Bowers Wilkins Wireless Headphones PI4 User Guide
- June 6, 2024
- Bowers Wilkins
Table of Contents
Bowers Wilkins Wireless Headphones PI4
Welcome to Bowers & Wilkins and PI4
Thank you for choosing Bowers & W ilkins. When John Bowers first established our company, he did so in the belief that imaginative design, innovative engineering and advanced technology were keys that could unlock the enjoyment of audio in the home. His belief is one that we conti nue to share and inspires every product we design, tailored for new audio experiences outside of the home.
The Bowers & W ilkins PI4 are high performance in-ear headphones designed to deliver the highest quality mobile personal audio experience co mbined with the convenience of wireless operation and the serenity of noise-cancellation. This manual will tell you everything you need to know to get the mos t from your PI4 headphones.
Your PI4 headphones can play music str eamed wirelessly from your mobile
phone, tablet or computer via Bluetooth and used for wir eless telephony. PI4
can also play audio while being charged via USB. PI4 Real World Listening
features include our latest innovations in Adaptive Noise Cancellation,
Ambient Pass-Through and Magnetic Clip Sensor technologies. Our latest
generation noise cancellation featur e was designed from the ground up with
intelligent environment sensing capabilities, automatically selecting the
appropriate type of noise cancellation best suited to your surrounding
environment, its only goal is to deliver an uncompr omised listening
experience. Ambient Pass-Through enables external sounds, such as
conversation or safety announcements, to be hear d clearly without any need to
remove the headphones. The Magnetic Clip Sensing featur e enables the PI4 to
respond naturally, pausing and resuming the music simply by clipping the
earpieces together. These features can be enabled and further customised via
the Bowers & Wilkins Headphone App available for fr ee on iOS and Android
devices.
PI4 headphones incorporate a rechargeable battery pack. When fully charged and depending on the degree of Bluetooth, Adaptive Noise Cancellation and Ambient Pass-Through use, the battery pack can provide up to 10 hours of continuous wireless media streaming with noise cancellation enabled at average playback volume levels.
PI4 Carton Contents
- PI4 headphones
- Storage case
- USB-C charging cable
- Ear tips (small, medium and large)
- Ear stabilisers (small, medium and large)
- Document pack
Getting to know your PI4
Switching Headphones On and Off
Diagram 1 illustrates Power button functionality.
Switching On
The Power button is located on the left contr ol unit. Press and hold the
Power button for 2 seconds. An audible cue will be presented and the LED
indicator will light up in ether gr een, amber or red displaying the current
charge level.
Switching Off
Press and hold the Power button for 2 seconds. An audible cue will be
presented and the headphones will power down when the LED indictor is no
longer lit.
Headphone Controls
Diagram 2 illustrates the headphone contr ols. The following buttons on the
right contr ol unit are used to for media playback:
Status Indicator
The status LED indicator is located on the right control unit, Diagram 3
explains the illumination states.
Intelligent Features
Adaptive Noise Cancellation
Noise cancellation is a series of advanced technologies that aids in removing
undesired noise from the surrounding environment. PI4 features our latest
innovations in adaptive noise cancellation, this includes intelligent sensing
that adapts noise cancellation and tuning best suited to your surrounding
environment. As your surroundings
change, noise cancellation will auto adapt to complement your new environment.
The Noise Cancellation button on the left contr ol unit is used to cycle
between the following modes, see.
Mode Application
High: Suitable for consistently noisy environments such in an airplane
cabin.
Low: Suitable for environments where you need awareness of your
surroundings.
Auto: Intelligently adapts noise cancellation best suited to your current
environment.
Off: Turns off the noise cancellation feature.
Ambient Pass-Through
PI4 features Ambient Pass-Through which lets some external noise from the surrounding environment, such as safety announcements or conversations, to be heard without taking the headphones of f. The Noise Cancellation button on the left contr ol unit also controls this feature, see Diagram 2 for button location.
Function Action
Enable ambient pass-through: Press and hold the Noise Cancellation
button for 2 seconds.
Disable ambient pass-through: With ambient pass-through enabled, either
hold down or single press the Noise Cancellation button for 2 seconds, the
headphones will return to the previous noise cancellation mode.
The level of ambient pass-through can be further customised to suite your needs using the Bowers & Wilkins Headphones App.
Magnetic Clip Sensors
PI4 incorporate magnetic clip sensors in the earpieces, enabling intelligent battery conservation by entering standby when clipped together. When unclipped again, PI4 automatically wakes and connects to the last connected Bluetooth device. During media playback, PI4 will auto pause when both earpieces are clipped together. If unclipped before standby, playback will automatically resume. Auto resume has also been optimised so it is ready only when you are. This means the headphone will not attempt to resume playback during following conditions:
- Headphone powers on from the off state.
- Headphone wakes from the standby state.
- Headphone reboots (such as after a factory reset).
Magnetic sensors and standby can be adjusted using the Bowers & Wilkins Headphones App.
Battery Charging and Power Saving
Your PI4 comes with the battery partially charged may be used immediately. For best practice we recommend to fully charge the headphones befor e first use. Please allow up to 3 hours for full charge. The headphones can be used while charging.
To charge:
1. Please use the supplied charging cable and connect the USB-A plug to a
wall charger or a powered computer USB-A socket.
2. Then connect the USB-C end to the headphones USB-C socket.
Note : During charging, the headphone indicator will flash green. When
fully charged, the indicator will remain illuminated. See Diagram 3 for status
indicator details.
Standby Power Saving
PI4 magnetic clip sensors intelligently conserve power. When removed from your ears and clipped together, PI4 will automatically enter Standby which will pause media playback, disconnect Bluetooth, and switch to a low power state. When unclipped again, PI4 will wake and r econnect to the last connected Bluetooth sour ce. If the magnetic sensors are disabled using the App, this feature will also be disabled. With the app, you can customise how long the headphones will wait before switching to Auto Standby, please see Standby T imer under Settings in the App.
Wearing Your Headphones
Wearing your headphones correctly will help ensure you get the best possible experience, see Diagram 5. Like many in-ear headphones, the PI4 earpieces are designed to seal the ear canal in order to perform optimally. The earpieces are also designed be used with the stabiliser fins and must be installed prior to use. Both ear tips and stabiliser fins come in thr ee sizes (small, medium and large). Finding the pr oper size for your ear is critical to obtaining a good seal and ensure PI4 and the advanced featur es such as Adaptive Noise Cancellation performs optimally.
- Identify the left and right earpieces by finding the identification legends located on the interior of each cable near the earpieces. Hold PI4 by the left and right control units and hang the headphone around your neck comfortably, the earpieces should be at equal length.
- Place the earphones in your ear so that the tips sit comfortably at the opening of the ear canal.
- Ensure the stabiliser fins are sitting comfortably in the ear. Try another size if they do not fit. Different sized ear tips and stabiliser fins can be used to ensure the best possible fit.
Bluetooth Connection
Pairing
PI4 is designed to stream media wirelessly from Bluetooth audio devices, such as smartphones, tablets or personal computers. To do so, the headphone and device (source) must first be paired, see Diagram 6.
- The first time you switch on your headphones, Bluetooth pairing mode will be enabled, the indicator will flash blue. If pairing mode is not enabled, press and hold the power button for 5 seconds, let go when the indicator blinks blue and when an audible cue is presented.
- Ensure the Bluetooth feature is enabled on the audio device, PI4 will appear in the discovery list, select it to pair.
- The indicator will flash blue while pairing is in progress, this will change to solid blue and an audible cue presented when pairing is successful. Your headphones will remember up to eight paired Bluetooth devices. Repeat the above steps to pair more devices.
Note : Your headphones will automatically exit Bluetooth pairing mode if no device is paired within 5 minutes. If pairing fails, the indicator will rapid flash blue, please tr y pairing again.
Multiple Bluetooth Connections
PI4 can connect up to two devices at the same time, but note that you can only play audio or take calls from one device at a time.
To switch between two devices:
- Pause audio on the first device, or use the PI4 multi-function button.
- Play audio from the second device and the headphone will switch over. When streaming audio, receiving a call on the second device will automatically pause playback and the call will be r outed automatically to your headphones. Ending the call will automatically resume playback from the first device.
Disconnect from a Device
You can quickly disconnect PI4 fr om a device by pressing the Power button two times in quick succession, an audible tone will be pr esented indicating successful disconnection. Alternatively, you can manage connection in further detail using the Bowers & W ilkins Headphones app under Connections.
Setting Up Headphones with the App
The Bowers & W ilkins Headphones app provides extended setup. The app also pr ovides further customisations such as voice prompt, standby time, connection management and headphone software updates. The app is available as a fr ee download on iOS and Android devices.
To add your headphones:
- From your mobile device, download and install the Bowers & W ilkins Headphones app.
- Launch the app, then read and follow the instructions pertaining app notification and permissions.
- After reaching the main screen, simply tap + and following the in-app instructions.
Headphone Software Updates
Bowers & Wilkins will occasionally make available software updates that refine and optimise the performance of your headphones or add new features. The Bowers & W ilkins Headphones app will notify you when a software update is available, tap on the notification and the follow in-app instructions.
Power Cycle and Reset
Power Cycle
You can power cycle your PI4, simultaneously hold the Volume + and Volume – buttons for 10 seconds until the indicator LED extinguishes, let go when the indicator lights up again. Rebooting your headphones will not reset their internal settings or clear the paired device history.
Reset to Default
You can clear the paired device history and restore all settings to their defaults. W ith the PI4 powered on, simultaneously hold the Volume + , Volume – and Noise Cancellation buttons for 10 seconds until the indicator LED extinguish, let go when the indicator lights up again, the headphones will be r eady to pair to a device. Alternatively, you can also Reset from the Bowers & Wilkins Headphones app, please see Reset under Settings in the app.
Care & Maintenance
Storing Your PI4
Taking care of your PI4 will ensur e they continue to deliver the best performance and experience. When not used, stow your headphones using the included storage pouch, see Diagram 7. It is recommended the headphones are first powered off:
- With the headphones not wor n, take the neckband and form a single loop.
- Bundle the loop and control units together in one hand. With the free hand, clip the earpieces together and loop the earbuds over the bundle.
- The opening of the pouch can be pinched open, slide the headphones in, then ensur e the opening is closed and no parts of the headphones are sticking out.
Cleaning Your PI4
Your PI4 can be cleaned by a soft, damp micr ofiber cloth, gently wipe or dab clean. Removable pieces such as ear tips and stabiliser fins should be taken off and cleaned separately. If you notice wax and r esidue accumulation on the sound tubes, take a cotton swab or soft brush and gently wipe away.
- Do NOT aggressively rub or use an abrasive tool to clean.
- Do NOT use paper towels, napkins or tissue as they will leave residue.
- Do NOT use cleaning detergents, soapy water, polish or chemical cleaners.
- Do NOT wash or submerge all or parts of the headphones in liquid.
Support
Should you require further help or advice r egarding your PI4 please visit the
Headphones support site here
www.bowerswilkins.com/support
Specifications
- Wearing Style Bluetooth Wireless In-Ear Headphone
- Technical Features Adaptive Noise Cancellation Ambient Pass-Through Magnetic Clip Sensor
- Bluetooth 5.0 with AptX-Adaptive technology USB-C charging and audio interface
- Bluetooth Codecs AptX-Adaptive
- AptX-HD
- AptX-Classic
- AAC
- SBC
- Bluetooth Profiles
- A2DP v1.3.1
- AVRCP v1.6.1
- HFP v1.7.1
- HSP v1.2
- BLE GATT (Generic Attribute Pr ofile)
- Drive Units 2 x ø14.2mm full range
- Microphones 2x mics for ANC 2x mics for telephony (CVC1 – Clear V oice Communication v1)
- Frequency Range 10Hz to 30kHz
- Distortion (THD) <0.3% (1kHz/10mW)
- Battery Type Rechargeable Lithium Polymer
- Battery Life & Charging 10 hrs Bluetooth with ANC, 3hrs with 15min charge
- Inputs Bluetooth, USB-C audio
- In Box Accessories 20cm USB-A to USB-C cable, Storage Pouch, Ear Tips (S, M, L) & Stability Fins (S, M, L)
- Weight 40 grams
Environmental Information
This product complies with international directives, including but not limited to the Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) in electrical and electronic equipment, the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and restriction of Chemicals (REACH) and the disposal of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE). Consult your local waste disposal authority for guidance on how properly to recycle or dispose of this product.