Sony WH-1000XM5 vs Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3: Ultimate Battle of Premium Headphones

Explore the premium headphone showdown between Sony WH-1000XM5 and Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3. Find out which one reigns supreme!

Overview of Sony WH-1000XM5 and Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3

In the realm of premium wireless Sony WH-1000XM5 has established itself as a top contender. While we have a soft spot for several of its competitors, including the five-star rated Bose QuietComfort Ultra and Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless, it’s no wonder that the full-sized Sony headphones have garnered accolades for their superb sound quality, solid build, and a feature set that makes you feel truly pampered.

However, the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 has arrived to shake things up. Building upon the excellence of the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2e, the new Px7 S3 headphones are positioned as "the most advanced and functional wireless headphones" in the brand's history, albeit at a slightly higher price point than Sony’s offerings.

So, can the award-winning Sony WH-1000XM5 stand its ground, or are the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 simply too hot to handle?

Sony WH-1000XM5 vs Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3: Quick Specs Overview

Sony WH-1000XM5

• Bluetooth: 5.2
• Codec Support: SBC, AAC, LDAC
• Noise Cancellation: Yes
• Battery Life: 30 hours (with ANC on), 40 hours (with ANC off)
• Colors Available: Black, Silver, White
• Weight: 250g

Pros:

• Excellent sound clarity
• More open delivery compared to Px7 S3
• Superior ANC performance over Bowers & Wilkins

Cons:

• Sound lacks the refinement and detail of Px7 S3
• Build quality isn’t as premium as Bowers & Wilkins
• Lacks some features found in PX7 S3

Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3

• Bluetooth: 5.3
• Codec Support: SBC, AAC, aptX HD, aptX Classic, aptX Lossless, aptX Adaptive
• Noise Cancellation: Yes
• Battery Life: 30 hours (with ANC on)
• Colors Available: Black, Blue, White
• Weight: 300g

Pros:

• Exceptional sound quality
• More detailed than the WH-1000XM5
• Matches Sony in features
• Aesthetically more pleasing than WH-1000XM5

Cons:

• Priced higher than Sony's offering
• ANC performance isn’t as deep as Sony’s
• Some functionalities are still unavailable

Price Comparison: Sony WH-1000XM5 vs Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3

As mentioned, the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 currently retails at a higher price than the Sony WH-1000XM5. Since their launch, the Px7 S3 has not seen significant price drops and is available for roughly $550, while the WH-1000XM5 has reduced in price to around $250. Over the next few months, discounts might narrow this gap, but for now, if you’re looking for value, the Sony WH-1000XM5 is a compelling choice.

Winner: Sony WH-1000XM5

Build and Design Comparison

Place the two headphones side by side and ask an average person on the street to rate which one feels more premium. Unless they are particularly off the mark, we’d wager that most would pick the Px7 S3. While the Sony WH-1000XM5 is undeniably a good set of headphones, the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 exudes a serious level of quality that’s hard to ignore.

Neither pair folds completely, but both feature ear cups that rotate smoothly outwards. In terms of weight, the Sony headphones are lighter at 250g compared to the Px7 S3’s heftier 300g. Despite Bowers & Wilkins' efforts to reduce weight for enhanced comfort, it doesn't quite match Sony in this department. However, the superior materials used in Bowers & Wilkins make them feel more premium.

When it comes to comfort, it’s hard to see how most users would have issues. The Sony headphones feature a memory foam insert in the headband, covered with synthetic leather, as well as memory foam ear cushions. As noted in our review, “the comfort level is top-notch,” providing “optimal pressure” that lets you feel secure and comfortable without worrying about ear fatigue.

Similarly, the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 has always been known for comfort, and the new model offers improved lightness and slightly softer ear cushions for an even better fit. While our ears did get a bit warm during extended listening sessions, it rarely became a significant issue.

Both sets come with a stylish carrying case, but they differ in their control systems. The Sony WH-1000XM5 employs touch controls on the ear cup, while Bowers & Wilkins opts for physical buttons. Both systems are well integrated, so it comes down to personal preference: do you prefer swipes and taps or the tactile feel of physical switches?

Overall, it’s hard not to notice how much more premium and quality the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 feel in comparison to the WH-1000XM5.

Winner: Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3

Noise Cancellation and Call Quality

Both models feature noise cancellation, although the Sony WH-1000XM5’s technology is a bit more advanced. Sony’s headphones boast impressive noise cancellation capabilities, offering a standard mode alongside an Ambient mode and an Adaptive Sound Control feature.

The Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 has standard ANC and an ambient mode, but while their performance is decent, the leading XM5 headphones maintain an edge. The WH-1000XM5 creates a more isolated, immersive experience with ANC engaged, whereas Bowers & Wilkins employ a more natural approach that mutes sounds without fully isolating you from your surroundings, which some users might find uncomfortable.

Both headphones perform admirably during voice calls, albeit with their own strengths and weaknesses. The WH-1000XM5 sounds a bit more natural during conversation but doesn’t block external noise as effectively, while the Bowers & Wilkins isolates you from the outside world better but lacks the natural speech quality of Sony. Nonetheless, both deliver excellent clarity and realism during tests, so you won’t be disappointed with either.

Winner: Sony WH-1000XM5

Features Comparison

At this level, wireless headphones are expected to offer an array of features, and both models deliver on this front.

Battery life is neck-and-neck, with both providing 30 hours of playback on a single charge with ANC activated. Bowers & Wilkins offers a remarkable advantage with their fast charge feature, granting an impressive seven hours of use from just a 15-minute charge, while Sony WH-1000XM5 provides five hours from a ten-minute charge—impressive on both fronts.

These contenders vary in their more exotic features. Unique to the WH-1000XM5 are the DSEE Extreme function for enhancing low-quality file playback and a handy Speak-to-Chat feature that automatically pauses your music when you start talking. As expected from Sony headphones, they support the higher-resolution LDAC Bluetooth codec if you have a compatible source, but they don’t support aptX.

On the flip side, Bowers & Wilkins offers high-quality aptX Adaptive and aptX Lossless codecs, along with a wired connection supporting 24-bit/96 kHz via USB-C. They also come equipped with Auracast, and future support for LE Audio is on the horizon, allowing the Px7 S3 to receive audio signals from compatible broadcasting sources. If Auracast gains popularity, it could be a significant boon for Bowers & Wilkins.

Both models are equipped with Bluetooth Multipoint functionality, allowing you to connect to multiple source devices.

When it comes to apps, both have robust platforms. The Sony Sound Connect app (formerly known as Sony Headphones) isn’t the most visually appealing but offers extensive personalization options, including a five-band equalizer and various active noise-cancellation modes. Likewise, the Bowers & Wilkins Music app is stylish and allows you to adjust various settings, access a five-band equalizer, and connect to your favorite streaming services in one place.

Overall, both models represent an ideal mix of features, providing high performance across all key areas. Like at a school sports day, it’s a win-win!

Winner: Draw

Sound Quality Comparison

The WH-1000XM5 are among the best wireless headphones Sony has ever produced. They combine the lively and thrilling character of their predecessors with an enhanced level of detail, refinement, and sophistication, elevating the XM line to new heights. There’s a lot to love about the XM5, but their sound quality is the primary reason we awarded them five stars in our review.

As noted in our evaluation, “the WH-1000XM5 headphones possess all the attributes that made previous generations class leaders, including a light and musical sound, but this latest generation achieves even greater clarity and a more open sound.”

They excel particularly in the low-frequency range, delivering bass notes with exceptional precision and revealing more details and nuances between notes, which contributes to a fresh and impressive sound for tracks.

Meanwhile, the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 lives up to claims of being the best wireless headphones ever produced by the brand. With a deep understanding of textures and an impressive ability to extract a wealth of musical detail, they are truly remarkable full-sized headphones. In terms of detail, they surpass the Sony headphones and may even exceed the more expensive Dali IO-8, and this is no exaggeration.

Aesthetically, the two differ significantly. The WH-1000XM5 offers a more spacious sound and a sense of musical “removal,” for better or worse, while the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 immerses you at the center of the music. As stated in our review of the latter, “the B&W headphones have an intimate character that places you at the epicenter of the musical storm, no matter what you listen to.”

They are also incredibly engaging. Thanks to outstanding bass reproduction and powerful sound, Px7 S3 rarely falls flat. In fact, they are very dynamic headphones that effortlessly convey the energy and excitement of tracks, making everything from John Williams’ Duel Of The Fates to Slipknot’s Left Behind thrilling and captivating.

It’s a tough comparison, but for us, the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 has raised the bar to new heights. The WH-1000XM5 remains excellent, but the new B&Ws deliver detail, drive, and dynamism that places them in the same league. A stunning achievement for Bowers & Wilkins!

Winner: Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3

Final Verdict: Sony WH-1000XM5 vs Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3

To surpass the Sony WH-1000XM5, it has always taken something special. With the Px7 S3, Bowers & Wilkins may have achieved this with their exceptional features and stunning design.

Of course, it's not that simple. The Px7 S3 currently comes at a higher price than the WH-1000XM5, so when it comes to value for money, it’s not as straightforward as it might seem. Additionally, Sony is set to release the WH-1000XM6 soon to challenge Bowers & Wilkins' latest competitors. We anticipate an exciting battle ahead—Sony is accustomed to its current leadership in wireless technology and won’t back down easily.

For now, you have a choice between two extraordinary pairs of wireless headphones that have raised the bar for Bluetooth quality. If budget is a concern but you still want premium quality, the WH-1000XM5 is an excellent choice. If you’re looking for the latest and possibly the best headphones in this price range, the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 is an exceptionally appealing option.

In conclusion, both the Sony WH-1000XM5 and Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 represent the pinnacle of audio technology. Which one will you choose? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

• Which headphones have better noise cancellation, Sony WH-1000XM5 or Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3?
  • Sony WH-1000XM5 has superior noise cancellation capabilities.
• How do these headphones compare in sound quality?
  • Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 is noted for its exceptional detail and musical engagement.
• Are both headphones comfortable for long listening sessions?
  • Yes, both models provide high levels of comfort.
• Which headphones are more affordable?
  • Sony WH-1000XM5 is the more budget-friendly option.
• Do both headphones support Bluetooth multipoint for simultaneous connections?
  • Yes, both headphones support Bluetooth multipoint.

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