Bowers and Wilkins PX8 Wireless Discussion

[Not so fat head]

Btw: my PX7's, bought at Best Buy, are great and I consider an excellent value at $249.00.

 

[Denkmal]

Btw: my PX7's, bought at Best Buy, are great and I consider an excellent value at $249.00.

At that price they are very very hard to beat.
I found mine used for $150 and a pair of P7w for next to nothing. For the PX8 I paid full retard… I mean retail.

 

[Not so fat head]

At one time you could audition headphones up to $1000,00 (Denon, Audio Technical, B/W P9) at Best Buy, now they max out at $499, and those are Apple Max's.
Won't see PX8's anytime soon..

 

[Jazz1]

My base level theory here is in some ways, wider mixed music suffers. Orchestral tracks are hampered by the soundstage because instruments feel on top of each other, where the bathys doesn’t do that. Some pop music is wildly mixed, some isn’t. Older stuff where you had to crowd around one or two mics to record a track? Great on the px8.

Yes, as I sort through my recent impressions I do think some multi-instrument songs sound like they are somewhat congested. Congested might be too strong a word. It is just some songs really stand out and really get my attention in a good way.

 

[audio dilettante]

For reference. This is after 2 months of daily usage...average 3 hours a day..5 days a week...with leather care product applied every 3 weeks.

I'm not OCD at all but this doesn't look great. The fact they've folded outwards rather than inwards could become an issue for comfort. Over-conditioned maybe? I have some nice shoes that I use sapphir conditioner on now and then but every 3 weeks seems excessive to me - i do my shoes every couple of months and the leather on them is much thicker. You can easily over-soften leather that's this soft and thin and make it more prone to stretching. I would suggest once every 3-6 months would be enough. Creasing on leather is nomal but this looks like stretching which is different - either that or a very low grade, loose grained leather.

 

[freeza2001]

I condition it regularly due to it constantly in contact with oily environment. i.e My head. But i will increase the conditioning window. Thank you for the advice. The headband came with creasing already happening，if u look at all the unboxing videos, so i suspect there is some quality control issue. I have never seen any leather creases without useage.
If the headband end up falling apart within warranty period and B&W refuse to replace it. There is going to be a shitstorm.

I'm not OCD at all but this doesn't look great. The fact they've folded outwards rather than inwards could become an issue for comfort. Over-conditioned maybe? I have some nice shoes that I use sapphir conditioner on now and then but every 3 weeks seems excessive to me - i do my shoes every couple of months and the leather on them is much thicker. You can easily over-soften leather that's this soft and thin and make it more prone to stretching. I would suggest once every 3-6 months would be enough. Creasing on leather is nomal but this looks like stretching which is different - either that or a very low grade, loose grained leather.

 

[audio dilettante]

I condition it regularly due to it constantly in contact with oily environment. i.e My head. But i will increase the conditioning window. Thank you for the advice. The headband came with creasing already happening，if u look at all the unboxing videos, so i suspect there is some quality control issue. I have never seen any leather creases without useage.
If the headband end up falling apart within warranty period and B&W refuse to replace it. There is going to be a shitstorm.

Completely agree with you. Bit worried about their customer care given I've just shelled out 500 quid...

 

[Tenlow]

I condition it regularly due to it constantly in contact with oily environment. i.e My head. But i will increase the conditioning window. Thank you for the advice. The headband came with creasing already happening，if u look at all the unboxing videos, so i suspect there is some quality control issue. I have never seen any leather creases without useage.
If the headband end up falling apart within warranty period and B&W refuse to replace it. There is going to be a shitstorm.

Mine were also already creasing from day 1. I would also think that it shouldn’t be that way hence me approaching them via email. My main concern is how it will develop over time and how they will react to it once there will be a real rather than just a cosmetic problem with the leather headband given that they’re already stating that this is out of their control and normal.

That said, I would also not overly often condition the leather. B&W even recommends not using any leather care products at all in the manual. Not sure what’s right here or not.

 

[audio dilettante]

Mine were also already creasing from day 1. I would also think that it shouldn’t be that way hence me approaching them via email. My main concern is how it will develop over time and how they will react to it once there will be a real rather than just a cosmetic problem with the leather headband given that they’re already stating that this is out of their control and normal.

That said, I would also not overly often condition the leather. B&W even recommends not using any leather care products at all in the manual. Not sure what’s right here based on that email

Mine were also already creasing from day 1. I would also think that it shouldn’t be that way hence me approaching them via email. My main concern is how it will develop over time and how they will react to it once there will be a real rather than just a cosmetic problem with the leather headband given that they’re already stating that this is out of their control and normal.

That said, I would also not overly often condition the leather. B&W even recommends not using any leather care products at all in the manual. Not sure what’s right here or not.

Based on the email they sent you it seems like a manufacturing issue. They describe it being attached as a flat piece then being curved. Sounds like it might be being stretched out of shape. The bit they said about leather not stretching is just factually incorrect, in fact leather is known for stretching.

 

[Denkmal]

For reference. This is after 2 months of daily usage...average 3 hours a day..5 days a week...with leather care product applied every 3 weeks.

That actually looks like you may have saturated the leather with whatever product you used. You dont need any conditioner unless the leather appears dry and that should not be the case yet.

 

[audio dilettante]

That actually looks like you may have saturated the leather with whatever product you used. You dont need any conditioner unless the leather appears dry and that should not be the case yet.

Agree with this. Shoes take much more of a battering and are exposed to water. The oil from your hair won't damage the leather.

 

[mainguy]

Completely agree with you. Bit worried about their customer care given I've just shelled out 500 quid...

Headband on the tan model is fine for me, I've used them tons on a bald head no less so lots of oil exposure. I wouldn't be worried about leather creasing personally, my Stellia pads are leather and cost a bomb, but creased up in no time. Seems pretty normal.

 

[audio dilettante]

Headband on the tan model is fine for me, I've used them tons on a bald head no less so lots of oil exposure. I wouldn't be worried about leather creasing personally, my Stellia pads are leather and cost a bomb, but creased up in no time. Seems pretty normal.

Just checked those out on Google and realised I'm still very much entry level with my PX8s!

 

[audio dilettante]

I know this is only tenuously within the thread topic but my px8s are arriving tomorrow and so I'm signing up to tidal. As a complete novice in this area, do you think the hifi plus subscription is worth double the cost? I know it's subjective but I guess I'm asking whether an average joe like me will hear any difference with the PX8s.

 

[Denkmal]

I know this is only tenuously within the thread topic but my px8s are arriving tomorrow and so I'm signing up to tidal. As a complete novice in this area, do you think the hifi plus subscription is worth double the cost? I know it's subjective but I guess I'm asking whether an average joe like me will hear any difference with the PX8s.

I think it depends very much on what you are listening to.
Lady Gaga-esque pop with lots of compression = no difference.
Guitar masturbation rock with hihats and fourteen instruments blasting away at the same time = you would want a good source.

if you are an iDevice-user, try also Apple Music (everything is lossless) and compare.