Bowers & Wilkins Pi6 vs Pi8 - More Or Less The Same?
/B&W Pi8 Price [EU] / Pi8 Deals [US] - B&W Pi6 Price [EU] / Pi6 Deals [US]
So, if you're watching this review and you're shopping around for premium-sounding earbuds, however, the price tag may be a deciding factor. Should you spend more, or could you pay less and get more for the money?
Listen if sound quality is a top priority, closely followed by comfort, noise cancelling, and ambient passthrough then I can recommend the Bowers & Wilkins PI6 & PI8, and you should add these to the top of your wish list.
There is a feature here that you need to know about. Because it could make you change your mind if you had your eyes on another set of earbuds. So the Bowers & Wilkins Pi6 come in at around £220 & Bowers flagship Pi8 earbuds are £350.
Of course, during the sales, you'll likely find a better deal on both of these. And if you find any amazing deals out there, post where you found them in the comments. So the difference in price between the PI6 & PI8 is a noteworthy 130 pounds and the question you might ask is…why? What's the difference?
The Design
So, let's start with the design. If the look is all you care about. Then you could just save the 130 pounds. Because, on the face of things, these two Bowers and Wilkins earbuds are almost identical, and the charging cases are exactly the same size and weight.
However, the first big difference is that the Pi6 doesn't support wireless charging, but the Pi8 case does. The Pi8 case has a unique feature that the PI6 doesn't, which we'll return to.
However, a win for the Pi6 vs. the PI8 is regarding battery life. The Pi6 earbuds can run for up to 8 Hours with ANC on and 16 hours total with the case. The Pi8 is 6.5 hours & 13.5 hours with the case and ANC on. So, if battery is a top priority for you, make a note of this.
Again, the bud's design is identical to the face of things like the case. Both have this kind of glossy crown with a speaker grill all the way around the outside. However, some metal materials are used on the more expensive Pi8 which does make them look more expensive.
The capacitive touch controls on the back of the earbuds are exactly the same. And can be remapped in the App. And behind the grill is where B&W has placed the voice pickup, noise cancelling, and passthrough mics. Both the PI6 & PI8 have 3 mics in each bud. Which makes the voice pick-up and ANC very similar.
Many people will appreciate the new redesign compared to the previous models because Bowers & Wilkins has ensured the mics are placed to improve voice pickup reduce wind noise and improve the directional sound when using ambient passthrough mode.
They have also put a lot of effort into making the buds more comfortable & more secure. And they've done this with the shape and this kind of rubberised lip that really looks the earbuds into your ears quite firmly.
In terms of build quality, both the buds have an official IP54 rating, which means they can resist light rain and larger dust particles such as sand. Before we move on to the audio side of things. It might be important to know that the colour options are different.
The Pi6 is available in cloud grey, forest green, glacier blue, and storm grey. The PI8 is available in Anthracite Black, Dove White, Jade Green, & Midnight Blue. Both models come with the same set of ear tips, but in the box with the PI8 in an extra cable. Which allows you to unlock the Pi8’s superpower.
Audio Hardware
So now let's get into the audio hardware and software differences. Both earbuds use the same size 12mm drivers. And 12mm is large for true wireless earbuds. However, the materials used are different. The Pi6 uses Bio Cellulose drivers & the Pi8 uses a more premium 12mm Carbon Cone. And I'll explain the difference that this makes to the audio in a moment. And there is another important factor that can affect the sound quality.
And that is the audio codecs. Both support AAC & SBC, which are the standard ones seen on almost all earbuds, and both support multipoint pairing. But they also support Qualcomm's APTX Classic & Adaptive. The AptX Adaptive offers a better bit rate and more robust signal than AAC. But at this point in time, only some Android phones support it.
And here is the 2nd reason the Pi8 is more expensive than the Pi6. The Pi8's support 'AptX Lossless'. Which means they can receive much more audio data much faster. AptX lossless supports a 16-bit, 44.1 kHz CD lossless audio quality signal. But only if you have a device that has AptX lossless. So if you don't, let's say you're an iPhone user for example you shouldn't write off the Pi6… at this point.
Here's that feature that I mentioned that might make you change your mind. Remember that extra cable you get with the Pi8. It is a USB C to 3.5mm audio jack. The Pi 8 case has a built-in high-performance DSP, amp, and DAC. This allows you to connect the case to any device with a headphone jack.
When you do this, the Pi8’s can create a true 32-bit audio connection between the buds and the source via the case. This means in theory the Pi8 can sound even better than AirPods when used with a Mac computer for example. This is definitely a stand-out feature for the Pi8 & this is obviously something that’s factored into the higher price tag.
The Sound Quality
Here are my thoughts on the most important difference between the Pi6 & Pi8. The sound quality. I tested these with the iPhone 16 using the AAC codec so they were both on even ground. The PI6 does sound fantastic. You get fantastic clarity and they certainly deliver the perception of a wide sound stage. Bass levels are good and the overall sound is very nicely balanced. Having tested so many earbuds I can tell you I would definitely consider the Pi6 to be a top competitor in terms of sound quality in its price bracket.
Bowers gives you a simple 2 Band eq within their App, which provides you with some room to adjust bass and treble if needed. The signature EQ is nicely tuned straight out of the box. So I might never need to adjust it.
Now, the fourth reason why the Pi8's are more expensive is. They do offer a slightly cleaner and more detailed sound. The sound stage seems quite similar, but the bass output is noticeably better & more well-rounded & when switching back and forth between them I noticed the mid-range frequencies are more present. Which is why I said that they produce a cleaner sound. Also, within the App, you can use a 5-band advanced EQ, which is a nice touch if you're into dialling in your own sound.
You also get B & W's TrueSound profile, which delivers a much more neutral EQ, created to bring the levels closer to the original recordings.
So those are the differences between the PI6 & Pi8. Hopefully, this video has helped you make a more informed decision. So let me know, with all things considered, which one would be the better sound investment for you?
