The Bowers & Wilkins PX Wireless are decent mixed-use headphones with great isolation for commuting and a sturdy premium design. They're outstandingly well-built and have a very warm sound profile that delivers extra boom to mixes. Unfortunately, they're slightly bulky and heavy, and they're uncomfortably tight on the head at first. They won't be the ideal over-ears for all listeners, but they're a suitable premium option for commute and travel.
Our Verdict
The Bowers & Wilkins PX Wireless are decent for mixed usage. They have a sturdy and high build quality and great isolation for noisy environments and busy commutes. They sound above-average depending on the noise isolation profile selected, but they won't sound as balanced as some of the other wireless over-ear, and they have no EQ. Unfortunately, they're a bit too tight out-of-the-box which may be an issue for some listeners. On the upside, it makes them somewhat stable enough for jogging. Overall, they're decent for most uses but are best used as premium traveling headphones or at the office, thanks to their strong isolation and low leakage. They won't be the most comfortable option for long listening sessions.
- Great build quality.
- Easy to use controls.
- Great isolation and low leakage.
- A bit too tight on some heads.
- Slightly bulky and cumbersome design.
- Bass delivery varies significantly across users. Sensitive to glasses.
The Bowers & Wilkins PX Wireless are passable for neutral listening. The sound profile changes quite a bit when using different noise cancelling profiles. They pack a good amount of bass, but their mid-range is a bit muddy, and their treble range lacks a bit of brightness. Overall, their slightly cluttered and dark sound might be a little disappointing for more neutral listeners. They also can't create the soundstage of open-back over-ears despite having fairly spacious ear cups and angled drivers. On the upside, they should sound good enough for most, and you can always sacrifice a bit of isolation for a better sound by changing the noise cancelling profile or disabling it. Unfortunately, they're tight on the head, which may be an issue during long listening sessions, and it also feels like a missed opportunity that they don't have an equalizer included in their app.
The Bowers & Wilkins PX Wireless are very good for commuting. These headphones have great noise cancelling for noisy commutes, have easy-to-use controls, and barely leak, so you can mask even more ambient noise by playing your audio at higher volumes. Unfortunately, they're a bit bulky and tight on the head, which might not be as comfortable as the Bose QuietComfort 35/QC35 Wireless 2016 on long flights.
The Bowers & Wilkins PX Wireless are satisfactory for sports. They're tight enough on the head to be stable for jogging, and they're wireless with an easy-to-use control scheme. However, they're also bulky headphones that will hinder your movements during more high-intensity workouts, and they don't have the most breathable design for sports.
The Bowers & Wilkins PX Wireless are good for office use. They have a good noise isolation performance, and they don't leak much, meaning that they can block a lot of noise in a lively office environment and not distract your colleagues at higher volumes. Unfortunately, they're very tight on the head, which can get a bit uncomfortable to wear during long listening sessions at work.
The Bowers & Wilkins PX Wireless are disappointing for gaming. These headphones have a good wireless range, and they're easy to use. Unfortunately, they have a subpar mic that isn't compatible with consoles, aren't as customizable as most gaming headsets, and the high latency will be a deal-breaker for gaming.
Changelog
- Updated Jun 11, 2021: Changed USB Audio results for clarity.
- Updated Feb 18, 2020: Converted to Test Bench 1.4.
- Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.1.
- Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.
Check Price
Popular Headphones Comparisons
The Bowers & Wilkins PX are great noise cancelling headphones with a sturdy and premium build quality but a tight fit. They have a warm sound profile but lack an EQ, so you can't customize their sound profile to your liking. They cancel a lot of noise and barely leak, making them a very good choice for commuting and traveling. Unfortunately, their tight fit might be a bit of an issue for some.
See our recommendations for the best wireless headphones, the best noise cancelling headphones, and the best headphones for bass.
The Bowers & Wilkins PX7 Wireless and the Bowers & Wilkins PX Wireless are two very similar headphones, but the PX Wireless have a small edge if you like their fit. Their sound profile is more neutral, which some users may prefer, their ANC performance is noticeably stronger, blocking more ambient noise. On the other hand, the newer PX7 have a better battery life with over 10 extra hours of continuous playback and their padding is plushier.
The Sony WH-1000XM2 Wireless are a slightly better wireless noise cancelling headset than the Bowers & Wilkins PX Wireless. The Sony are a bit more comfortable and not as tight on the head as the PX. They also have a more customizable app that gives them a lot more control over their noise cancellation, and a better sound profile than the Bowers & Wilkins. On the upside, the Bowers and Wilkins are better built and look and feel more premium than the Sonys. They also have a lower leakage level, which makes them more suitable for noise-sensitive environments than the WH-1000XM2.
The Bowers & Wilkins PX Wireless have a fairly similar performance to the Beats Studio3 Wireless. The Bowers & Wilkins isolate a lot better in noisy environments than the Beats, so they'll be more suitable for traveling and commuting. They also have a better more premium-looking build quality. Despite their adaptive audio reproduction, the Beats have more consistent audio delivery than the Bowers & Wilkins. They also have a sleeker over-ear fit that's more comfortable and more suitable for physical activities. The Beats also have longer battery life and charge a lot faster.
The Bose QuietComfort 35 II/QC35 II Wireless 2018 are better and more versatile headphones than the Bowers & Wilkins PX Wireless. The Bose have a more comfortable over-ear fit than the Bowers & Wilkins and a better-balanced sound profile out-of-the-box. On the other hand, the Bowers & Wilkins have a better build quality that feels more in line with their price point. The Bose also leak a little less audio, which makes them a bit more suitable for noise-sensitive environments like an office.
Our How We Test Headphones article takes you behind the scenes in our lab. You'll learn how we choose and purchase products and dive into the details of our review philosophy, from testing and scoring to writing and editing.
You can also discover how we produce recommendations like this one so that you can find the best headphones (or earbuds!) for your needs.
Test Results
for pictures & test results
for pictures & test results
for pictures & test results
for pictures & test results
for pictures & test results
