Bowers & Wilkins accelerates on high-end audio with its PX8 McLaren Edition headphones

Leading the pack of high-end audio, Bowers & Wilkins is known for its rather exceptional gear. From headphones to in-car audio, the brand certainly knows what its doing. And to celebrate its partnership with McLaren, Bowers & Wilkins released a special-edition version of its PX8 headphones. The PX8 McLaren Edition ‘phones have come screeching over the line, and are available for car and audio enthusiasts alike.

By far the most noticeable difference between the PX8 McLaren Edition and the standard PX8s is the design. The special-edition headphones feature a Galvanic Grey finish with Papaya Orange highlights. Car fans will recognise these colours from McLaren’s early racing cars. And while the ‘phones won’t send you whizzing round a track at obscene speeds, they’ll look rather stylish atop your dome.

The PX8s boast aptX Adaptive support, ramping up the audio capabilities with 24-bit playback from devices. Inside are 40mm carbon cone drivers for consistent and immersive sound. You’ll also find active noise-cancellation, fast charging, and EQ settings in Bowers’ companion app. There are even (gasp) physical buttons for easy-access controls! Battery life will last around 30 hours, on par with the likes of Apple’s AirPods Max.

Bowers & Wilkins’ audio tech has been used for high-performance speaker set-ups inside McLaren’s supercars. You’ll find B&W speakers in the McLaren Speedtail, McLaren GT, and most recently, the McLaren Artura.

If Bowers & Wilkins’ special-edition ‘phones have got you revved up, they’re available directly from B&W now. You can grab them for £699/$799/€799, which is £100 more than the standard PX8s. We scored the headphones four stars out of five in our review, so you can trust the headphones will sound as good as they look. Perhaps a Christmas prezzie for the car guru in your family?

Read more: Best headphones 2022: the top wireless headphones reviewed

About

Connor is a writer for Stuff, working across the magazine and the Stuff.tv website. He has been writing for around six years now, with writing across the web and in print too. Connor has experience on most major platforms, though does hold a place in his heart for macOS, iOS/iPadOS, electric vehicles, and smartphone tech. Just like everyone else around here, he’s a fan of gadgets of all sorts! Aside from writing, Connor is involved in the startup scene. This exciting involvement puts him at the front of new and exciting tech, always on the lookout for innovating products.