[jjcha]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ted Baker /img/forum/go_quote.gif Initially I was disappointed with the P5s, they sounded flat, a bit too warm for me (translate warm for quite muddy in the mid and top end range.) My other phones are Senn HD650s (I know this is an unfair comparison) and compared to the clarity of the 650s, they sound muddy to me. I am playing FLAC files using a Cowon S9 as a source. I played pink noise through them for 12 hours and they have opened up. Detail and sound stage is good, bass is not too imposing but is quite impressive for a small pair of phones. They are not a bright pair of phones, I think the top end, to my ear, is a bit disappointing.

They've been pretty disappointing to me as well so far, though I've only had them for a few hours. We'll see how my thoughts develop, as it always takes a fair bit of on-head time before I come to final conclusions on a headphone. I will say at this point I am surprised and it's hard for me to imagine these stacking up with the AKG-K181DJs and HD-25 IIs of the world. I'll dig out my ATH-ES7s (they're here somewhere...), but quite frankly, I think the proper comparison is with the pair of Bose Quiet Comfort 3s I gave to my mom than with the ES7s. They certainly don't stack up to my W10VTGs, but not a whole lot does at a reasonable price range.

It's a shame really. I've always enjoyed portable cans despite the inevitable compromises that they bring with them. This one so far may just be a disappointment, but we'll see. Initial thoughts are totally recessed highs, big upper bass hump. Lack of clarity/transparency. Certainly not close to tonally neutral. Not gonna say they sound like crap, because I don't think they do, but questioning whether one could properly characterize them as "hi-fi".

Certainly look great. Don't sound anything like my B&W XT8s or LM1s even, though suppose that's not surprising.

Will say you should reconsider and explore purchasing the Shures. I had a pair of E500s when they first came out and that strikes me as a far superior portable solution.

Best regards,

-Jason

 

[Ted Baker]

Jason

I agree with your comparisons, AKG-K181DJs and HD-25 IIs, certainly more relevant than HD650s, but I've had no experience of them. The P5s are supposed to be more neutral and are for IPODs though, rather than for monitoring. High end audio - I am not convinced and I think they're probably £100 overpriced. They do improve quite a lot. They sound very flat out of the box. As an IPOD is supposed to be the source, high end is not what these phones were aiming for. They should be better for the price though.

 

[nickchen]

I'm not sure if a neutral sound signature makes sense for a portable can. Especially the bass is the 1st thing that gets dragged out of the music in noisier environments (even with NC).

 

[Ridleyguy]

Which headphones does everyone think the P5s should reasonably be compared to when reviewed? Is the bar being set too high/too low for them based on both their price, and also on the fact that they are from B&W?

 

[Ted Baker]

I think they're aimed at the portable device market. So a reasonable comparison is what you can buy at the £250 mark such as the Shure 530s or closed back phones such as the ones you've already mentioned. They are trying to get a share of this market after all.

 

[Ridleyguy]

Don't you think though that the expectations of many people are higher because it is a B&W product, and their first entry in the headphones arena? Maybe it's PR, but reading the material on their website leads me to the conclusion that this was intended to be a high end product ..R&D, design (mylar, etc.), testing... it goes on. To quote B&W:

"Perfect sound reproduction was our mission from day one. And we've stopped at nothing in the pursuit of our goal, setting up our own acoustic research lab and building some of the world's most pioneering loudspeakers, including the legendary Nautilus. It's a commitment that informs everything we make. P5 is no exception."

 

[Rob Goodison]

Just returned from the Apple Store (Norwich) with a pair - I'm breaking them in as I type, listening to a 320 AAC rip of Jimi Hendrix's Valleys of Neptune (through an Apogee Duet) - sounds very nice.

Bass is forceful and deep, not as deep as my pair of Denon AHD-2000s, but a faster, more tuneful response. Midrange is very good and transparent. Treble could do with a little more extension and quality, but as I've got around 20 minutes on them, I can't really complain - I'm sure they will sound different/better when they've got a few more hours on the clock.

They are very light. The reviewer from the Apple Store must have a very large head indeed - I've got a large head, with a fair amount of thick hair on top, and the P5's fit with no problem whatsoever. It feels a little odd at first to have the pads sitting on the ears, but I've adapted quick enough. Sound leakage is a lot less than the Denon's too.

So far - quite impressed - will update when I've got them burned in some more.

 

[jjcha]

I think the appropriate compset are the ones I already outlined:

Sennheiser HD-25 II
AKG K181DJ
Audio-Technica ATH-ES7 (or more current varient)
Sony MDR D777 (or D66/D77 Eggo varient)
Sony MDR V6
Bose Quiet Comfort 2

To broaden out the group, should include the likes of the Shure products and other universal IEM in the $100 - $300 category. I'm sure there are other headphones people can list, these are just ones I've owned or had meaningful experience with in the past.

I do think expectations do play a role. Coming in and hoping these are as good as the other top of class portables (namely the AKG, audio-technica, Sennheiser models listed above) is probably not the right approach. Better to assume they're more like the Bose and hopefully have acoustic characteristics that recommend them despite being, to be frank, a product being driven to the mass market/lower luxury consumer.

 

[Ted Baker]

Yes Ridley, I thought I'd buy them because they were making big claims and they looked different. And it is B&W after all. I'm not sure the high end claims are borne out in practise. I've not listened to Senn 25s which seem to have had a good write up and are probably a good comparison. I've also not listened to Denon AHD 2000s, but I'll be surprised if they come near, given the reviews of those phones.

I'd describe them as ok everyday phones, a bit overpriced, for nice to look at. They don't blow me away.

 

[jjcha]

They look and feel awesome. I was just thinking, I should gut these and wear them over the JH 13's

I don't think people who own and like these have anything to apologize about. They are a first product for B&W. There are things I like about the sound - there's a nice texture in the mid-bass. The left to right imaging isn't bad. The form factor is absolutely fantastic. I like the level of isolation they give - it's a nice balance for portable cans. I am certain I will discover (as always happens) more things to appreciate about the sound as time goes on.

Portable cans it's always a batch of compromises. I am being critical because there are other products out there at lower price points which have presented some pretty compelling packages. I was hoping B&W would do so as well.

 

[Ted Baker]

Yes there is a tactile factor to them, I just thought given the claims, and the price, they would be better than they are. I will keep them as everyday semi portable phones and I have a suspicion that they'll age well. I've only got about 48 hours on them, so they may get better.

 

[jona77]

I very happy with mine. Initially they were disappointing (see my earlier posts), sounding flat and muddy, but they get better each day and are really opening up a lot, to the point that now i sometimes think I'm listening to an open-backed headphone. The bass is really tight and not over-blown or boomy, and they sound so precise that I've noticed tiny pauses in the some music that I'd never heard before (even on my Senn HD595's).

My only small complaint is that they don't feel quite as secure on my head as some phones.

Yes, they probably are a bit over-priced, and sound-wise may only compare to other phones around the 200 euro mark, but as an all-round portable headphone, they tick many boxes; sound quality, noise isolation, portability, comfort, build quality and looks (i had mainly compliments on the looks).

They are quickly becoming my most used headphone due to their all-round advantages, and i think the sound will keep getting better over time.

 

[shawntp]

Mine arrived today - It was a joy unpacking them. They look and feel amazing and the fit/comfort factor is just perfect for me. I love the size of the P5s and they have great isolation. The only thing lame is the cable which is thin and flimsy, everything else about them seems great (including the nice little magnetic purse case

)

I bought them to replace my folding travel/sealed MDR-7506 so time will tell. I do hear the muffled midrange everyone hears initially so I will let them break in before I make judgement or really audition them.

 

[jeremyzone]

interesting review by wired.com
Bowers & Wilkins P5 Headphones | Wired.com Product Reviews

yes, they did use the word "DOPE" to describe their sound... lol

 

[Fido2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by chadbang /img/forum/go_quote.gif Really dumb looking headphones. They're design says to me: Let's make something that looks really expensive and shiny. And leather, yeah, leather. They look heavy, uncomfortable and I bet they sound like crap. Everyone at B&W must have lost their hearing because their speakers now all SCREAM TREBLE.

Aaaahhhh...horse****!