Luxury British supercar maker McLaren is known for making some of the world’s fastest cars. But watch how fast your money leaves your wallet when you get a load of its latest collaboration with longtime audio partner Bowers & Wilkins — the Px8 McLaren Edition headphones, which launched today and retail for $799.
The McLaren Edition is a “specially designed” version of B&W’s premium flagship Px8 wireless headphones, tricked out with what B&W calls a “Galvanic” grey metallic finish and, most notably, a “Papaya” orange ring around each earcup and matching fabric covers inside, which pay homage to the early racing cars of founder Bruce McLaren.
The special-edition headphones were dreamed up to celebrate the two companies’ partnership, which goes back to 2015 when B&W began developing audio systems for McLaren’s cars, and the recent launch of McLaren’s hybrid supercar, the ridiculous Artura, which is of course kitted out with B&W sound. Earlier this year the two companies renewed their vows, locking in a new multiyear deal with B&W becoming McLaren’s “Official Audio Partner.”’
Outside of the cool McLaren stylings, the Px8 McLaren Edition headphones otherwise are just a repackaged pair of their fantastic Px8 cans ($699), which we reviewed back in November. But that’s not a bad thing. They sound great, driven by a pair of 40mm Carbon Cone drivers that are precisely angled to maintain a consistent distance from your ears, have some industry-leading active noise cancellation (ANC), and have a respectable 30-hour battery.
The Px8 are also made for high-quality audio playback and feature Qualcomm’s aptX Adaptive Bluetooth codec technology. You’ll need a compatible phone, though — sorry, iPhone users. But if you truly want to hear what these over-ear headphones can do, you can use the Px8’s direct-digital USB-C connection for lossless 24-bit audio or a DAC (digital audio converter) and the included 3.5mm-to-USB cable if you’re an iPhone user.
Additionally, the B&W Px8 McLaren edition headphones can be set up, fine-tuned, and customized using the Bowers & Wilkins Music App.
“We are tremendously proud of our long-standing relationship with McLaren Automotive, which is rooted in a shared desire to lead in performance,” Dan Shepherd, B&W’s Vice President of Licensing & Partnerships, said in a press release. “The Px8 McLaren Edition celebrates this partnership, extending the appeal of our industry-leading sound performance and McLaren’s DNA to outside the car.”
If you’re lucky enough to have experienced a B&W McLaren car audio system first-hand while hopefully zipping down some empty country road, good for you. If not, dropping the $800 for these headphones might be the closest you’ll get. You can find them at select retailers, B&W's website , and the McLaren online store.
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Audio-Technica, a brand well known for making some of the best studio and professional headphones on the market, has just come out with the ATH-AWX7000, which the company itself claims to be its "finest headphones ever." The new flagship closed-back headphone has debuted at an eye-watering price of $3,799. It combines hand-finished Japanese woodwork with a newly developed 58mm driver.
The earcups are made from Kiso cypress, a prized wood historically used for Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples. Each housing is finished by hand with traditional Echizen lacquer, which brings out the grain and is expected to darken over time. The frame and sliders are finished in a deep navy kachi-iro shade traditionally associated with samurai.
This post is brought to you in paid partnership with Best Buy.
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