Overall Score 7.5 Represents average audio ecosystem compatibility score.
Overall Score 7.5 Represents average audio ecosystem compatibility score.
Category | Features | Beoplay EX | Bowers & Wilkins PI7 |
---|---|---|---|
DESIGN | ingress protection (ip) rating | IP57 | IP54 |
weight | 12g | 50g | |
has no wires or cables | ✓ | ✓ | |
sweat resistance | ✓ | ✗ | |
has stereo speakers | ✓ | ✓ | |
SOUND QUALITY | has active noise cancellation (noise control) | ✓ | ✓ |
has passive noise reduction | ✓ | ✓ | |
driver unit size | 9.2mm | 9.2mm | |
lowest frequency | 20Hz | 10Hz | |
highest frequency | 20,000Hz | 20,000Hz | |
POWER | battery life | 8hours | 4.5hours |
battery life of charging case | 20hours | 18hours | |
charge time | 1.5hours | 3hours | |
has wireless charging | ✓ | ✓ | |
has a battery level indicator | ✓ | ✓ | |
CONNECTIVITY | has usb type-c | ✓ | ✓ |
bluetooth version | v5.2 | v5 | |
maximum bluetooth range | 10meters | 10meters | |
has aac | ✓ | ✓ | |
has aptx adaptive | ✓ | ✓ | |
has aptx hd | ✗ | ✓ | |
MICROPHONE | number of microphones | 6only | 6only |
has a noise-canceling microphone | ✓ | ✓ | |
EXTRAS | has ambient sound mode | ✓ | ✓ |
has in/on-ear detection | ✗ | ✓ | |
has find earbuds feature | ✗ | ✓ | |
supports fast charging | ✓ | ✓ | |
multipoint count | 2only | ✗ | |
has a mute function | ✓ | ✓ | |
control panel placed on a device | ✓ | ✓ | |
warranty period | 3Years | ✗ | |
has voice prompts | ✓ | ✓ | |
travel bag is included | ✓ | ✓ | |
See price on Amazon | See price on Amazon |
IP ratings is the rating of protection offered by an enclosure, against dust and liquids. The letters 'IP' are followed by two values The first value of the IP rating represents protection against solids such as dust, while the second refers to resistance against liquids (sweat).
Having a value of IP57, the Beoplay EX's rating is read as, the first number of 5 denotes that ingress of dust is not totally prevented but dust does not enter in harmful quantities to interfere with the correct operation or impair safety, and of liquids that they are protected against temporary immersion in water under set conditions, say 1 metre for 30 minutes. In comparison to the Beoplay EX, Bowers & Wilkins PI7 have a rating of IP54 meaning that
they both have the same rating against dust
and that of liquids is that,
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 has a lower liquid rating than Beoplay EX
The Beoplay EX have a weight of 12g . We consider a lower weight best for the reason that lighter devices are easier to transport.
The Bowers & Wilkins PI7, at 50g are heavier than the Beoplay EX with a difference of 38g True wireless devices have no wires linking any part of the device together, Beoplay EX are true wireless for this case since they have no wires. This is a major difference as some wireless earbuds have wires linking the pair of earbuds together. Bowers & Wilkins PI7 also is true wireless because it has no cables linking the two earbuds . Beoplay EX have sweat resistance Beoplay EX have stereo speakers, devices with stereo speakers deliver sound from independent channels on both left and right sides, creating a richer sound and a better listening experience.
Both Bowers & Wilkins PI7 and Beoplay EX have stereo speakers Active noise cancellation makes use of more advanced technology to reduce ambient sounds. How it works, it studies the sound pattern outside and inside the earbud and inverts the soundwaves to cancel it out. Simply put, it's like having +1 (sound from your surrounding) then adding -1 (inverted noise) giving 0 hence "diluting" the noise.
Beoplay EX have ANC enabling you to listen at lower levels of volume, causing less ear fatigue as you don't have to crank up the device volume to outcompete background sounds. Bowers & Wilkins PI7 too have Active Noise Cancellation which makes both earbuds ideal for plane rides and rush hour commutes. The Beoplay EX and Bowers & Wilkins PI7 work with different noise cancellation settings, pick the mode that you prefer for travel or that suites your relaxation time.
The Beoplay EX stay well in place, this creates a sound covering that reduces your environment noise while preventing the earbuds music from leaking out at the same. Both of these devices have passive noise reduction this means that both tone down ambient noise instead of actively using technology to cancel it out. The Beoplay EX have a unit size of 9.2mm in diameter, the bigger the unit the more powerful, and can produce better bass.
A driver unit is the component that makes sound in the device, the unit size determines the loudness of the earbuds. Bowers & Wilkins PI7 driver unit is 9.2mm in diameter,
making both Bowers & Wilkins PI7, and Beoplay EX similar in how loud their sound can get
, many people have a misconception that driver units of a bigger size automatically produce better sound quality.
However, large drivers usually have difficulty producing high frequencies so it's true that, larger drivers are capable of generating louder sound, but this does not indicate that they produce better quality sound.
The Beoplay EX's lowest frequency is at 20Hz, low-frequency response measures if and how well a particular audio device generates low frequencies that can be heard, and if it alters the signal while at it. Bowers & Wilkins PI7's lowest frequency is at 10Hz, this implies that Bowers & Wilkins PI7 produce a juicier bass than the Beoplay EX Beoplay EX's highest frequency is at 20,000Hz, high-frequency response indicates how well an audio component produces high human frequencies and if it makes any changes to the signal on its way through. Bowers & Wilkins PI7's highest frequency is at 20,000Hz, this means that both devices generate equal treble The Beoplay EX's battery life is 8 hours, these last longer than 5 hours of listening which is considered average before recharge.
A device's battery life is usually given by the manufacturer, and with more battery hours, you get to use it for longer and requires fewer chargings. Bowers & Wilkins PI7's battery life is less than that of Beoplay EX by 3.5 hours . Each time you recharge your earbuds, they get a little less listening time. The effect is barely noticeable at first, but over time, your wireless earbuds will have shorter listening time.
The battery life of the charging case is given by the manufacturer, and Beoplay EX's case is said to have a charge of 20 hours. A charging case with more battery hours enables you to recharge your earbuds on the go multiple times before recharging the case itself. Bowers & Wilkins PI7's charging case has a battery life of 18 hours, less than that of Beoplay EX by 2 hours It takes 1.5 hours to fully charge the Beoplay EX's battery.
It is recommended to fully charge the battery before using the earbuds when they have been in storage for long periods. Bowers & Wilkins PI7 takes 3 hours to fully charge the battery, more than that of Beoplay EX by 1.5 hours Beoplay EX, the device supports wireless charging. To charge the device, you simply put down on a compatible charging pad.
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 also support wireless charging, take note of the charging standard of a device. The Beoplay EX have a battery level indicator, an indicator notifies you when the earbuds has a low battery. The battery indicator lights show the charging state of your device and charging case.
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 too have a battery level indicator, these enable you to determine the charging state of your earbuds, if charged fully, or having a low battery. Beoplay EX support USB TYPE-C, a standard connector for transmitting both data and power in a single cable. Bowers & Wilkins PI7 too support USB TYPE-C.
This USB-C plug is part and parcel of most current electronics. Beoplay EX have Bluetooth version of 5.2, Bluetooth is a wireless technology standard that allows data movement between devices placed in close proximity, using short-wavelength, ultra-high frequency radio waves. Bowers & Wilkins PI7 has a Bluetooth version of 5, older than that of Beoplay EX . Newer versions provide faster data transfers.
The Beoplay EX have a 10meters distance connecting via Bluetooth. Bowers & Wilkins PI7 have a maximum range of 10meters, equal to that of the Beoplay EX Beoplay EX support AAC, a codec that is used for Bluetooth audio. It supports 24-bit audio at 250kbps.
Because it uses psychoacoustic modeling, it can provide better results than other codecs at a similar bit rate.
Since its the highest quality codec that any Bluetooth-supporting Apple product supports, the Beoplay EX will work well with your iPad. If you intend on using these with Android , ensure that they also support aptX HD, LDAC, or LHDC as well.
The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 support AAC as well. Designed to be the successor of the MP3 format, AAC generally achieves higher sound quality than MP3 encoders at the same bit rate. Beoplay EX support APTX Adaptive, an audio codec for Bluetooth devices that are developed by Qualcomm.
It has a variable bit rate (between 279kbps and 420kbps). Bowers & Wilkins PI7 support APTX Adaptive as well which means both can adjust the bit rate for different scenarios, such as listening to HD audio from other devices. The Beoplay EX have 6 microphones. The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 microphones are 6, equal to that of the Beoplay EX . More microphones record better sound quality and enable the earbuds to filter out background sounds.
The Beoplay EX have a noise-canceling type of microphone, these microphones are designed to reduce background sounds from the earbuds' sound. The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 too have a noise-canceling type of microphone. Especially useful in noisy areas.
Beoplay EX support ambient sound mode, which uses microphones to channel ambient sound to still be heard even while wearing them The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 support ambient sound mode as well, helpful when you want to listen to music while being aware of your surrounding, say you’re having a jog but still want to be able to hear traffic. Beoplay EX support fast charging. Commonly, technologies like MediaTek’s Pump Express, are used to lower the amount of time it takes to charge a device.
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 support fast charging. This kind is similar to regular charging, just that the battery is filling up much faster. Say, with Quick Charge 3.0, the battery can be charged to 50% in just 30 minutes.
Beoplay EX support multipoint of 2 connections, this feature allows you connect to more than one Bluetooth device and switch between them. Say, you can switch calls from one device to another without having to manually disconnect and reconnect. Beoplay EX have a mute function, they support the feature to mute/unmute a conversation directly from the device.
The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 too have this function. It means that you unilaterally turn off the earbuds' microphone, but still hear the other party talk. The Beoplay EX, so you can access the volume control, pause, play, mute, etc whichever functions are supported on the device.
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 too have a control panel on them. Beoplay EX have a warranty period of 3 Years, the period of time that warrant free repair and adjustment services in case of a malfunction occurring under normal use that has followed instruction manuals. The Beoplay EX support voice prompts.
With voice prompts, you receive information through audio messages, like if there is a problem with the connection. Bowers & Wilkins PI7 too have voice prompts .i.e the earbuds will notify you if the battery is running low, and you need to recharge them. Beoplay EX come with a special case.
Carrying earbuds openly, or putting them inside your pockets without a casing can easily damage them. Bowers & Wilkins PI7 also have a case included, which is useful for safe transportation.