IP ratings is the rank of protection given by an enclosure, against dust and water. The letters 'IP' are followed by two values The first value represents protection against solids say dust, followed by the one that refers to protection against liquids (water).
Having a value of IP54, the Bowers & Wilkins PI7's rating for solids indicates 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 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. Compared to the Bowers & Wilkins PI7, JBL Reflect Aero have a rating of IP68 meaning that
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 has a lower dust resistance than JBL Reflect Aero
and that of liquids is that,
JBL Reflect Aero has a higher liquid rating than Bowers & Wilkins PI7
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 have a weight of 50g . We consider a lower weight better for the reason that lighter devices are easier to move with.
JBL Reflect Aero, at 13g
are lighter than the Bowers & Wilkins PI7 with a difference -37g
For a device to be true wireless it must have no cables connecting any part of the device together, Bowers & Wilkins PI7 are true wireless for this matter since they have no wires. This is an important distinction as some wireless earbuds have cables linking the two earbuds together. JBL Reflect Aero also is true wireless since it has no cables linking the pair of earbuds .
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 have stereo speakers, what this means is that Bowers & Wilkins PI7's speakers deliver sound from separate channels on both left and right sides, this creates a richer sound and a better listening experience.
Both JBL Reflect Aero and Bowers & Wilkins PI7 have stereo speakers
ANC utilises more advanced kind of tech to actively cancel noise. How it works, it listens to the sound pattern of incoming noise and inverts the soundwaves to cancel it out. In simple terms, it's like having +1 (sound from your surrounding) then adding -1 (inverted noise) giving 0 which results in a reduced level of noise.
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 have Active Noise Cancellation enabling you to listen at lower levels of volume, good for your ears since you don't need to crank up the device volume to outcompete background sounds. JBL Reflect Aero too have Active Noise Cancellation which makes both earbuds ideal for flights and morning travels. The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 and JBL Reflect Aero work with different noise cancellation modes, pick the mode that you prefer for commute or that suites your relaxation time.
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 stay well in place, this creates an acoustic seal that reduces background noise well as preventing the device voice audio from leaking out .
Both JBL Reflect Aero, and Bowers & Wilkins PI7 have passive noise reduction this implies that both reduce ambient noise without using technology to cancel it out. The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 driver unit is 9.2mm in diameter, the bigger the unit the more powerful, therefor producing better bass. A driver unit is the component that makes sound in the device, the unit size dictates the sound produced by the device.
JBL Reflect Aero driver unit is 6.8mm in diameter,
which implies that they have a smaller driver unit than that of Bowers & Wilkins PI7 by 2.4mm
, 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 yes, larger drivers can generate louder sound, but this does not mean that they produce better quality sound. Bowers & Wilkins PI7's lowest frequency is at 10Hz, low-frequency response inidcates how well an audio component produces low frequencies that can be heard, and if it alters the signal while at it.
JBL Reflect Aero's lowest frequency is at 20Hz, this means that
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 produce a juicier bass than the JBL Reflect Aero
Bowers & Wilkins PI7's highest frequency is at 20,000Hz, high-frequency response shows how well an audio device makes high human frequencies and if it makes any changes to the signal on its way through. JBL Reflect Aero's highest frequency is at 20,000Hz, this means that
both devices can produce equal treble
The Bowers & Wilkins PI7's battery life is 4.5 hours, these last less than 5 hours of listening which is considered average for a single charge. A device's battery life is usually given by the manufacturer, and with more battery hours, you get to use it for longer and have to charge the device less often.
JBL Reflect Aero's battery life is
more than that of Bowers & Wilkins PI7 by 3.5 hours
. Each time you recharge your device, they get a little less listening time. The effect is barely noticeable at first, but over a few years, your wireless earbuds will no longer play for long like they used to. The battery life of the charging case is given by the vendor, and the Bowers & Wilkins PI7's case is said to have a full charge of 18 hours.
A charging case with a longer battery life enables you to recharge your earbuds on the go multiple times before having to recharge the case itself. JBL Reflect Aero's charging case has a battery life of 16 hours,
less than that of Bowers & Wilkins PI7 by 2 hours
It takes 3 hours to fully charge the Bowers & Wilkins PI7's battery. It is recommended to fully charge the battery before using the earbuds when they have been unused for extended periods.
JBL Reflect Aero takes 1.5 hours to fully charge the battery,
less than that of Bowers & Wilkins PI7 by 1.5 hours
The Bowers & Wilkins PI7, the device supports wireless charging. To charge the earbuds, you simply put down on a compatible charging pad. The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 have a battery level indicator, an indicator alerts you when the earbuds has a low battery.
Its lights show the charging state of your device and charging case. JBL Reflect Aero too have a battery level indicator, charging indicators allow you to tell the charging state of your device, whether fully charged, or the battery is running low. Bowers & Wilkins PI7 use USB TYPE-C, a standard connector for transmitting both data and power through a single cable.
JBL Reflect Aero too have USB TYPE-C. This USB-C plug comes along with most current electronics. Bowers & Wilkins PI7 have Bluetooth version of 5, Bluetooth is a wireless technology standard that enables data transfers between devices placed in range, using short-wavelength, ultra-high frequency radio waves.
JBL Reflect Aero has a Bluetooth version of 5.2,
newer than that of Bowers & Wilkins PI7
. Newer versions provide faster data transfers. Bowers & Wilkins PI7 have a 10meters distance to connect via Bluetooth. JBL Reflect Aero have a maximum range of 10meters,
equal to that of the Bowers & Wilkins PI7
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 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 Bowers & Wilkins PI7 will work fine with your iPad.
If you are planning on using these with Android , ensure that they also support aptX HD, LDAC, or LHDC as well. 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. JBL Reflect Aero microphones are 6,
equal to that of the Bowers & Wilkins PI7
. More microphones record better sound quality and enable the earbuds to filter out noise. The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 have a noise-canceling microphone, these microphones are designed to filter out noise from the desired sound.
The JBL Reflect Aero too use a noise-canceling microphone. Especially useful in noisy areas. Bowers & Wilkins PI7 support ambient sound mode, which uses microphones to channel ambient noises to still be heard even when wearing the earbuds
The JBL Reflect Aero 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, for example when you’re having a run but still want to hear traffic.
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 have in/on-ear detection, the sensors in the earbuds can detect when removed from your ears .
When misplaced in a room, or can't be found in your bag, the Bowers & Wilkins PI7 have a find earbuds feature. The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 support fast charging. Usually, technologies like MediaTek’s Pump Express, are used to lower the time it takes to charge the earbuds.
The JBL Reflect Aero support fast charging. It's very similar to regular charging, just that the battery fills up much faster. For example, with Quick Charge 3.0, the battery can be charged to 50% in thirty minutes.
The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 have a mute function, they support the option to mute/unmute a conversation directly from the earbuds. The JBL Reflect Aero too support this function. It means that you unilaterally turn off the device's microphone, but still hear the other party's voice.
The Bowers & Wilkins PI7, so you can easily access the volume control, pause, play, mute, etc whichever features are supported on the device. JBL Reflect Aero also have a control panel on them. Bowers & Wilkins PI7 support voice prompts.
With voice prompts, you receive information through audio messages, like if there is a problem with the connection. The JBL Reflect Aero also support voice prompts meaning the device will notify you when the battery is low, and it's time to recharge the device. The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 come with a special case.
Carrying earbuds openly, or putting them in your bag without a cover may easily damage them. JBL Reflect Aero too have a travel bag included, which offers safe transportation.
