Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2e (Anthracite Black) review

This assessment treats the Px7 S2e as a current U.S.-listed over-ear ANC model, not as a substitute name for either Px7 S3 or the earlier Px7 S2. Bowers & Wilkins' U.S. product page and manual document Bluetooth, two-device switching, USB-C audio, and an included USB-C-to-3.5 mm analog lead. Its appeal is a fairly flexible set of listening routes in one model family; the important limitation is that the analog path is powered rather than passive. No hands-on listening, comfort or cancellation test was conducted for this review.

What the S2e specification actually describes

The manufacturer's page lists hybrid active noise cancellation, ambient pass-through and wear detection. The published hardware is two 40 mm bio-cellulose drivers, six microphones in total—four assigned to ANC and two to telephony—and a 307 g net weight without the case. Those numbers help separate the S2e from its successor, but none tells a prospective wearer how the pads will seal around their ears, whether the clamp feels comfortable, or how much noise they will personally hear. ANC presence is documented; cancellation performance remains unmeasured here.

Bluetooth is listed as version 5.2 with aptX Adaptive, aptX HD, aptX, AAC and SBC support. A source device must support the codec it is expected to send, and a supported codec is not evidence that every phone or computer will use it. For someone whose host does not expose the higher aptX options, the Bluetooth route still has the basic formats the page lists; the site makes no sound-quality ranking from that fact.

Two connected devices, one active source

The Px7 S2e manual says up to two Bluetooth devices can be connected simultaneously and describes switching between them. Only one device at a time supplies active audio or a call. That distinction matters for a phone-and-laptop routine: the headset can remain connected to both without mixing two streams together. The Bowers & Wilkins Music app manages connections and settings, and the manual says the headset remembers up to eight paired devices. Stored pairings are not the same as simultaneous connections.

The manual also identifies Environmental Controls for noise cancellation and pass-through and describes a configurable quick-action button. Those are documented controls, not an independent claim that one ANC setting blocks more sound than a competitor. A secure fit and the seal around the ear still influence passive isolation and the practical result.

Thirty hours is a wireless ANC maximum

Bowers & Wilkins states up to 30 hours of continuous wireless media streaming with noise cancellation enabled at average playback volume. The same manual cautions that Bluetooth, ANC and pass-through use affect the battery duration. Treat 30 hours as the maker's comparison ceiling, not a promise that an old or new unit will last through a particular journey. It is not an analog-cable rating, a USB-audio rating or an estimate of current battery health.

The manufacturer's quick-charge language is also a maximum: a 15-minute charge is listed for up to seven playback hours. It should not be translated into a guaranteed emergency charge in every use case. If runtime is a hard limit, compare the stated test conditions and leave a practical margin for calls, volume, settings and battery age.

Analog and USB-C are different wired routes

The included analog cable connects from the headset's USB-C socket to a conventional 3.5 mm source. The manual is explicit that the Px7 S2e needs sufficient charge and must be switched on to play from that analog source. It therefore does not qualify as a documented battery-free cable fallback. The manual also says the headset disconnects from Bluetooth in this mode and its volume and play/pause controls do not operate through the 3.5 mm interface.

A separate included USB-C-to-USB-C cable can turn a capable computer into a digital USB audio source; the manual says the headphones also charge from a capable USB port. That is not the same as analog input, and it is not a Bluetooth route. Although the app documents ANC controls, the manual does not explicitly state ANC availability or a cable ANC runtime for either wired plan. This assessment therefore does not transfer the 30-hour Bluetooth figure to analog or USB, and it leaves ANC in the analog plan unconfirmed.

How it compares within the Bowers & Wilkins line

The current Px7 S3 is listed at 300 g, Bluetooth 5.3 with aptX Lossless support and eight microphones; the S2e is 307 g, Bluetooth 5.2 with aptX Adaptive and six microphones. Both list a 40 mm bio-cellulose driver, USB-C audio, an included analog cable, two-device Bluetooth and a 30-hour ANC-on wireless maximum. The published changes are useful when choosing between model generations, but they do not prove a sound, fit or cancellation improvement for a particular listener.

The original Px8 is another separate assessment: it uses carbon drivers and weighs 320 g on the cited specification, while the newer Px8 S2 has its own Bluetooth 5.3 and microphone details. If the S2e's main requirements are Bluetooth ANC and ordinary source switching, the finder can compare it with those independently documented models. If a buyer specifically needs confirmed ANC over a cable or passive listening after the battery empties, the S2e's sources do not establish those arrangements.

Check the exact finish and package

The official U.S. selector lists Anthracite Black, Cloud Grey, Forest Green, Ruby Red and Ocean Blue under the Px7 S2e name, and the selected-variant records return distinct U.S. item numbers for those finishes. The page's technical finish list spells Cloud Grey as Cloud Gray; the same CloudGrey selector value and image tie those spellings to one option, not two finishes. The manufacturer views below identify the four non-reference colors; they do not establish that a third-party seller has the pictured color or original package. Check the retailer's exact finish, condition, included cables and return terms. The official Px7 S2e U.S. Anthracite Black details and Px7 S2e manual are the relevant references for a final compatibility check.

Manufacturer images for the other U.S. finishes