Bowers & Wilkins - PX7 S2e

Check out the B&W they have some great head phones and within your budget, I just ordered px7 s2 yesterday and they have a great sound 🔊

I recently picked up B&W PX7S2 and for wireless and reasonable price they are pretty good with a little EQ adjustment, definitely not top shelf but not gutter trash either.

So, there is a lot to unpack here. 1. AirPods Pro are actually great sounding earbuds, so you’re starting from a good place. 2. You’re right to move away from the APMs and XM4/5, although you may enjoy the Apple sound. Bang for the buck, it’s good about tech, though, not sound. 3. You can do a LOT with just wired headphones, if you’re OK with that. Not all of them need amps. A great example is the Grado sr325x: great sound, easy to drive. There are plenty of others in the wired world worth considering. If you prefer bass, for example, the Meze 99 Classic or 99 Noir would be good. For something more neutral, the HifiMan Ananda. All of these work great with just a $9 Apple dongle. And even if you DO need an amp, something like an iFi Go Link Max would fulfill any needs you have with modern headphones, so a Sennheiser 6xx + one of those would get you where you want. 4. If you’re dead set on wireless, check out the Sennheiser Momentum 4, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra (which often sells for under $400), and the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2 or S2e. (The S3 comes in at over $400.) All of these have decidedly different sound, and it will depend on what you like. Given your experience with the AirPods, the Sennheiser is probably your best bet. 5. Finally, for $350, you can find an incredible IEM, which might get you exactly where you want: the best sound for the money. But “best” is very relative here, since physics starts to play into the overall picture. Best of luck!

I recently bought the B&W PX7 S3 and returned them. I had the PX7 S2 and was expecting more, but I couldn't get them tuned in to my liking. The bass was lovely and smooth, the heading up the frequencies it was either too harsh or too dull, it was very difficult to get the right balance. I've tried the EQ in the app and Wavelet but neither could make them sound how I like. They just seem to lack a level of intimate richness. The search goes on, at the moment looking at the Focal Bathys but they're a little bit more than I'd like to spend!

I would suggest B&W PX7s3 or Dali Io-8 if you can stretch your budget. Under 250 euros, go for a discounted B&W Px7S2e and nothing will come close for classical listening.

Picked up a pair of Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2e’s. Very happy with them. As they're not the most current model or the top of the line from B&W you should be able to find some for under $500.

b&w px7 s2e user here. Love them. Wired (to phone via usb-c) is superb when using Apple Music lossless playback. Bluetooth is also solid. Very comfortable for multi hour usage and good noise cancelling. Hard shell carry case included. Build quality is good and aesthetics are muted/discrete.

The Momentum 4, Sony XM series, and Bose Quietcomfort are the primary ones people talk about.  I ended up settling on the Bowers & Wilkins PX7 S2e. The XM4 was too big to sit properly on my head.  I almost kept the Momentum 4, but it wasn't quite what I was looking for at the time.  The PX7s were cheaper, lighter, smaller, have a lot of punch, and have real buttons.  I don't like touch controls on headphones as they never seem to work consistently well.

Seeing them side by side, it's easy to see how small the PX7 is.  How big is the XM3 compared to the PX7? I have the previous version, the S2e and I've been very happy with it.  I wouldn't want something that colors the sound so much for being involved in music creation but, for wearing on the move, I prefer it to the Momentum 4 it's often compared to.  The PX7 S2e has more impact, better ANC, and more accurate controls.

I had these for 3 nearing 4 months but they bluetooth drop outs was too much for me since i used it for work and commute/travel. I went back to xm5s since I find them more realiable and comfortable. Hoping the Bathys 2 will be better. I prefer vocal forward and warm sound sig (like focal clears and sundara). but yeah i do hate how sony hp handles bass out of the box ever since xm3.

Px7 S2e > Px8 > Px7 S2 imo.  Now that we have Px7 S3 no idea where they all stand.  But as you said, the build quality and the comfort of the Px8 is really good. 

Px7 S2e > Px8 > Px7 S2 imo.  Now that we have Px7 S3 no idea where they all stand.  But as you said, the build quality and the comfort of the Px8 is really good. 

Best earbuds airpods pro 2, 2nd best bose quietcomfort buds. Over ear bose 700, 2nd best bose qc45, 3rd bowers & Wilkins s2e. Move the bowers to #1 based on the price of 139 I paid for them. Still available some places for that price. Best overall for convenience / sound / effective nc. I'd go with the airpods pro2. Would not hesitate at all to get the new pro 3.