[jude]

More photos were added to the B&W P5 unboxing photo set, including shots next to other headphones for some size comparison.

B&W P5 (Bowers & Wilkins P5) headphone - a set on Flickr

 

[hozo]

Thanks Jude, --scratch that-- can't wait for more pics.

The seamless padding idea is very intriguing. It could be super easy for DIYers to make. Lambskin Grados anyone? The B&Ws look butt ugly to me but such a simple yet functional padding idea gave me a why-didn't-I-think-of-that moment. I guess this design was used back in the day.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jona77 /img/forum/go_quote.gif It terms of comfort, yet they are very comfortable, except that your ears warm up a little (though never seem to get too hot), and you have to set the headband a small as possible to get a very snug fit, otherwise you constantly have the feeling that if you move your head forward too quickly they'll go flying off. I have to say they are NOT as comfortable for long periods as either my PX200 or my HD595.

jona77, how acoustically transparent would you say the leather holes are? Any treble difference with/without the padding?

 

[2rooi123]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jona77 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Good point, although here in Europe the ES7 is actually more like 150 euros (still only half the B&W i know, but anyway i don't think the B&W sound better than my HD595, which i only paid about 130 euros for). To be honest i didn't know about the others, although the ES10 costs quite a bit more than the B&W. I don't know much about Audio-Technica as they seem to be a bit more difficult to find over here. Also, i wouldn't usually have spent 300 euros on a headphone, but being B&W i thought it would be worth it.

Can you elaborate more on comfort..

 

[shuttleboi]

Can't you take a picture of the *entire* headphone? There is not a single one shot where more than 75% of the headphone is shown. Can't you use a wide-angle lens? And some photos are blurry and out of focus.

Oh, I see, you're using a Nikon.

 

[shawntp]

Can anyone comment how these stack up against other closed back/smaller in size options.

Stuff like the $100 Sennheiser HD-280 and Sony MDR-7506 or the $200 Beyerdynamic DT 250.

I get you are going to pay for the design and appointments with the P5 but I would expect them to be a noticeable improvement and more detailed/refined than the 7506 or hd280.

 

[shawntp]

Quote:

Originally Posted by shuttleboi /img/forum/go_quote.gif Can't you take a picture of the *entire* headphone? There is not a single one shot where more than 75% of the headphone is shown. Can't you use a wide-angle lens? And some photos are blurry and out of focus. Oh, I see, you're using a Nikon.

Here is another photo of them next to a jewel case. They are quite a bit smaller than I anticipated since they first appeared or when photographed alone. P.S. I thought the photos were great and captured the details nicely - I was able to gauge the size though since I am familiar with some of the other headphones pictured.

 

[jona77]

Prog Rock Man: That's sort of my point - i probably could have had something sounding as good for around the 150-200 euro mark, although I don't mind paying a bit more for something so obviously well made.

hozo: I wouldn't dare try without the ear pads as it just a block of milled metal under there (uncomfortable!), but I don't think the holes in the pads are too restricting.

Just for info, although i was going to return them today, i finally decided to try them a couple more days. Tonight i went out for the first time on the subway, and i have to say, i was very impressed with the noise isolation. They blocked out most alot of background noise but you could still hear just enough (such as announcements or approaching trains).

One more thing i discovered since my last post: i tried them through my imac, iphone, and ipod shuffle (having previously only tested them through my ipod classic as that's what i bought them for) and it's made me realise the difference between the headphone outputs of all these apple products - It turns out my 80Gb Classic has the worst output of the lot.

 

[Kobra]

Can't wait until this review is finished, been waiting a long time for it. Hopefully my local hi-fi store will have them in stock in a short period of so that I can try them for myself. I'm not comfortable with online ordering a set of headphones for €300 without a listening test....

I'd be interested to read a comparison to the Denon AH-D1001 and the Denon AH-D2000 as I have those headphones.

 

[Sceptre]

I spent about 20 minutes with these at the London Apple Store last Thursday afternoon. They had 2 on demo and about 10 units in boxes on show.

I decided not to buy them.

They were too warm on my ear for comfortable listening.

I used my own source music (ALAC) from a 3GS iPhone and H120 to BG'd D10.

The sound didn't move me. I preferred the IE8's I was using on the trip that day. Although cheaper than the ESW10, they were not a patch on their sound.

They are well priced for an upgrade from iBuds and cheap IEM's.

I'm sure the sound would improve with time. Great style though, just not matched by their audio presentation as I heard them

Happy listening though.

Sceptre

 

[2rooi123]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sceptre /img/forum/go_quote.gif I spent about 20 minutes with these at the London Apple Store last Thursday afternoon. They had 2 on demo and about 10 units in boxes on show. I decided not to buy them. They were too warm on my ear for comfortable listening. I used my own source music (ALAC) from a 3GS iPhone and H120 to BG'd D10. The sound didn't move me. I preferred the IE8's I was using on the trip that day. Although cheaper than the ESW10, they were not a patch on their sound. They are well priced for an upgrade from iBuds and cheap IEM's. I'm sure the sound would improve with time. Great style though, just not matched by their audio presentation as I heard them Happy listening though. Sceptre

So are they worse than bose oe or beats solo?

 

[mikeymad]

waiting for more impressions....

 

[kool bubba ice]

I don't have a ipod and don't want one. I like to connect with the music, which has me lying down with my eyes shut. I'm a critical listener who wants to focus all my attention on the music.

 

[proteuskim]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kool bubba ice /img/forum/go_quote.gif I don't have a ipod and don't want one. I like to connect with the music, which has me lying down with my eyes shut. I'm a critical listener who wants to focus all my attention on the music.

that's very profound and all, but for the majority of people who have to commute and own iPhones, this doesn't seem like a bad option. still has me intrigued enough to give them a fair listen in the apple store. if they're comfortable enough and not too much of a pain to carry around then they would beat risking having your $700 headphones damaged or stolen during your commute. and the ESW9's do not isolate very well, so (depending on how they actually sound) the P5s just may be a very good commuter hp.

 

[fhuang]

besides comfort and sound, wondering how well do they isolate/block out noise

 

[rds]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kool bubba ice /img/forum/go_quote.gif I don't have a ipod and don't want one. I like to connect with the music, which has me lying down with my eyes shut. I'm a critical listener who wants to focus all my attention on the music.

You can lie down with your eyes shut while using an ipod