The PX8 S2 are about two things: excellent wireless sound, and a super premium build. Sure, the ANC is good and the battery life solid, but that’s not really what they’re looking to achieve. And at their goal, the PX8 S2 have been entirely successful. This is a great-sounding and feeling pair of headphones that comes at a steep price. They’re worth it — if you can afford them.

The Bowers & Wilkins PX8 S2 impresses with excellent sound, elegant design and high-quality craftsmanship. While its feature set is somewhat pared down, none of the essentials are missing in daily use. At €729, it is clearly aimed at the most discerning listeners – and the promised updates make it even more appealing.

The Px8 S2 are a suprisingly big upgrade over their predecessor, with a much wider sound and improvements to the bass control and mid-range definition. They are a bit on the pricey side but worth it if you want tip-top audio.

The Px8 S2 takes every positive quality of the Px7 S3 and proceeds to improve both the materials it is made from and the performance it is capable of. What results is a truly impressive bit of kit; able to match the four figure premium designs while costing considerably less. Certain rivals can do specific functions better but this is a formidable all rounder.

They are extremely expensive, it’s true, but the expansive soundstage and the level of detail and clarity in the audio makes them a worthy pick over others on the market.

Crucially, the sound quality is excellent, as is the active noise canceling.

Luxurious, hugely capable wireless headphones with outstanding sound quality, although ANC could be better, and we did experience connectivity issues

The Bowers & Wilkins PX8 S2 is a headphone built for listeners who demand both premium craftsmanship and refined sound quality.

Sonically, these headphones impress. The bass is impactful without muddying the mids, the top end is lively and airy, and the soundstage is precise, if not jaw-droppingly expansive.

If you're prepared to spend extra for those seemingly subtle yet truly significant extras, then Bowers & Wilkins' second-gen PX8 heapdhones are an absolute class act. That sound quality is second to none is expected, of course, but the PX8 S2 really knock it out the park here – if you can cope with active noise-cancelling (ANC) that's not as world-blocking and some competitors out there. These are the business class of headphones – and once you've settled in, you won't ever want to downgrade again.

The Px8 S2 is not just the best headphone I’ve tested—it’s the first to leave me without hesitation, without caveat, and without reservation. For the first time ever, I can confidently say: this is a perfect ANC headphone.