Two stunning pairs of Bowers & Wilkins headphones are heavily discounted for Black Friday – but which should you pick?

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Everton or Liverpool? Jeans or chinos? Pasta or rice for dinner? Fish or chips? Ok, ignore that last one.

Let's add another tricky decision into the mix: Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2 or Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2e? Both five-star wireless over-ears are discounted this Black Friday, with the S2 dropping from £299 to £149 at John Lewis, and the S2e falling from £299 to £196 at John Lewis.

Best Bowers & Wilkins Black Friday headphones deals

What we have here are two pairs of handsome, sonically adept wireless headphones from a brand whose products many users can't help but covet. Bowers & Wilkins is no stranger to making wow-factor hi-fi and headphones, and nowhere is that more in evidence than with the stylish, alluring S2 and their S2e follow-up.

The S2 are the older of the two pairs, and once stocks run dry, we have a feeling they'll be gone forever. Newer headphones, including the recent Px7 S3, have continued the brand's legacy, and in truth, the S2 are essentially now two generations out of date.

They don't sound it, mind. Thanks to their 40mm dynamic drivers, the Px7 S2 serve up an articulate, revealing sound that digs deep into the details. They're cans which err more on the side of being informative over entertaining, but if that's your sort of signature, they'll delight you with their revealing, 'hi-fi' approach.

Battery life clocks in at a healthy 30 hours, while codec support is extensive thanks to coverage for aptX Adaptive, aptX HD and the standard AAC and SBC flavours. Noise-cancelling is solid enough, with consistency and minimal sound colouration across the different settings.

The Px7 S2e, conversely, are even better, and they should be considering they acted as the de facto sequel to the aforementioned S2. The S2e are just as stylish and desirable as their predecessors (perhaps even more so), but they're sonically on another level, with benchmark insight matched by a full, lush sonic character that brings out the breadth and bite of the music being played.

The S2 do stray towards the analytical side, but the S2e are so entertaining that listening to them is a rewarding, invigorating experience.

Elsewhere, it's a similar story. Battery life figures are about the same, as is the sort of codec support you'll get (with aptX HD dropped, and you're also operating the cans via the accompanying Bowers & Wilkins Music App as before. The reason you buy the Px7 S2e is, in a nutshell, because they sound more rewarding and entertaining than what came before.

What the older cans have in their favour, of course, is price. £149 at John Lewis is a mammoth saving, and will leave you with around £50 extra quid in your pocket if you decide not to pick the S2e (£196 at John Lewis). If sound matters, of course, go with the newer cans, as that added expenditure will be rewarded with a sonically superior set.

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Harry McKerrell is a senior staff writer at What Hi-Fi?. During his time at the publication, he has written countless news stories alongside features, advice and reviews of products ranging from floorstanding speakers and music streamers to over-ear headphones, wireless earbuds and portable DACs. He has covered launches from hi-fi and consumer tech brands, and major industry events including IFA, High End Munich and, of course, the Bristol Hi-Fi Show. When not at work he can be found playing hockey, practising the piano or trying to pet strangers' dogs.

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