist. Maintaining that core identity of each brand is, I think, imperative.”

“We are very committed to having unique brand identities and heritages – we don’t want to disturb it, we're not looking to homogenise. We think each brand has a special place, especially in the high-end market.”

Does Rogers foresee much change? Initially, no. He sees the relationship following a similar path to that Harman took following its purchase by Samsung. That means Sound United is, and will continue to be, run as separate businesses.

“Sound United will come into the lifestyle division (of Harman), independently managed with its own sales force, with its own supply chain, with its own customer service. So we're pulling it in, but they're going to run the business within the consumer space.

“They have built a nice business, and we want to amplify that and put 100 per cent focus on audio, to identify features and use cases of consumers, and try to anticipate those use cases based on how people consume content.”

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Harman's acquisition of some of the biggest names in hi-fi is now complete.

It has taken over Masimo's Sound United stable of brands, which encompasses Bowers & Wilkins, Denon, Marantz, Polk Audio, Definitive Technology, Classé, HEOS and Boston Acoustics.

Harman – which has been owned by Samsung Electronics since 2016 – already owns Arcam, AKG, JBL, Mark Levinson and Revel.

This gives Harman a broad spread of devices across all sorts of audio categories, including home audio, electronics, headphones and in-car audio.

The deal was announced in May.

“Harman’s vision is to create experiences that enrich people’s lives through exceptional audio experiences,” said Dave Rogers, president of Harman's Lifestyle Division. “Sound United’s impressive roster of brands is rooted in a deep passion for sound, innovation, and commitment to quality that aligns with Harman's own values.”

Customers shouldn’t notice any immediate changes, as Sound United will operate as a standalone Strategic Business Unit (SBU) within Harman’s Lifestyle Division. Which will mean that each brand’s “heritage, expertise and loyal customer base remain central to their identity.”

But with Harman’s extra resources, its new brands “will gain greater reach with enhanced capabilities, while continuing to realise their distinct goals and better succeed in the marketplace.”

US medical company Masimo acquired Bowers & Wilkins in 2020, and added the eight audio brands from Sound United only three years ago.

Hopefully Harman will provide some much needed stability and help the brands prosper.

MORE:

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With the What Hi-Fi? Awards fast approaching, I've been spending my week thus far setting up and testing some of the best surround sound speaker systems on the market, including offerings from KEF and Fyne.

The current king of home cinema audio, however, is the Bowers & Wilkins 606 & 607 S3 speaker package, which is a two-time Award winner and remains a reference point for other 5.1 surround sound systems to aspire to.

It's been a while since I've used this speaker package, but after plugging it into the excellent Marantz Cinema 30 AV receiver, I was swiftly reminded as to why we rate it so highly.

While its performance hasn't changed since it won for the first time back in 2023, the price certainly has. Originally launching at £2496, the system can now be snapped up for just £1999 at Peter Tyson – that's a saving of £497.

The fact that this speaker system is primarily composed of two Award-winning pairs of Bowers & Wilkins speakers – the 606 S3 and 607 S3 – should explain why this system is so impressive. Throw in the HTM6 S3 centre speaker and ASW610 subwoofer, and the 5.1 system is primed for home cinema sound duties.

We should remind you that the front and surround speakers are standmount units, so you should factor in the price of speaker stands if you're thinking of picking this system up.

The front, centre and surround channels all feature B&W's titanium-dome tweeter for crisp and stable high-frequency signals, which are backed up by Continuum cone material bass/mid drivers.

That tweeter design is crucial to the centre channel, which we found to deliver a “captivating vocal performance”, while the system as a whole offers up a rich, dynamic and engaging sound that ticks all of the cinematic boxes we look for.

B&W has been known to create some excellent subwoofers in the past, and the ASW610 is no exception. It’s small, to fit in with the fairly compact nature of this system as a whole, but it's also mighty when it comes to delivering weighty, controlled bass.

With a discount just shy of £500, this system is an easy recommendation for anyone looking to upgrade from a soundbar to a fully fledged 5.1 system. Don't miss this deal at Peter Tyson.

MORE:

Read our full Bowers & Wilkins 606 & 607 S3 speaker package review

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Need an AVR for this speaker package? Here's a five-star Marantz deal

Focal’s Theva No.1 speakers step into a highly competitive arena. This mid-price area of the market has long been dominated by the likes of the Bowers & Wilkins 600 range, but recent months have seen something of a shift, with strong new contenders such as the five-star Acoustic Energy AE300 Mk2 and the KEF Q3 Meta stepping into the limelight.

The Theva No.1 has its work cut out if it is to worry such talented opposition.

This standmount is the entry point into Focal’s step-up range of speakers. The Theva series is pretty extensive, and is composed of a trio of floorstanders (one of which packs upward-firing Dolby Atmos modules), a centre speaker, a smart on-wall model and what on paper looks like a mighty subwoofer that packs 600 watts of Class D power and a substantial 30cm woofer.

Build & design

Given the price level, it comes as no surprise that Focal has stuck to the standard two-way, port-loaded standmount template. Within that, the company has dipped into its extensive drive unit knowledge and equipped the Theva No.1 with some interesting technology.

Our attention is drawn to the distinctive tweeter. This is an aluminium/magnesium inverted dome of the kind that the company has championed for decades, but there have been a number of refinements for the Theva range.

Following the development work done on the company’s high-end and hugely capable Beryllium domes, the unit used here has a surround made of a microporous polyurethane foam called Poron. This material is claimed to reduce distortion in the 2-3kHz region by a factor of three.

The shape of the dished waveguide surrounding the tweeter has also been refined to improve dispersion characteristics and so make the speakers less fussy about precise angling relative to the listening position.

The 16.5cm mid/bass driver is just as interesting. It uses a cone made of a material called Slatefiber, which is a composite that blends non-woven recycled carbon fibre and a thermoplastic polymer.

The carbon fibres are all orientated in the same direction to help rigidity but not woven to improve internal damping. The inclusion of the thermoplastic polymer is claimed to help damping too, with the result being a light, rigid and low resonance diaphragm structure.

By price standards, these Focal speakers are chunky boxes at 39cm tall and 21cm wide, but not outlandishly so. Their build is solid enough, but the shiny front baffle looks a little cheap to us, and the quality of the finish falls into the ‘just fine’ category.

There isn’t anything to criticise here, but neither is there anything that stands out, which is a shame as Focal usually delivers imaginative design touches and unusual material choices in its products.

We suspect the tight budget in producing these speakers in France has limited the designers’ scope for doing something different. The Theva No.1 comes in three standard finishes: dark wood, light wood and gloss black.

Compatibility

price-compatibleThere isn’t anything untoward when it comes to compatibility. The Theva No.1’s nominal impedance is claimed to be an entirely conventional 8 ohms, but it should be noted that it dips to a minimum of just 4.6 ohms.

That’s nothing to worry about, but does suggest that these speakers are likely to benefit from being driven by an amplifier with a bit of grunt.

Of the price compatible options we’ve tested, we think the likes of the Arcam A5 and the Rega Brio Mk7 integrateds work well. When it comes to streaming amplifiers, NAD’s excellent C 3050 (with streaming module option ticked) is another good choice.

Given the price and probable use cases, we are pleased to report that these speakers don’t prove particularly fussy about placement. Give them at least 40cm from a back wall to prevent the bass from dominating, and angle slightly towards the listening position for the best results. As long as the Theva No.1 speakers aren’t placed too close to the side walls, we think they will produce an impressively expansive soundstage.

As with all standmount speakers, the quality of the support matters. Focal makes a dedicated speaker stand (that wasn’t supplied with our review sample), so we use alternatives from the likes of Custom Design and Atacama with no obvious issues. As long as the speaker’s tweeter is broadly at ear height when you are seated, it should be fine.

Sound

These Focal speakers turn in a good performance once they are given a few days to settle. Their delivery is big and authoritative, without sounding the least bit forward. This makes them easy speakers to listen to over long sessions.

As we play Rachmaninov’s Symphonic Dances Op.45, it is hard not to be impressed by the sense of power and dynamic reach of these speakers. They go loud without issue and present a good level of detail in a cohesive and organised manner.

Tonally, they are on the full-bodied and smooth side, without sounding dull or sludgy, and stereo imaging is nicely focused and layered. You can add a pleasing amount of low-frequency weight and punch to the list of plus points, too.

The Theva No.1’s bass abilities are highlighted when we play the classic Hip-Hop by Dead Prez. Lows are rich and full, yet still retain a good degree of articulation. The group’s punchy vocals come through with clarity, with the Focal able to capture the natural warmth and texture of their voices without sounding soft.

As good as the Thevas’ sound is, and be in no doubt that these are strong performers, they are up against some terrific competition. Judged against the class leaders, there are a number of areas where the Theva No.1 have to give way.

The Acoustic Energy AE300 Mk2 may sound a little smaller and less authoritative but counter with a blend of dynamic contrast, naturalness and rhythmic precision that’s hard to look past.

Equally, KEF’s Q3 Meta deliver a more mature and natural presentation than the Focals, uncovering subtle dynamic nuances and textural information that even the talented Theva No.1 don’t quite uncover.

Both of these rivals put a spotlight on the Focal’s slightly exposed treble region and the tweeter’s propensity to thinness and tizz when fed with sibilant voices and certain electronically generated high-frequency sounds. Against top quality competition at this price, the Theva No.1 also sounds a little lacking in verve and enthusiasm with music that demands such qualities.

On a final note, they don’t like being played quietly, losing much of their likeable full-bodied balance when asked to do so.

Verdict

Judged on their own terms, there is no denying that these Focal speakers are talented. But, unfortunately for the Theva No.1, there are some extremely capable alternatives at this price that show up the chinks in their armour.

By all means, put these standmounters on your shortlist, they certainly deserve that, but make sure you also try out at least one of the class leaders at this level before you buy.

Review published: 11th September 2025

SCORES

• Sound 4
• Build 4
• Compatibility 4

MORE:

Read our review of the Acoustic Energy AE300 Mk2

Also consider the KEF Q3 Meta

Read our Bowers & Wilkins 606 S3 review

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Aimed at customers seeking to “elevate their at-home audio experience”, the eight-strong Q Series aims to bring KEF’s latest raft of innovations to a wider audience. The KEF Q3 Meta are the step-up standmounts in this entry-level range, and offer a chance to experience the brand’s sonic pedigree at a more affordable price than the more premium Q Concerto Meta (£1099 / $1299 / AU$2000) we tested last year.

That all sounds very appealing, but KEF isn’t the only player trying to make a mark at this mid-price level. The Award-winning Bowers & Wilkins 606 S3 (now £699 / $1100 / AU$1499) are the current gatekeepers, while the recently reviewed Acoustic Energy AE300 Mk2 (£649 / $1099 / AU$1580) wowed us during our recent tests.

Let’s see, then, whether KEF has brought its A-game to the Q3 Meta.

Build & design

Amid the current crop of standmount speakers available at this price (officially priced at £649 in the UK but we’ve seen them as low as £549 at the time of writing), the KEF Q3 Meta are reasonably large units when put up against their key competitors.

At 35.7 x 21 x 30.5cm (hwd) and weighing 8.2kg, these are quite large standmounters. They are wider and heavier than the comparatively slender Acoustic Energy AE300 Mk2 (32 x 17 x 27cm), and while it’s not such a noticeable gap, they’re also a tad broader than the 18.9cm-wide B&W 606 S3.

The Q3 Meta are built to a high standard that we have come to expect from KEF, and when we pick each speaker up we can feel its weighty, solid construction. While the cabinets themselves are reasonably utilitarian, KEF’s signature Uni-Q driver array never fails to draw the eye, while their single set of rear terminals feels well-made and nicely finished.

The two-way design uses the 12th generation of KEF’s signature Uni-Q driver array, in which the driver array acts as a single point source to disperse audio more evenly, leading to what KEF claims is a more “immersive and cohesive soundstage with better clarity”.

KEF’s reasonably affordable Q3 range features many of the company’s signature technologies, with the Q3 Meta also benefiting from the implementation of the brand’s clever Metamaterial Absorption Technology (MAT), which we have heard in many of KEF’s recent Award-winning speakers. This is a maze-like structure at the rear of the Uni-Q's motor system that uses a series of channels to absorb rearward sound radiation from the back of the tweeter dome, pursuing a cleaner, less distorted sound.

The crossover has been refined, too, with KEF claiming to have made over 1000 measurements in its anechoic chamber to ensure a more precise signal path and a purer audio signature.

Compatibility

Take a look at the Q3 Meta’s specs and you’ll see a nominal impedance of 4 ohms that dips to a minimum of 3.2 ohms. While that might suggest to you that these speakers are going to be a difficult load for the partnering amplifier to drive, in practice that isn’t so obvious.

We try both the 50-watts per channel Arcam A5 integrated amplifier (£749 / $699) and even the budget 30-watts per channel Rotel A8 (£399 / $449 / AU$649) with our test pair, finding that the Q3 Meta are able to accommodate more affordable gear and proving that it’s less about on-paper specs and more about the character of the product.

We also find that the Q3 Meta works well with the Naim Nait XS 3 amplifier (currently £2499 / $2999) fed by the Naim Uniti Atom Headphone Edition streamer (£2399 / $3290 / AU$4299), as well as the Cyrus CDi (£999) CD player.

These are standmounts with a reasonably weighty bass performance, sounding most balanced when placed a decent distance away from the back wall of our 3 x 7 x 4m test room – around 40-50cm into the room works well for us.

A pair of foam bungs is provided to block the port to reduce the bass output if you want to put your speakers close to your back wall. They do the job, but as is often the case with bungs, you will receive a more congested, stunted sound return. It’s an emergency measure, not an optimal solution.

For us, angling the Q3 Meta in just a little towards our central listening position gives us a solid stereo image and a pleasing sense of focus. That said, they benefit from a wide sweet spot thanks to the Uni-Q's impressive dispersion capabilities, with a stable stereo soundstage as you move around the room.

Sound

We’re not spoiling the plot from the outset when we tell you right away how talented these KEF standmounts are. They’re an excellent pair of all-rounders without many glaring weaknesses, and while this may sound like damning with faint praise, arguably their greatest strength lies in a lack of any discernible blind spots or fatal flaws.

We’ve noted that the rival Bowers & Wilkins 606 S3 have something of an enthusiastic treble reproduction, yet no elements of the Q3 Meta – be they overly bright top notes or booming bass – negatively draw the ear. Switching from the Q3 Meta back to the 606 S3 only shines a light on that slightly unrefined treble, all while emphasising just how controlled and well-calibrated the KEF contenders are.

The Q3 Meta deliver a composed, even-handed sound that will be familiar to anyone who has experience with a recent pair of KEF speakers, showcasing excellent stereo imaging and a talent for sonic organisation and integration.

Despite being a pair of standmounters, the scale, breadth and solidity of their soundstage is remarkable, and even when our test tracks get demanding, their stereo imaging and overall soundstage rarely suffer.

That canny balance gives the well-priced standmounts real versatility. Elvis Costello’s Veronica is a lean, thin recording, but the KEFs do an admirable job of negating the recording’s limitations while still communicating its essential verve, snap and energy. That’s a tricky feat at this price, and one for which the Q3 Meta should be highly praised.

The KEF also showcase their ample helpings of clarity, resolution and sonic richness. Notes are well defined at their edges as the substantial standmounts sketch out the core details with sharpness and confidence, all while filling out those key textures and giving body and brawn to vocal performances and instrumental timbres.

There’s ample depth to the bass, evidenced by the deep, full reproduction on the mournful strings from Nick Cave’s elegiac Song For Bob. The Q3 Meta are also nimble enough to keep Nine Inch Nails’ techno-inspired workout As Alive As You Need Me To Be clipping along with propulsive intent.

They handle dynamics with a pleasing subtlety, too. Hans Zimmer’s layered epic Supermarine can sound mechanical or overly metronomic through less talented speakers, but the Q3 Meta have the insight to bring subtle dynamic shifts and variations through in a way that sounds natural and engaging, all while making larger dynamic changes sound dramatic yet unforced.

The Q3 Meta are excellent all-rounders. They’ll appeal to anyone seeking a mature, even-handed sound with plenty of bass and a rich, full-bodied appeal.

That said, the five-star Acoustic Energy AE300 Mk2 rivals are a touch more natural in how they tie music together, with an agility and fluidity that goes even beyond these KEF Q3 Meta speakers. They’re both great contenders, and it’s a decision that will likely come down to personal preference rather than a more objective measure.

Verdict

The KEF Q3 Meta are very easy to recommend, so long as you have the space for them. Sometimes we hear speakers that are flavoured in a certain way or fill a particular niche, and sometimes we hear speakers that aim to be all things to all people.

The Q3 Meta fall within that second camp. With their pleasing balance and mature, refined nature, the classy standmounts are an attractive choice for listeners who want a pair of speakers that are confident and composed no matter what you throw at them.

Review published: 8th September 2025

SCORES

• Sound 5
• Build 5
• Compatibility 4

MORE:

Read our review of the Bowers & Wilkins 606 S3

Also consider the Acoustic Energy AE300 Mk2

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When Acoustic Energy announced its new AE300 Mk2 standmount speaker earlier this year, the British loudspeaker brand made it very clear that there wasn’t a single part of the new pair that was unchanged from the first iteration.

That got us wondering: could they potentially replace the Bowers & Wilkins 606 S3, which has been our favourite pair of mid-range speakers for the last two years?

We’ve finally been able to spend time with the AE300 Mk2 in our test rooms recently and the verdict is in – it’s five stars for these fully overhauled standmounts.

So could we have a new number one? Read on to find out how they stack up against the Award-winning B&W speakers.

Acoustic Energy AE300 Mk2 versus Bowers & Wilkins 606 S3: price

The Acoustic Energy AE300 Mk2 standmounts are relative newcomers to the speaker scene. Unveiled in January this year, with a price of £649 /$1099 / AU$1580, they’ve not been around long enough to receive any kind of discount, so the price we tested them at is what you’ll pay if you buy a pair today.

The Bowers & Wilkins 606 S3, however, have already been around the block a few times. They first graced our testing rooms back in August 2023, when a pair would set you back £749 / $1100 / AU$1499. That’s still the case in the US and Australia, but in the UK they’re now generally available for £699 these days.

That’s still £50 more than the AE300 Mk2, though, so Acoustic Energy takes the win here – albeit only just.

**Winner: Acoustic Energy AE300 Mk2**

Acoustic Energy AE300 Mk2 versus Bowers & Wilkins 606 S3: build and design

From a purely physical point of view, there’s very little between these two sets of speakers. The B&W 606 S3 are a couple of centimetres larger in all directions, but if you’re planning to put them on dedicated speaker stands, that shouldn’t make any difference. Weight-wise, there’s only 50g between them, with the B&Ws the slightly heavier of the two.

Both are two-way speakers – the B&Ws have a 25mm titanium dome tweeter and 16.5cm Continuum cone. Meanwhile, the AE300 Mk2 use a 29mm fabric dome tweeter and a 12cm mid/bass unit made out of a paper-coconut hybrid.

Both speakers have rear bass ports, and our respective reviews praised both pairs of speakers for their overall build quality.

Both sets of speakers are available in three finishes – white, black and oak (B&W) or walnut (Acoustic Energy) – but from an aesthetic perspective, we’d argue that the Acoustic Energy models perhaps give off a slightly more premium vibe.

The “crisp edges, minimal fascia and a smooth finish” of the 606 S3 mean they look purposeful, and while the AE300 Mk2 are certainly more functional, the “neat, crisp cabinet and understated cosmetics” give them a cleaner look that’s still hugely appealing.

With little to choose between them, this one comes down to personal preference, so we’re going to call it a draw.

**Winner: Draw**

Acoustic Energy AE300 Mk2 versus Bowers & Wilkins 606 S3: sound

When auditioning a pair of speakers in this mid-price range, the Bowers & Wilkins 606 S3 are a solid benchmark. They have snapped up the Award for the best standmount speaker £600-£800 two years in a row now.

In our five-star review, we concluded that the changes made from their predecessors had a significant impact on their performance, delivering a bigger, punchier, more open sound with stunning clarity and detail.

Even when listening to the same songs over and over again – a necessary part of the testing process – we never found our attention drifting. The level of dynamism is particularly noticeable, with the spatial shifts in Nine Inch Nails’ Right Where It Belongs handled with aplomb.

The only minor quibble we had was that the 606 S3's somewhat mature and deliberate sonic balance won't appeal to those who want a peppier and more nimble-footed presentation – but we were never bored listening to these open, immersive speakers.

They do need some careful partnering to hear them at their best, but as long as you have an amplifier with plenty of power, detail and rhythmic prowess, you’ll have no issues. They’re more than capable of reaching party volume, too.

That’s quite a high benchmark, and initially, the AE300 Mk2 don’t seem to be able to match the energy or clarity of the B&W 606 S3. Spend a little more time with Acoustic Energy’s latest speakers, though, and a clearer picture of their sonic character starts to emerge.

The AE300 Mk2 are composed and organised performers that dig up plenty of detail.

These are speakers that are strong when it comes to dynamics, conveying propulsive momentum and rhythmic drive superbly.

They’re not the most powerful when it comes to bass, but they do have plenty of authority when dealing with orchestral crescendos. Lower frequencies are impressively articulate and balanced, while they have poise and control no matter what kind of music you’re listening to.

You don’t have to be so careful with picking out partners for them, either. They're unfussy with the variety of amplifiers we try during testing, and find that they are perfectly happy being partnered with amps above their price level, too.

But the most noticeable difference between these two sets of speakers is that the Acoustic Energy AE300 Mk2 sound more refined and balanced.

They sound more natural than the B&W 606 S3, which have a slightly forward and bright treble that lends to their more bombastic performance. The Acoustic Energy speakers are smoother and more refined, with our review noting that Michael Jackson’s voice on Off the Wall “comes through with convincing passion and urgency while high-frequency sounds shimmer rather than sizzle.”

Their even-handed tonality and stereo imaging are excellent for the price, too.

While both speakers prioritise different elements of their performance, there isn’t a great deal in it here – but we’re going to give it to the more dynamic and refined AE300 Mk2 by a whisker.

** Winner: Acoustic Energy AE300 Mk2**

Acoustic Energy AE300 Mk2 versus Bowers & Wilkins 606 S3: verdict

It’s always a big deal when a current favourite appears to have been beaten and, on paper, that’s exactly what has happened here. The very capable Acoustic Energy AE300 Mk2 speakers sound better, cost less and are no less well-built than the Award-winning Bowers & Wilkins 606 S3. We would highly recommend giving them your attention.

It would be premature to crown a new king this early in the year, but the indication is that the mid-range standmount speaker should be a hot-bed of competition come What Hi-Fi? Awards time in the autumn.

Of course, the advent of the five-star Acoustic Energy doesn’t suddenly mean the Bowers & Wilkins 606 S3 should be disregarded, particularly if you prefer their design and their bigger, bolder and more attention-grabbing performance.

Considering the high regard with which we’ve held them for the past couple of years, they should still be on your shortlist – there’s just another rival to consider now before you take the plunge at this level.

**Overall winner: Acoustic Energy AE300 Mk2**

MORE:

Read our full Acoustic Energy AE300 Mk2 review

Read our original Bowers & Wilkins 606 S3 review

Read our expert recommendations for the best bookshelf speakers

The headline news for the Focal Bathys Mg is quite straightforward.

Focal has taken the only wireless headphones in its stable, revised some design elements, and made one major change: it’s switched from a 40mm aluminium/magnesium driver to one made from pure magnesium, hence the ‘MG’ suffix.

This isn’t the first time we’ve experienced a pair of headphones with that ‘Mg’ tag – the company’s Clear Mg wired headphones passed through our test rooms back in 2022 and walked away with a five-star rating. Is this story going to have a similar ending?

If you’ve already seen the star rating, you’ll know the answer, but humour us and work your way down to the end of this review and soak up everything these sensational wireless headphones have to offer…

Price

We tested the original Focal Bathys back in 2022 when they launched for £699 / $799 / AU$1199. Unsurprisingly, the new Bathys Mg retail for a little more – £999 / $1299 / AU$2300 to be precise.

There aren’t huge numbers of wireless headphones on sale at this end of the market. Two models we’ve tested in recent years are the five-star T+A Solitaire T (£1200 / $1600 / AU$2160) and Mark Levinson No. 5909 (£999 / $999 / AU$1599), although looking around online, the Levinson pair appears to have reached the end of its shelf life.

The next price point down from the Bathys Mg is where a lot of the action is, and this includes models like the Bowers & Wilkins Px8 (£599 / $699 / AU$1150) and Dali IO-8 (£599 / $900 / AU$999). The Focals will need to outperform both of these pairs to stand a chance of achieving five-star status.

Design & build

If you’re familiar with Focal’s styling and design language when it comes to headphones, the Bathys Mg won’t look too out of the ordinary.

However, anyone used to the more sedate, dare we say slightly duller, styling of wireless headphones from the likes of Bose and Sony might take a bit more persuading that the Focals are for them.

The Bathys Mg look and feel like a pair of premium headphones, wireless or not. The leather used to cover the top of the headband and the memory foam earpads seem high quality and nice to the touch. The aluminium and magnesium yoke design feels built to last, too.

Focal claims that the Bathys Mg use more premium materials than the originals, including new foam for the headband and earpads, and they do feel slightly more supple when given a gentle squeeze. That leather also feels slightly higher quality.

The intricate detailing on the outer surface of each earcup goes above and beyond anything we’ve seen at cheaper price points, and while it might be a little showy for some tastes, you can’t argue that they don’t make a serious impression, especially when you add the backlit Focal logo in the centre of each earcup (don’t worry, it can be turned off).

The Bathys Mg have a chunky and dare we say rather bulky design – they weigh in at 350g, which is almost 100g more than the Sony WH-1000XM6, and you can tell the difference in-hand.

But the Focals don’t feel particularly uncomfortable to wear, and they carry out daily commutes pretty effortlessly, although one member of the review team found their ears did get quite warm while in use.

As seems to be the trend now for wireless ANC headphones, they only fold flat (instead of into a ball) and they come with a substantial carry case, which you’re probably going to want to carry around with you to protect your premium purchase.

The headphones are only available in one finish, which Focal describes as chestnut, although the carry case doesn’t seem to match and appears much more brown in colour, to our eyes at least.

Features

The Bathys Mg include support for AAC and SBC codecs and can handle higher quality aptX and aptX Adaptive streams from compatible sources.

They use the Focal & Naim companion app, which gives you some control over the headphones, but it isn’t quite as in-depth as some apps from rival brands. This is mainly because the Focals forego some of the features you find further down the pricing scale in favour of concentrating on performance and getting the basics right.

For example, there are no touch controls, so there’s no assigning to be done in the app – it’s all physical buttons, which some might feel is no bad thing. Also, there’s no wear detection, so if you want to pause your music, you need to hit the playback button before (or after) you remove them from your head.

In the app, there’s a five-band EQ for adjusting the sound and a choice of three preset EQ modes: Home, Loudness and Dynamic.

You also have three different Noise Cancellation modes: Transparent, Soft and Silent and the ability to alter the LED lighting around the Focal logos on the outside of each earcup – although to us, a light show like this feels a little unnecessary on a pair of expensive wireless headphones.

The most interesting thing in the app, we find, is the Sound Personalisation mode, where the headphones feed you test signals designed to help create a sound profile more befitting your current hearing ability. It’s a thorough process that we found well worth experimenting with during testing.

The headphones come with a 1.2m headphone cable with a 3.5mm jack and a USB-C cable of the same length for wired listening.

For home listening, you can go from wired to wireless, either using the 3.5mm jack or by using Focal’s own built-in DAC, which supports sample rates all the way up to 24-bit/192kHz. All you need to do is switch the headphones into DAC mode using the small slider under the edge of the right earcup and connect them using the USB-C cable.

The right earcup hosts all sockets, and buttons for volume up/down, play/pause, Bluetooth pairing and waking a virtual assistant.

Battery life is claimed at 30 hours with Bluetooth and ANC engaged, 35 hours when using noise-cancelling and either the 3.5mm or USB-C jack and 42 hours in USB-DAC mode.

Fast charging should give you five hours of playback time in 15 minutes.

Noise-cancelling & call quality

Focal has added new digital mics to the Bathys MG (the headphones use eight in total, four per earcup) in an attempt to improve noise-cancelling, and during testing, we found them to be highly competitive and up there with some of the best pairs we’ve tested.

Upper bass and lower midrange rumbles are handled well and traffic noise is subdued nicely too. The Focals are more accomplished here than the Mark Levinson No. 5909 and the Bowers & Wilkins Px8.

You have three modes to play with. 'Silent' is noise-cancelling at its most intense but it doesn’t feel as intrusive as the noise-cancelling employed by the likes of Bose in its flagship QuietComfort Ultra Headphones. 'Soft' lowers the intensity a little, while transparent allows outside noise to peek through.

Call quality is good, although not quite as noise-free as it is when speaking through the Sony WH-1000XM6, which are the current class leaders in this regard. The way the Sonys subdue wind noise is particularly impressive. Background wind and high-pitched noise permeate through the Focals a little more easily, but our voice remains clear and natural, and less processed, when holding a conversation.

Sound

With the original Bathys on hand for comparison, the Focal Bathys Mg immediately sound like a cut above. They offer more across the board: a greater sense of refinement, expression and more precise deployment of notes throughout the frequency range.

The Bathys Mg have greater control over lows and highs, which makes the original sound a tad unwieldy.

Like an excellent pair of stereo speakers, you just aren’t aware of the Focals adding or taking anything away from the music. They give you a natural, balanced account of any genre of music you care to play through them.

We start with a spot of indie rock courtesy of Geronimo by Stereophonics. And the Focals dispatch it with relative ease.

Each stompy drum thwacks hits with weight, precision and texture, and there’s dynamic differentiation between the quick one-two hits that add thrust to the track. It’s not the most complicated ensemble, but the swagger of the track is communicated without any confusion.

The percussion at the start of the song cuts through the meaty drums like a raspberry sorbet cuts through a rich triple chocolate brownie.

There’s a cutting crispness and a sharpness, but the actual level of the treble is sky-high, and could quite easily sound wince-inducing on poorer-performing headphones.

One thing the Focals do really well is sound beautifully balanced and neutral. Some wireless ANC headphones can sound a little artificially boosted at the top or bottom end, but the Bathys Mg don’t play these games and deliver music with a completely straight bat.

We switch over to Adele’s Skyfall and are captivated by the Focals’ delivery. As the keys of the piano strike at the start of the track, the Bathys Mg handle them delicately, but don’t shortchange you with the dynamics or weight of each key press.

When the rest of the orchestra kicks in, the Focals reveal layer upon layer of texture and detail. It’s a spectacular level of insight and a clear cut above what is served up by any of the cheaper, yet flagship, rivals from the likes of Bowers & Wilkins, Dali and Sony.

There’s plenty of sparkle and texture to the percussion, while strings sway sweetly and with sharply defined edges.

The expression in Adele's vocal as she shifts through the gears at the track’s climax shows the Focals have plenty of stretch in their dynamic range.

Finally, we switch to playing Duel Of The Fates from the Star Wars: The Phantom Menace soundtrack as a 24-bit/192kHz stream from Amazon Music using the Focals in USB DAC mode – and we are treated to a sophisticated, refined and pristine performance.

The headphones allow the choir and each section of the orchestra room to breathe, despite the track’s frantic and fevered delivery. It’s a real rollercoaster of a track and the Focals just savour every one of the four minutes it plays for.

They deliver a masterclass in balance, poise and refinement, which draws you in and entertains as though you were watching the action unfold on the big screen.

Not only do the headphones have to keep up with the speed of the track, but they also have low and high-level dynamic shifts to contend with as they jostle for position in a congested sound field.

Verdict

We completely understand that not everyone can go out and spend this kind of money on a pair of wireless headphones.

Indeed, some might be asking why you would need to, given the five-star headphones available for half the money from some of the biggest, most experienced players in the market.

But, we would implore you to take the time to listen to the Focal Bathys Mg. The original Bathys showed Focal could make the jump from wired to wireless successfully, and the changes made for this version push the envelope even further. They’re exceptional performers.

Review published: 7th August 2025

SCORES

• Sound 5
• Features 5
• Build 5

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Read our review of the T+A Solitaire T

Also consider the Dali IO-8

Best wireless headphones reviewed and rated by our in-house expert

It's not easy deciding on the right premium wireless earbuds for you, especially when the contenders come from companies with the weighty reputations carried by Bose and Bowers & Wilkins. With so many factors at play, how do you decide which are the right buds for you?

Do you go with Bose's QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen), the latest pair from the resident noise-cancelling kings, or should you take a punt on the audio pedigree of the Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 wireless earbuds?

To that end, we've tested both earbuds against each other and assessed the strengths and weaknesses of these two excellent five-star pairs to help guide you towards the right decision.

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) vs Bowers & Wilkins Pi8: price

The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) landed with an official price of £299 / $299 / AU$450, undercutting the pricier Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 – which launched at £349 / $399 / AU$599 – by a reasonable distance.

We have seen the Pi8 occasionally drop in price since their release late last year – you can pick them up for £299 in the UK at the time of writing, for instance. We wouldn't expect the Bose to offer discounts any time soon, however.

*Winner: Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen)*

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) vs Bowers & Wilkins Pi8: design and comfort

What we have is two very nice pairs of wireless earbuds. We'll get into how they perform and sound below, but suffice to say that neither going to let you down in terms of comfort and build.

Let's start with the more costly B&W Pi8. The IP54-rated buds have been completely redesigned from the inside out, with a new shape, internals and drivers compared with their older-gen progenitors. In any of their boujee colourways, they look and feel like the premium buds they are.

You get four different sizes of silicone ear tips provided in the box –extra small, small, medium and large – and while we'd have liked an extra large tip and an accompanying ear fit test on the app, they're generally a pleasant and secure fit, even if we find it can take a bit too much manoeuvring to get the seal just right.

That's not a problem we've experienced with the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen). Thanks to the return of their supporting stability ear bands, wherein a ridge of material fits within your inner ear, they're a stable and comfortable fit no matter what you do or where you go. Running, jogging, power-walking for a train; they remain rock-steady regardless of the task at hand.

We regarded the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds as some of the best running headphones for that very reason, and it's the same story with the second-gen follow-up.

It's a little frustrating that only three ear tip sizes are included with the Bose, but we're reasonably confident that those stability bands will prevent you from having too many issues. Still, an extra small option at the very least would have been nice.

The QC Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) are a well-made pair of wireless earbuds, too. From the shiny exterior of the outer stems to the quality plastics used in constructing the main body, you'll hear no complaints from us on the quality front.

Tough to pick a winner here, but for their more secure, comfortable and sport-ready fit, it's the Bose buds for us.

*Winner: Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen)*

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) vs Bowers & Wilkins Pi8: features

The new Bose buds offer six hours of battery life on a single charge, with three additional charges from the charging case resulting in a healthy 24-hour total battery life. Those are decent figures which roughly match up with the 6.5 hours (buds) and 20 hours respectively offered by the Pi8, with ANC switched on.

In terms of Bluetooth codecs, AAC and SBC codecs are supported by the Bose, as well as aptX Adaptive for streaming in 24-bit hi-res lossless and low latency via compatible sources.

B&W goes even further, with the Pi8 offering support for aptX Adaptive up to 24-bit/96kHz alongside aptX Lossless for greater hi-res support.

The Bose earbuds' party piece is Immersive Audio, the brand's take on spatial audio, which aims to deliver a more three-dimensional effect on any music you play. This is available in Still (fixed) and Motion (dynamic head-tracking) versions. It's a bit of a Marmite feature among our test team, as some find the effect 'pulls apart' music, and you have to find the right kind of track that plays to this 'immersive' effect's strengths.

However, it is available if you are a fan of spatial audio, and it's something that the B&W buds don't support in any shape or form

That doesn't mean the Pi8 don't have a party piece of their own. The buds' charging case doubles up as a wireless audio re-transmitter, meaning you can connect it via USB-C to 3.5mm or USB-C to a source that doesn’t support Bluetooth streaming, such as an in-flight entertainment system or older analogue devices, and it will play audio through the wireless buds. Handy.

What else? Both sets of wireless earbuds support Bluetooth Multipoint, as well as responsive and well-implemented touch controls. Both offer app support via their respective platforms, with Bose and B&W each offering comprehensive, easily navigable and pleasingly intuitive services.

Pretty much neck and neck, here, with Immersive Audio cancelled out by the Pi8's clever wireless transmitter charging case.

*Winner: Draw*

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) vs Bowers & Wilkins Pi8: noise cancelling and call quality

At this level, the QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) are still the ones to beat. Thanks to subtle tweaks to the buds' noise-cancelling algorithm and the continued use of Bose's CustomTune sound calibration tech, which adapts your noise-cancelling experience depending on your surroundings, the new buds are once again exceptional at keeping the outside world at bay.

Bose's claim that this new system would be more adept at filtering out sudden spikes of noise is something we found worked well during our tests. Across all noise modes and with most environmental noises, the Bose buds are in a class of one – they are more highly effective at cancelling noise compared with their rivals. Of course, the strength of their ANC does mean it comes with a 'vacuum' effect – which not everyone gets along with, but it's perfectly fine to live with if strong ANC is a priority.

B&W's noise-cancelling effort is a long way from being poor, and even when put up against the might of their class-leading rivals, the Pi8 do an admirable job. They're not quite as good at suppressing higher frequencies as the QC Ultra Earbuds, but they still do a fine job with the low-frequency rumbles generated by roadworks, trains or passing traffic.

In terms of voice calls, it's a much smaller gap. The Pi8 make voices come through naturally, clearly and expressively, whereas the Bose, while occasionally just a smidge artificial-sounding, are clear and articulate with voices. They're better at blocking out the outside world from coming through on calls, too, as you'd expect from the noise-cancelling kings.

For their outstanding ANC talents, the Bose buds take the crown here.

*Winner: Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen)*

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) vs Bowers & Wilkins Pi8: sound quality

Let's find out how the Bose and B&W earbuds stack up sonically.

To be frank, the Pi8 are some of the best-sounding wireless buds we've heard at their premium level. They scooped up a What Hi-Fi? Award win last year, and for good reason. The Pi8 delve into your music with forensic thoroughness, unearthing heaps of textural detail to put you fully in the picture.

There's a tangible feeling of maturity and refinement to how they sound. The Pi8 reach levels of sonic sophistication which lesser buds can only dream of, leading to a consummate performance that excels across the frequencies.

To quote from our review: "They shine a light on any music streamed their way with a beautifully balanced approach – you can savour every frequency from the lowest of lows to the highest highs".

There's weight to be found to keep us engaged with more energetic and demanding tunes as the flagship earbuds offer hearty helpings of authority behind instruments, be they pounding drums or speedy electronic beats. If we are being picky, there are rivals (such as the Sony WF-1000XM5) that deliver a tad more rhythmic drive and a greater sense of fun, but we can't imagine anyone not enjoying these refined Pi8 buds.

Bose's QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen), meanwhile, don't completely overhaul the work of their five-star predecessors, favouring small tweaks to their sound tuning.

Thankfully, these apparently small changes have made a big difference. Bose's tweaked audio tuning in the second-gen buds teasessubtle improvements aimed at better bass response and smoother high-end frequencies, qualities we can happily report have evidently been improved with this newer iteration.

As our review states: "The newer buds sink to impressive new depths while retaining the requisite tautness and agility of their lower-end reproduction. Strings plunge deeper than before, but no matter the frequencies, there’s satisfying body and texture to notes that goes beyond anything the original QC Ultra Earbuds could muster".

They're brilliantly judged buds, striking a lovely balance between authoritative punch and compositional smarts. Rough edges are smoothed over with impressive control, while the buds' fluidity and control make them easy yet rewarding, entertaining listen.

The Pi8 are more detailed and refined, setting a benchmark for the amount of information they're able to dig out at this level, while the subtle nuances of performances are brought through so insightfully that very few rivals are able to match them.

Still, Bose's second-gen earbuds aren't a million miles behind, with key improvements making them a clearer, punchier and more entertaining prospect than their predecessors.

Both sets are five-star models, but for their greater refinement and sonic sophistication, the Pi8 are the winners for outright sound quality.

*Winner: Bowers & Wilkins Pi8*

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) vs Bowers & Wilkins Pi8: verdict

In some ways, this is a pretty easy call. Both are five-star wireless earbuds that are well-made, offer a similar set of advanced features and perform admirably for the premium billing.

But they do play to their strengths. If you want class-leading noise-cancelling, opt for the Bose QC Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen). If sound quality is your priority, the B&W Pi8 are the ones to pick.

Pretty simple, right?

There are plenty of other elements to consider, however. There is still a price difference between the two (if discounts don't equalise them), and some may prefer B&W's more premium design and colour options, while others might prefer Bose's stable fit. Equally, the B&W's re-transmitter charging case will be appealing for frequent flyers, while the lack of any spatial audio features will see many reaching for Bose's 'immersive' version.

Whichever model you choose, however, you can be assured that you'll be getting an excellent performer when it comes to comfort, features and sound quality.

MORE:

Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 vs Pi6: which B&W wireless earbuds should you choose?

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) vs QC Ultra Earbuds (1st Gen): which noise-cancelling buds are better?

Our guide to the best wireless earbuds we've tested and recommend

JBL’s Tour One M3 flagship over-ear wireless headphones enter an incredibly crowded and talented market. Premium models from headphone giants and hi-fi brands alike – Sony, Bose, Bowers & Wilkins, Dali and Apple – all have five-star efforts in this closely-fought field, so expectations are high.

Can JBL’s premium headphones win us over?

Price

The JBL Tour One M3 come in two variants: the headphones on their own (which you can still buy in the UK for £330), or the more widely available version with the Smart Tx transmitter that we’re testing here, which costs £380 / $450 / AU$549.

We’re in decidedly premium territory here, with five-star rivals the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3, Sony WF-1000XM6 and Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones all costing similar money at around the £399 / $450 / AU$699 mark.

What is the Smart Tx transmitter? It is a small device that mimics the touchscreen display we’ve seen in JBL’s wireless earbuds’ charging cases – such as the Tour Pro 3 and Live Beam 3 – that gives you quick access to plenty of features found in the app.

More importantly, it houses the Auracast and Bluetooth transmitter technologies, so you can connect it to various sources (such as your laptop, in-flight entertainment systems or older analogue products) and still enjoy your headphones wirelessly.

Build & comfort

Our expectations of build quality and luxurious feel are understandably high when faced with headphones costing north of £300 / $300. The JBLs don’t quite look or feel like expensive cans.

There’s a lot of plastic used in the build, and it’s a cheaper-feeling material than the more seamless and higher-quality build of the Sony WH-1000XM6; the B&W Px7 S3 use far more premium materials and feel more luxe, too. We find there are audible creaks when twisting the JBL headphones in our hands.

The padding around the headband and earcups is soft and plush, although the material itself around the headband feels very thin and crinkles too easily for our liking. We’re nervous it might tear easily.

However, after three weeks of the JBL being carried in our bag (with keys, cables and other detritus) and testing the material repeatedly with sharp fingernails – we’re happy to say it holds up well and we’ve seen no damage.

The lighter-feeling materials work in the JBL’s favour when it comes to actual wearing: these are comfortable and lightweight on our heads, and are great for portable use. They fold up like a ball, the ear cups have a slimmer profile that many on our review team appreciate, and they also feel comfortable slung around our necks or on our heads for long listening periods.

While they’re a tad heavier on paper (about 20g difference), we find them to be on par with the Sony XM6 in terms of weight impression in our hands (and on our heads). There is no undue hard pressure on our heads; the clamping force is nicely distributed and snug enough to feel secure when walking; and they have enough flex in the headband to fit various head sizes of our review team.

We do find that the ear padding material on the JBLs can heat our ears after a brisk walk, but so did the B&W Px7 S3. The Sony XM6s have sturdier, more breathable earpads, but overall, these JBLs are very easy to get along with.

During our three weeks of testing, we found the JBL Tour One M3 to be a very liveable pair of headphones. Despite the underwhelming perceived value, they have a very practical and easy-to-wear design.

On the controls side, JBL has opted for a mix of physical buttons and touch controls that work well in daily use. You get physical buttons for the all-important volume adjustment, ANC modes and a power switch/pairing slider. The touch controls are for music playback, call options, and summoning voice assistants.

The touch controls are housed in the right earcup and are fixed presets; it’s a bit of a shame you can’t customise them much, apart from turning touch controls off entirely.

The touch controls are easy to use, but we find they are rather sensitive and can be easily triggered by our hand brushing against the surface. The physical buttons work well in comparison; we like the certainty of the up/down volume buttons – which some might prefer over having to tap or swipe using touch controls – and the on/off switch reassures us that the headphones are fully turned off.

It’s a neater solution than, say, Apple’s AirPods Max, which have no power-off button at all.

Features

Don’t worry if you forget to push the slider to the power-off position, though, as the JBL Tour One M3 won’t drain the battery on their own. Not only can you select a timer for the headphones to automatically turn off when they haven’t been used for 30 minutes (or an hour or two), but the battery life on offer here is generous, so you won’t be cut short.

The JBLs boast an ample 40 hours of battery life when listening with ANC turned on, extending to a whopping 70 hours with ANC turned off. This beats the usual 24-30 hours total battery life stated by their rivals, and we never felt we were anywhere close to running low on juice when testing the JBLs over weeks.

The headphones have a swathe of features we’d expect at this price level: LDAC hi-res codec support alongside the standard AAC and SBC codecs; a ‘smart talk’ feature that pauses music when it detects you are speaking; and JBL’s take on spatial audio in fixed and dynamic modes.

There is scope to customise the sound using six EQ presets (we like Studio) or a 10-band equaliser and save your own settings in the app. JBL’s own deeper Personi-Fi sound tailoring is also available.

There are audio-prioritising and video modes – the latter of which minimises any sync delays with videos and games – as well as settings to further amplify sounds around you and a volume limiter to protect your hearing.

The useful Auto Play & Pause feature is present, which pauses what’s being played when you take the headphones off – although we did find that our podcasts occasionally carried on playing even when the cans were taken off and placed on a desk. It resumes playback when placed back on our heads without a hitch, though.

All these features can be toggled on or off depending on your personal preference in the JBL Headphones app, too.

Many premium wireless headphones now offer wired listening, and the JBL follows suit with the M3’s USB-C charging port doubling up for wired lossless audio if you prefer a physical connection to your music. The accessories included are generous: you get both USB-C to USB-C and USB-C to 3.5mm audio cables in the box, as well as a USB-A to USB-C adapter. It means you can plug the headphones into a variety of digital and analogue sources.

We used a wired connection with our Apple iPhone 16’s USB-C port, and the JBL headphones instantly recognised they were in wired (rather than Bluetooth) mode and songs from Tidal and Qobuz instantly sounded more stable, solid and detailed.

Where the smart display case made perfect sense in wireless earbud designs, where you will always have the charging case with you for storage and battery, the separate Smart Tx transmitter device feels less intuitive to use with over-ears. It is an extra thing to carry and yet another extra device to charge (it holds 18 hours of battery).

Still, it is small and light (only 35g) and can be chucked into your bag or a drawer until you need it. Being able to access certain features like the ANC, spatial audio and EQ modes quickly without opening the app is useful, although we still naturally go for our phone than this unfamiliar little box.

It is most useful if you’ll be using its Bluetooth transmitter and Auracast sharing capabilities often. While we weren’t able to go on a long-haul flight during our testing period, the Smart Tx box when plugged into our MacBook’s USB-C port streamed sound over to the headphones without a hitch.

ANC & call quality

JBL’s noise-cancelling abilities are decent. On full ANC mode, the low rumbles of engines and general chatter and noise around you are dimmed down so you can concentrate on the music. It doesn’t always cope very well with sudden spikes in loud sounds – we heard the full throttle of a passing motorbike – but it does the job.

You can adjust the intensity of the noise-cancelling and the amount of outside noise you let in with sliders for each mode, while there is an adaptive mode that adjusts automatically to your surroundings.

We prefer keeping the ANC on full blast simply because its effect is gentle enough that we are still aware of our environment. The Sony WH-1000XM6 shave off even more in the lower frequencies, making you feel as if you are smoothly gliding on a train, while higher frequency noises like voices melt away more effectively than on the Tour One M3.

Call quality is of a good calibre. Voices are heard clearly, albeit with a slight hard, mechanical edge to both voices at either end. Environmental noises like wind and passing cars are fairly quiet and don't impede our ability to hear our voices when outdoors.

There are settings to adjust how your and the caller’s voices sound, but we found keeping it on the ‘natural’ modes sounded best. The other modes sound far too processed and unnatural.

Sound

The JBL Tour One M3’s comfortable wearing quality is mimicked in their sound quality: their presentation is very pleasing, full-bodied and easy to get along with.

They have a cheerful disposition with very capable foundations: ample detail, a bouncy bass, clear highs and a smooth tone that we are happy to bop along to. It’s worth noting we prefer the sound when noise-cancelling is turned on; when turned entirely off, the sound is a touch thin and lacking body and punch.

The deep bass notes on Billie Eilish’s Bad Guy and You Should See Me In A Crown sound meaty and satisfyingly rich and punchy. There is no flab or lethargy to the tune, and no spikiness at the top end. The splashy ’80s synth opening bars of Phil Collins and Philip Bailey’s Easy Lover never make us wince; their shine isn’t too dulled, either.

There is a pleasing amount of space that means we never feel congested, even when rocking to some intense heavy metal or the relentlessly upbeat dance-pop of Dua Lipa at higher volumes. We spend an afternoon re-listening to the Hamilton musical soundtrack in full, with the original cast’s energy and dynamism coming through very nicely indeed.

There are times when we think the JBL could be more nuanced and have subtler textures – especially around instruments and with voices – and be more precise with timing. Voices (especially on podcasts) could be clearer and more natural-sounding, but overall the headphones have a capable, appealing sound that we find hard to poke significant holes in.

The Tour One M3’s main problem is that it is surrounded by some outstanding talent at this level. Both its Sony and B&W rivals are even clearer, more detailed, more rhythmically and dynamically proficient than the affable JBLs can offer.

The Sony XM6 dig even deeper into details – Billie Eilish’s vocals sound more nuanced and authentic, and are full of personality. The deep bass notes on her songs plunge even deeper and are pulled taut with precise control. Rhythmically, the music is more propulsive and involving; while bittersweet songs like Sparklehorse’s Eyepennies are even sweeter while pulling at your heartstrings with greater emotion.

The JBLs sound a little smoothed-out in comparison, and we wish they strayed from their typically crowd-pleasing presentation to fully let their hair down and push their own sonic boundaries further.

Verdict

The JBL Tour One M3 are headphones that are very easy to live with. They may not look as luxurious or perform as exceptionally as their fierce rivals in this premium wireless headphones space, but they are comfortable, nicely portable and perfectly pleasant to listen to.

There are some quirks in their design and features that we’d expect to be more slick for headphones at this level, and the Smart Tx transmitter’s use case is rather niche.

Still, while JBL has some catching up to do in all performance areas to trouble the best-in-class models, the Tour One M3’s friendly, rich and punchy sound will find plenty of fans.

Review published: 24th July 2025

SCORES

• Sound 4
• Features 5
• Comfort 5

MORE:

Read our review of the Sony WH-1000XM6

Also consider the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3

Read our Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones review

Best over-ear headphones: wired and wireless pairs tested by our in-house experts

I’ve had a handful of pairs of wireless earbuds in rotation for the past few months now. First up, there are the tried and trusted AirPods Pro 2, which tend to be in my bag wherever I travel – ‘old faithful’, as I like to call them.

I also occasionally dip back into the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds. This is especially the case if I’m travelling for a product launch – their noise cancelling still comes in clutch even when faced with the loudest engine rumbles from a plane, train or any automobile I find myself buckled up in.

But when there’s a big chunk of listening to do when I’m working from home or in the office, I turn to the Bowers & Wilkins Pi8.

When I first heard these five-star wireless earbuds, it’s fair to say I was blown away.

But in recent weeks, I’ve found myself reverting back to the AirPods, with the Pi8 loosening their grip on me a little.

It’s got nothing to do with the sound quality on offer. I still can’t get enough of the resolution and detail that the Pi8 dig up. The control and texture of bass notes is brilliant too.

They are more audiophile earbuds than Apple’s offering – as we said in our Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 review, “they are pricier than your average wireless earbuds, but sonically they perform levels above”.

However, there’s one simple yet crucial area where I think there’s room for a little improvement (no buds are perfect, after all). And that area is fit.

It can take a bit too much manoeuvring to get the seal right.

They’re the standard twist-to-lock-in-place design, but sometimes the seal between the silicone tips and my inner ear doesn’t feel tight, and I spend longer than I should trying to work them in.

Occasionally, it feels like they’re going to work their way loose and let in ambient noise, which isn’t what you want when you’re about to embark on your daily commute.

Sometimes I'm standing on the train station platform wondering “can I hear too much ambient noise” or “is the eartip secure enough” or “have I twisted the buds round too far” which can be annoying, especially if you’re trying to do it while walking at the same time.

Eventually, I get a good seal, but with the AirPods and Bose, I can just plug them into my ears first time and forget about them. Why can't it be the same with the Pi8?

So what would I do? Well, I’d perhaps look at the material used. To me, at least, the silicone feels quite thin and flimsy, which I don’t think lends itself particularly well to creating a good seal.

I’ve talked about eartip design before and have already waxed lyrical about the tips offered by the JBL Tour Pro 3, in particular the memory foam ones, which worked amazingly well for me.

I still stand by the claim that they’re the best eartips I’ve come across for quite some time.

A different shape could make all the difference, too. Bose’s silicone tips, for example, tend to be a little shallower in profile and seem to spread themselves better against my outer and inner ear, making for a great seal.

The Pi8 come with four different sizes of eartip, including an extra small size with those for small ear openings - if changing the material or shape is out of the equation, I think an extra large option for those of us with more cavernous ear openings would be the next best thing.

My ears would certainly appreciate it.

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The world of hi-fi is in a massive state of flux.

Listening habits are changing, leading to an evolution in how people, especially young people, listen to their music and the products that they use.

This has opened the doors for innovative upstart brands to appear and fill the gaps.

Equally, we’ve seen massive changes for legacy, heavyweight players, with big tech brands snapping them up in multi-million, sometimes billion dollar acquisition deals.

Which is why last month we asked if you care who owns the brand making your hi-fi kit or whether all you really care about is the performance?

After a month of heated exchanges, the answers are in – and it's clear you have strong feelings. Here’s what we learned.

You care about audio quality and ownership

Going through the sea of responses, which were not always PG-13, it quickly became clear that while all of you care most about audio quality, you also believe it is closely tied to the brand's ownership.

This was succinctly stated by reader, Stephen Thompson, who was the first person to respond to our Ask the Reader question: “Yes it matters as when a company is merged into a big company the quality can go down.”

A chorus of voices then erupted agreeing with the sentiment pointing to examples where a change in ownership has resulted in a drop in quality.

This included regular reader, The Dude Abides, who argued recent big tech acquisitions have diminished the importance of many formerly independent heavyweight brands.

"There was a time, many moons ago, when the brand name mattered more than anything else because that brand stood for build quality and sound quality in hi-fi. Cost was secondary then,” he wrote.

“Then came the companies that overcharged for things because they could. I would argue that in more recent times, the sound quality is the most important part. At least for me.”

You want fellow enthusiasts at the helm

Scepticism towards big tech companies was a common theme in your comments, with many focusing their concerns on Harman International (a subsidiary of Samsung) and its imminent purchase of Masimo's audio brands.

These included reader, Tasekoseko, who argued that larger firms’ focus on driving shareholder value is not always the best thing for “enthusiast” hi-fi.

“I am [not] a fan of this idea of [companies] amassing hi-fi entities because they represent prestige and good value. Those deep pockets cut both ways. Samsung's number one obligation is to their shareholders,” wrote Tasekoseko.

“They are not in this because they are enthusiasts. There might be more money for R&D initially but should a brand falter for a period you might as well kiss their arse goodbye. We all remember how Ford almost killed Aston Martin and Volvo.”

Beeka, mirrored Tasekoseko’s sentiment adding, “big conglomerates will have different priorities to a one-person operation... mostly profit. This can cause dilution of a brand if it is scaled too quickly and result in inadvertent competition with no-named options from the likes of AliExpress.”

Despite this, some readers did acknowledge that the larger firms “deep pockets” can be beneficial, if the two brands priorities align.

What Hi-Fi? reader, Merge Faster, said: “With Samsung’s resources and clear leadership this could lead to amazing products. This is one of the few companies with pockets deep enough to challenge Apple for headphones and earbuds. Hopefully they can organise and give us the next generation of amazing hi-fi for the home."

What we think

Despite the wide range of opinions offered, we generally agree with our readers' sentiment that ownership does matter, but the specifics why depend heavily on the parties involved.

As I argued when news of Harman International’s intended takeover of Bowers & Wilkins broke, it can sometimes be a good thing.

If the brand involved has a focus or strategy that aligns with the parent company's, the extra investment and wider supply chain can help.

But, equally, if the opposite is true and the parent company’s plans, or focus don’t align with the smaller brand's, it can lead to disaster.

This can be everything from a loss of identity as the parent company forces its will on its purchase, or even closure.

As many readers pointed out, larger firms don’t tend to be able to deliver the same level of love and passion as smaller independent companies. Money talks, after all.

All we can do is hope for the best – and to be proved wrong – when it comes to the imminent mergers and acquisitions in the hi-fi and home cinema world.

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Ruark Audio has, in the past two decades, become well known for its stylish, great-sounding internet radios, powered speakers and one-box wireless music systems. The brand’s history, however, harks back to the mid 1980s, with the launch of its very first stereo speaker, the Sabre.

40 years after that first passive speaker – and 20 years since the Essex-based brand last made a pair of passive speakers – it has gone back to its origins with the new Ruark Sabre-R, a two-way, compact standmounter.

Is Ruark’s re-entry to the passive speaker market a success? Let’s find out.

Price

The Ruark Sabre-R costs £699 / $899 / AU$1499 per pair, and we’re not short of strong rivals in this midrange price bracket. Our favourite at this price is the multiple Award-winning Bowers & Wilkins 606 S3, which can be yours for a very similar £699 / $1100 / AU$1499.

The 606 S3 are our main price comparison here, then, but we also have a new pair of Acoustic Energy AE300 MkII standmounters at hand that we are currently testing, also at a similar price of £649 / $1099 / AU$1580 per pair.

Build & design

Ruark’s Sabre-R speakers are smart-looking speakers, and nicely made. From the cabinet to the fabric grilles, the overall fit and finish is neat, of good quality and well designed.

We like the detail of the wooden slats on the front of the speaker – a design element borrowed from Ruark’s excellent five-star R1S smart radio and R410 all-in-one system. It’s an understated but elegant effect in our review sample’s charcoal (black) lacquer finish; there is a walnut veneer finish if you prefer to lean into the all-wood effect.

The speakers are on the compact side – measuring 29 x 17.5 x 21.5cm – and are ideally suited to smaller and medium-sized rooms.

The Sabre-R are designed to be used with Ruark’s R610 streaming amplifier as a complete system, but they can stand on their own as well.

The Sabre-R standmounters are a two-way design, with a 26mm silk-dome tweeter and 15cm mid/bass long-throw driver that has a treated paper cone.

You’ll find a reflex port at the rear of the speakers, along with bi-wire speaker terminals.

The cabinet is braced and damped, and Ruark says it has spent hours carefully tuning the cabinet to the drivers, as well as the crossovers inside to ensure the best performance.

We rather like how the magnetic grilles are inlaid into the cabinet when placed on the speakers; it’s a nice touch. Ruark recommends keeping the grilles off if you want greater openness, and we agree – the sound is clearer and more open with the grilles off. However, it doesn’t spoil the speakers’ overall performance if you prefer to keep them on.

Compatibility

The speakers, especially when paired with their matching R610 streaming amplifier, are compact and flexible enough to be placed in various spaces, including on desks, cabinets, and other furniture.

As the Sabre-R are fairly small speakers, you might be tempted to place them inside a bookshelf or in a corner. However, we would give them a little breathing space for the best results.

Take care not to shove them into a corner, as you’ll lose some of the Sabre-R’s openness and liveliness. We recommend placing them on dedicated speaker stands, if possible, and positioning them at least 20cm into the room to get the most even balance.

During testing, we power the Ruark Sabre-R with our reference Naim Nait XS 3 integrated amplifier. We also use the Arcam A5 and Rega Brio Mk7 amps as more price-compatible options, with our Naim Uniti Atom HE music streamer as the source. Naturally, we also use the R610 streaming amplifier as part of our tests.

Sound

The Ruark Sabre-R speakers have a wonderfully sweet quality with voices. That midrange is the highlight here and, along with a fairly nimble and lively presentation, is what makes these speakers very appealing to listen to.

No matter what song or genre we play, from Doechii to Chaka Khan to Nick Cave to Fontaines D.C., it’s the voices that draw us in. There’s nuance and detail, but the Sabre-R do a particularly great job of communicating the tone, attitude and emotion of each artist as the words are sung.

The speakers are also detailed enough to convey the differences in recording quality and eras, but don’t make a fuss about them.

There is decent body to the sound, especially across that talented midrange, but without things ever sounding overly warm or rich. The drivers are very well integrated, too, with the treble sounding smooth and never sticking out unduly from the rest of the frequencies.

Rhythmically, the Sabre-R are agile and zippy, and flow along with a momentum that holds our attention and keeps us entertained. Each song’s personality shines through: the Ruarks have a knack for getting across the mood and message of a song, whether it’s the achingly heartfelt and heavy tone of Sparklehorse’s Eyepennies, Doechii’s slick and playful character in Denial Is A River, or the pop-tastic upbeat energy of Charli XCX’s 1999.

There’s ample punch and a fluid quality to the overall presentation. We find ourselves listening to song after song, enjoying the Ruark’s presentation. The Sabre-Rs can be pushed to higher volumes without losing control, too, with its agile, spritely nature remaining intact and only increasing in energy and immediacy.

We’re not expecting lashings of deep bass from a speaker of this size, but we do wish the bass that is on offer here were tauter and better defined. The low-end performance is rather soft and hazy at the edges, meaning that the powerful, grippy basslines in Dr Dre’s Forgot About Dre and Massive Attack’s Paradise Circus don’t quite have the driving, snappy impact we expect to hear.

Switch to John Williams’ Theme From Jurassic Park, and we find that while the Sabre-R are subtle and dynamic with the midrange, they aren’t quite as adept with large-scale dynamics. As the string and wind instruments join in after the initial flute solo, we want to hear more of that tangible drama and weight as the orchestra swells.

We’d like to hear a bit more separation between voices and instruments in the soundstage, too. A switch to the rival B&W 606 S3 delivers a larger sense of scale and more sweeping, contrasting dynamics. The 606 S3 admittedly have considerably larger cabinets than the Ruark, but both the B&Ws and the more medium-sized Acoustic Energy speakers deliver a greater degree of clarity and detail compared with the Ruarks, too.

Despite all this, however, we still find the Sabre-R to be a pleasing, charming listen. They perhaps aren’t the best at everything – not the most precise, not the clearest, not the most detailed – but the way they knit all elements together and deliver such a musical, emotive performance is impressive, and something that even more established brands struggle to match. The way these speakers convey voices with such delicacy is something quite special.

The Ruark’s presentation won’t win everyone over, but if their specific skills appeal to what you prioritise when listening to music, especially if you have a small space to work with, they are worth an audition.

If you are considering buying the R610 streaming amplifier, then you shouldn’t look anywhere beyond the Sabre-R speakers – they are, literally, made for each other, sonically and visually.

If you do plan on using the Sabre-R on their own, however, do take some care with partnering to get the best out of them. We found them to be a little fussy when trying different amplifiers, as they need an amplifier that complements the speakers’ character well and plays to their strengths.

Arcam’s A5 integrated subdues some of the Sabre-R’s delicacy and openness; the Rega Brio Mk7’s rhythmic precision, on the other hand, is a much better match and allows the Ruarks to flaunt their talents.

Don’t be afraid to try amplifiers at higher prices, either – the Ruark speakers don’t sound outclassed by the much pricier and detailed Naim Nait XS 3 amp.

Verdict

There is a terrific speaker inside the Sabre-R. They are enjoyable, very likeable speakers that have been tuned to deliver a specific presentation – one that we find charming and entertaining.

They’re not all-rounders, but if you can live with some of their drawbacks in favour of what they do really well – that beautifully talented midrange and voices, and a fluid, cohesive rhythm – you will be rewarded.

Review published: 26th June 2025

SCORES

• Sound 4
• Build 5
• Compatibility 4

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Best bookshelf speakers 2025: top standmounts for every budget tested

The wheels of time keep spinning, despite Rush's best efforts, which means it’s time for a fresh entry into our weekly Rewind news digest.

In it, our team of experts once again detail the top hi-fi and home cinema stories to break over the past seven days.

It was another busy one with our team hammering out more than 60 new pieces, detailing everything from new special edition floorstanders from Bowers & Wilkins to a streaming amplifier from turntable heavyweight Pro-Ject.

Here’s what you need to know.

Bowers & Wilkins celebrates a sapphire anniversary

It feels as though Bowers & Wilkins is in the headlines every other day at the moment. Last week the firm unveiled new limited edition 801 speakers to celebrate the 45th anniversary of its long standing partnership with Abbey Road Studios.

The speakers are based on the firm’s 2023 flagship 801 D4 Signature floorstanders. They come with custom reworked design elements and a special edition book, celebrating the partnership. If you want a pair, though, you’ll have to act fast – B&W is making only 140 of them.

Read the full story: Bowers & Wilkins and Abbey Road Studios celebrate their iconic 45-year partnership with limited-edition 801 speakers

We took a look at some seriously expensive vinyl

Enthusiasts are always willing to pay a lot to fund their passions, and last week we took a deep dive, looking at the most expensive vinyl sales over the past month. It certainly showed that some of us are willing to part with serious amounts of cash our favourite records. The list includes staples including Please Please Me by the Beatles, as well as a few entries that surprised us.

Read the full story: The 10 most valuable records sold on Discogs last month

Pro-Ject launched a new streaming amp

Pro-Ject is a brand with a strong track record in the turntable space. If you jump to our best turntable buying guide, you’ll see multiple recommendations carrying its branding.

Last week, though, it changed lanes, unveiling its new Pro-Ject Uni Box S3 streaming amplifier, which is available now for £699 / $1099 / €799.

Built on WiiM OS for streaming, the unit promises to offer hi-fi fans the best of both worlds, and features circuitry designed to "preserve the rich character of analogue sound by keeping the analogue signal path intact”, when a turntable is connected.

Read the full story: Pro-Ject's new streaming amplifier is powered by WiiM's excellent OS

Audio-Technica has launched some mid-range earbuds

Last week, Audio-Technica treated us to its latest wireless earbuds, the ATH-CK250TWS. The new earbuds target the mid-range market costing £125 / €149 / $159. That puts them in direct competition with the £169 / $219, Cambridge Audio Melomania M100.

The headline-grabbing feature is their lengthy 65 hours of total playback (25 from the buds on a single charge and 40 from the case), but they have generally solid specifications on top of this.

Highlights include custom-designed 9mm high-definition drivers focused on delivering a “rich, detailed sound”, as well as Bluetooth LE Audio and LC3 codec support.

Read the full story: Audio-Technica's mid-range earbuds pack plenty of features and a bulging battery life

The What Hi-Fi? Awards 2025 are official

Get your calendars out: last week we confirmed the key dates for one of the biggest hi-fi events of the year – our 43rd What Hi-Fi? Awards!

These include details of when the first batch of Best Buy winners will be announced, when reader voting will open, as well as the date of the exclusive black tie event where we will reveal this year’s Product of the Year winners.

Read the full story: Announcing the What Hi-Fi? Awards 2025 – all the details and key dates revealed

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Looking for a great deal on a new bit of home cinema or hi-fi to get your weekend off on the right foot?

Then you’re in the right place, as our team of experts has created this guide detailing our favourite deals that are live right now.

These include handpicked discounts on everything from an Award-winning Samsung Dolby Atmos system, to an amazing saving on five-star B&W wireless headphones.

Every single deal has been checked and vetted by one of our experts to make sure it's a product we are happy to recommend and that the discount is a good one.

If you don’t find what you’re looking for here, make sure to keep an eye on What Hi-Fi?’s homepage and social media channels – we’re always sharing deals we recommend, and the ones best avoided.

Also, put this time on a Friday in your diary, as this feature is the first entry in our new Deals of the Week column. We’ll be publishing a fresh entry, full of our editors’ up to the minute deals picks, every Friday.

With all that out of the way, here are this week’s top hi-fi and home cinema deals.

Five-star wireless headphones from a hi-fi heavyweight

• Need more info? Read our full Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2e review

We strongly recommend this muscly little stereo amp deal

• Need more info? Read our full NAD D 3020 V2 review

A top saving on a wireless Dolby Atmos system

• Need more info? Read our full Samsung HW-Q990D review

This week's wild card

• Need more info? Check out our opening impressions of the LG B4

A great deal on already great value floorstanders

• Need more info? Read our Q Acoustics 5050 review

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Our picks of the best wireless headphones

Bowers & Wilkins has pulled the cloth off the 801 Abbey Road Limited Edition loudspeaker in celebration of its 45-year partnership with the iconic London studio.

The special new model is, from what we can tell, largely a snazzy Studio-inspired spruce on the 2023-released flagship 801 D4 Signature floorstanders, the best speaker Bowers & Wilkins has made to date.

The British speaker brand says the cabinet’s vintage walnut finish has been inspired by the traditional interior of the studios as well as the musical instruments that have naturally played a huge part in Abbey Road’s storied 94-year history.

Meanwhile, the complementary bespoke red Leather by Connolly trim is a nod to both the aesthetic of the world-famous control room in Studio Two and the red leather chairs used throughout the building.

The 801 Abbey Road Limited Edition also feature a commemorative rear faceplate that indicates their limited-edition (140-pair) status, while a “unique, specially commissioned” book detailing the history of the two brands and their collaboration also comes in the package.

Indeed, as the story goes, that collaboration started back in 1980 when John Bowers took his then-new 801 speaker to Abbey Road to demonstrate how it had been designed for both domestic hi-fi and pro-studio use.

The engineers were clearly impressed, presumably by the sound the speakers delivered as much as their distinct-looking cake-tier driver arrangement, as the studio became the first to use them. Since then, six successive 800 Series generations have called Abbey Road home.

You’ll have to read the rest in the book…

The 801 Abbey Road Limited Edition are available to order now for £55,000 / $70,000 / AU$100,000 per pair.

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100-year-old headphone brand Beyerdynamic is being bought by a Chinese manufacturer

Noble Audio’s new wireless earbuds – the FoKus Amadeus – will be hard to miss when they land on 18th June.

Their lustrous red finish immediately stands out from the usual black and white offerings, and there’s a story behind them – the company drew inspiration from the legendary composer Mozart’s signature tailcoat. How many earbuds can say that?

The new Amadeus earbuds have a launch price of £299, placing them firmly in premium territory, and outpricing the likes of the excellent five-star Sony WF-1000XM5.

Sony’s buds – which are our current overall best pick in our list of the best wireless earbuds – are priced at £199 these days, while the also-superb and more premium Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 can be snapped up for £299.

But enough about the competition. At the heart of the Amadeus lies a newly developed 8.3mm custom dynamic driver featuring a triple-layer diaphragm design.

Noble has tuned the driver to deliver what the company describes as full-bodied bass response, open midrange presentation, and extended treble that reportedly maintains detail without clinical harshness.

Following the implementation in the higher-end Rex5 model, the Amadeus also features Audiodo Personal Sound technology. This calibration system analyses individual hearing characteristics in each ear to create a personalised sound profile that's stored directly on the earbuds themselves.

The end result? Noble is promising a more enjoyable listening experience overall, though we can’t comment on that until we try them ourselves.

The earbuds are also powered by Qualcomm's QCC3091 chipset, and feature Bluetooth 5.4. High-resolution audio codecs include LDAC, aptX Adaptive alongside standard AAC and SBC. Multipoint pairing and TrueWireless Mirroring are also thrown into the mix.

Battery performance delivers up to 12 hours of playback per charge with active noise cancellation disabled, reducing to eight hours with ANC turned on. The charging case also provides an additional 2.5 full charges, extending total usage time to 42 hours.

Both USB-C wired and Qi wireless charging are supported, with a 10-minute quick charge providing approximately two hours of playback time.

For voice calls, the Amadeus employs dual microphones with clear voice capture noise cancelling technology to enhance call clarity in challenging acoustic environments.

If all of that’s enough to entice you, the Noble FoKus Amadeus can be pre-ordered today ahead of their 18th June release date for £299 / $320 / €349 (Australian pricing and release date to be confirmed).

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Sony WF-1000XM5: our full review

Former England keeper Paul Robinson described the 2025 Europa League final between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United as like watching "a load of kids at lunchtime at school running around after a tennis ball".

It was not a classic for the ages, with the leadup to the game seeing both sides struggling in the domestic league but somehow attaining the chance for European glory.

This head-to-head, however, is something altogether different. No one can argue that the Sony WH-1000XM6 and the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 aren't outstanding candidates, and few would contend that they don't deserve to be held in the highest regard as some of the best wireless headphones currently available.

This is the clash many have been waiting for. The Px7 S3 stormed onto our list of the best wireless cans when they arrived earlier in the year, whereas the Sony WH-1000XM6 were quite possibly the most anticipated over-ears of the past few years.

Europa League tie? Nope, this is the Champions League final, and it simply doesn't get bigger than this.

Sony WH-1000XM6 vs Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3: price

Costing £399 / €429 / $449 / AU$699, the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 are certainly what we would describe as a premium pair of headphones, heading off competition from the likes of Bose, Apple and, of course, Sony's latest over-ears.

The flagship Sony WH-1000XM6 cost almost exactly the same across the regions, clocking in at £400 / €450 / $449 / AU$699.

While those figures pretty much match B&W step for step, it is an increase over the brand's previous flagship cans, the WH-1000XM5, which we originally tested at £380 / €420 / $399 / AU$550.

**Winner: Draw*

Sony WH-1000XM6 vs Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3: comfort and build

For Bowers & Wilkins, the design of its Px7 S3 over-ears feels like some sort of continuation from the likes of its Px7 S2e and the more premium Px8.

For the Sony WH-1000XM6, it's much more of a case of evolution, perhaps even revolution, as the Japanese audio behemoth looks to learn from the drawbacks of the Sony WH-1000XM5 (and there weren't exactly many), to satisfy as many customers as possible by taking its sixth-generation headphones to a whole new level.

One of the major flaws of the XM5 was that they didn't fold up; it's a limitation which has been rectified this time around to make the XM6 easier to carry and store. Some users also complained of fragility at the XM5's hinges, but Sony has used stainless steel at the end of each sliding arm on the newer model so that the new cans can be folded into a ball without snapping into pieces.

They get the job done as far as fit goes as well. The WH-1000XM6 sit more snugly than their predecessors, mainly because of an increased clamping force designed for greater isolation and to help the ANC work better.

Touch controls remain accessible on the surface of the right earcup, from which you'll be sliding, holding and tapping the exterior to get the desired effect. It's a well-implemented, responsive and smartly curated system.

The Px7 S3 are something a bit different. Put them side by side with the XM6, and most people would probably point to the B&W cans as being the more premium pair. In terms of perceived value, they are right up there as some of the most attractive cans around thanks to their textured woven headband fabric and subtle metallic embellishments adorning each earcup.

The Px7 S3 are lighter than their predecessors, though at 300g, they still weigh more than the 254g Sony XM6 cans. Still, they are comfortable and easy to accommodate, with only some of our test team experiencing on-ear heat issues caused by the earpads during longer wearing stints.

Where Sony employs touch controls, B&W has gone down a more traditional route, courtesy of a small array of physical buttons.

The backside of the right earcup offers a play/pause button flanked by longer volume controls; the left cup features a sliding Bluetooth/power toggle alongside a configurable ‘Quick Action’ button that we used to cycle through our test pair’s noise-cancelling modes during testing.

They work perfectly fine, although the small buttons can sometimes be tricky to use if you have clumsy fingers.

Foldability a dealbreaker? That's a big win for Sony – the Px7 S3 don't fold away at all. We envisage that the more portable WH-1000XM6 will be a touch easier to live with on a daily basis, even if they aren't quite as glamorous as their stylish counterparts.

**Winner: Sony WH-1000XM6**

Sony WH-1000XM6 vs Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3: features

You are entitled to expect a very healthy stable of features for headphones operating in such premium waters, and thankfully, neither set here will let you down.

Battery life for the Px7 S3 clocks in at an eminently respectable 30 hours with ANC on – exactly the same numbers offered by the new WH-1000XM6. It's worth mentioning that these figures mean the XM6 haven't improved upon their predecessor's battery life.

Those remain healthy numbers, though, so it's not a disaster of Titanic-like proportions.

Bluetooth codec support is ample for both, with the Px7 S3 offering the standard AAC and SBC codecs alongside higher-quality flavours. aptX Adaptive and aptX Lossless are on the menu, and if you want to go all out on audio fidelity, USB-C and 3.5mm cable connections are provided in the box for wired listening up to 24-bit/96kHz quality.

For Sony, meanwhile, it's no surprise to see SBC, AAC and Sony's own LDAC for the XM6, but there's no sign of aptX or any of its variants on the menu. Not that we were really expecting it, mind. The Sonys don't offer wired listening, either, which offers a small win to the Px7 S3.

Both pairs of cans have moved with the times, with each set offering Auracast support, meaning that they can receive audio transmissions from compatible broadcast sources. Sony also has Bluetooth LE Audio support straight out of the box, but for the Bowers & Wilkins rivals, this and Auracast will be available as a future update.

Bluetooth Multipoint, which allows for easy listening and switching between multiple connected source devices on the fly, is available straight away for both.

The Bowers & Wilkins Music app is the place to be for customising your user experience with the Px7 S3, taking care of equaliser adjustments, checking your headphones’ key vitals or curating your streaming services.

For Sony, it's the Sony Headphones app, a reliable platform we have always found to offer clear and deep levels of customisation for the various sound and ANC features on board.

If you're willing to be patient, another over-the-air update for the Px7 S3 later this year will also see spatial audio incorporated into a pair of Bowers & Wilkins headphones for the first time. Sony fans don't have to wait, as 360 Reality Audio is on the menu straight out of the box. And it works as well as ever if you're into the immersive audio effect.

Both pairs offer wear detection, meaning they pause or play when they are removed from or restored to your head. The Sony also incorporate Speak to Chat, which recognises human speech and pauses playback accordingly; it's something the B&W cans don't offer.

Very strong showings for both pairs, but for offering all of its features upon release, the win goes to the WH-1000XM6.

**Winner: Sony WH-1000XM6**

Sony WH-1000XM6 vs Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3: noise cancelling and call quality

In a straight fight, the Sony WH-1000XM6 will easily beat the Bowers & Wilkins PX7 S3's noise-cancelling capabilities.

The PX7 S3 don't offer bad ANC, but we have found them to be behind the pack when it comes to competing with the likes of the established WH-1000XM5, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones or the Apple AirPods Max.

They get the basics done, but we feel they lag behind the competition in really isolating you from the outside world. Road and general low-frequency rumbles are reduced with decent skill, but they aren't so adept at muting traffic noise or the chatter of voices. At this level, we just don't expect to hear so many noises creeping in.

The WH-1000XM6, on the other hand, are far more capable at delivering noise cancelling abilities you might expect for this kind of money. As we say in our review: "The Sonys isolate you extremely well.

They present you with a nice clean, rumble-free background through which you can listen to music." It's a natural, sophisticated effect that gives you a clear background on which you can listen to your music.

There are more flavours available with Sony, too. You can select Ambient Sound for staying connected to your surroundings, as well as Auto Ambient Sound, which adjusts dynamically for loud sounds automatically. Then there's the standard noise-cancelling mode for blocking out the world with all of the might the Sony headphones can muster.

For Bowers & Wilkins, you get two modes: standard noise-cancelling and Transparency. While we don't consider the noise-cancelling mode to be class-leading, Transparency does exactly what it says on the tin by letting sounds in and keeping you aware of key information such as train announcements or people talking to you.

What about call quality? Here, the XM6 are similarly exceptional, using Sony's precise voice pickup technology and an array of microphones to cut down on background noise while focusing on human speech. Voices are clear and focused, making communicating through the XM6 a breeze no matter your environment.

While not quite in the same league, calls through the PX7 S3 are hardly a chore. Repositioned microphones and B&W’s ‘ADI Pure Voice’ voice processing technology tease “outstanding voice clarity”; while we wouldn't go that far, we find that human speech sounds natural through the B&W without seeming muffled or mechanical, whereas background noises rarely disrupt our conversations.

For their outstanding ANC capabilities, the XM6 are the clear winners here.

**Winner: Sony WH-1000XM6**

Sony WH-1000XM6 vs Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3: sound quality

As you might have already guessed from the five star ratings, we like how both of these contenders sound. In fact, we like them both very, very much.

This may be a question of preference and how you like your cans flavoured, so let's start with the impressive credentials that could tempt you into making the Px7 S3 the number one contender on your shortlist.

To borrow from our review, the Px7 S3 are "exceptionally refined and detailed headphones, stunning us with their ability to outstrip their predecessors and even outperform the more expensive Dali IO-8 for textural insight."

The B&W over-ears delve deep into your music with their keenly analytical approach. Not content with giving you a broad approximation of your music, they are superb at pulling out instrumental timbres with "the relentless curiosity and enthusiasm of a bloodhound on the scent of a new lead".

There's real punch and power to the presentation, and while you'll hear headphones at this level that will step back from the music, the Px7 S3 are superb at dropping you into the heart of your collection. They are refined and detail-rich, yes, but there's an intimacy and closeness to their presentation which, to the right ears, is hugely rewarding.

How do the WH-1000XM6 stack up? They are, as you might have expected, absolutely fantastic, living up to the lofty expectation we had following the five-star legacy of the outgoing WH-1000XM4 and WH-1000XM5 models.

In fact, we state in our review that the XM6 "deliver the most detailed, dynamic, precise and open sound we’ve heard from a wireless Sony flagship," and that is really saying something. Whatever you play and whichever genres you prefer, they are just so happy diving into any track or genre and getting to the heart of the tune.

In terms of detail and analysis, they are just about on the Px7 S3's level, if possibly a shade behind – but they have a more potent sense of musicality, fluidness and friendliness that makes them such an easy, rewarding listen.

They are immense fun when needed, picking up on the emotions of tracks from Billie Eilish's No Time To Die to Eminem's Till I Collapse and just making them sound so dramatic and musically involving.

That is helped by the XM6's excellent handling of dynamic contrasts – a facet of musical performance where, we feel, they are ahead of their excellent B&W rivals – as well as an acute talent for teasing rhythmic patterns.

This isn't a cop out, but we do feel that your sonic preference here will dictate which pair of headphones you'll gel with and which will leave you feeling a touch colder.

In broad terms, if you crave detail, clarity and a deep sense of analysis, all with a healthy helping of punch and power, go with the Px7 S3.

If you love your music to be replete with emotion and feeling, with a tangible sense of dynamics, musicality and rhythmic propulsion, we'd steer you towards the effortlessly engaging and likeable Sony WH-1000XM6.

**Winner: Draw**

Sony WH-1000XM6 vs Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3: verdict

We have to reiterate just how good both of these pairs of wireless headphones are. Across sound, build quality, features and general appeal, they are unquestionably leading the charge for wire-free performance at what is still a reasonably accessible price bracket.

There are cases to be made for both pairs audio-wise, but so much of that will be down to personal preference that we urge you to think carefully about how you want your new headphones to sound. The Sony are more user-friendly, but we can completely see the appeal of the B&W's sense of style – if it's your sort of thing, of course.

In the end, it may be Sony's superior noise-cancelling that separates the two, as that's the one area in which we feel there's the greatest gulf in objective quality.

Either way, we have been bowled over by how good both pairs are across the board. It's always pleasing when we finish a versus and can conclude by stating that, whichever pair you pick, you won't be disappointed. These are both five-star candidates, after all.

MORE:

Sony WH-1000XM6 vs Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones: which are better?

Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 vs Apple AirPods Max: which premium headphones are top of the pops?

Our pick of the best noise-cancelling headphones around

It was a glorious day when the tech world decided to standardise all cable connections.

Thanks in part to a drive from the European Union, it has become increasingly rare to see anything other than a USB-C connection on most standard audio devices, from portable speakers and wireless speakers to digital music players, wireless headphones and earbuds.

The likes of USB-A, micro-USB and even Apple’s beloved Lightning cables are being consigned to history as USB-C takes charge. It's a change that has been a blessing to those of us who used to lose days constantly searching for the right lead, squirreled away in that inevitable drawer or cupboard which also houses spare batteries, miscellaneous keys and old passports.

Now that the cable that juices up your iPhone can do roughly the same job powering up your JBL speaker, the misery of those Balkanised days is, for now at least, behind us.

Why not Bluetooth?

Such progress raises a pertinent question: if they can do a job of standardising consumer electronics charging, why can’t they do the same for Bluetooth pairing procedures?

Yes, I’m aware that the push for an exclusively USB-C world was motivated by a desire for better performance and factors to do with waste and the environment; but the fact that we achieved proper uniformity shows that it can be done.

And Bluetooth pairing needs uniformity. How many times have you purchased a new product, only to be baffled by the new, possibly unique, pairing procedure it requires for you to get it up and running?

This is especially true for us poor old reviewers who, even during a slow year, test dozens, if not hundreds, of wireless devices every year.

Trust us, there are several ways for a company to trigger the pairing process, and while some are relatively intuitive, others are maddeningly clunky or just downright unhelpful. Take the world of over-ear headphones…

Bowers & Wilkins still favours the sliding Bluetooth / power toggle as seen on its latest Px7 S3 over-ears (I've never quite wrapped my head around it), whereas Sony uses a single power and pairing button for its latest world-beaters, the WH-1000XM6.

The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones, conversely, have a dedicated Bluetooth button which sits at the bottom of the right earcup away from the power switch.

The agony of choice

Most of the time, there’s no issue – we are used to these discrepancies in pairing, after all – but sometimes we still find ourselves passing cans to a colleague because we are baffled by a process that comes completely out of left field.

Sometimes the power button and the pairing button double up, as is the case with Sony's latest, so you’re never quite sure whether you’re about to put your device into pairing mode or just switch it off entirely.

Sure, it doesn't take a genius to figure out that holding the pairing/power button for two seconds switches off the cans while five seconds will activate pairing mode, but if you're not a tech-savvy teen and, say, one of my dear old parents, you may find such simple processes a good deal more confusing. Not everyone who buys wireless cans is under 30, lest we forget.

For wireless earbuds, it can be much trickier. The best solution in this case does actually seem to be Sony’s, whereby you press and hold a button on the charging case and wait for your phone or PMP to discover the earbuds.

Sadly, the number of permutations for connecting your earbuds is vast: hold both earbuds when they are in your ears; hold both earbuds when they’re in the case; hold the left earbud only; or maybe just the right.

Sometimes it’s just a case of removing them from the case; sometimes it’s Sony’s aforementioned pairing button. Some buds will only connect when you’re standing up, others when you’re sitting down.

Ok, I lied about the last example, but you take the point – often the whole process can just seem maddeningly arbitrary.

Then you have Bluetooth speakers. We’re usually on safer ground here, as a larger unit can accommodate a dedicated Bluetooth pairing button that simply has to be pressed and/or held to initiate the desired process.

That’s the case on the JBL Flip 7 and Charge 6, say, or the new Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 (3rd Gen). Happily, we have yet to find too many portable units that stray from the path.

You also don’t have to have a Bluetooth speaker placed in or over your ears to discover whether or not it is performing the pairing procedure – something which makes the whole process just a touch trickier when you're caught between wanting to see the button you require and needing to hear the chime or prompt telling you that you are actually performing the correct part of this particular ritual.

The impossible dream?

Forgive my ignorance, but if it’s relatively simple to get Bluetooth speakers all singing from the same hymn sheet, can’t that be the case for everything else?

I’m aware that nothing in the world of design and manufacturing comes for free, and that even pairing processes have to be meticulously planned and programmed, but can’t we all just agree on one simple system for every product type?

A single, dedicated pairing button for wireless headphones, a case-mounted button for wireless earbuds and a signposted Bluetooth toggle on portable speakers.

Standardise the amount of time that it needs to be pressed (do we even need to be holding things down anymore?) and put it in the same place, no matter the brand or product. Yeah, right!

Maybe this is all wishful thinking. I’m not really expecting brands and manufacturers to call for a summit to make the life of a single journalist a touch easier. All I’m saying is, if you can, try to consider the end user whenever you make a decision, especially if it could lead to frustration and confusion as a result.

Modern users crave a frictionless experience, and manufacturers can sometimes forget that their end users aren't all tech-savvy twenty-somethings for whom wireless connectivity is par for the course.

It's like writing an academic essay. You'll only alienate certain readers by using excessive jargon or complicated sentence structures; overly simplified language, on the other hand, while it may be a bit basic, ensures that everyone can understand what you're saying.

In short, there's a life lesson in here somewhere: why make things more complicated than they need to be?

MORE:

Sony WH-1000XM6 vs WH-1000XM4: which noise-cancelling headphones should you buy?

7 sound settings and control hacks you need to try on the Sony WH-1000XM6

These are our picks for the best Bluetooth speakers

The arrival of any new Bowers & Wilkins product is always notable at What Hi-Fi?. The British brand is responsible for some of the finest hi-fi products ever made, so when its Px7 S3 wireless noise-cancelling headphones arrived recently, it only made sense to pit them against the highly rated rival pair from Apple.

Both the B&W Px7 S3 and AirPods Max are what we would class as premium headphones with price tags to match. Both were awarded five stars when we reviewed them individually and represent some of the best wireless headphones you can currently buy at this lofty level.

But that doesn’t help you to decide which ones you might want to own, does it? That’s why we’ve sat down with both pairs and directly compared them on everything from design and build to sound quality and noise-cancelling.

So, which pair of premium headphones most deserves to be on your head?

Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 vs Apple AirPods Max: price

To paraphrase the great Tom Jones, it’s not unusual for Apple to charge a premium for its products, and the AirPods Max are no different.

In the UK, they currently sell for £499 (they’ve had £50 knocked off their original £549 asking price), but in the US and Australia you’ll have to shell out $549 / AU$899 for a pair.

While the Px7 S3 certainly aren’t what you’d call cheap, they launched at £399 / AU$699 (the US price is yet to be confirmed) and are a good deal more affordable than the AirPods Max.

**Winner: Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3**

Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 vs Apple AirPods Max: build and design

You might think that the price difference would be noticeable in the build quality and materials used, and that is true to an extent, but both pairs of headphones are very nicely made indeed.

The AirPods Max do feel slightly more premium, with their larger earcups and metallic finishes. The Digital Crown dial for controlling volume and playback remains beautifully engineered and responsive, while the headband pressure and hinges are both sturdy and well judged.

That the AirPods Max are slightly heavier (385g vs 300g) is more noticeable in the hand than on the head, but B&W's more lightweight and less-bulky design is likely to find favour as a more portable pair.

The AirPods Max's oversized earcups make quite the overt design statement compared to B&W's subtler profile. Both earcups are roomy enough for our reviewers, but the difference in cushion material makes a difference. The more breathable mesh fabric material on the AirPods Max stay cooler for longer listening periods, while the soft leather pads on the B&W can make our ears get sweaty rather quickly.

Neither pair folds up, but the pouch supplied with the Px7 S3 is much more serviceable than the so-called ‘Smart Case’ that you’re supposed to transport a pair of AirPods Max in, which doesn’t even cover them entirely.

It’s a bit like comparing an Audi and a Mercedes: both are well built and feel worth the money, and for many people it will just come down to personal preference, but we think the B&W Px7 S3 are just that little bit more portable and practical.

**Winner: Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3**

Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 vs Apple AirPods Max: features

A lot of Apple products work best when used with other Apple products, and that’s particularly true of the AirPods Max, which are seamless in use with multiple connected iOS products. Some of their features, such as personalised audio, head-tracking with spatial audio, and the use of Apple’s ‘Find My’ network, should your headphones go AWOL, are only available if you connect them to an Apple device.

They may be limited to a certain extent for Android users, then, which the Px7 S3's feature list is not.

Still, there are various features of the Px7 S3, including spatial audio and Auracast support, that are due to be added via a software update, although B&W hasn’t announced a specific date for this beyond a rather vague “later in 2025”.

As things stand, they still have far more comprehensive Bluetooth codec support than the AirPods Max, which only offer baseline AAC and SBC. The Px7 S3’s list includes those two, plus the higher quality aptX HD, aptX Adaptive and aptX Lossless codecs, with next-gen Bluetooth features LC3 and LE Audio set to be part of the aforementioned update.

Both pairs of headphones support wired listening, which makes them sound even better. In the AirPods Max case, the cable required depends on which model you have. If you have the original Lightning connector edition, you'll need to buy a separate Lightning to 3.5mm audio cable; with the current USB-C edition, the included USB-C to USB-C charging cable will let you listen to lossless wired audio from other USB-C-compatible sources. However, a USB-C to 3.5mm audio cable does need to be bought separately, for £39 / $39 / AU$65. B&W includes the USB-C-to-3.5mm audio cable in the box.

When it comes to battery life, the Px7 S3 are the clear winners. You’ll get 30 hours out of them before they conk out, and you only need to plug them in for 15 minutes to add seven hours of play time. If you get caught out by a dead battery on these, you’ve only got yourself to blame.

The AirPods Max have a little less staying power. Apple claims they’ll last up to 20 hours between charges, although our testing actually found that estimate to be a touch conservative. That’s still a lot less than you’ll get from the Px7 S3, but in reality you’re unlikely to find it problematic.

A five-minute charge adds 90 minutes of listening time – handy if you’re about to leave for work and find that they’re running low.

**Winner: Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3**

Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 vs Apple AirPods Max: noise-cancelling and call quality

Noise-cancelling performance has become a key battleground for premium wireless headphones, and there is only one runaway winner here.

Neither of these pairs bothers the class-leading Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones on the ANC front, but both have different effects.

Both have a pretty natural approach to noise-cancelling, instead of that intense, vacuum-like suction effect you get with some models. Both do a solid job of blocking out low-level rumbles around you, but the AirPods Max are far better at cancelling out general noise like voices, traffic and damping down the sharp edge of higher-frequency noises. With the B&W, you still hear quite a lot of those mid-frequency noises come through that bleeds into the music you're listening to, whereas the AirPods Max are better are putting you in a cocoon of subdued noise so you can concentrate on the music.

Both have effective transparency modes, which can be handy when you need to remain aware of what’s going on around you. Overall, we prefer the AirPods Max approach to noise-cancelling.

Those noise-cancelling mics also come in handy for making calls, and speech sounds natural through the Px7 S3, with background noise sufficiently suppressed. Voices come through with greater clarity and fullness through the B&W. Our voices sound more upfront through the AirPods Max, but there is a slight synthetic quality around the edges of our voices, and more environmental noise comes through than with the Px7 S3. Both are perfectly fine for voice calls, with B&W sounding just that bit more natural and clear.

For their more effective noise-cancelling talents, the AirPods Max are the clear favourite here.

**Winner: Apple AirPods Max**

Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 vs Apple AirPods Max: sound quality

These are both five-star headphones, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that they are both very sonically capable.

When the AirPods Max launched back in 2020 with such a premium price tag, we certainly didn’t expect them to be quite as good as they are. Our review highlighted their authenticity, detail, crispness and spaciousness – all qualities befitting such a nicely built pair of cans.

The AirPods Max are exceptionally well-organised and are great with vocals, but they have a particular talent when it comes to digging into the details of a track. They really shine in the mid-to-upper ranges. Put on Radiohead’s exquisite Pyramid Song and the cymbal hits really ring through nicely. These are headphones that really make your music sparkle.

Despite knocking on for five years old (the 2024-released AirPods Max model with USB-C introduced in 2024 has the same sound), their sound quality remains surprisingly competitive despite the fresh competition that has arrived since.

Switch to the B&W Px7 S3, and almost all of the above remains applicable – just even more so. The B&W are clearer and more detailed. They have more punch and muscularity than the AirPods Max, with better bass reproduction and just a bit more solidity all round, but especially at the lower end of the frequency range. There’s more grip to textures, too.

The AirPods have a richness to their sound that is immediately likeable and are a touch more open, but the B&W are subtler, more precise and more dynamic. As we said in our Px7 S3 review: "The effect of being immersed in the centre of your tunes is thrilling, amplified by those remarkable levels of detail the Bowers & Wilkins over-ears unveil. The earthy strings on Nick Cave & Warren Ellis’s Song For Bob have real bite and grip as the track’s forlorn heart is revealed, while the varying components of John Williams’ Duel Of The Fates – rumbling drums, punchy horn stabs, operatic vocals – blend authenticity with a thrilling sense of drama."

**Winner: Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3**

Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 vs Apple AirPods Max: verdict

This isn’t a case of one pair beating the other into submission; you could buy either of these products and be very happy with your purchase. But we’re not here to sit on the fence. After a while, it starts to get very uncomfortable.

After lengthy deliberation, it becomes clear that the new Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 are slightly ahead in more areas: they’re better endowed in the features department (and will become even more so when that firmware update arrives) and get one over it comfortably for battery life, too. We prefer the way they sound, and while their ANC isn't quite as good, they are crucially a meaningful amount cheaper.

You will have your own opinions on which ones look better, but this is a good example of more premium materials not necessarily translating to a more premium experience. We do love the Digital Crown dial on the AirPods Max and the fresh range of colours that the 2024 (soft) update brought, but the Px7 S3 is a better overall portable package with that bit more subtlety and class.

It goes down as a win for B&W, then, with its sonic strengths and less premium price making them the better value buy overall. However, if you do you opt for the pricier AirPods Max – especially if you're a dedicated iOS user – you won't be disappointed.

MORE:

Read our Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 review

And our Apple AirPods Max review

Sony WH-1000XM5 vs Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3: which five-star wireless headphones are better?

Check out our pick of the best wireless headphones

2025 is rapidly turning into one of the most turbulent years in recent memory for hi-fi and home cinema fans.

Just five months in, we have seen the launch of key new technologies, potential big price hikes caused by US tariffs and, just this week, the sale of Masimo’s audio brands to Harman International.

Honestly, it has been a genuine rollercoaster ride for the What Hi-Fi? team – and we still have huge events, including High End Munich, to cover.

Here, to help you keep up with all the latest developments, is the latest entry of our weekly Rewind news digest, detailing everything you need to know.

Harman International is buying some big-name hi-fi brands

The announcement that Harman International has entered a definitive agreement with Masimo to buy its audio brands by the end of the year is without a doubt some of the biggest news to drop in 2025.

The deal will see Harman International, which is owned by Samsung, buy big-name brands including Bowers & Wilkins, Denon, Marantz, Polk Audio, Definitive Technology, Classé, HEOS and Boston Acoustics for the lump sum of $350m.

While we haven’t been given any details about Harman’s plans for each brand, we are cautiously optimistic that the sale could be a good thing for at least a few of them given the company’s AV focus.

Masimo is big, certainly, but it is primarily a medical technology company, so its ownership of audio brands always felt a little odd for many in the hi-fi industry.

Read the full story: Harman is buying Bowers & Wilkins, Marantz and Denon as Masimo sells its consumer audio business

High End Munich is fast approaching

This year's High End Munich is a big event for a couple of reasons. First, because High End is one of the biggest hi-fi shows in the world.

Each year our team hits the floor and finds more top-end hi-fi treats than can easily be counted.

Given what we know so far, this trend looks set to continue in 2025, with big name brands including Chord, JBL, Qobuz, Elipson, Audiolab and more hosting launch events at the show.

The second, and in some ways more important, reason is that this is the last show to be held in Munich; High End is set to migrate to Vienna next year.

We have covered the event for many years, so the move feels a little bit like the end of an era.

With this in mind, we’re expecting some extra special treats to come out of High End Munich, where our team of experts will be on the ground reporting live.

Read the full story: High End Munich 2025 preview: what to expect from the upcoming hi-fi show

Bang & Olufsen has a new Bluetooth speaker

Bang & Olufsen last week launched its new Beosound A1 (3rd Gen) Bluetooth speaker. As the name suggests this is the third A1 speaker it has launched.

At first glance it may look very similar to the five-star Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 (2nd Gen), but under the hood B&O has made a few key upgrades.

These include a new woofer that B&O claims is “the largest in its class” and a new tweeter design.

It is powered by two 30-watt Class-D amplifiers, and B&O promises the new A1 will deliver deeper bass, higher volume and generally more detailed audio than its predecessor.

Our reviewers were really impressed with the second generation A1, so if the new model delivers on that promise we could be in for a treat when we get one into our listening rooms.

Read the full story: Bang & Olufsen's incredibly stylish Bluetooth speaker promises "elevated sound" and "enduring design"

We asked a Sony hi-fi legend what his favourite product is

Last week we caught up with What Hi-Fi? Outstanding Contribution Award winner and general audio, wizard Eric Kingdon and asked him which product he is most proud to have worked on.

Kingdon is often called “the ears of Sony” and has worked at the brand for more than 40 years, in which time he has helped to create some of its most iconic products. His hit list includes everything from Award-winning stereo amplifiers to class-leading speakers and Blu-ray players – so there was plenty for him to choose from.

After some gentle pushing from our managing editor, Becky Roberts, he revealed that the Sony STR-DN1080 home cinema amplifier holds a particularly special place in his heart.

Read the full story: “I guess a product becomes truly special when it’s the first thing you switch on when you’re home.” The man behind Sony’s sound picks the product he’s proudest of

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We rate the best Bluetooth speakers

Our picks of the best stereo amplifiers