[Alec E]

  How on earth can that be true...?

 
What prevents it from being true? 
 
Lower price? Consensus among message board users?

 

[DrSheep]

   
What prevents it from being true?
 
Lower price? Consensus among message board users?

More like actual in depth testing of the two, and I do own the P5.  Multiple times I truely wanted to buy the P3, but I just can't bare myself to do it, knowing full well it is not as good as the P5 and there are better stuff out there.  I like the sound of B&W, but the P3 is not that.

 

[GREQ]

 

  How on earth can that be true...?

 
What prevents it from being true? 
 
Lower price? Consensus among message board users?

Yes - the general consensus is that the P3 is one of the most underwhelming headphones to be released recently. 
It has even popped up quite a number of times on the "worst headphone you've ever heard" thread - although not usually described as 'the worst ever' but certainly one of the most underwhelming-overpriced headphone people have recently auditioned; especially considering that a [highly] respected audio company produced it.

 

[mongeddavid]

I had the P5s along side some Grado PS500s and RS1is. I enjoyed the P5s and they are far easier to take out and about with you. I also found them a tad veiled but removing the leaher from the center of the ear cups and neatly sticking it back down opened them out nicely. I ultimately passed them on however i wouldn't mind owning a pair in the future. As with anything HiFi or headphones you must try before you buy.

 

[Speakerphile]

  How on earth can that be true...?

 
It's not.  He is mistaken.  I have them both in front of me right now.
 
On a serious note, I wasn't that impressed by either one.  The P3 was significantly worse though.  Bloated bass, missing chunks of upper mid-range. They are beautiful though... 

 

[Alec E]

  Yes - the general consensus is that the P3 is one of the most underwhelming headphones to be released recently. 
It has even popped up quite a number of times on the "worst headphone you've ever heard" thread - although not usually described as 'the worst ever' but certainly one of the most underwhelming-overpriced headphone people have recently auditioned; especially considering that a [highly] respected audio company produced it.

 
Have any technology writers of any reputation expressed this opinion--or is it something that has only flourished on this groupthink-plagued web forum? 

 

[p a t r i c k]

   
Have any technology writers of any reputation expressed this opinion--or has it something that has only flourished on this groupthink-plagued web forum? 

 
I generally do not comment on headphones that I have not heard to a great extent.
 
I recently purchased some P5s after a series of in shop auditions at a Dixons at Gatwick airport (south of London). The reason for the series of additions was that I happened to be having a series of flights from Gatwich over a number of months. I wrote a review of my purchased P5s which can be read here.
 
Anyway when I was listening to the P5s I also listened to the P3s and I thought they sounded rather good actually. However I will not say any more unless I have more thorough listening to those headphones.

 

[GREQ]

 
Have any technology writers of any reputation expressed this opinion--or has it something that has only flourished on this groupthink-plagued web forum? 

 
I thought the P5 and P3 were'nt pulling their weight very early on before any consensus was formed. 
I've auditioned a number of copies a number of times including very recently. (my friend owns a P5).
I'm not afraid to express my opinion if it differs from the crowd - this time however the vast majority of the crowd mirrors my experience. 
 
What this comes down to is taste. Both P3 and P5 offer an extremely lush, smooth sound that teeters dangerously on the edge of muffled and boring. 
If you're looking for that ultra-relaxed smoothness and willing to sacrifice the resolution that's fine. Everyone has different priorities. 
 
If you want the opinion of an experienced tech-writer look at what Tyll wrote about it.
He also experienced a lack of fidelity that one would expect at that price. 
He also somehow managed to get a 'good listening experience' out of it by playing with the positioning on his ears. My ears however didn't bend the headphones to my will and remained boring, on the edge of muffled with too much mid-bass.

 

[p a t r i c k]

  If you want the opinion of an experienced tech-writer look at what Tyll wrote about it.

 
I recommend people read Tyll Hertsens review of the P5 headphones.
 
http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/bowers-wilkins-p5-portable-headphoneheadset
 
Tyll Herstens opinion of these cans does not share anything with GREQ's from what I can see.
 
In the Sound Quality section of Tyll's review he starts very negative, but he describes a bit of a journey.
 
He writes:
 
When I first heard these headphones, I thought, “That’s a shame, they really don’t sound very neutral.” But our brain is a tricky bugger and it tries to accustom itself to the sounds we hear.
 
And continues:
 
In the case of the P5 and my particular brain (such as it is) I ended up really enjoying my listening experiences with these cans.
 
He writes many good things about the P5s such as:
 
The emphatic bass on the P5 is one of the better-realized lows I’ve heard on a headphone of this type
 
I entirely agree with his summary:
 
While my obsessive desire for very high fidelity wasn’t satisfied with the Bowers & Wilkins P5, my desire for a good listening experience on the move certainly was.
 
These headphones are not the absolute last word in high fidelity, but my experience with them, as an owner, is that the resolution is very good with them. My musical tastes are directed towards music which really has massive amounts of information hidden in tiny details (impressionism) and I find that the P5s reveal a great deal of that information. So, resolution is pretty good imho, they are no slouch, but it is true that better absolute resolution is available in other cans at this price range.
 
However the P5s have excellent isolation and are compact and they sound great with mobile devices such as my first generation iPod Touch. I recommend using them direct into the mobile device because I don't think an alternative amplifier will make much difference with the P5s. So if you are concerned about the price you can think perhaps on saving some by not needing an alternative amplifier.
 
If you wish to get headphones for use on the move then the P5s are imho definitely worth it.
 
There is no "negative consensus" about these headphones. Just a bunch of people who have not listened to them very thoroughly or considered what they are actually for.

 

[Beagle]

  Yes - the general consensus is that the P3 is one of the most underwhelming headphones to be released recently.
It has even popped up quite a number of times on the "worst headphone you've ever heard" thread - although not usually described as 'the worst ever' but certainly one of the most underwhelming-overpriced headphone people have recently auditioned; especially considering that a [highly] respected audio company produced it.

 
 
The P5 and P3 are very musical headphones. They deliver music where the components gel properly, without screech and harshness. If you want fake excitement and fake exaggerated detail, look elsewhere.

 

[Speakerphile]

   
 
The P5 and P3 are very musical headphones. They deliver music where the components gel properly, without screech and harshness. If you want fake excitement and fake exaggerated detail, look elsewhere.

 
They do have "fake" exaggerated bass though.  And the coloration on rock is just unbearable.  Listen to a Green Day track and you'll "see" what I mean.  I just can't deal with it.  The detail is great though.  

 

[Beagle]

I'm hearing the exact opposite.....but hey, to each their own.

 

[ubs28]

  Hello, I'm new to the forum, so I'm still a Dummie on headphones.
 
I have a Bose AE2 and since I saw the P5 I've been thinking if it's really worth it for 300 bucks if I paid 150 on the AE2s. I don't really care for noise isolation. And I wanted a headphone for home use and the sound quality is on the top of what I want from a head-phone. For it's price, is it one of the best that I can get or should I stay with my AE2s?
 
Sorry, if I'm saying something stupid or anything.

 
If Isolation doesn't matter, then go for an open headphone. My personal favorite, the Shure SRH 1840. The Shure SE535 is better than my B&W P5, yet the Shure SRH 1840 annihilates the Shure SE535 in every single way. 
 
I wish I didn't buy the B&W P5 and just went straight to a high-end open headphone like the Shure SRH 1840
 
But the B&W P5 is good at what it does, it sounds amazing on all music and movies ..... whether is badly recorded or not (headphones like the Shure SE535 can sometimes sound bad on badly recorded music ). 
 
It's better to just take your headphone to a store and test the B&W P5 against your current headphone and see if it's much better

 

[GREQ]

 

  If you want the opinion of an experienced tech-writer look at what Tyll wrote about it.

 
I recommend people read Tyll Hertsens review of the P5 headphones.
 
These headphones are not the absolute last word in high fidelity, but my experience with them, as an owner, is that the resolution is very good with them. My musical tastes are directed towards music which really has massive amounts of information hidden in tiny details (impressionism) and I find that the P5s reveal a great deal of that information. So, resolution is pretty good imho, they are no slouch, but it is true that better absolute resolution is available in other cans at this price range.
 
There is no "negative consensus" about these headphones. Just a bunch of people who have not listened to them very thoroughly or considered what they are actually for.

Like I said - better resolution available.
And I have listened to them thoroughly and several times. Just let me have my opinion, jeez.
 

  The P5 and P3 are very musical headphones. They deliver music where the components gel properly, without screech and harshness. If you want fake excitement and fake exaggerated detail, look elsewhere.

I'm a Momentum user - nobody has ever used the worsh "screech and harshness/fake exaggerated detail" to describe those. So clearly I'm not for wanting those 'qualities' - just sharing my opinions.

 

[Beagle]

  Like I said - better resolution available.
And I have listened to them thoroughly and several times. Just let me have my opinion, jeez.
 
I'm a Momentum user - nobody has ever used the worsh "screech and harshness/fake exaggerated detail" to describe those. So clearly I'm not for wanting those 'qualities' - just sharing my opinions.

 
You can have your opinion. But if you share it, expect other different opinions as well.
 
Certainly no screech or harshness in the Momentum. For that to even be possible, you need at least some upper midrange/lower treble presence