Over-Ear
Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2
85Outstanding
$800
Full review dataBowers & Wilkins Px8 S2 vs Sony Mdr-Z1r: 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
Sony Mdr-Z1r
70Good
$1,320
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 7 of 7 measures.
- Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2
- Sony Mdr-Z1r
HearWiki score
85
70
Sound
9.5
8.3
Noise cancelling
8.0
-
Battery
8.5
-
Calls
7.0
-
Value
5.5
5.2
Price (USD)
$800
$1,320
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 Sony Mdr-Z1r (2017). The Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2 edges ahead on platform, but only just: ANC type Hybrid against None. It also adds USB-C.
- Px8 S220269 yr newer
- Mdr-Z1r2017
What differsPx8 S2Mdr-Z1r
- ANC type
- Hybrid
- None
- USB-C
- Yes
- No
Platform
Everyday features
Specifications
Px8 S2Mdr-Z1r
- Type
- Over-Ear
- Over-Ear
- Price (USD)
- $800
- $1,320
- HearWiki score
- 85
- 70
- Released
- 2026
- 2017
- Availability
- Sold new
- Still sold new
- Driver
- 2× 40 mm dynamic
- 70 mm dynamic
- Driver type
- dynamic
- dynamic
- Driver size
- 40 mm
- 70 mm
- Drivers per side
- 2
- 1
- Frequency response
- -
- 4 Hz - 120 kHz
- Impedance
- -
- 64 Ω
- Sensitivity
- -
- 100 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
- 385 g
- Foldable
- Yes
- -
- Detachable cable
- Yes
- Yes
- USB-C
- Yes
- No
- Connector
- USB-C
- 3.5 mm
- Balanced connection
- -
- Yes
- Microphones
- 8
- -
What reviewers said
Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2
No summary yet - we haven't aggregated enough reviews.
Sony Mdr-Z1r
The Sony MDR-Z1R is a premium closed-back over-ear headphone featuring a massive 70mm dynamic driver and an ultra-wide frequency response. Its build quality and comfort are consistently praised, delivering a spacious, detailed sound with powerful bass, though its tonal balance may not suit every listener. These wired headphones are best paired with high-quality audio gear to unlock their full potential.
- Pro:Exceptional build quality and premium materials
- Pro:Very comfortable for long listening sessions
- Pro:Large, immersive soundstage with strong imaging
- Con:Bass-heavy tuning may overwhelm some genres
- Con:Treble can sound piercing or harsh at times
- Con:Midrange is somewhat recessed
Summaries are AI-condensed and paraphrased from published reviews and specs - not original hands-on testing. More on our method.
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