I've been dealing with PTSD for over 20 years. Powerful fun! sometimes the anxiety that comes with my symptoms can be overwhelming. When that happens, I get kinda dumb, can be less coordinated than usual (that's saying something) and have a hard time doing much of anything. One of the best ways I've found to counter my window of tolerance slamming shut like this is to fill my head with music. Having tunes bounce around my skull, especially stuff with a complex, well-layered soundscape, gives me something to focus on–a rope to pull myself to shore with. Part of my living as a service journalist is made by testing earphones, headphones, speakers and the like. There's always a new, often expensive set of cans within reach when I can feel the loss of my shit coming on. But the ones that travel with me, everywhere I go are the Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 true wireless earphones. They make damn near everything I listen to sound like a frigging miracle.
Let's get this out of the way: they're far from inexpensive. A set of these will set you back $400. There are some great-sounding cans out there for half that or even a quarter of the price. A set of AirPod Pro 2, for example, will set you back around $250. So long as you use them to listen to AAC files, I'd argue that they can go toe-to-toe, depending on your aural preferences, with the Pi8. But here's the thing: the Pi8 sound great, no matter what you play through them. Their 12mm Carbon Cone drivers produce rich sound with an expansive sound stage. The detail in the music that my brain needs when I'm mentally exhausted shines through, giving me the time and mental space I need to recover and become functional again.
I dig that I can count on them to be ready to play, too. The Pi8's internal batteries provide up to 6.5 hours between charges (depending on the volume you listen at.) There are around another 13 hours of juice stored in their charging case. As I tend to use a set of over-ear headphones when I'm at home, this is more than enough power to get me through a week or more without having to charge the Pi8. When the time comes to power them up, I can do it via USB-C or using just about any wireless charging standard under the sun. Even an Apple Watch charging pad will work in a pinch.
There are a few things that I'd like to see changed with these things though. For starters, while their charging case appears to be well-made, it feels light and cheap to the touch. I'm afraid it wouldn't survive being dropped. And then there's their noise cancellation. I find their Active Noise cancellation to be merely adequate; easily outdone by what Bose and Sony have to offer. The fact that their ear cups don't fit me all that well exasperates this issue. To help them block the world out, I've had to invest in some Comply foam tips. This isn't the end of the world. But using these tips tends to make the bass of a set of earphones more prominent. Fortunately, it's possible to mess with the Pi8's EQ using Bowers & Wilkins Free app to balance its EQ out. Maybe your mileage will vary.
But yeah, if you're willing to pay for the best mobile audio possible, I recommend the Pi8. You might need to go a little light on your groceries for a month to afford them, but, for the right kind of music lover, it's absolutely worth it.
Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 Wireless Earbuds via Amazon
