BEOPLAY HX vs BOWERS & WILKINS PX7 | The ULTIMATE Comparison

[@mohamedahmed1023]

Excellent review! I actually have both the B&W PX7 (I’ve had them for over a year) and just recently got the Beoplay HX as well. Your results are virtually identical to my evaluation of both. Personally, I think if B&W added an EQ, reduced their clamping force, and had a more streamlined appearance, the B&O HX would be rendered irrelevant and I would strongly recommend people skip those headphones in favor of the B&W. I still think the PX7 is the safer buy for most people but it's close. Personally, I think the PX7 is still the best all-around premium BT headphones. The Airpods MAX and H95 are ultra-premium. Wanted to share my thoughts as well; • Fit: the B&W PX7 have a more secure fit but their clamping force is definitely more substantial. The earcups are more roomy so are less likely to physically rub against your ears but those who are sensitive to clamp force will prefer the HX. The PX7 actually reduced clamp force quite a bit vs. prior models but it’s still not going to be entirely sufficient for many people. I am sympathetic to the comment about women with small heads. I suspect the majority of over-ear headphone wearers (I’d guess north of ¾) are men and complaints are usually around it being uncomfortable for men with large heads and those that wear glasses. • ANC & Transparency mode: Agreed. B&O’s implementation here isn’t great. It’s definitely not flagship quality. I feel like the existence of the H95 required they differentiate from the HX and that’s relegated the HX to worse performance here. • Controls: Agreed on almost all fronts. B&O’s touch features are inferior to B&W here. I’ve also accidentally pressed buttons when grabbing the HX to place on my head. • Features: I appreciate the voice prompts on the PX7. I also found the initial connectivity on the HX a bit problematic. This is unfortunate as I’ve had older Beoplay models before (like the H7) and their connectivity was flawless. I also found the app for the PX7 more reliable as well. However, the app for B&O app is just more feature rich. The EQ in particular is useful. • Sound: I found the default (and only) sound signature of the PX7 preferable to the HX. The soundstage is bigger and it’s more punch and dynamic. The transient response is faster than the HX. However, the bass can get unwieldy with some songs. I found the HX’s had more high end clarity but the default sound was a bit too sharp for me. This only shows up with some tracks but it forced me to add an EQ setting with slightly increased bass or reduced treble. I found this to be more agreeable-> this provided a sound signature that was more similar to the PX7 default signature. • Appearance: On a headphone stand or table, the PX7 look great. However, on the head, they leave a bulky silhouette that is made worse if the arms are extended. The B&W has a more streamlined appearance. I would go out with the PX7 but the HX look more pleasant. Unfortunately, the ANC isn’t great and the performance does distort at higher volumes, as you’ve stated. I’d guess they distort at even lower volumes if you change the EQ to increase the bass. One minor gripe however; the dancer seems to be wearing the HX headphones backwards in much of your video.

[@CarefulOptimist]

Thank you for the DETAILED addition to the review. And also for the observations you made. You nailed it perfectly. We are going to pin your comment, so that other will see it as an extension of the review!

[@xinyaoyin2238]

you didnt mention how the hx has lower cabin pressure and less likely to give you a headache. I would take less noise cancellation all day over a headache.

[@mohamedahmed1023]

@@xinyaoyin2238 that's fair but it only has less cabin pressure because the noise cancelling is so mediocre. And the mediocre noise cancelling really negatively impacts the sound quality more than other headphones.

[@mohamedahmed1023]

@@skyleroutlaw I also have the EX. I would ABSOLUTELY buy them over the PX7 or EX for most people. They sound about as good as either of these. Strong recommendation from me.

[@elisamuelpedraza8228]

Well... Just a little update for those who, just like me, came to this review in order to make a decision on the Beoplay HX. The Headphones are AMAZING. The sound stage is incredible and B&O dropped an update that fixed most of (if not all) the small complaints customers had. And somerthing I don't remember hearing in this video is that the headohones work great with Bluetooth and the sound quality is absurd but they sound even greater using the AUX cable. The details get even more noticeable and the Bass is more precise. I don't regret at all buying them

[@BlademanStore]

BO has released a new version of the software 2.01 for HX and fixed most of the flaws in the sound!

[@CarefulOptimist]

Thanks Boris for the information! We’ll check this out!

[@manishbangia6921]

Another great video. Please provide comparison of Bower & Wilkins PX8 (once released) vs B&O H95.

[@alienlovetunes]

Thanks for this review, finally someone talks about comfort for female heads and ears, I literally find most headphones to be ridiculously large and bulky

[@troensvitnesbyrd]

Thank you for a nice and balanced review and comparison. I have tried the PX7, and I am currently owning the HX. These are both good headphones, but I decided to go with Bang & Olufsen because I found them more comfortable, and I found the audio more balanced. In my opinion the PX7 has a darker sound signature, and is emphasizing the base more, while the HX has more of a flat sound signature. This is my opinion, and you may not agree. I am mostly listening to acoustic music, where the mitts are very important, but if you listen to music with more bass, I understand why PX7 might be your pick.

[@CarefulOptimist]

Indeed, the Bang and Olufsen is more balanced. If you listen to acoustic and Jazz for instance, you will love it. BW7 is now old. I hope the company takes into consideration all these downsides. And don’t get too stuck up in their pride to review the sound signature of the next PXs. It’s a great headphone for its sound stage. But they have to do something about the bass, mid-bass and high frequency.

[@troensvitnesbyrd]

I have to Say the New PX7 S2 is a Good Step forward.

[@leanangleza]

Thanks so much team, that was a superb review. I am so informed right now.

[@Sig.Valter]

Nice review, thanks 🙏 Love your humble approach! Looking forward for more

[@CarefulOptimist]

Thank you!

[@janmiszczak2015]

Your reviews are outstanding, I love them! Great work

[@theexpatgunner]

Owning both the PX7 and the AirPod’s Max I’d say the transparency mode on Apple’s top tier headphone is as natural as it gets.

[@CarefulOptimist]

Indeed. There is really nothing in the market better than it.

[@bill3117]

You are so correct. I too own both headphones. I still like my PX7, but the sound of the APM is superior IMHO. Ease of connection to various Apple devices for the APM of course if fantastic. Still, the PX7 is lighter weight, and battery play time is much longer.

[@julianfp1952]

@@bill3117 I also own both PX7 and APM. I like both but neither is perfect for my tastes re sound quality. APM is on balance superior but what I miss is the lively punchy rhythmic nature of the PX7 in the upper bass (kick drum etc) region. To me the APM lacks energy there. But on the other hand the PX7 bass can get a bit fat and overblown at the bass end whereas the APM always stays so clean and articulate & the APM sub bass is fantastic. I think my perfect wireless headphone would be the APM with some added dynamism and punch in that upper bass area to make them as rhythmically satisfying as the PX7 without getting overblown. I wonder if Apple could do that by offering alternative sound profiles for the DSPs to add a bit more energy there or whether maybe the amps don’t have quite enough power to deliver the necessary transient attack. Who knows but I continue to cling onto the hope that Apple might be able to address my reservations at least partially via software and in my view that would be worth doing since the lack of some energy around the upper bass & lower mids is the single most common criticism I read in reviews, in fact re sound quality it is sometimes the only criticism.

[@SD-qv1dv]

Very nice review! Thanks, guys.

[@CarefulOptimist]

Thank you!

[@ThomasHoffDE]

I have the B&O HX, but just sold on eBay after trying (and keeping) the AirPod Max. (Also tried and returned the B&O H95s) HX are almost the same as H95 - soooo close and more comfortable, so better buy IMO given they are half the price. That all being said - the transparency mode, NC and overall sound is not as good as the Airpod Max's. I would like to see HX / Airpod Max comparison to see your collective POV. I love you two as a reviewing pair - outstanding job! keep the reviews / videos coming!

[@CarefulOptimist]

Thanks for your comment. Let's see if we can pull off that review in the near future. I also feel like the time we got our hands on the HX, it was too early. Perhaps a lot about the sound would have been improved by now through firmware updates.

[@stephenknight6562]

Fantastic review and such great detail and practical info too!

[@CarefulOptimist]

Thank you Stephen!

[@luiscardenas2924]

Just ordered the px7s hope I like them! Nice video like your style

[@ronervine]

Listening to this on my HX and I'm very happy with them. I'm looking however to swap my E8's as the connectivity is horrible (for some reason my HX are always great connecting via Bluetooth, never had an issue) the E8's are ultra unreliable also hiss at low volumes, very disappointing. They also have a very flimsy weak lid when opening and closing. I will keep my HX and swap my E8's for The BW P17 or Sony XM4 . Have you guys tried the B&O H95? I wonder just how much better they are than the HX. Blessings from New Zealand 🇳🇿🙏 Keep on doing your thing !

[@CarefulOptimist]

Hi Ron, thanks for your feedback! We didn’t try the E8. We are looking to review the BW PI7 soon! As for Beoplay H95, as a matter of fact, we made a comprehensive comparison between the H95 and Airpods Max. It tells you a lot about the H95 which we loved. Check it out here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qYvGaKCVhcyqg9E Greetings from Germany and be well!

[@alexh.8575]

Great review! For someone who cares about sound quality you should look at wired headphones with a dedicated amp and dac setup.

[@CarefulOptimist]

Yes, I am slowly branching off to wired headphones as my interest in audio technologies grow.

[@annalisadeiana1073]

Loved this review and your approach! I would’ve loved to see a head-shacking test from the point of view of a petite woman as this is my main struggle with headphones.

[@johnbattalgazi2108]

Awesome review mate. Cheers!

[@walker2578]

Hello Mr. Emeka, first of all I have to congratulate you for your great professionalism and dedication in your channel, I have enjoyed watching different reviews of headphones that you have made in your channel. I would like to ask you a very particular question: Between the Apple AirPods Max and the Bowers & Wilkins PX7 headphones, which of the two models has a better sound in terms of soundstage and clarity? - I particularly have the iPhone 12 pro and I listen to different genres of Rock and some sub genres of Metal, as well as I enjoy listening to Jazz, some Pop music and also movie (score) soundtracks. I would be glad to know your opinion on which model you would choose between the two mentioned above. I hope you continue to have a good week, and take care of yourself too 😷 You already have a new subscriber to your excellent channel👏🏻👍🏻

[@CarefulOptimist]

Dear Brick, thanks for the compliment; I am glad to know you have joined the family 🙂. Welcome! For sound stage, BW PX7 blows the APM out of the water! As for sound separation, I think I will go with the Airpods Max. That’s not to say that BW is not good. It’s just the mid-bass is muddy compared to the APMs. You will enjoy listening to Jazz, rock and metal with the APMs. If you ask me, I would say: go for APM.

[@walker2578]

@@CarefulOptimist Dear Mr. Emeka, thank you very much for your kind words as well as your accurate response regarding my concern. This week I will be acquiring the AirPods Max. I wish you a splendid week, I hope your channel continues to add subscribers (as it deserves it). Best regards🙋🏻‍♂️

[@aospkitkat4446]

My two cents, try both of them if you can. I returned the AirPod Max and kept the B&W PX7. But am considering getting the B&O H95 to see if I like it better than the Bowers & Wilkins PX7.

[@afd1040]

They both look amazing

[@CarefulOptimist]

The headphones or us? 🙂

[@afd1040]

@@CarefulOptimist Both you two and the headphones also I agree with her these headphones are designed for heads as big as mine.

[@shawn5944]

Great review, thank you. I think you convinced me to not buy either and put a couple more dollars aside for the H95's. lol.

[@gordonmccracken1209]

Nice work - just subscribed

[@stephenknight6562]

The Bose QC 45 or Bose 700 are my choice as daily driver. Good sound for music and work well as productivity tool for working from home.

[@CarefulOptimist]

We don’t know those one Stephen. Hopefully one day, we will have it in the studio. Thanks for the information.

[@cloudspecs3864]

Good video!

[@aj7347]

The HX is my backup headphone :)

[@jorgeluisfernandez2560]

Im between this HX and airpods max, can you tell me which is better oN MID-highs and bass? Thanks

[@CarefulOptimist]

AirPods Max by far!

[@josephhodge5387]

Love the review guys! Great work!

[@aospkitkat4446]

My only gripe was this wasn’t a versus between the B&O H95 and the B&W PX7.

[@Sana-ik8fo]

They are not similarly priced. B&O H95 is way too expensive. Even the cheaper B&O HX is expensive than PX7. Even if H95 is better sounding, it makes no sense in choosing such an expensive headphone, over a slightly lesser better and much cheaper alternative.

[@Daniel-Condurachi]

The idea i get from this review is too save up a bit more time to get more cash and buy something better

[@XNDivinity]

Bruh Millennials are already adults. Some of them are hitting 40 !!!!! Maybe you meant Gen Z, for they are the future adults. And Bower's and Wilkins don't know their audience????? And who are the future adults?? LoL 😂😂

[@yoyo50658]

YOU CAN UP THE BASS IN THE B&O APP TO ADD PUNCHINESS LOL

[@CarefulOptimist]

Yes, but beoplay’s EQ is not the best. I always prefer not to play too much with them.

[@albertlaurent1355]

may i ask , why do you wear headscarf?

[@VynZography]

Both of these seem to have to many major drawbacks for their price.

[@matteventu]

I agree. The older Beoplay H9 3rd Gen are factually better than the HX in basically every aspect. Also, now B&W is releasing the Px7 SE so we'll see how they're improved over the older PX7.

[@selmanabdullah99]

Stupid argument. They dont design those headphones only for the male head. It feels like she is just saying what just to say something. 🙄

[@richyeo4255]

Why should they design for a minority

[@52maq52]

Exactly.