Ingress protection ratings is the level of protection offered by an enclosure, against dust and water. In the format of IPXX, 'X' represents a number The first value of the IP rating means protection against solids say dust, followed by the one that refers to resistance against liquids (water).
Scoring IP54, the JBL Wave Buds'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 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 best for the reason that lighter devices are easier to transport.
Bowers & Wilkins PI7, at 50g
weigh more than the JBL Wave Buds with a difference of 41g
True wireless devices have no wires connecting any part of the device together, JBL Wave Buds are true wireless for this matter since they have no cables. This is a major distinction as some wireless earbuds have cables connecting the two earbuds .
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 also is true wireless because it has no wires linking the two earbuds .
JBL Wave Buds have sweat resistance
JBL Wave Buds have stereo speakers, devices with stereo speakers deliver sound from separate channels on both left and right sides, creating a richer sound and a better listening experience. The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 also have stereo speakers
Active noise cancellation utilises more advanced kind of tech to reduce ambient sounds.
ANC works when, it detects and analyzes the sound pattern outside and inside the earbud and inverts the soundwaves to counter it. In simple terms, it's like taking +1 (noise) then adding -1 (counter sound by the device) to make 0 resulting in a reduced level of noise.
The JBL Wave Buds have ANC enabling you to listen at lower levels of volume, causing less ear fatigue as you don't have to crank up the earbuds volume to outcompete background noise.
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 too have ANC which makes either of the earbuds ideal for flights and morning commutes. The JBL Wave Buds and Bowers & Wilkins PI7 work with different noise cancellation settings, pick the noise cancellation type that suits your travel or that suites your relaxation time. The JBL Wave Buds sit tightly in place, creating a sound seal that tones down background sounds well as preventing the earbuds sound from leaking out .
Both Bowers & Wilkins PI7, and JBL Wave Buds have passive noise reduction which means that both tone down ambient noise instead of actively using ANC to cancel it out.
JBL Wave Buds have a unit size of 8mm in diameter, bigger drivers are more powerful, and can produce better bass. A driver unit is the component that produces sound in the device, its size determines the loudness of the earbuds. 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 find it difficult to produce high frequencies so it's true that, larger drivers can generate louder sound, but this does not indicate 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 on its way through. Bowers & Wilkins PI7's lowest frequency is at 10Hz, this means that
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 can produce a juicier bass than the JBL Wave Buds
JBL Wave Buds's highest frequency is at 20,000Hz, high-frequency response tells how well a particular audio device produces 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 implies that
both devices can generate equal treble
The sound pressure level, is the level of pressure of sound, 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 before recharge.
A device's battery life is usually 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 JBL Wave Buds by 3.5 hours
. 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 no longer play for long like they used to.
This is given by the manufacturer, and the 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 takes 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 unused 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 alerts you when the earbuds has a low battery. The battery indicator lights display the charging state of your earbuds and case.
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 too have a battery level indicator, charging indicators allow you to determine the charging state of your earbuds, if charged fully, or the battery is running low. The JBL Wave Buds use USB TYPE-C, an industry-standard connector for transmitting both data and power in a single cable. Bowers & Wilkins PI7 too support USB TYPE-C.
This USB-C plug comes along with most current electronics. JBL Wave Buds have Bluetooth version of 5.2, 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 JBL Wave Buds
. Newer versions provide faster data transfers.
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 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 JBL Wave Buds will work well with your MacBook. 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. 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 reducing interference from other devices. The JBL Wave Buds have 2 microphones. The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 microphones are 6,
more than that of JBL Wave Buds by 4
. More microphones result in better sound quality and enable the earbuds to filter out noise.
The JBL Wave Buds have a noise-canceling microphone, these microphones are intended to filter out background sounds from the desired sound. The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 too use a noise-canceling microphone. Especially useful in noisy environments.
The JBL Wave Buds microphone sensitivity is measured at -38dBV/Pa. The extent 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 voice that the microphone can pick up.
The JBL Wave Buds support ambient sound mode, which uses microphones to pass through ambient sound so that they can still be heard even when wearing them
The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 support ambient sound mode as well, helpful when you want to listen to music while being aware of what’s happening around you, for example when you’re having a jog but would still want to hear traffic. The JBL Wave Buds support in/on-ear detection, the sensors in the device can detect when they are removed from your ears .
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. If lost in a room, or can't be found in your bag, the JBL Wave Buds have a find earbuds feature.
The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 also have the find earbuds feature. Use the earbuds app on your phone to play an alarm from your device to find them. JBL Wave Buds support fast charging.
Commonly, technologies like Qualcomm’s Quick Charge, 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, only that the battery is filling up much faster.
Say, with Quick Charge 3.0, the battery is charged to 50% in thirty minutes. JBL Wave Buds have a 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 seemlessly 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 feature to mute/unmute a conversation directly from the device. The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 also have this function. The mute function means that you can turn off the device's microphone, but still hear the other party's voice.
With the JBL Wave Buds, so you can 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 JBL Wave Buds support voice prompts.
Automatically receive information through audio messages, say if there is a problem with the connection. Bowers & Wilkins PI7 also support voice prompts meaning the earbuds notifies you when the battery is low, and you need to recharge the device. The JBL Wave Buds come with a special case.
Carrying earphones without a case, or placing them in your pockets without a casing may easily put them at risk of getting damaged. Bowers & Wilkins PI7 also have a travel bag included, which is useful for safe transportation.
