Apple’s AirPods continue to dominate the wireless earbuds market but they now have even more competition to fend off. The audio experts at UK firm Bowers & Wilkins have just announced the launch of their latest music makers and they certainly sound impressive.

The most premium of the pair – called the Pi8 – now offer support for high-resolution audio thanks to aptX Adaptive and aptX Lossless technology. This should mean users hear tunes exactly as the artist intended – as long as you’re using a compatible Android smartphone.

To improve things further the Pi8 also adds upgraded DAC, DSP and amplifier components plus there’s Carbon Cone drive unit technology which was first developed for the multi-Award-winning Px8 over-ear headphones.

Active noise cancellation (ANC) also makes sure you only hear your music and nothing else.

Express.co.uk has already tested these buds ahead of their official launch and there’s no question that they sound pretty mighty considering their compact size. Audio is rich, clear with plenty of bass and we’d say they sound as good as some over-ear cans we’ve tried in the past. That’s no mean feat from Bowers & Wilkins.

Another bonus of these buds is being able to use the case to beam audio straight to your ears. Simply plug the charging case into any music player, MacBook, turntable or even a plane’s entertainment system and you’ll be able to listen to your content wire-free.

Improvements to the design increase comfort, there’s decent battery life and fast refilling charge them in flash should power run low.

They are compatible with both iPhone and Android, feature Multipoint Bluetooth pairing that allows two devices to connect seamlessly and audio can be adjusted to your taste using the EQ settings in the app.

Bowers & Wilkins is also promising impressive call quality features thanks to carefully positioned microphones designed to reject unwanted external noises during voice calls.

The Pi8 come in several colours including Anthracite Black, Dove White, Jade Green and Midnight Blue.

It all sounds mighty but so does the price. These buds will set you back a whopping £349 when they launch later this month.

If that sounds too much for your wallet then there are the slightly cheaper Pi6 which drop some of the Pi8’s features and cost £219.

“I’m thrilled that the Bowers & Wilkins team has once again been able to raise the bar for premium design, performance and quality in the headphone category,” said Giles Pocock, Vice-President of Brand Marketing at Bowers & Wilkins.

“Our new Pi6 and Pi8 earbuds are truly special – I’m certain they will be just as successful as our Px7 S2e and Px8 headphones have been.”