Bowers & Wilkins has expanded its McLaren-inspired audio range with the launch of the Pi8 McLaren Edition wireless earbuds, bringing Formula 1 styling to its flagship in-ear model.
Building on the standard model – a What Hi-Fi? Award winner and five-star performer, as seen in our Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 review – the McLaren Edition sports the racing team's distinctive Papaya orange accents against a sophisticated Galvanic Grey finish, creating a striking visual signature that will appeal to motorsport enthusiasts.
The special edition joins existing McLaren-branded products, including the Px8 McLaren Edition headphones and Zeppelin McLaren Edition wireless speaker, further cementing the decade-long partnership between the British audio specialist and the automotive brand.
The Pi8 McLaren Edition retains all the technical excellence that earned the standard model its five-star rating in our review.
The earbuds feature 12mm carbon-cone drivers – the same material used in B&W's Px8 headphones and 700 Series loudspeaker tweeters – delivering what we find to be sensational levels of detail, and a natural, refined sound.
B&W - Pi8 McLaren Edition - out of case
(Image credit: Bowers & Wlikins)
In our testing, we found the Pi8 exhibited a maturity and refinement that sets them apart from entry-level and mid-range alternatives, with a beautifully balanced approach across all frequencies. Bass notes are also delivered with detail, power and authority, while the earbuds shine a light on all the dynamics and different textures in complex musical passages. In short, we’re big fans.
Active noise cancellation, derived from technology in the company's Px8 over-ears, also performs very well at suppressing low-frequency rumbles from traffic and roadworks – though it doesn't quite match the class-leading Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds in handling higher frequencies.
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The McLaren Edition retains the original Pi8's impressive feature set too, including Bluetooth 5.4 connectivity with support for aptX Adaptive at up to 24-bit/96kHz, and aptX Lossless codecs. Battery life remains at 6.5 hours (earbuds only), with another 13.5 hours available from the charging case.
Bowers & Wilkins Pi8
(Image credit: Future)
One of the Pi8's most distinctive features – and one that proved particularly useful in our real-world testing – is its Wireless Audio Retransmission capability.
This is a handy feature which allows the charging case to accept audio via a USB-C connection and wirelessly transmit it to the earbuds – particularly valuable when connecting to in-flight entertainment systems or legacy devices without Bluetooth.
The McLaren Edition, like its regular sibling, has an IP54 rating for dust and water resistance, making them suitable for gym use and exercise, while the touch-sensitive controls on each earpiece can be configured through the Bowers & Wilkins Music app.
The Pi8 McLaren Edition will be available for pre-order from 3 April directly from Bowers & Wilkins, priced at $499 / £449 (Australian pricing TBC) – representing approximately a £100 premium over the standard Pi8 model.
Whether or not the McLaren paint job is worth that extra premium is, of course, entirely up to you.
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