About The Bowers & Wilkins Pi6 Active Noise-Cancelling True Wireless Earbuds
B&W's Pi6 earbuds combine supreme fit and comfort, outstanding sound quality, excellent noise cancellation and premium aesthetics. Pi6 supports aptX™ Adaptive at 24-bit/96kHz for high-resolution sound quality. Pi6 uses new 12mm bio-cellulose drive units based on the technology used in other Bowers & Wilkins headphones.
With their all-new industrial design and completely revised mechanical, electronic and acoustic engineering, Pi6 and Pi8 are undoubtedly the most comfortable, fully featured and best sounding earbuds the brand has ever made.
Utilising Qualcomm wireless transmission technology and equipped with state-of-the-art active noise cancellation, both Pi6 and Pi8 include all the key features and technologies demanded by today's discerning consumer. For Bowers & Wilkins, the aim is clear: to deliver the same category-defining success in earbuds that the brand has already achieved in premium over-ear headphones.
Pi6 – Outstanding Sound, Superlative Comfort: Built on the same core platform as its Pi8 sibling, the Pi6 has been designed to offer outstanding comfort, features and performance at a more affordable price point. Indeed, its sound quality is comparable with that of the outgoing Pi7 S2, the flagship model in Bowers & Wilkins' older range of earbuds. To that end, Pi6 uses an advanced Qualcomm chipset to provide improved wireless stability and reliable connectivity. The latest Bluetooth 5.4 specification ensures multipoint support for two devices, while aptX Adaptive wireless transmission at 24-bit/96kHz is included for exceptional sound quality from compatible wireless sources. Pi6 uses all-new 12mm bio-cellulose drive units derived from the cones used in the award-winning Px7 S2e over-ear headphones, ensuring high-resolution audio in a smaller, more easily transportable form factor.
All-New Premium Design: Pi6 has been carefully developed to feature elegant design flourishes, premium materials and a high-quality, durable feel, including IP54-rated protection for the earbuds. Every aspect of the design of the Pi6 has been engineered with purpose. The overall shape of the Pi6 was inspired by an extensive Bowers & Wilkins research project into the variation in human ear form across both gender and ethnicity. Bowers & Wilkins' industrial design team used the results of this study to create an all-new earbud form that delivers exceptional comfort and fit plus outstanding noise cancellation for the broadest possible range of listeners.
Improved User Experience: Pi6 also benefits from comprehensive improvements to set up and user experience. Multipoint Bluetooth pairing uses upgraded antennae and offers simpler connectivity from audio devices to the earbuds; for example, users can now quickly pair a second device to their Pi6s without having to remove the buds from their ears. Made for iPhone (MFI) support ensures seamless integration with iOS devices and effortless onboarding into the Bowers & Wilkins Music app – and Google Fast Pair (GFP) support will follow shortly after launch.
Once configured, bass and treble tone-control adjustments are included for Pi6 users so they can fine-tune the sound of the earbuds to their personal taste.
Sleek and Seamless Control: These improvements to setup and usability are partnered by significant revisions to the user interface. The top of each earbud represents a large capacitive touch surface with more advanced sensors that improve the responsiveness and reliability of touch-based interactions. The new industrial design also repositions all antenna and microphones within the earbud to avoid the possibility of accidental blockage of wireless or audio signals, while a new IR proximity sensor provides more reliable and responsive wear sensing.
Alongside the extensive design work put into the form factor of the Pi6 earbuds, they also benefit from a comprehensive rethink of the accompanying charging case, which has been reshaped to make it slimmer and easier to slip into a pocket – and at the same time, look and feel more premium.
Call Quality and Noise Cancellation: Pi6 features carefully positioned microphones designed to reject unwanted external noises during voice calls. Pi6 is built around the same noise-rejection platform used in the outgoing Pi7 S2 flagship. This is teamed with upgraded and very effective noise cancellation. The design intent is consistent with the approach developed by Bowers & Wilkins for its over-ear Px7 S2 and Px8 headphones: to cancel as much unwanted noise as possible without impacting the musicality of the performance. With you all day, Pi6 offers more battery life than ever. Pi6 can deliver up to 8 hours of listening from its earbuds before charging is required; the charging case supports up to 16 hours of further use, giving 24 hours in total. As before, all these figures are quoted with ANC on and Pi6 can also be rapidly recharged, with just 15 minutes of charge providing enough energy for two more hours of use.
With four finishes to suit every taste Pi6 is available in the most extensive range of finishes yet offered by Bowers & Wilkins, reflecting the recent success the brand has enjoyed in expanding its colour palette of headphone and earbud models. Pi6 is offered in Storm Grey, Cloud Grey, Forest Green and Glacier Blue.
Commenting on the launch, Giles Pocock, Vice-President of Brand Marketing, said "I'm thrilled that the Bowers & Wilkins team has once again been able to raise the bar for premium design, performance and quality in the headphone category. Our new Pi6 and Pi8 earbuds are truly special – I'm certain they will be just as successful as our Px7 S2e and Px8 headphones have been."
Our Take
Bowers & Wilkins' Pi6 Active Noise-Cancelling True Wireless Earbuds deliver a premium listening experience by combining exceptional sound quality, supreme comfort, and advanced noise cancellation in a sleek and durable design. Utilizing aptX™ Adaptive technology at 24-bit/96kHz for high-resolution audio, Pi6 incorporates new 12mm bio-cellulose drivers inspired by the brand's renowned Px7 S2e headphones. The all-new ergonomic design, based on extensive research into ear shape variations, ensures a comfortable and secure fit for a broad range of users. With improved user interface, enhanced call quality, and up to 24 hours of total battery life, Pi6 represents a perfect balance of performance, convenience, and elegance.
Main Features & Specifications
- Design: Active Noise-Cancelling True Wireless Earbuds with aptX™ Adaptive 24/96
- Earbuds combine supreme fit and comfort, outstanding sound quality, excellent noise cancellation and premium aesthetics
- Featuring new 12mm bio-cellulose drive units based on the technology used in the critically acclaimed Px7 S2e headphones
- Bowers & Wilkins Music App provides set-up and control
- 8 hours battery life from earbuds with a further 16 hours available from the charging case
- High-performance DSP
- True 24-bit audio connection
- 2-band customisable EQ
- Bluetooth 5.4 with aptX" Adaptive technology
- Multipoint connectivity
- Active Noise Cancellation (ANC)
- USB-C charging
- Fast charging support
- Apple® MFi Made For iPhone® support
- Bluetooth Codecs
- aptX Adaptive
- aptX Classic
- AAC
- SBC
- Microphones: 3 per earbud for telephony and ANC
- Drive Units: 12mm Bio-cellulose
- Battery Type: Rechargeable Lithium lon (earbuds and charging case)
- Battery Life & Charging
- Up to 8 hours for earbuds (with ANC on)
- Additional 16 hours from charging case
- Charge time = 2 hours
- 15-minute charge = 2 hours playback
- Please Note: No Wireless Charging Support
- Water Resistance: IP54 (earbuds)
- Audio Inputs: Earbuds: Bluetooth
- Included Accessories: Extra Small / Small / Medium / Large Ear Tips, 600 mm USB-C to USB-C Charging Cable
- Available Finishes: Cloud Grey, Forest Green, Glacier Blue, Storm Grey
- Charging Case Dimensions (WxHxD): 65 x 52 x 29mm
- Earbuds Weight: 7 g (each)
- Charging Case Weight: 46 g
- Manufacturer's Warranty: 2 Years
Note: Features & Specifications Subject To Change Without Notice. E&OE.