Overall Score 7.8 Represents average audio ecosystem compatibility score.
Overall Score 7.5 Represents average audio ecosystem compatibility score.
Category | Features | Bose QuietComfort 2 | Bowers & Wilkins PI7 |
---|---|---|---|
DESIGN | ingress protection (ip) rating | IPX4 | IP54 |
weight | 12.5g | 50g | |
has no wires or cables | ✓ | ✓ | |
wingtips included | ✓ | ✗ | |
sweat resistance | ✓ | ✗ | |
has stereo speakers | ✓ | ✓ | |
SOUND QUALITY | has active noise cancellation (noise control) | ✓ | ✓ |
has passive noise reduction | ✓ | ✓ | |
driver unit size | 9.3mm | 9.2mm | |
lowest frequency | 20Hz | 10Hz | |
highest frequency | 20,000Hz | 20,000Hz | |
POWER | battery life | 6hours | 4.5hours |
battery life of charging case | 18hours | 18hours | |
charge time | 2hours | 3hours | |
has wireless charging | ✗ | ✓ | |
has a battery level indicator | ✓ | ✓ | |
CONNECTIVITY | has usb type-c | ✓ | ✓ |
bluetooth version | v5.3 | v5 | |
maximum bluetooth range | 10meters | 10meters | |
has aac | ✓ | ✓ | |
has aptx adaptive | ✓ | ✓ | |
has aptx hd | ✗ | ✓ | |
MICROPHONE | number of microphones | 8only | 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 | ✓ | ✓ | |
has voice prompts | ✓ | ✓ | |
travel bag is included | ✓ | ✓ | |
See price on Amazon | See price on Amazon |
Ingress protection ratings is the rank of protection given by a casing, against dust and water. In the format of IPXX, 'X' represents a number The first value means protection against solids such as dust, followed by the one that refers to protection against liquids (sweat).
Scoring IPX4, the Bose QuietComfort 2's rating is read as, the first number of X denotes that no data available to specify a protection rating, and the second value of 4 means that they can withstand low pressure spray similar to that of a shower head when tilted at 180° for 10 minutes. In comparison to the Bose QuietComfort 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
Bose QuietComfort 2 have a weight of 12.5g . We take in account a lower weight best for the reason that lighter devices are more comfortable to transport.
The Bowers & Wilkins PI7, at 50g are heavier than the Bose QuietComfort 2 with a difference of 37.5g For a device to be true wireless it should have no cables connecting any part of the device together, Bose QuietComfort 2 are true wireless for this matter since they don't have cables. This is a key distinction as some wireless earbuds have cables connecting the two earbuds together. Bowers & Wilkins PI7 also is true wireless since it doesn't have wires linking the 2 earbuds together.
Bose QuietComfort 2 have wingtips, these are reserved for earbuds for workouts and come as an optional add-on to the separate silicone ear tip for a more secure fit. Bose QuietComfort 2 have sweat resistance Bose QuietComfort 2 have stereo speakers, what this means is that Bose QuietComfort 2's speakers deliver sound from separate channels on both left and right sides, creating a richer sound and a better listening experience. Both Bowers & Wilkins PI7 and Bose QuietComfort 2 have stereo speakers ANC utilises advanced kind of tech to reduce unwanted ambient sounds.
How it works, it studies the sound pattern of incoming noise and inverts the soundwaves to cancel it out. Simply put, it's like having +1 (sound from your surrounding) and producing -1 (counter sound by the device) giving zero which results in a reduced level of noise.
The Bose QuietComfort 2 have ANC enabling you to listen at lower levels of volume, causing less ear fatigue since you don't need to crank up the earbuds volume to outcompete background sounds.
The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 too have ANC which makes both earbuds ideal for plane rides and morning travels. Each work with different noise cancellation types, pick the setting that you prefer for commute or that suites your chill time. Bose QuietComfort 2 stay tightly in place, creating an acoustic seal that tones down your environment sounds and also prevents the device music from leaking out at the same.
Both Bowers & Wilkins PI7, and Bose QuietComfort 2 have passive noise reduction this means that both reduce ambient noise without using ANC to cancel it out. The Bose QuietComfort 2 driver unit is 9.3mm in diameter, the bigger the unit the more powerful, therefor producing better bass. A driver unit is the component that makes sound in the earbuds, its size determines the loudness of the earbuds.
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 driver unit is 9.2mm in diameter,
which implies that they have a smaller driver unit than that of Bose QuietComfort 2 by 0.1mm
, 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 can generate louder sound, but this does not mean that they deliver better quality sound. The Bose QuietComfort 2's lowest frequency is at 20Hz, low-frequency response measures if and how well an audio device produces low audible frequencies 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 Bose QuietComfort 2 Bose QuietComfort 2's highest frequency is at 20,000Hz, high-frequency response measures if and how well an audio component generates high audible frequencies and if it 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 Bose QuietComfort 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 commonly given by the manufacturer, and with more battery hours, you get to use it for longer and have to charge the device less often.
Bowers & Wilkins PI7's battery life is less than that of Bose QuietComfort 2 by 1.5 hours . Each time you recharge your device, they get a little less listening time. The effect is not noticeable at first, but over a few years, your wireless earbuds will no longer play for long like they used to. This is given by the manufacturer, and the Bose QuietComfort 2's case has a full charge of 18 hours.
A charging case with a longer battery life allows you to recharge your earbuds on the go several 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 2 It requires 2 hours to fully charge the Bose QuietComfort 2's battery. It is recommended to fully charge the battery before using the earbuds when they have been in storage for extended periods.
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 takes 3 hours to fully charge the battery, more than that of Bose QuietComfort 2 by 1 hours The Bose QuietComfort 2 have a battery level indicator, an indicator alerts you when the device has a low battery. The battery indicator lights show the charging status of your earbuds and case. Bowers & Wilkins PI7 too have a battery level indicator, these enable you to determine the charging state of your earbuds, whether fully charged, or having a low battery.
The Bose QuietComfort 2 use USB TYPE-C, an industry-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.
Bose QuietComfort 2 have Bluetooth version of 5.3, Bluetooth is a wireless technology standard that enables data transfers 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 Bose QuietComfort 2 . Newer versions provide faster data transfers. The Bose QuietComfort 2 have a 10meters distance to connect via Bluetooth.
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 have a maximum range of 10meters, equal to that of the Bose QuietComfort 2 Bose QuietComfort 2 support AAC, a codec that is used for Bluetooth audio. It supports 24-bit audio at 250kbps. Because it uses psychoacoustic modeling, it provides better results than other codecs at a similar bit rate.
Since its the highest quality codec that any Bluetooth-supporting Apple product supports, the Bose QuietComfort 2 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. Bose QuietComfort 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 means both can adjust the bit rate for different scenarios, such as listening to HD audio from other devices.
The Bose QuietComfort 2 have 8 microphones. While the Bowers & Wilkins PI7 microphones are 6, less than that of Bose QuietComfort 2 by 2 . More microphones record better sound quality and help the earbuds to filter out background sounds. The Bose QuietComfort 2 use a noise-canceling type of microphone, these microphones are made to filter out background sounds from the earbuds' sound.
The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 too have a noise-canceling microphone. This is useful in noisy areas. Bose QuietComfort 2 support ambient sound mode, which uses microphones to pass through ambient sound to still be heard even while wearing the earbuds The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 support ambient sound mode as well, it’s useful when you want to listen to music while being aware of your surrounding, for example when you’re having a run but still want to hear traffic.
The Bose QuietComfort 2 support in/on-ear detection, the sensors in the earbuds can detect when removed from your ears . The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 support in/on-ear detection, automatically pauses your music, or audiobook when you remove earbuds from your ears improving your listening experience. When lost in a room, or can't be found in your bag, Bose QuietComfort 2 support the find earbuds feature. Bowers & Wilkins PI7 also have the find earbuds feature.
Simply use the device app on your phone to play an alarm from your device to help you find them. Bose QuietComfort 2 support fast charging. Commonly, technologies like MediaTek’s Pump Express, are used to lower the time it takes to charge the earbuds.
Also the 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 is charged to 50% in 30 minutes.
The Bose QuietComfort 2 have a 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. The Bose QuietComfort 2 have a mute function, they have the feature to mute/unmute a conversation directly from the earbuds.
The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 too have this function. The mute function means that you can turn off the earbuds' microphone, but you can still hear the other party talk. With the Bose QuietComfort 2, so you can easily access the volume control, pause, play, mute, etc whichever features are supported on the device.
The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 also have a control panel on them. The Bose QuietComfort 2 have voice prompts. Automatically receive information via audio messages, like if there is an issue with the connection.
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 also have voice prompts .i.e the device notifies you if the battery is low, and it's time to recharge the device. The Bose QuietComfort 2 come with their own special pouch. Carrying earbuds without a case, or putting them inside your bag without a casing can easily put them at risk of getting damaged.
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 also have a case included, which offers safe transportation.