Overall Score 6.4 Represents average audio ecosystem compatibility score.
Overall Score 4.3 Represents average audio ecosystem compatibility score.
Category | Features | Bowers & Wilkins PI7 | BLX Earbuds Gen 1 |
---|---|---|---|
DESIGN | ingress protection (ip) rating | IP54 | IPX4 |
weight | 50g | 44.5g | |
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 | ✗ | |
lowest frequency | 10Hz | 20Hz | |
highest frequency | 20000Hz | 20000Hz | |
POWER | battery life | 4.5hours | 4.5hours |
battery life of charging case | 18hours | 13.5hours | |
charge time | 3hours | 1hours | |
battery power | ✗ | 40mAh | |
has wireless charging | ✓ | ✗ | |
has a battery level indicator | ✓ | ✓ | |
CONNECTIVITY | has usb type-c | ✓ | ✗ |
bluetooth version | v5 | v5.1 | |
maximum bluetooth range | 10meters | 10meters | |
has aac | ✓ | ✓ | |
has aptx adaptive | ✓ | ✗ | |
has aptx hd | ✓ | ✗ | |
MICROPHONE | number of microphones | 6only | 2only |
has a noise-canceling microphone | ✓ | ✗ | |
EXTRAS | has ambient sound mode | ✓ | ✗ |
has in/on-ear detection | ✓ | ✗ | |
has find earbuds feature | ✓ | ✗ | |
supports fast charging | ✓ | ✗ | |
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 offered by a casing, against dust and liquids. In the format of IPXX, 'X' represents a number The first value means protection against solids say dust, followed by the one that refers to protection against liquids (water).
Scoring IP54, the Bowers & Wilkins PI7'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 can withstand low pressure spray similar to that of a shower head when tilted at 180° for 10 minutes.
Compared to the Bowers & Wilkins PI7, BLX Earbuds Gen 1 have a rating of IPX4 meaning that
no data available to specify a protection rating
and that of liquids is that,
they both have the same rating against liquids
The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 have a weight of 50g . We consider a lower weight best because lighter devices are easier to transport.
BLX Earbuds Gen 1, at 44.5g
weigh less than the Bowers & Wilkins PI7 by -5.5g
For a device to be true wireless it must have no wires linking any part of the device together, Bowers & Wilkins PI7 are true wireless for this matter since they have no cables. This is a key distinction since wireless earbuds have cables connecting the 2 earbuds together.
BLX Earbuds Gen 1 also is true wireless because it doesn't have cables connecting the pair of earbuds together.
BLX Earbuds Gen 1 have sweat resistance
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 have stereo speakers, devices with stereo speakers deliver sound from independent channels on both left and right sides, this creates a richer sound and a better listening experience.
The BLX Earbuds Gen 1 also have stereo speakers
Active noise cancellation uses more advanced kind of tech to reduce unwanted ambient sounds. ANC works when, it listens to the sound pattern of incoming noise and after generates a mirror signal to cancel it out. Simply put, it's like having +1 (sound from your surrounding) and producing -1 (inverted noise) to make zero resulting in a reduced level of noise.
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 have ANC allowing you to listen at lower volume levels, good for your ears since you don't have to crank up the device volume to overcome background noise.
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 stay tightly in place, creating an acoustic covering that tones down your environment sounds while preventing the earbuds music from leaking out at the same.
Both BLX Earbuds Gen 1, and Bowers & Wilkins PI7 have passive noise reduction this means that they tone down ambient noise instead of actively using technology to cancel it out.
The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 driver unit is 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 earbuds, its size determines the sound produced by the device.
The Bowers & Wilkins PI7's lowest frequency is at 10Hz, low-frequency response inidcates how well a particular audio device generates low frequencies that can be heard, and if it alters the signal on its way through.
BLX Earbuds Gen 1's lowest frequency is at 20Hz, this means that
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 can make sound with a juicier bass than the BLX Earbuds Gen 1
The Bowers & Wilkins PI7's highest frequency is at 20000Hz, high-frequency response measures if and how well a particular audio device produces high human frequencies and if it makes any adjustments to the signal while at it.
BLX Earbuds Gen 1's highest frequency is at 20000Hz, this means that
both devices produce equal treble
Bowers & Wilkins PI7's battery life is 4.5 hours, these last less 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.
BLX Earbuds Gen 1's battery life is
equal to that of the Bowers & Wilkins PI7
. Every 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.
This is given by the manufacturer, and Bowers & Wilkins PI7's case has a 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.
BLX Earbuds Gen 1's charging case has a battery life of 13.5 hours,
less than that of Bowers & Wilkins PI7 by 4.5 hours
It requires 3 hours to fully charge the Bowers & Wilkins PI7's battery. It is highly adivsable to fully charge the battery before using the earbuds for the first time.
BLX Earbuds Gen 1 takes 1 hours to fully charge the battery,
less than that of Bowers & Wilkins PI7 by 2 hours
BLX Earbuds Gen 1's battery power is 40mAh, battery capacity, shows the amount of electrical energy that a battery can keep.
Bowers & Wilkins PI7, the device supports wireless charging. To charge the earbuds, you just place down on a supported charging pad.
The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 have a battery level indicator, an indicator shows you when the device has a low battery. Its lights indicate the charging state of your earbuds and case.
BLX Earbuds Gen 1 too have a battery level indicator, charging indicators enable you tell the charging state of your device, if charged fully, or having a low battery.
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 support USB TYPE-C, a standard connector for transmitting both data and power through a single cable.
The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 have Bluetooth version of 5, Bluetooth is a wireless technology standard that enables data movement between devices placed in close proximity, using short-wavelength, ultra-high frequency radio waves.
BLX Earbuds Gen 1 has a Bluetooth version of 5.1,
newer than that of Bowers & Wilkins PI7
. Newer versions provide faster data transfers.
The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 have a 10meters distance to connect via Bluetooth.
BLX Earbuds Gen 1 have a maximum range of 10meters,
equal to that of the Bowers & Wilkins PI7
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 support AAC, a codec used for Bluetooth audio. It supports 24-bit audio at 250kbps. Since it uses psychoacoustic modeling, it provides better results than other codecs at the same bit rate.
Being the highest quality codec that any Bluetooth-supporting Apple product supports, the Bowers & Wilkins PI7 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 BLX Earbuds Gen 1 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 Bowers & Wilkins PI7 support APTX Adaptive, an audio codec for Bluetooth devices that are developed by Qualcomm. It has a variable bit rate (between 279kbps and 420kbps).
The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 support APTX HD, an audio codec for Bluetooth devices that are developed by Qualcomm. It supports high-quality 24-bit audio (at a bit rate of 576kbps).
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 have 6 microphones.
While the BLX Earbuds Gen 1 microphones are 2,
less than that of Bowers & Wilkins PI7 by 4
. More microphones record better sound quality and help the device to filter out background sounds.
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 have a noise-canceling type of microphone, these microphones are intended to reduce noise from the desired sound.
The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 support ambient sound mode, which uses microphones to pass through ambient sound to still be heard even when wearing them
The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 have in/on-ear detection, the sensors in the earbuds can detect when they are removed from your ears so that the music is paused.
If lost in a room, or can't be found in your bag, Bowers & Wilkins PI7 have a find earbuds feature.
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 support fast charging. Usually, technologies like Qualcomm’s Quick Charge, are used to reduce the amount of time it takes to fully charge the earbuds.
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 have a mute function, they have the feature to mute/unmute a conversation directly from the device.
With the Bowers & Wilkins PI7, so you can access the volume control, pause, play, mute, etc whichever functions are supported on the device.
BLX Earbuds Gen 1 also have a control panel on them.
The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 have voice prompts. With voice prompts, you receive information through audio messages, say if there is a problem with the connection.
The BLX Earbuds Gen 1 too have voice prompts meaning the earbuds will notify you when the battery is low, and it's time to recharge the earbuds.
The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 come with their own special case. Carrying earbuds openly, or placing them in your pockets without a cover can easily damage them.
BLX Earbuds Gen 1 also have a travel bag included, which is useful for safe transportation.