Over-Ear
Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2
85Outstanding
$800
Full review dataBowers & Wilkins Px8 S2 vs Focal Clear Mg Pro: which should you buy?
On aggregated review scores the Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2 comes out ahead with a HearWiki score of 85. The full breakdown - sub-scores, specs and what reviewers actually said - is below.
Our pick: Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2 - Outstanding overall at around $799.
Over-Ear
Focal Clear Mg Pro
76Great
$1,490
Full review dataScore breakdown
Each axis is a 0–10 blend of what reviewers scored, not a lab measurement.
Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2 leads on 6 of 7 measures.
- Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2
- Focal Clear Mg Pro
HearWiki score
85
76
Sound
9.5
8.9
Noise cancelling
8.0
-
Battery
8.5
-
Calls
7.0
-
Value
5.5
6.4
Price (USD)
$800
$1,490
Generation & platform
The scores rank quality. This is the other question: is the newer one actually newer technology, or the same platform in a new shell?
Half a step newer
Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2 (2026) against Focal Clear Mg Pro (2021). The Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2 edges ahead on platform, but only just: ANC type Hybrid against None. It also adds USB-C.
- Px8 S220265 yr newer
- Clear Mg Pro2021
What differsPx8 S2Clear Mg Pro
- ANC type
- Hybrid
- None
- USB-C
- Yes
- No
Platform
Everyday features
Specifications
Px8 S2Clear Mg Pro
- Type
- Over-Ear
- Over-Ear
- Price (USD)
- $800
- $1,490
- HearWiki score
- 85
- 76
- Released
- 2026
- 2021
- Availability
- Sold new
- Still sold new
- Driver
- 2× 40 mm dynamic
- 40 mm dynamic
- Driver type
- dynamic
- dynamic
- Driver size
- 40 mm
- 40 mm
- Drivers per side
- 2
- 1
- Frequency response
- -
- 5 Hz - 23 kHz
- Impedance
- -
- 55 Ω
- Sensitivity
- -
- 104 dB/mW
- Bluetooth
- 5.3
- -
- Codecs
- SBC, AAC, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive, aptX Lossless
- -
- Multipoint pairing
- Yes
- -
- Battery life
- 30 h
- -
- Battery life (ANC on)
- 30 h
- -
- Quick charge
- 15 min → 7 h
- -
- Wireless charging
- No
- -
- Active noise cancelling
- Yes
- No
- ANC type
- hybrid
- -
- Transparency mode
- Yes
- -
- Companion app
- Yes
- -
- Custom EQ
- Yes
- -
- Wear detection
- Yes
- -
- Controls
- buttons
- -
- Voice assistant
- Yes
- -
- Weight
- 310 g
- 450 g
- Foldable
- Yes
- -
- Detachable cable
- Yes
- Yes
- USB-C
- Yes
- No
- Connector
- USB-C
- 6.35 mm
- Balanced connection
- -
- Yes
- Microphones
- 8
- -
What reviewers said
Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2
No summary yet - we haven't aggregated enough reviews.
Focal Clear Mg Pro
The Focal Clear Mg Pro is a wired, open-back studio headphone delivering a precise, analytical sound tailored for mixing and mastering work. Its 55-ohm drivers are easy to drive with modest gear, while the build quality and comfort support long sessions, though it leans professional rather than casual. It offers a balanced signature with strong detail, tight bass, and natural midrange, making it a top-tier tool for critical listening.
- Pro:Accurate and analytical tuning for studio work
- Pro:Comfortable fit and solid build quality
- Pro:Easy to drive with modest amplifiers
- Con:Soundstage more focused than typical open-backs
- Con:Headband padding is not replaceable
- Con:Requires a break-in period
Summaries are AI-condensed and paraphrased from published reviews and specs - not original hands-on testing. More on our method.
Compare something else
Swap either side out, or start again from the picker.