Bluetooth Headphone Issues (Bowers & Wilkins P5, Beats Studio)

[Sean Sweeney]

Hi Guys,  This is my first post so go easy on me.
 
Im trying to understand what's normal behaviour for bluetooth headphones as i appear to be having a few issues with every high end (expensive, not necessarily sound quality) bluetooth pair i've tried... Beats Studio Wireless and Bowers and Wilkins P5 Wireless.
 
I first bought some Beats Studio wireless a few months ago as i'd heard the sound quality had improved and the flexibility of not having wires appealed to me.  Using with my iPhone 6 at home, in the office on the train, i was pretty impressed.  However things changed as soon as i went for a walk with them on.  With my phone in my pocket  I'd find the connection would drop regularly, randomly, sometimes for a split second at a time, other times stuttering so much i couldn't listen to the music without getting angry.  I thought they were faulty, so replaced them.  Sure enough the replacement pair had exactly the same issue so i brought them back to the store and exchanged them for some B&W P5 Wireless.
 
I'd read the reviews of the P5 Wireless, everything seemed pretty encouraging, with no mention of audio/connection drop outs, plus the build quality and sound is leagues ahead of the Beats Studio so i thought thought they'd be a better choice.
 
It seems i was wrong.  These are also showing the same connection, audio dropouts as i had with the Beats.  I can use them in the house with my phone, nearby, across the room, in the office, etc, but as soon as i put my phone in my pocket and walk anywhere i get connection/audio dropouts, for split seconds at a time.  Not as bad as the Beats Studio, but it still happens regularly.  I sent them back to Bowers and Wilkins under Warranty, who replaced them with another pair.  This pair do seem a little improved, but also still cut out with my phone in my pocket now and again.
 
I'd understand cut outs if i were a good distance away from my phone, but i'm not particularly tall at 5'6" so i wouldn't think distance should be a problem. I've also checked there's no interference nearby at the time of the drops.
 
So my main Questions are... Has anyone else had similar problems with either of these headphones?  Is it a common problem with Bluetooth Headphones in general?  Is it more likely that it's actually the bluetooth in my phone playing up?  (note, i've also used my laptop and have similar problems when i put my hand over certain areas)  Does my body just store more water than the average person, blocking the signal? (ok that one wasn't a serious question but hey anything's possible!)
 
Cheers,
 
Sean

 

[Bananas Ananas]

I have to say that I have had 0 dropout issues with B&W P5 Wireless. However, I've never walked with them outside, but inside I've been walking around with iPhone 6 in my pocket without issues. Tomorrow I'll try to take P5 Wireless to walk outside and see if dropouts occur.
 
Which phone are you using?

 

[Sean Sweeney]

Thanks for the response.  Its encouraging to know you haven't had any issues whatsoever.  I have now read a review which mentions some P5 connection problems.  But that is one out of so many positive reviews.
 
http://www.techradar.com/reviews/audio-visual/hi-fi-and-audio/headphones/bowers-and-wilkins-p5-wireless-1300007/review
 
Yeah, I'm also using an iPhone 6.  Let me know how it goes if you take them outside, If all is fine, I'll have to think about going into the Apple store to get my phone checked.  It of course is the one constant between the P5's and the Beats studio connection problems I've been having.

 

[Bananas Ananas]

I apologize for my slow response. I have now tried P5 Wireless outside and I didn't encounter connection issues with my iPhone 6, streaming from Apple Music. Since there's barely anyone out here, being in a small liberal arts school near Boston, I thought it'd be due to no interference from outside devices – thus, I went to downtown Boston and tried them out and still had no dropouts or other issues. 
 
Since you have had an issue with two different headphones now, if you have an Apple Store nearby, I would get the phone checked out.
 
If you file out repair request online on Apple website, I believe they also have some sort of online software that tests for hardware issues, which you get to use after the repair request went through. Don't quote me on this one though! 

 

[Sean Sweeney]

Hey, no worries.  Thanks for giving them a try outdoors and letting me know how it went. It's much appreciated.  
 
I've chatted to Apple online, they did a hardware check and found no issues.  They've suggested I try a few things including a full reset of my phone to rule out any software glitches/problems, then if i still have problems, bring the phone into a store (got one a few miles away so no worries there).  I reset it earlier today and haven't had chance to give them a proper test yet.  I'll report back in a couple of days....
 
Thanks again.

 

[Atleee]

Hi

I just wanted to check in and say I have the exact same issues with my P5s as you do. They're perfect until the phone goes in the pocket and I start walking around. I also use an iPhone 6, but I had the exact same experience with an Android phone I borrowed in the Hifi shop when I went to replace my pair. The new pair was slightly better but I still have several drop outs every time I go walking. It gets better if I put the phone in my right pocket (I'm left handed so I normally use the left side) as the receiver is in the right cup. There are still drop outs though.

I hope they will make a revision with a better Bluetooth antenna or something, I sent a mail to B&W support asking about this but I didn't get an answer.

Did the iPhone reset make any difference?

Btw I also wonder about the body blocking the signal, the guy at the Hifi shop did not experience drop outs when testing my headphones and the same Android phone that I tested although I did. Maybe my beer belly acts as a Faraday cage blocking the signal

-Atle

 

[ajvctrindade]

Hi,
 
I did try to connect to PS3 and no sucess. I contact B&W support and they mention that will only work for chat/video (I think I did not have sucess even for that).
 
Now I'm trying to connect to my laptop using bluetooth. But with no sucess also. I already exchange several emails (10) with B&W support with no exact reply how to do it. They keep sending over and over: "Bowers & Wilkins P5 Wireless will work with the codecs of the list that you can find on our website: "http://www.bowers-wilkins.com/Headphones/Headphones/Headphones/P5-Wireless.html"
 
I already request (several times) a walk through solution (including drivers link for download) to get this working.
 
Does any one could connect the B&W P5 Wireless to the computer?
 
I get a connetion, but no sound from the Headphones.
 
Also, if I went to the Bluetooth painel, I see the Headphones, but in grey mode. It's look like that it's not really connecter. And if I right click over the icon of the headphones, I just get properties, not the "control" option.
 
Many Thanks,
   António Trindade