IP ratings refer to the level of protection offered by a casing, against solids and water. The letters 'IP' are followed by two values The first value means protection against solids such as dust, followed by the one that refers to protection against liquids (water).
Scoring IPX4, the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2's rating is read as, the first number 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 prefer a lower weight best because lighter devices are easier to transport.
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 cables linking any part of the device together, Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 are true wireless for this matter since they have no wires. This is an important distinction as some wireless earbuds have wires connecting the pair of earbuds .
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 also is true wireless since it doesn't have wires connecting the 2 earbuds together. The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 come with wingtips, these are reserved for earbuds for workouts and come as an optional add-on to each silicone ear tip for a better fit.
Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 are resistant to sweat
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 utilises more advanced kind of tech to reduce unwanted ambient sounds. ANC works when, it studies the sound pattern outside and inside the earbud and after inverts the soundwaves to counter it.
In simple terms, it's like having +1 (noise) then producing -1 (inverted noise) to make 0 hence "diluting" the noise.
The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 have ANC allowing you to listen at lower levels of volume, good for your ears as you don't need to crank up the earbuds volume to outcompete background noise. The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 too have ANC which makes both devices ideal for plane rides and rush hour commutes.
The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 and Bowers & Wilkins PI7 operate with different noise cancellation modes, pick the noise cancellation type that you prefer for travel or that suites your relaxation time. Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 sit tightly in place, this creates an acoustic seal that reduces your environment noise and also prevents the device sound from leaking out at the same. Both Bowers & Wilkins PI7, and Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 have passive noise reduction this implies that both tone down ambient noise instead of actively using technology to cancel it out.
The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 driver unit is 9.3mm in diameter, the bigger the unit the more powerful, and can produce better bass. A driver unit is basically a mini speaker that produces sound in the device, its size corellates with the sound made by the earbuds. 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
, as many tend to believe that driver units of a bigger size automatically produce better sound quality.
However, large drivers find it difficult to produce high frequencies so yeah, larger drivers can generate louder sound, but this does not imply that they produce better quality sound. The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2's lowest frequency is at 20Hz, low-frequency response inidcates how well a particular audio device produces low audible frequencies and if it alters the signal on its way through. Bowers & Wilkins PI7's lowest frequency is at 10Hz, this implies that
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 make sound with a juicier bass than the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2
The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 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 makes any adjustments to the signal while at it.
Bowers & Wilkins PI7's highest frequency is at 20,000Hz, this means that
both devices produce equal treble
The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2's battery life is 6 hours, these last longer than 5 hours of listening which is considered average for a single charge. A device's battery life is given by the manufacturer, and with longer battery life, 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 listening time.
The effect is not noticeable at first, but over a few years, your wireless earbuds will have shorter listening time. 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 several times before having to recharge 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 recommended to charge fully 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 shows you when the device has a low battery.
The battery indicator lights indicate the charging status of your device and charging case. Bowers & Wilkins PI7 too have a battery level indicator, these allow you tell the charging state of your device, 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 in a single cable.
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 too use USB TYPE-C. This USB-C plug comes along with most current electronics. Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 have Bluetooth version of 5.3, Bluetooth is a wireless technology standard that enables 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 Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2
. Newer versions provide faster data transfers. The 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 iPad.
If you are planning 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 means both can adjust the bit rate for different scenarios, such as reducing interference from other devices. Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 have 8 microphones.
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 microphones are 6,
less than that of Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 by 2
. More microphones result in better sound quality and help the earbuds to filter out background sounds. Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 use a noise-canceling microphone, these microphones are intended to filter out noise from the earbuds' sound. The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 too have a noise-canceling type of microphone.
This is useful in noisy areas. Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 support ambient sound mode, which uses microphones to channel ambient sound to still be heard even when wearing them
The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 support ambient sound mode as well, it’s useful when you want to listen to music while being aware of what’s happening around you, say you’re having a jog but would 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.
The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 too support in/on-ear detection, automatically pauses your music, or audiobook when you remove earbuds from your ears saving battery life. If misplaced in a room, or can't be found in your bag, Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 have a find earbuds feature. Bowers & Wilkins PI7 also have the find earbuds feature.
Use the earbuds app on your smartphone to play a sound from your device to find them. Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 support fast charging. Commonly, technologies like Qualcomm’s Quick Charge, are used to reduce the amount of time it takes to fully charge a device.
Also the Bowers & Wilkins PI7 too support fast charging. It's very similar to regular charging, only that the battery fills up much faster. Say, with Quick Charge 3.0, the battery is charged to 50% in just 30 minutes.
Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 support multipoint of 2 connections, the multipoint feature allows you to link to more than one Bluetooth device and switch between them. Say, you can seemlessly switch calls from one device to another without manually disconnect and reconnect. The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 have a mute function, they have the option to mute/unmute a conversation directly from the device.
The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 too have this function. It means that you are in position turn off the earbuds' 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 functions are supported on the device.
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 too have a control panel on them. The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 have voice prompts. With voice prompts, you receive information through audio messages, say if there is an issue with the connection.
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 also have voice prompts meaning the earbuds will notify you when the battery is running low, and you need to recharge them. The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 come with a special case. Carrying earphones without a case, or placing them inside your pockets without a casing may easily damage them.
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 also have a case included, which is useful for safe transportation.
