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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
If you want the earbuds built around Qualcomm aptX and a hybrid dual-driver setup with adaptive noise cancellation, choose Bowers & Wilkins Pi7; if you need LDAC decoding, a hybrid balanced-armature plus 12mm dynamic driver design and the longest rated battery life here, choose TOZO Golden X1. I'm framing this whole comparison around aptX HD earbuds — that is, 24-bit-capable wireless listening — and I'll also flag where each of these fits in a family, since a lot of readers search for the best open ear headphones for children or on ear headphones for children and end up looking at in-ear models like these instead.
• Bowers & Wilkins Pi7 — biggest strength: Qualcomm aptX streaming with dual hybrid drivers and individual amplifiers, plus three-level adaptive noise cancellation and wear sensors that handle play/pause for you.
• Bowers & Wilkins Pi7 — biggest trade-off: It's aimed at adult listeners, the fit depends heavily on getting the right ear tip seal, and its rated battery life is the shorter of the two.
• TOZO Golden X1 — biggest strength: LDAC decoding up to 990 kbit/s, a 12Hz–44.1kHz frequency range with a balanced armature handling treble, and a rated 32 hours of playback.
• TOZO Golden X1 — biggest trade-off: Its charging case is bulkier and heavier, and the ear-placement data still describes an in-ear bud — so it is not a true open-ear or on-ear design for kids.
• Who the Pi7 is for: listeners who want aptX-based high-fidelity streaming and refined noise control in a compact in-ear package.
• Who the Golden X1 is for: listeners who want LDAC, a very wide frequency range and long battery life, and don't mind a bigger case.
The Pi7 is a true wireless in-ear headphone with a rounded-tip design, three sizes of soft flexible ear tips, and a charcoal/black finish with a faux leather charging case. Inside each earbud sit dual hybrid drivers measuring 9.2mm, each with its own amplifier, paired with Bluetooth 5.0 and Qualcomm aptX. In plain terms: this is a design built to keep a 24-bit stream intact from your phone, tablet or computer rather than squashing it down.
I'd point this one at an adult listener who wants aptX streaming and genuinely adjustable noise cancellation, and who values the retransmission case for a plane screen or an older device with no Bluetooth. I'd steer away anyone hunting for a child-oriented fit — the sheet lists the age range as adult, and the whole design assumes you'll dial in a proper sound-isolating seal with the right ear tip. If the tips don't match your ear canals, the listed sound and call quality won't show up.
TOZO Golden X1: Who It's For
The Golden X1 pairs two driver types in one earbud body: a customized balanced armature and a 12mm dynamic driver. That's a deliberate split of duties — the armature is described as handling high frequencies like guitar metal and drum cymbals, while the 12mm dynamic driver reaches down to a rated 12Hz, below what humans can hear. The overall frequency range is listed as 12Hz to 44.1kHz, with 107dB sensitivity and 28 ohm impedance, and it carries JAS Hi-Res wireless certification.
On the wireless side, the headline for anyone searching aptX HD earbuds is LDAC: it streams 24-bit/96kHz audio at up to 990 kbit/s, which the sheet notes is more than three times the data of ordinary SBC. Bluetooth is version 5.3 with a 10-metre range and a rated 60ms latency. Noise control is active noise cancellation plus environment noise reduction, using six built-in microphones to cut up to 42dB of ambient noise — the sheet even mentions using the noise reduction without music to sleep on a plane or train. There's also a transparency-style mode so you can hear your surroundings, and a wind-noise mode for outdoor listening.
Charging is flexible: Type-C and wireless charging both work, and a digital LED display on the case shows battery in real time. Rated battery life is 32 hours, with a 2-hour charge time. Controls are touch plus app-based through the TOZO app. The color is Galaxy Blue/Black, the case is plastic with metal and plastic enclosure materials, and the age range is listed as all.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for aptX streaming → Bowers & Wilkins Pi7. Bluetooth 5.0 with Qualcomm aptX and dual hybrid drivers with individual amps.
• Best for LDAC and high-resolution decoding → TOZO Golden X1. LDAC at up to 990 kbit/s, 24-bit/96kHz.
• Best for battery life → TOZO Golden X1. 32 hours rated versus 25 hours on the Pi7.
• Best for a quick top-up → Bowers & Wilkins Pi7. A 15-minute charge is rated for up to 2 hours of playback.
• Best for deep bass and treble extension → TOZO Golden X1. A rated 12Hz–44.1kHz range with a dedicated balanced armature.
• Best for adjustable noise control → Bowers & Wilkins Pi7. Three selectable levels (high/low/auto) rather than a single ANC mode.
• Best for sleep and travel noise blocking → TOZO Golden X1. Up to 42dB of reduction and a listed sleep use case.
• Best for a compact, pocketable case → Bowers & Wilkins Pi7. 62g total versus a 193g kit with a 7cm case.
• Best for streaming from a non-Bluetooth source → Bowers & Wilkins Pi7. The case retransmits audio over USB-C.
• Best for kids or open-ear/on-ear needs → neither, honestly. Both sheets list in-ear buds, and the Pi7 is listed as adult age range.
If I had to pick one, I'd buy the TOZO Golden X1 — LDAC at 990 kbit/s, a 12Hz–44.1kHz range and a 32-hour rated battery cover more of what I actually want from high-resolution wireless listening, and the app control plus charging flexibility make it the easier daily driver. I'd choose the Bowers & Wilkins Pi7 instead if aptX support, three-level adaptive noise cancellation and that clever retransmission case matter more to me than battery life. For a child, I'd look elsewhere entirely — both of these are in-ear designs, so if you're shopping for the best open ear headphones for children, on ear headphones for children, or spatial-audio options built for kids, this pair isn't it.
FAQ
which earbuds support aptx hd
They're different high-resolution codecs rather than one being universally better. The Golden X1's LDAC is listed at up to 990 kbit/s for 24-bit/96kHz audio, while the Pi7's aptX is tied to its dual hybrid drivers with individual amplifiers. Which sounds better to you depends on your source device and what it supports.
The TOZO Golden X1 is rated at 32 hours of average battery life with a 2-hour charge time. The Bowers & Wilkins Pi7 is rated at 25 hours, but supports a 15-minute quick charge for up to 2 hours of playback. Long runtime favors the X1; fast top-ups favor the Pi7.
The Pi7 gives you three selectable adaptive levels — high, low and auto — plus four microphones. The Golden X1 uses active noise cancellation with six microphones and environment noise reduction rated to cut up to 42dB and block 90% of background noise. Check the current price on Amazon and weigh which style of control you prefer.
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