IP ratings refer to the rating of protection given by a casing, against dust and water. In the format of IPXX, 'X' represents a number The first value of the IP rating refers to protection against solids say dust, while the second refers to protection against liquids (sweat).
Scoring IPX4, the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2's rating is read as, the first value of X denotes that no data available to specify a protection rating, and of liquids that they can withstand low pressure spray similar to that of a shower head when tilted at 180° for 10 minutes. Compared to the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2, Bowers & Wilkins PI7 have a rating of IP54 meaning 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 that of liquids is that,
they both have the same rating against liquids
The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 have a weight of 12.5g . We take in account a lower weight better because lighter devices are more comfortable to carry.
Bowers & Wilkins PI7, at 50g
are heavier than the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 with a difference of 37.5g
For a device to be true wireless it must have no wires linking any part of the device together, Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 are true wireless for this matter since they don't have wires. This is a major difference as some wireless earbuds have cables connecting the 2 earbuds together. Bowers & Wilkins PI7 also is true wireless because it has no wires linking the 2 earbuds .
The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 come with wingtips, these are reserved for earbuds for workouts and come as an optional add-on to the separate silicone ear tip for a better fit.
Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 have sweat resistance
Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 have stereo speakers, devices with stereo speakers deliver sound from separate channels on both left and right sides, this creates a richer sound and a better listening experience. Both Bowers & Wilkins PI7 and Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 have stereo speakers
Active noise cancellation uses more advanced kind of tech to actively counter noise. How it works, it listens to the sound pattern outside and inside the earbud and generates a mirror signal to counter it.
Simply put, it's like taking +1 (sound from your surrounding) and producing -1 (counter sound by the device) to make 0 hence "diluting" the noise.
Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 have ANC allowing you to listen at lower volume levels, good for your ears as you don't need to crank up the device volume to overcome background noise. Bowers & Wilkins PI7 too have ANC which makes either of the devices ideal for flights and morning commutes.
Each work with different noise cancellation modes, pick the mode that suits your commute or that enhances your relaxation time. Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 sit tightly in place, creating a sound covering that reduces background noise and also prevents the earbuds sound from leaking out at the same. Both of these devices have passive noise reduction this implies that they tone down ambient noise instead of actively using technology to cancel it out.
Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 driver unit is 9.3mm in diameter, bigger drivers are more powerful, therefor producing better bass. A driver unit is the component that produces sound in the earbuds, the unit size dictates the loudness of the device. Bowers & Wilkins PI7 driver unit is 9.2mm in diameter,
which means that they have a smaller driver unit than that of Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 by 0.1mm
, a common assumption 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 can generate louder sound, but this does not imply that they deliver better quality sound. Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2's lowest frequency is at 20Hz, low-frequency response measures if and how well a particular audio component produces low recognizable frequencies and if it makes any changes to the signal while at it. Bowers & Wilkins PI7's lowest frequency is at 10Hz, this implies that
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 can produce a juicier bass than the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2
The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2's highest frequency is at 20,000Hz, high-frequency response shows how well a particular audio component generates high human frequencies and if it makes any adjustments to the signal while at it.
Bowers & Wilkins PI7's highest frequency is at 20,000Hz, this implies that
both devices generate equal treble
Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2's battery life is 6 hours, these last longer than 5 hours of listening which is considered average before recharge. A device's battery life is 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 Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 by 1.5 hours
. Each time you recharge your device, they get a little less playing time.
The effect is barely noticeable at first, but over time, your wireless earbuds will no longer play for long like they used to. This is given by the vendor, and Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2's case is said to have a full charge of 18 hours. A charging case with more battery hours enables you to recharge your earbuds on the go many times before recharging the case itself.
Bowers & Wilkins PI7's charging case has a battery life of 18 hours,
equal to that of the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2
It takes 2 hours to fully charge the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2's battery. It is highly adivsable to fully charge the battery before using the earbuds for the first time. Bowers & Wilkins PI7 takes 3 hours to fully charge the battery,
more than that of Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 by 1 hours
The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 have a battery level indicator, an indicator alerts you when the device has a low battery.
The battery indicator lights indicate the charging status of your earbuds and case. Bowers & Wilkins PI7 too have a battery level indicator, these allow you tell the charging state of your earbuds, if charged fully, or having a low battery. Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 have USB TYPE-C, a standard connector for transmitting both data and power through a single cable.
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 too have USB TYPE-C. This USB-C plug is part and parcel of most current electronics. The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 have Bluetooth version of 5.3, Bluetooth is a wireless technology standard that enables data transfers between devices placed in range, using short-wavelength, ultra-high frequency radio waves.
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 has a Bluetooth version of 5,
older than that of Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2
. Newer versions provide faster data transfers. Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 have a 10meters distance connecting via Bluetooth. Bowers & Wilkins PI7 have a maximum range of 10meters,
equal to that of the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2
Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 support AAC, a codec that is used for Bluetooth audio.
It supports 24-bit audio at 250kbps. Since it uses psychoacoustic modeling, it provides better results than other codecs at a similar bit rate.
Being the highest quality codec that any Bluetooth-supporting Apple product supports, the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 will work well with your iPhone.
If you intend on using these with Android you need to pay even closer attention to codec support for if they only have AAC they won't provide the best audio quality possible, 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.
The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 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 implies that both can adjust the bit rate for different scenarios, such as listening to HD audio from other devices. Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 have 8 microphones.
While the Bowers & Wilkins PI7 microphones are 6,
less than that of Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 by 2
. More microphones record better sound quality and enable the device to filter out noise. The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 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.
This is useful in noisy environments. Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 support ambient sound mode, which uses microphones to pass through ambient noises to still be heard even when wearing them
The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 support ambient sound mode as well, helpful when you want to listen to music but also be aware of your surrounding, say you’re having a run but still want to hear traffic. The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 support in/on-ear detection, the sensors in the device can detect when removed from your ears so that the music is paused.
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 too support in/on-ear detection, automatically pauses your music, or audiobook when you remove earbuds from your ears improving your listening experience. If lost in a room, or can't be found in your bag, the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 support the find earbuds feature. Bowers & Wilkins PI7 also have the find earbuds feature.
You can use the earbuds app on your phone to play an alarm from your earbuds to locate them. Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 support fast charging. Most often, technologies like MediaTek’s Pump Express, are used to reduce the amount of time it takes to fully charge the earbuds.
The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 support fast charging. It's very similar to regular charging, only that the battery is filling up much faster. For example, with Quick Charge 3.0, the battery can be charged to 50% in thirty minutes.
The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 support multipoint of 2 connections, this feature allows you to link to more than one Bluetooth device and switch between them. For example, you can seemlessly switch calls from one device to another without having to manually disconnect and reconnect. The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 have a mute function, they support the option to mute/unmute a conversation directly from the earbuds.
The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 also have this function. It means that you unilaterally turn off the device's microphone, but you can still hear the other party's voice. With the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2, so you can access the volume control, pause, play, mute, etc whichever features are supported on the device.
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 also have a control panel on them. Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 have voice prompts. Automatically receive information through audio messages, say if there is a problem with the connection.
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 too have voice prompts .i.e the earbuds notifies you when the battery is running low, and you need to recharge the earbuds. The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 come with a special case. Carrying earbuds openly, or putting them in your pockets without a cover may easily damage them.
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 also have a case included, which offers safe transportation.
