Whether it’s been wired or wireless models, Bowers & Wilkins is one of the few hi-fi manufacturers that’s really managed to make a mark in the headphones market.
We’ve just reviewed its most recent pair, the Px7 S3, which are arguably the most impressive headphones we’ve seen so far this year. They’re certainly the finest iteration of its Px7 cans to date.
Now, our Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 review seems to coincide with gathering momentum for rumours of a possible headphones launch from Sony.
We haven't seen a new flagship pair of wireless headphones from the brand since May 2022 but, according to some tipsters, a successor to the WH-1000XM5 is in the pipeline and could potentially arrive at some point in May.
A new model (which most people are tipping as WH-1000XM6) would be huge news in the headphones world, but having spoken to colleagues about the Bowers & Wilkins pair, I think Sony could really have its work cut out staying in front of the chasing pack if it does choose to launch a new model. Here’s why…
B&W has really upped its game with the Px7 S3 and taken performance up a couple of notches from their predecessors, the Px7 S2e. This is no mean feat given how much we like that five-star pair of wireless over-ears.
And it’s not just the improved audio performance that Sony has to worry about. The Px7 S3 also have superb build quality on their side. They look and feel like premium wireless headphones and make the current Sony WH-1000XM5 look and feel quite cheap.
Back when they launched, not everyone was a fan of the switch of style from the WH-1000XM4 to the new model – we actually noted the build quality seemed less premium than before in our Sony WH-1000XM5 review. Could Sony go back to the drawing board for a brand new flagship pair? I wonder.
I’m also particularly interested to see how Sony handles the pricing of any new flagship wireless over-ears. We tested the WH-1000XM5 at £380 / $399 / AU$550 and it's hard to see how Sony can go any lower than this, especially with the global economic climate in its current state of flux.
The Bowers & Wilkins are £399 / AU$699, which is a bump compared to the previous iteration but, interestingly, the US launch has been delayed for the same economic reasons.
Will Sony have to nudge the price of a new flagship higher than its predecessor? I’ll be interested to see where they land if they do launch in May.
Sony's range has always performed strongly in the sound quality, call quality and noise-cancelling departments, and you can’t imagine any new flagship won’t have undergone tweaks to improve performance in all of those areas. Could we see a more powerful audio engine? Extra mics to help with ANC and call quality? Will Sony persist with touch controls?
The Px7 S3 have set a benchmark and the whole market knows what it has to beat at the money. It will be interesting to see if Sony does choose to launch a new model this year, and if it does just how it stacks up against the brilliant Bowers & Wilkins…
MORE:
Read our Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 review
and our Sony WH-1000XM5 review
Sony WH-1000XM5 vs Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3: which five-star wireless headphones are better?
Sony WH-1000XM6: everything we know about these next-gen flagship wireless headphones
Our pick of the best noise-cancelling headphones
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