IP ratings refer to the rank of protection offered by a casing, against solids and liquids. In the format of IPXX, 'X' represents a number The first value of the IP rating refers to protection against solids say dust, followed by the one that refers to protection against liquids (water).
Scoring IP54, the JBL Wave Buds'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 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 JBL Wave Buds, Bowers & Wilkins PI7 have a rating of IP54 meaning that
they both have the same rating against dust
and that of liquids is that,
they both have the same rating against liquids
The JBL Wave Buds have a weight of 9g . We consider a lower weight better because lighter devices are easier to move with.
The Bowers & Wilkins PI7, at 50g
are heavier than the JBL Wave Buds by of 41g
True wireless devices have no cables linking any part of the device together, JBL Wave Buds are true wireless for this matter since they have no wires. This is an important distinction as some wireless earbuds have cables connecting the pair of earbuds .
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 also is true wireless since it has no cables connecting the two earbuds .
JBL Wave Buds are resistant to sweat
JBL Wave Buds have stereo speakers, what this means is that JBL Wave Buds's speakers deliver sound from independent channels on both left and right sides, this creates a richer sound and a better listening experience. Both Bowers & Wilkins PI7 and JBL Wave Buds have stereo speakers
Active noise cancellation utilises advanced technology to actively counter noise.
ANC works when, it listens to the sound pattern of incoming noise and generates a mirror signal to counter it. Simply put, it's like having +1 (noise) and adding -1 (inverted noise) to make 0 which results in a reduced level of noise.
The JBL Wave Buds have Active Noise Cancellation enabling you to listen at lower levels of volume, causing less ear fatigue since you don't have to crank up the device volume to overcome background sounds.
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 too have Active Noise Cancellation which makes either of the earbuds ideal for flights and morning travels. Each work with different noise cancellation settings, pick the noise cancellation type that suits your commute or that suites your relaxation time. The JBL Wave Buds sit tightly in place, this creates an acoustic seal that reduces background sounds while preventing the earbuds voice audio from leaking out at the same.
Both Bowers & Wilkins PI7, and JBL Wave Buds have passive noise reduction this means that both limit ambient noise without using ANC to cancel it out. JBL Wave Buds driver unit is 8mm in diameter, bigger drivers are more powerful, therefor producing better bass. A driver unit is basically a mini speaker that makes sound in the device, its size dictates the loudness of the device.
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 driver unit is 9.2mm in diameter,
making them have a larger driver unit than that of JBL Wave Buds by 1.2mm
, 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 yes, larger drivers can generate louder sound, but this does not mean that they deliver better quality sound. JBL Wave Buds's lowest frequency is at 20Hz, low-frequency response inidcates 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 make sound with a juicier bass than the JBL Wave Buds
JBL Wave Buds's highest frequency is at 20,000Hz, high-frequency response tells how well an audio device produces high human frequencies and if it changes to the signal on its way through. Bowers & Wilkins PI7's highest frequency is at 20,000Hz, this implies that
both devices can generate equal treble
SPL, is the pressure level of sound, measured in decibels, dB, JBL Wave Buds's measurement is 100dB/mW. Devices with a higher sound pressure level are generally louder when supplied with any given audio source.
JBL Wave Buds's battery life is 8 hours, these last longer 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 longer battery life, 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 JBL Wave Buds 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 JBL Wave Buds's case has a charge of 24 hours. A charging case with a longer battery life allows you to recharge your earbuds on the go many times before having to recharge the case itself.
Bowers & Wilkins PI7's charging case has a battery life of 18 hours,
less than that of JBL Wave Buds by 6 hours
It requires 2 hours to fully charge the JBL Wave Buds's battery. It is highly adivsable 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 JBL Wave Buds by 1 hours
JBL Wave Buds have a battery level indicator, an indicator notifies you when the earbuds has a low battery.
The battery indicator lights indicate the charging state of your device and charging case. Bowers & Wilkins PI7 too have a battery level indicator, charging indicators allow you to determine the charging state of your device, if charged fully, or having a low battery. JBL Wave Buds have USB TYPE-C, a standard connector for transmitting both data and power in a single cable.
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 too have USB TYPE-C. This USB-C plug is part and parcel of most current electronics. The JBL Wave Buds have Bluetooth version of 5.2, Bluetooth is a wireless technology standard that enables data movement 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 JBL Wave Buds
. Newer versions provide faster data transfers. The JBL Wave Buds have a 10meters distance to connect via Bluetooth. Bowers & Wilkins PI7 have a maximum range of 10meters,
equal to that of the JBL Wave Buds
JBL Wave Buds support AAC, a codec 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.
Being the highest quality codec that any Bluetooth-supporting Apple product supports, the JBL Wave Buds will work well with your iPhone.
If you are planning 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.
The JBL Wave Buds 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 JBL Wave Buds have 2 microphones.
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 microphones are 6,
more than that of JBL Wave Buds by 4
. More microphones record better sound quality and help the device to filter out noise. JBL Wave Buds have a noise-canceling microphone, these microphones are intended to filter out noise from the desired sound. The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 too use a noise-canceling microphone.
This is useful in noisy environments. JBL Wave Buds microphone sensitivity is measured at -38dBV/Pa. The amount of the analog or digital output signal from the microphone with its input stimulus is a calculation of its sensitivity.
It's the 'loudness' of the sound that the microphone can recognize. The JBL Wave Buds support ambient sound mode, which uses microphones to pass through ambient sound so that they can still be heard even while wearing the earbuds
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, for example when you’re having a run but would still want to hear traffic. JBL Wave Buds support in/on-ear detection, the sensors in the earbuds can detect when they are 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 improving your listening experience. If lost in a room, or can't be found in your bag, the JBL Wave Buds support the find earbuds feature. Bowers & Wilkins PI7 also have the find earbuds feature.
You can use the earbuds app on your smartphone to play an alarm from your earbuds to help you find them. The JBL Wave Buds support fast charging. Most often, technologies like Qualcomm’s Quick Charge, are used to reduce the amount of time it takes to fully charge the earbuds.
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 too support fast charging. This kind is similar to regular charging, only that the battery is filling up much faster. Say, with Quick Charge 3.0, the battery can be charged to 50% in just thirty minutes.
The JBL Wave Buds support multipoint of 2 connections, the multipoint feature allows you to link to more than one Bluetooth device and switch between them. For example, you can switch calls from one device to another without having to manually disconnect and reconnect. The JBL Wave Buds have a mute function, they have the option to mute/unmute a conversation directly from the device.
The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 also support the mute function. The mute function means that you unilaterally turn off the earbuds' microphone, but you can still hear the other party's voice. The JBL Wave Buds, 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. JBL Wave Buds have voice prompts. Automatically receive information via audio messages, like if there is a problem with the connection.
The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 too support voice prompts meaning the device will notify you when the battery is low, and you need to recharge the device. The JBL Wave Buds come with a special case. Carrying earphones openly, or putting them inside your pockets without a cover may easily put them at risk of getting damaged.
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 also have a case included, which offers safe transportation.
