Bowers & Wilkins P5 On-Ear Headphones B&W - Black (discontinued by manufacturer)

Product Information

I like this because it takes away stress that would normally be subjected to the plug and directs it more towards the main part of the cord. And the obvious caveat when judging a portable can is that sound quality must be balanced with other factors, such as build quality and durability, looks (for some), weight, size, isolation, practicality in general, etc. As an added bonus, you get excellent noise rejection and the other patrons at your favorite coffee house won't have a clue that you are listening to your favorite emo band (Dashboard Condessional, anyone? It may only be aesthetics but adopting the all-black ‘stealth’ look refines an already beautiful premium design.

Listening to Carly Simon sing "Nobody Does it Better" via FLAC yields wonderfully personal vocals and defined sound staging. I've been through a bunch of Sennheisers, then a pair of WESC, then more recently the Marshall, which lasted me a good 3 years, and I even used these for recording and also mixing. The first of many high end stereo companys (Bose don't count) getting their feet wet ín headfi gear. Worth noting, the headphones drooped down the crown of my head a few times, but that wasn’t a major issue by any means—your mileage may vary. What’s more, the P5s are “Made for iPod,” meaning that they have been certified by Apple to meet compatibility standards required by recent-generation iPods.What bothers me the most about the P5's is for 300 dollars there are far better sounding headphones on the market. There is a definite bump in the upper bass register that makes Getty Lee's bass sound like he's playing in your living room--yes I'm listening to R30 on my P5's as I'm writing this. These won't compete with Grado's or similar open headphones, but for portables, they are VERY impressive.

Mine worked pretty well for two years and I was delighted with the sound, and one day the left driver went out (not a cable issue). However, with the P5 Series 2, the bass thumping went straight to the brain with no hint of speaker laziness. org/t/576341/b-w-p5-modifications is essential and the cheapest and easiest upgrade to gain bass detail, dynamic and better definition in any freq. I have heard that some design mods have been implemented recently on the P5's, but I can't verify it at the moment.It's a shame that headphones this expensive don't come with a dedicated wall plug; you'll have to use your computer or your own USB wall charger. Across the pond in the UK, on what one can only assume was a rainy Seattle-like day, Bowers and Wilkins was founded. It's possible to wear the headphones too tightly—the trick is that the headband can be adjusted to just barely press against your head. Listening to the latest from Moe, Smash Hits, Volume One, the vocals were natural and lacking any kind of artificial push. For recording music with a mobile phone, I prefer to use the cord without so it doesn't record with the headphones, and not a lot of casual listening headphones have this option, which is annoying to me.

It's a testament to the p5's that despite all the other headphones I posses, these are the ones I reach for mostly when I want to relax, close my eyes and be soothed. As someone else found, putting them on then moving them rearwards slightly seems to provide the best, clearest sound. I've walked down a busy sidewalk with rush hour traffic zooming by barely 3 feet away from me and have been able to enjoy my music undisturbed by blaring horns and rumbling buses and trucks. You need to experiment a bit to get best bass extension and articulation, focus, dynamics or to retrieve more ambience and soundstade depth.Value 4 stars: they're not cheap nor they're too much expensive, very good VFM given the quality of construction and overall sound.

As for sound quality, the P5 Wireless are very impressive, retaining much of the sonic character of the excellent, wired P5 S2s. On the other hand, the Audio-Technica have a better-balanced sound and a more comfortable on-ear fit. The second set of cables is a replacement for an original removable cable which comes with in-line remote/mic. However, the thin hinges that connect the frame to the ear cups are the weakest point of this robust and long-lasting build.When listening to classical symphonies the P5 reminds me of my bedroom Onkyo system - a rich, warm sound, with bite and grit, but not too weighty.