Bowers & Wilkins PI5 hands-on: the mid-range choice of true wireless headphones that meets expectations

True wireless headset products are a new opportunity for many traditional audio brands to regain their presence in the consumer market. Bowers & Wilkins from the United Kingdom is also one of them, and they also launched two different models in one go. This hands-on game article is aimed at the mid-level PI5, which is a mid-to-higher mass-oriented model.

The tested B&W PI5 is in white and silver colors, which is very clean and tidy. The appearance of the headset is a two-tiered design. The outermost part is a set of metal outer ring, engraved with the brand name, which is quite textured. , The decorative plate that supports touch operation is embellished with concentric circles, which also has the effect of improving the feel. The middle section is made of plastic and has a fin-like main body. There are also two metal plaques on it, and a radio microphone is placed. There are metal contacts on the belly and a sensor for wearing, so there is an automatic pause function.

For true wireless headsets, the PI5 specifications are qualified. Qualcomm’s platform is adopted, so there will be basic app customization functions. The body is equipped with four microphones to provide active noise reduction, supports aptX-encoded Bluetooth 5.0, and the charging box also has Qi wireless charging technology. The battery life is about 4 hours, and the charging box is 20 hours in total, which is an average figure. The functions that mainstream true wireless headsets must have are all seen on PI5, so the difference lies in the sense of hearing and wearing.

When actually put on the ear, the weight of the PI5 earphone is 7g, which is not too heavy. The included silicone earplugs can be well supported, so that the earphones can stay steadily, and trot when chasing the bus is also possible. The sound insulation of silicone earplugs is at an average level. With PI5’s ANC mode, most of the noise can be reduced, but there will inevitably be a little noise coming in. The editor tried the microphone. Under normal circumstances, the reception is clear, but the sound is a bit low. If you want to wear a mask to talk on the phone like this, you need to work harder.

For the sense of hearing, PI5 uses a 9.2mm moving coil unit, which is tuned by B&W engineers, and the effect is quite good. The sense of music is very rich, and the low frequency is sufficient. The sound field is close to the ear, but has a three-dimensional effect. Unfortunately, the human voice is relatively inferior, but it is also common (listening?) for the single-moving coil design, and it sounds comfortable enough. When watching the movie with the iPhone, the dialogue can also be synchronized with the actors’ lips. On the whole, PI5 is in the middle and upper level among the selection of Yunyunzhen wireless headphones. Of course, this is also reflected in the price. B&W PI5 is priced at HK$1980, which is exactly in the mid-range of the market.