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New Head-Fier
Bowers & Wilkins P5 Mobile Headphones

Bowers & Wilkins P5 Mobile Headphones

Farnsworth
Pros: Decent looks, New Zealand sheep's leather
Cons: Poor sound, uncomfortable, overpriced
I can't add much to skylab's excellent review. I was so seduced by the idea of soft sheep's leather against my ears that I pulled the trigger on these only to regret the decision and have to sell them. The sound is muffled and dark and without body. They get uncomfortable against your ears after about half an hour. They look (and smell) nice, but that alone can't justify $300. The people giving them rave reviews on the consumer websites have either never heard good cans or are utterly hypnotized by the B&W brand aura and can't stand the cognitive dissonance of having spent $300 on subpar headphones. Back to the drawing board, B&W!
HiFlight
HiFlight
Exactly the reason I returned mine!
iAmCodeMonkey
iAmCodeMonkey
"The people giving them rave reviews on the consumer websites have either never heard good cans or are utterly hypnotized by the B&W brand aura and can't stand the cognitive dissonance of having spent $300 on subpar headphones."
 
Wow, really?!
 
Just because you don't like them doesn't mean that other people will. Audio quality is subjective and different people have different tastes in sound. What you said in your review reminds me of those 1-star reviews on Amazon from people who have listened to them in the Apple Store for 5-minutes or so and then concluded that they suck. You need to give these at least 50-hours of play time before the sound opens up. They are also VERY sensitive to how you place the earcups onto your ears, comfort-wise.
 
I happen to love mine. No cognitive dissonance here.
 
By the way, what you referred to as "cognitive dissonance" is actually called "buyer's remorse", usually felt by people who did not do the proper research before buying something. That is hardly feeling the conflicting stress of having two conflicting beliefs at once, which is the proper definition of cognitive dissonance.
 
Go here and learn something: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cognitive_dissonance
radioplay

radioplay

New Head-Fier
Denon aha 100

Denon aha 100

nightmancometh
Pros: Audio quality, comfort, easy to power, stylish design, 5-year warranty
Cons: Limited availability
I walked in to a nearby stereo store a couple weeks ago and saw these on display. I hadn’t intended to buy anything, but after I demo’ed the H-A100 on my iPhone I had no choice but to walk out $500+tax poorer. Not a moment too soon, because it was their last pair in stock. It is now the crown jewel of my fledgling high-end headphone collection.
 
Currently I own these, the EarSonics SM3, the ATH-M50, the Denon AH-C710, the Grado SR80, and the Sennheiser HD 555. I had a pair of Sennheiser HD 575s that died about a year ago. My frame of reference is thus limited by the fact that I haven’t done extensive home listening with flagship cans like the HD 800, the T1, the A7000, the LCD-2, etc. I’m only going to compare them to the SM3s below because the other headphones in my collection don’t even come close.

I bought the SM3s on the basis of their high reputation around here (I’ve been a lurker for a while) and although I was quite happy with them I can assert that the A100s are better in almost every way: better soundstage (goes without saying); tighter, punchier bass; equally lush, liquid mids; and a vastly superior high end that captures far more detail without sibilance or harshness. The SM3s obviously have better isolation, but isolation on the closed A100s is quite decent, and they’re far more comfortable for extended wear because they’re not jammed into your ear canals. They’re lightweight and feel secure without any tight clamping.

They sound great running off mobile devices, so I see them as the phones that the B&W P5s were supposed to be: a truly audiophile mobile solution. They cost $200 more and they’re bulkier, but unlike the P5 they actually DO offer audiophile sound from mobile sources.

I can’t speak to how they stack up against the flagship headphones listed above, but given that they blow the highly-regarded SM3s out of the water, I’d say they occupy a very sweet spot where SQ, comfort, price, and mobility meet in perfect harmony. They’re also beautiful. It’s too bad they’re only a limited edition, because I think they’re world-beaters. Knowing how Japanese firms operate, I suspect Denon is selling these at sliver-thin to no margin: A limited-edition product celebrating their centennial is the kind of statement into which they might pour their resources with only a cursory nod to profit.

If you can get your hands on these, by all means give them a try. They may not replace your HD 800 or Stax SR-007, but I think they offer even the most discerning audiophile an excellent mobile solution, and for many may be the last headphones you’ll need to buy.

 
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