Over-Ear
Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2
85Outstanding
$800
Full review dataBowers & Wilkins Px8 S2 vs HiFiMAN HE 1000 Stealth: 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
HiFiMAN HE 1000 Stealth
83Outstanding
$1,400
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
- HiFiMAN HE 1000 Stealth
HearWiki score
85
83
Sound
9.5
9.3
Noise cancelling
8.0
-
Battery
8.5
-
Calls
7.0
-
Value
5.5
8.8
Price (USD)
$800
$1,400
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 HiFiMAN HE 1000 Stealth (2023). The Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2 edges ahead on platform, but only just: ANC type Hybrid against None. It also adds USB-C.
- Px8 S220263 yr newer
- HE 1000 Stealth2023
What differsPx8 S2HE 1000 Stealth
- ANC type
- Hybrid
- None
- USB-C
- Yes
- No
Platform
Everyday features
Specifications
Px8 S2HE 1000 Stealth
- Type
- Over-Ear
- Over-Ear
- Price (USD)
- $800
- $1,400
- HearWiki score
- 85
- 83
- Released
- 2026
- 2023
- Availability
- Sold new
- Still sold new
- Driver
- 2× 40 mm dynamic
- planar magnetic
- Driver type
- dynamic
- planar
- Driver size
- 40 mm
- -
- Drivers per side
- 2
- 1
- Frequency response
- -
- 8 Hz - 65 kHz
- Sound signature
- -
- neutral
- Impedance
- -
- 32 Ω
- Sensitivity
- -
- 93 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
- 458 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.
HiFiMAN HE 1000 Stealth
The HiFiMAN HE 1000 Stealth is a wired, open-back planar magnetic flagship that delivers a neutral, highly detailed sound signature. It's easier to drive than typical planars thanks to its 32-ohm impedance and 93 dB sensitivity, yet still rewards quality amplification. With its relatively lightweight build for a large headphone and detachable balanced cable, it offers strong technical performance and comfort, though its size and price may not suit everyone.
- Pro:Refined, neutral sound with excellent detail
- Pro:Easier to drive than most planar headphones
- Pro:Comfortable for its large over-ear design
- Con:Still relatively heavy at 458 grams
- Con:Large fit may be awkward for smaller heads
- Con:Treble can sound uneven on bright recordings
Summaries are AI-condensed and paraphrased from published reviews and specs - not original hands-on testing. More on our method.
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