[qba3d]

I don't think I understand Your point really. I was replying to the mention ( quite right actually ), that I deviate from the "Norm". I used another perspective from a reviewer that partially shared my perspective and pushed that towards the idea that the perspective grows based on Your gear as I am trying to understand my different experiences with PX8. I think that was quite straightforward. I never mentioned the value, as such. Also, why would I use Px7s2 in any comparison when we talk about PX8?

 

[jthomp72]

I don't think I understand Your point really. I was replying to the mention ( quite right actually ), that I deviate from the "Norm". I used another perspective from a reviewer that partially shared my perspective and pushed that towards the idea that the perspective grows based on Your gear as I am trying to understand my different experiences with PX8. I think that was quite straightforward. I never mentioned the value, as such. Also, why would I use Px7s2 in any comparison when we talk about PX8?

I am more interested in the why of your opinion, but at the end of the day I’d really boil it down to “everyone’s ears are different and likes what they like”

 

[evhvis]

I don't think I understand Your point really. I was replying to the mention ( quite right actually ), that I deviate from the "Norm". I used another perspective from a reviewer that partially shared my perspective and pushed that towards the idea that the perspective grows based on Your gear as I am trying to understand my different experience with PX8. I think that was quite straightforward. I never mentioned the value, as such. Also, why would I use Px7s2 in any comparison when we talk about PX8?

You are making the assumption that you have more experience with gear in order to make your opinion valid and your virtually making a statement that yours and the other guys opinion matters more because you claim to have more experience with gear. Lots of people in this thread have experience with headphones that are way above both the Bathys and the PX8 in sound quality. Most likely a good portion in here has extensive experience with high-end stereo systems as well. At least I own a fairly decent system and know several people with systems in the 50-200k euro range as well that I have listened to many times (mine is slightly cheaper than that).

 

[qba3d]

You are making the assumption that you have more experience with gear in order to make your opinion valid and your virtually making a statement that yours and the other guys opinion matters more because you claim to have more experience with gear. Lots of people in this thread have experience with headphones that are way above both the Bathys and the PX8 in sound quality. Most likely a good portion in here has extensive experience with high-end stereo systems as well. At least I own a fairly decent system and know several people with systems in the 50-200k euro range as well that I have listened to many times (mine is slightly cheaper than that).

No, not at all. What I am implying is that if You say.. listen to bass-heavy headphones, when You switch to Focal, AudioTechnica or some other brands You will say, uhhh so off. And vice versa if You listen to say, Final Audio, You will hate bassier headphones. The reviewer from Headphones.com is a long-term Focal fan, so that also implies a certain perspective on sound. PX8 has a consumer-friendly tuning probably. I noticed quite a stir made with my comments. I was wondering if that's my ears, my gear used daily, a pair that was fresh from the box, or a broken unit that gave me that experience. I was quite open with my statements. Also, it could be my lack of love towards that particular tuning, but in a way, that is a bit of simplification I guess in reflection of frequency response. Maybe there are pairs that have some odd tuning?

 

[jthomp72]

No, not at all. What I am implying is that if You say.. listen to bass-heavy headphones, when You switch to Focal, AudioTechnica or some other brands You will say, uhhh so off. And vice versa if You listen to say, Final Audio, You will hate bassier headphones. The reviewer from Headphones.com is a long-term Focal fan, so that also implies a certain perspective on sound. PX8 has a consumer-friendly tuning probably. I noticed quite a stir made with my comments. I was wondering if that's my ears, my gear used daily, a pair that was fresh from the box, or a broken unit that gave me that experience. I was quite open with my statements. Also, it could be my lack of love towards that particular tuning, but in a way, that is a bit of simplification I guess in reflection of frequency response. Maybe there are pairs that have some odd tuning?

I don’t have any true evidence to support this, but my working theory based on a few friends I’ve let listen to them is your ear shape matters s lot for these. The headphone’s angled drivers greatly impact sound. As in, if they hit you right it’s great, if they don’t, there’s no coming back from them. Again, just a theory, but a couple friends absolutely hated the soundstage and a couple loved it.

 

[polymathic]

No, not at all. What I am implying is that if You say.. listen to bass-heavy headphones, when You switch to Focal, AudioTechnica or some other brands You will say, uhhh so off. And vice versa if You listen to say, Final Audio, You will hate bassier headphones. The reviewer from Headphones.com is a long-term Focal fan, so that also implies a certain perspective on sound. PX8 has a consumer-friendly tuning probably. I noticed quite a stir made with my comments. I was wondering if that's my ears, my gear used daily, a pair that was fresh from the box, or a broken unit that gave me that experience. I was quite open with my statements. Also, it could be my lack of love towards that particular tuning, but in a way, that is a bit of simplification I guess in reflection of frequency response. Maybe there are pairs that have some odd tuning?

I think you made your point diplomatically and clearly, and it is a contribution to the discussion. You did not indicate your opinion invalidated anyone else's. I'm not sure why people are triggered by another opinion. It's not like you are raining on anyone's parade here. I don't think this thread is meant to be the Px8 fan club.

 

[Benesyed]

https://forum.headphones.com/t/bowers-and-wilkins-px8-official-thread/19225

Not sure if this was posted before but this was very similar to my sound perception

 

[nunomeneses]

“One thing to note, this is with ANC on high” all said for me.

 

[Denkmal]

https://forum.headphones.com/t/bowers-and-wilkins-px8-official-thread/19225

Not sure if this was posted before but this was very similar to my sound perception

”One thing to note, this is with ANC on high, but when cycling through the different modes the sound signature didn’t seem to change in any meaningful way. So that’s good I suppose.”

Well the bass boost with ANC on is very audible.

 

[Resolve]

”One thing to note, this is with ANC on high, but when cycling through the different modes the sound signature didn’t seem to change in any meaningful way. So that’s good I suppose.”

Well the bass boost with ANC on is very audible.

Specifically to do with the different active modes... there is no change to the measured result. Perceptually it would be different between ANC and ambient mode, and I still need to test the effects of that.

 

[Denkmal]

Specifically to do with the different ANC modes... there is no change to the measured result.

Then I think you may need to recalibrate your measuring device. Many on this forum hear this difference and it is not exactly small.

And there is only the one ANC level on the Px8, aside ”off” and ”transparency”. You may want to rephrase the part in your review refering to ”ANC on high”.

 

[jthomp72]

Specifically to do with the different ANC modes... there is no change to the measured result. Perceptually it would be different between ANC and ambient mode, and I still need to test the effects of that.

This all does go back to my original theory that the way B&W has positioned the drivers means that if they hit right, they hit very right, but for a chunk of people they are gonna hit wrong and nothing will fix that.

 

[Resolve]

Then I think you may need to recalibrate your measuring device. Many on this forum hear this difference and it is not exactly small.

And there is only the one ANC level on the Px8, aside ”off” and ”transparency”. You may want to rephrase the part in your review refering to ”ANC on high”.

Right, so it's the button on the side, which has three modes. Off, Transparency, and ANC. This is what I'm referring to. Two of the modes measure identically. But yes, I should rephrase that.

Edit: To be clear, I still have more testing to do with the effects of ambient mode, like I mentioned. But as far as the sound quality of the PX8 goes, I find it particularly difficult to listen to for any length of time. But of course, I'm just one person, and what doesn't work for me might be exactly the right thing for someone else.

 

[MayaTlab]

Two of the modes measure identically.

ANC and transparency ? And ANC off measures differently ?

Well the bass boost with ANC on is very audible.

If you mean ANC on vs off, then, if the feedback mechanism is inoperative when ANC is turned off (as it is for nearly all ANC headphones), then it should be no surprise that you may experience a difference between the modes.

 

[Denkmal]

Right, so it's the button on the side, which has three modes. Off, Transparency, and ANC. This is what I'm referring to. Two of the modes measure identically. But yes, I should rephrase that.

To be clear, I still have more testing to do with the effects of ambient mode, like I mentioned. But as far as the sound quality of the PX8 goes, I find it particularly difficult to listen to for any length of time. But of course, I'm just one person, and what doesn't work for me might be exactly the right thing for someone else.

To my ears the bass levels in ANC and transparency are very similar, whereas ANC off has a few dBs less bass.