Best match
Sony WH-1000XM6
$460vs $799Save $339 (42%)
Why it's a good swap Sony's flagship with class-leading noise cancelling and a deep feature set.
You give up: Plastic build that feels less luxurious than the Px8 S2.
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Prices checked October 2026Not tested in handNo paid rankingsHow we pick
You give up: Plastic build that feels less luxurious than the Px8 S2.
Short answer: The closest cheaper alternative to the Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2 is the Sony WH-1000XM6, about $460 instead of $799 (save 42%). What you give up: Plastic build that feels less luxurious than the Px8 S2. The cheapest is the Soundcore Space One at about $100. Prices checked October 2026.
Why it's a good swap Sony's flagship with class-leading noise cancelling and a deep feature set.
You give up: Plastic build that feels less luxurious than the Px8 S2.
Why it's a good swap Noise-cancelling over-ear headphones with long battery life for travel.
You give up: Basic plastic build and sound that's a clear step down.
Why it's a good swap Sonos lists a stainless steel headband, memory foam cushions in vegan leather, lossless audio and USB-C or 3.5mm wired listening, and Tom's Guide scored it 91 out of 100.
You give up: Tom's Guide found its clamping force a bit high for long sessions and its EQ limited to bass and treble, and TV Audio Swap needs a compatible Sonos soundbar.
Why it's a good swap Sennheiser lists up to 57 hours of battery with noise cancelling on, a replaceable battery, and wired USB-C and 3.5mm listening, against 30 hours for the Px8 S2.
You give up: SoundGuys says it is mainly plastic with metallic accents and found its sound a bit bass-heavy, so it lacks the Px8 S2's leather and aluminum feel.
Why it's a good swap Top-tier noise cancelling and all-day comfort from a well-reviewed flagship.
You give up: Mostly plastic build instead of the Px8 S2's aluminium and leather.
Why it's a good swap B&W's own sound tuning and noise cancelling for $320 less.
You give up: No Nappa leather or die-cast aluminium arms like the Px8 S2.
Typical US prices, checked October 2026. Not live prices; check the listing before you buy.
Looking for a cheaper alternative to the Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2? It usually sells for about $799. Here are 6 cheaper swaps from $100: the Sony WH-1000XM6 is the closest match from another brand, the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 is a cheaper option from Bowers & Wilkins and the Soundcore Space One is the cheapest at about $100. Each one says what you give up for the lower price.
The Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2 costs $799 at Bowers & Wilkins. The closest cheaper pick is the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) at $449, with top-tier noise cancelling. The cheapest pick is the Soundcore Space One at $100.
Worth it if you want B&W's top headphones and care about materials and wired listening. Bowers & Wilkins says the Px8 S2 uses 40mm carbon cone drivers, Nappa leather and die-cast aluminum, with 30 hours of battery, 8 microphones and aptX Lossless. SoundGuys scored its connectivity 9.5/10, with wired listening over both USB-C and 3.5mm, but gave it only 4.5/10 for value.
If you want B&W's sound and features without the leather and metal, B&W says the Px7 S3 ($479) has the same 30-hour battery, 8 mics, 5-band EQ and codec list, including aptX Lossless. It uses bio-cellulose drivers and a fabric finish instead. SoundGuys recommends the Px7 S3 for the B&W look for less. If noise cancelling matters most, SoundGuys says the Px8 S2's ANC won't make you forget the Sony WH-1000XM6 ($460).
Compared on their own pages: Sony WH-1000XM6 alternatives
| Option | Type | Typical price | You save | What you give up | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2 | The original | $799 | – | – | View ↗ |
| Soundcore Space One | Budget pick | $100 | $699 (87%) | Basic plastic build and sound that's a clear step down. | View ↗ |
| Sonos Ace | Close match | $349 | $450 (56%) | Tom's Guide found its clamping force a bit high for long sessions and its EQ limited to bass and treble, and TV Audio Swap needs a compatible Sonos soundbar. | View ↗ |
| Sennheiser Momentum 5 Wireless | Close match | $400 | $399 (50%) | SoundGuys says it is mainly plastic with metallic accents and found its sound a bit bass-heavy, so it lacks the Px8 S2's leather and aluminum feel. | View ↗ |
| Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) | Close match | $449 | $350 (44%) | Mostly plastic build instead of the Px8 S2's aluminium and leather. | View ↗ |
| Sony WH-1000XM6 | Close match | $460 | $339 (42%) | Plastic build that feels less luxurious than the Px8 S2. | View ↗ |
| Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 | Same brand, cheaper | $479 | $320 (40%) | No Nappa leather or die-cast aluminium arms like the Px8 S2. | View ↗ |
Typical US prices from retailer listings and price trackers, checked October 2026. They are not live Amazon prices and may have changed, so check the listing before you buy.
The Soundcore Space One, at about $100 (87% less). Noise-cancelling over-ear headphones with long battery life for travel. The catch: Basic plastic build and sound that's a clear step down.
The Sony WH-1000XM6, at about $460 (42% less). Sony's flagship with class-leading noise cancelling and a deep feature set. The catch: Plastic build that feels less luxurious than the Px8 S2.
Yes. The Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3, at about $479 (40% less). B&W's own sound tuning and noise cancelling for $320 less. The catch: No Nappa leather or die-cast aluminium arms like the Px8 S2.
B&W gives both 30 hours of battery, 8 microphones, a 5-band EQ and aptX Lossless. The Px8 S2 ($799) adds carbon cone drivers and Nappa leather with die-cast aluminum, while the Px7 S3 ($479) uses bio-cellulose drivers and a fabric finish.
No. B&W lists aptX Lossless, but SoundGuys says iPhones are limited to AAC, which it calls quite good on Apple devices. You can also listen wired over USB-C, where SoundGuys says the headphones' own DAC handles decoding.
Yes. B&W includes a USB-C to 3.5mm cable and a USB-C to USB-C cable. SoundGuys says the USB-C connection also lets you charge while you listen.
Yes, the Sonos Ace ($349) and the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 ($479) both support aptX Lossless, like the Px8 S2 ($799). Bowers & Wilkins lists it for the Px7 S3, and Tom's Guide lists it for the Sonos Ace.
The Sennheiser Momentum 5 Wireless ($400) is the pick: Sennheiser lists up to 57 hours with noise cancelling on, against 30 hours for the Px8 S2 ($799). Its battery is also replaceable, and SoundGuys rated its noise cancelling just behind the top tier.
For most people, no: SoundGuys found the Px8 S2's noise cancelling falls short of the Sony WH-1000XM6 ($460) and gave the Px8 S2 4.5 out of 10 for value. The Px8 S2 ($799) makes more sense if you want its Nappa leather and die-cast aluminum build, and SoundGuys says the choice comes down largely to taste.
Each swap links to amazon.com. Prices are typical US prices checked October 2026 and change often, so check the listing before you buy.
Compared on their own pages: Sony WH-1000XM6 alternatives · Sonos Ace alternatives · Sennheiser Momentum 5 alternatives
Every swap is a product sold in the US that does the main job of the original. Close match is another brand with similar features, Same brand, cheaper is an older, smaller or renewed model from the same maker, and Budget pick is the cheapest thing that still does the job. On each page, Closest match is the close match nearest the original in price, and Lowest price is the cheapest swap. We compare published specs, retailer listings and reviews; we don't test products ourselves.
A cheaper product is cheaper for a reason. Each swap says what you give up, like weaker noise cancelling, a smaller screen or a shorter warranty, so you can decide if the savings are worth it.
Prices are typical US prices from retailer listings and price trackers, last checked October 2026. They are not live Amazon prices, which change often. When a price couldn't be confirmed, the page says “Check price on Amazon” instead of showing a number.
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