Bowers & Wilkins Px8 Headphones Drop £220 to Record-Low £379

Q: Is the heavily discounted Px8 a savvy audiophile purchase or simply outdated luxury tech?

At £379, the original Bowers & Wilkins Px8 looks more like a savvy audiophile buy than outdated luxury tech, provided sound quality matters more to you than having the newest noise-cancelling features. The case for buying is strong. What Hi-Fi? gave the Px8 five stars and praised its clarity, precision, punchy dynamics and detailed midrange. Its premium construction also still stands out: Nappa leather, memory-foam earpads and aluminum arms give it a level of finish many rivals at this discounted price do not match. Bluetooth 5.2 with aptX HD and aptX Adaptive, physical controls and 30-hour battery life remain solid by current standards, so this is not old technology in any meaningful sense. The main caveat is that it is no longer class-leading in every category. Its active noise cancelling is competent rather than best-in-class, and newer rivals from Bose, Sony and even Bowers & Wilkins’ own Px8 S2 offer better ANC, stronger call performance and some refinements in sound and design. Buyers on Apple devices should also note they will not fully benefit from aptX Adaptive features. That said, the discount changes the value equation. At launch, the Px8 competed in a crowded £600-plus luxury bracket. At £379, it moves into a much more attractive position where its sound quality, comfort and build can outweigh its weaker ANC. For listeners who want a luxurious wireless headphone with genuinely high-end sound, it is a smart buy rather than a relic.

3 articles · Updated · What Hi-Fi? · Jul 9

Amazon has cut Bowers & Wilkins' Px8 wireless headphones to £379, a 37% discount and the lowest price cited for the model.
The deal sharply lowers the cost of a five-star pair praised for clarity, detail and punchy sound, with Bluetooth 5.2, aptX HD and Adaptive support, and 30 hours of battery life.
The Px8 have already been superseded by the Px8 S2, whose £629 price remains unchanged, making the older model's discount the main draw.
Noise cancelling is only decent against newer rivals, with Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones 2nd Gen flagged as cheaper and stronger on ANC, while Sennheiser's HDB 630 competes on audiophile detail.