[aras]

Has anyone gone back to P7W after listening to PX8 for a while? I have both headphones, while PX8 seems to be significantly ahead in comfort and features, I feel I like the overall sound from P7W better. P7W seems to have better extended and louder bass, and slightly smoother highs overall. Does anyone still have their P7Ws to compare their PX8s to?

 

[Denkmal]

Has anyone gone back to P7W after listening to PX8 for a while? I have both headphones, while PX8 seems to be significantly ahead in comfort and features, I feel I like the overall sound from P7W better. P7W seems to have better extended and louder bass, and slightly smoother highs overall. Does anyone still have their P7Ws to compare their PX8s to?

I sold my P7W after getting the PX8 but I had both for several months.
I dont think neither bass nor treble was better, but the mids on P7W are really outstanding. The overall tuning of P7W is super nice and I can see why it was and is so popular. However I do feel that PX8 has more detail, faster bass and also of course a much better overall package in terms of features and comfort.
That said, if I didnt feel that PX8 was 10x more comfortable I would still have my P7W…

 

[ubs28]

Has anyone gone back to P7W after listening to PX8 for a while? I have both headphones, while PX8 seems to be significantly ahead in comfort and features, I feel I like the overall sound from P7W better. P7W seems to have better extended and louder bass, and slightly smoother highs overall. Does anyone still have their P7Ws to compare their PX8s to?

That is also my impression as well.

Both the Focal Bathys and Apple AirPods Max murdered the B&W PX8 when I tested them. But the B&W P7W I have at home keeps up with the Apple AirPods Max no problem at all.

I have the impression that the B&W P7W is probably also better than the PX8. (but I haven't tested them head to head though)

If you can return the B&W PX8, go for the Focal Bathys. They are not in the same class soundwise. If you need better ANC and transparency mode and other fancy features (such as Spatial Audio), go for the Apple AirPods Max.

 

[mainguy]

That is also my impression as well.

Both the Focal Bathys and Apple AirPods Max murdered the B&W PX8 when I tested them. But the B&W P7W I have at home keeps up with the Apple AirPods Max no problem at all.

I have the impression that the B&W P7W is probably also better than the PX8. (but I haven't tested them head to head though)

If you can return the B&W PX8, go for the Focal Bathys. They are not in the same class soundwise. If you need better ANC and transparency mode and other fancy features (such as Spatial Audio), go for the Apple AirPods Max.

Airpods Max doesn't deserve to be in the same paragraph as any of those headphones. just my 2 cents lol.

 

[ubs28]

Airpods Max doesn't deserve to be in the same paragraph as any of those headphones. just my 2 cents lol.

They are still way better than the B&W PX8. Focal Bathys > Apple AirPods Max > B&W PX8.

Both the Focal Bathys and Apple AirPods Max atleast do their best to sound like good open headphones. I have no idea what B&W tried to do with the PX8, but it's not good at all.

What's also very interesting. The soundstage of the Focal Bathys and Apple AirPods Max isn't very big to begin with. But somehow the super expensive B&W PX8 also managed to have an even smaller one than both these headphones?

 

[Denkmal]

That is also my impression as well.

Both the Focal Bathys and Apple AirPods Max murdered the B&W PX8 when I tested them. But the B&W P7W I have at home keeps up with the Apple AirPods Max no problem at all.

I have the impression that the B&W P7W is probably also better than the PX8. (but I haven't tested them head to head though)

A matter of preference, clearly. I owned Bathys and PX8 at the same time and kept PX8 for a variety of reasons. AirPods Max I find inferior by a margin, except on ANC of course.

If you like the B&W house tuning you probably like both PX8 and P7W but they are quite different. Some prefer P7W for their magical mids and nice overall presentation, others will notice that they lack bass extension, treble detail as well as separation and clarity that is actually there with PX8. PX8 is technically superior but it is not night and day. I really like P7W.

 

[Denkmal]

They are still way better than the B&W PX8. Focal Bathys > Apple AirPods Max > B&W PX8.

Well I would agree with @mainguy in saying that APM is not in the same league but of course it is a matter of preference. I found APM enjoyable but too synthetic of a sound for my taste. Maybe nice with EDM, I dont know.

I guess we can all agree that the bra case for APM is the most ridiculous abomination that Apple ever created though

 

[ubs28]

A matter of preference, clearly. I owned Bathys and PX8 at the same time and kept PX8 for a variety of reasons. AirPods Max I find inferior by a margin, except on ANC of course.

If you like the B&W house tuning you probably like both PX8 and P7W but they are quite different. Some prefer P7W for their magical mids and nice overall presentation, others will notice that they lack bass extension, treble detail as well as separation and clarity that is actually there with PX8. PX8 is technically superior but it is not night and day. I really like P7W.

If you take as a reference, headphones such as the Focal Clear, Sennheiser HD 650, Sennheiser HD 800S, Focal Utopia, AFC Noire, ....., the Focal Bathys and Apple AirPods Max come more close to that.

But ofcourse, if you prefer the tuning of the PX8, ofcourse, keep using it. But it's not good at all if you take as a reference good open headphones.

 

[Denkmal]

If you take as a reference, headphones such as the Focal Clear, Sennheiser HD 650, Sennheiser HD 800S, Focal Utopia, AFC Noire, ....., the Focal Bathys and Apple AirPods Max come more close to that.

But ofcourse, if you prefer the tuning of the PX8, ofcourse, keep using it. But it's not good at all if you take as a reference good open headphones.

I really really find it har to take your opinion of ”reference” seriously since you are just namedropping good but dramatically different headphones which are all super different from both Bathys and APM.
Focal Utopia? Come on…
It is like pissing on a guys dirtbike by saying that it is not as good as a Ferrari…
What did you want to discuss, again?

 

[ubs28]

I really really dont care much for your opinion of ”reference”, since you are just namedropping good but dramatically different headphones which are all super different from both Bathys and APM.
Focal Utopia? Come on…

What did you want to discuss, again?

I'm not name dropping, they are quite similar. The Focal Clear is basically an improved version of the Sennheiser HD 650 sounding "clear". And the Focal Utopia is again, very similar to the Focal Clear and HD 650 with the performance lifted to an other level. But the sound signature is all in the same ball park.

And the Sennheiser HD 650 is a golden standard to be used, it's even used by sound engineers in studios so experts even acknowledge that this is what a good headphone should sound like.

 

[jthomp72]

If you take as a reference, headphones such as the Focal Clear, Sennheiser HD 650, Sennheiser HD 800S, Focal Utopia, AFC Noire, ....., the Focal Bathys and Apple AirPods Max come more close to that.

But ofcourse, if you prefer the tuning of the PX8, ofcourse, keep using it. But it's not good at all if you take as a reference good open headphones.

This attitude is why a lot of people don’t like some of us in the headphone hobby. You’re basically telling people that the sound that they like is wrong Implies a correct way to listen to stuff and I hate that because it doesn’t matter. Reference is an elitist term to me. There is clarity and tonality and as much technical ability in the PX8 as the Bathys, for sure.

 

[AcademicBarzo]

Well I would agree with @mainguy in saying that APM is not in the same league but of course it is a matter of preference. I found APM enjoyable but too synthetic of a sound for my taste. Maybe nice with EDM, I dont know.

I guess we can all agree that the bra case for APM is the most ridiculous abomination that Apple ever created though

I now own all three (rebought the Bathys in the UK September trade in offer). I agree that the APM should not be thought of in the same category soundwise as either the PX8 or Bathys. I find myself disengaged in the experience of listening to music with the APMs. I use them with Apple TV and spatial audio with movies/series, but in stereo, they just do no do it for me.

 

[ubs28]

This attitude is why a lot of people don’t like some of us in the headphone hobby. You’re basically telling people that the sound that they like is wrong Implies a correct way to listen to stuff and I hate that because it doesn’t matter. Reference is an elitist term to me. There is clarity and tonality and as much technical ability in the PX8 as the Bathys, for sure.

Reference is not an "elitist" term, it's something that is objective. Reference monitors are monitors with as little flaws as possible. It's what is being used in music production and mastering.

And who says I'm in the headphone hobby? These headphones that I have are just tools that I use for mixing and mastering.

 

[jthomp72]

Reference is not an "elitist" term, it's something that is objective. Reference monitors are monitors with as little flaws as possible. It's what is being used in music production and mastering.

And who says I'm in the headphone hobby? These headphones that I have are just tools that I use for mixing and mastering.

Production and mastering is not playback and listening. From your standpoint, I understand you want as neutral as possible but that’s not what the majority of consumers want, and that a headphone is not that flat line neutral does not make it a lesser headphone than something that is, I guess is what my point is

 

[Denkmal]

Reference is not an "elitist" term, it's something that is objective. Reference monitors are monitors with as little flaws as possible. It's what is being used in music production and mastering.

And who says I'm in the headphone hobby? These headphones that I have are just tools that I use for mixing and mastering.

We know what reference monitors are.
Why you started this ridiculous comparison between closed back ANC headphones that do not even try to resemble monitors is beyond me.
B&W has never produced a neutral headphone and that was never the point.
But you know this already.