Long time headphone and audiophile snob here. First pair of high end headphones were Stax Lambda electrostatic headphones purchased in the 1980s, which I still own. I have a very large collection of headphones and in-ear headphones, as well as TWS in-ear buds of various brands. I would say I'm as much of a headphone collector and snob as anyone here. I use the term snob sarcastically and humorously, but isn't that what this is really all about?
A few headphones I own--Several models of Stax electrostatic. Orthodynamic headphones from Yamaha from the 70s and 80s (HP1, YH100, heavily modded). Sennheiser 580. Audeze EL8 closed back. Audeze LCD2 open back. Another Audeze whose model is escaping me. HiFiMan HE500. B&W P5, Oppo 3 (planar magnetic). Many, many other models that are hard wired models. Also many bluetooth headphones, including Master and Dynamic MW50 & MW65. Philips Fidelio L3, AKG N60, Sony WH XM4 and Sony WH M5, Shure Aonic 50. In ear models include Shure SE846 & SE535, Westone W80, W60, 3, Ultimate Ears Triple Fi, TWS in ears include Philips Fidelio T1, B&O EQ, Sennheiser Momentum 3, Sony WF XM4, Pixel Buds Pro, Galaxy Buds Pro 2. I also have Audio Research and Conrad Johnson tube equipment (amps, preamps), high end speakers from KEF, Monitor Audio, old Infinity Kappa 8, have owned electrostatic and planar magnetic speakers from Martin Logan and Apogee over the years, etc. etc. etc.
I say all of that not to brag or boast. It's a bit ridiculous and of course a bit obsessive, and I freely admit it. Been collecting and obsessing over sound, audio, gear and headphones since my teens. I primarily listen to acoustic jazz but also enjoy rock, funk, classical, etc.
Long intro and preamble into saying that I've been listening to and struggling with the sound of the B&W PX8 since November. I received a mildly defective set the first go round (slight hissing in the right ear when moved into odd positions on my head) but otherwise sounded fine. Returned those to Amazon and got another pair post haste which sounded identical to the first pair minus the defect. Like a few on this forum, I've struggled with the sound quality of these. I know that most of you love, love love these headphones and I respect that. I love how comfy they are on the ears and head. I love the design....the height of industrial quality and aesthetics. I love the looks, the leather, the functionality. I love B&W as a company. I got a great deal on the white/tan ones on Amazon when they had them on special for $519 last fall.....but I just cannot get on board with what I perceive to be the deficiencies in their frequency curve.
It's been discussed many times here. A bloated bass (even after the firmware update). A dip in the upper mids and lower highs. The biggest sin to me is the bloated mid-bass. It gets in the way of so much of the mids and high frequencies of these cans. Some tracks, to be fair, sound brilliant on these cans. But most tracks just do not. I have really given them a fair shake over the holidays and took them over to Europe on a plane and back....and they function perfectly, the noise canceling was plenty good, etc. No matter how much time I've given them and me to adjust to their sound characteristics, I decided this week to send them back (extended holiday return period from Amazon). It was a slow and painful decision given how much I like everything about them except for their sound. Too dark. Too bloated in the mid-bass. Too much of a dip in the upper mids and low highs.....on about 75% of the tracks I have heard. The 25% sound great....but that's just not enough of a positive ratio.
Although the noise canceling is not as good, I prefer the sound of the Master & Dynamic MW65 I own....it's flatter, more neutral and a bit more sparkly on the top end, which I happen to enjoy, while generally being a flatter curve across the frequency spectrum than I perceive of the B&Ws. I know, many others here will disagree with me on this. The M&Ds sound better than my Sony XM4 and XM5 over ears, but do not block as much sound out. The Sonys are brilliant for that.
Sigh....just wishing I could have enjoyed the B&Ws more. Wanted to post here realizing that I'm in the extreme minority and have read each and every page of this forum over the past couple of months. Intrigued by your admiration for the sound of these when I have 40 years of enjoying high end audio in my background and know what good sound is and should be, and just don't quite hear it out of these cans.
The best over ear bluetooth headphones I've heard are the Shure Aonic 50 (given that the noise cancellation sucks on them), and the M&D MW65 (decent but not great noise cancellation). The Philips L3 sounds good, not great, odd, good noise cancellation but a funny sound signature overall. I know the Focals are supposed to be great, as are the Mark Levinsons....and perhaps the newer M&D MW75. That said, I'm not desperate and will keep auditioning. I am one who buys things in the cheap. The B&Ws were a splurge for me at that price, even though it was a good discount off of retail. All others I tend to buy used, open box, etc. to get extreme discounts off of new. And thus, the B&Ws are going to have to go back after a long demo.
I know that I like a slightly brighter, livelier (and I'll go so far as to call it more neutral) sound signature overall than is offered by the PX8. The MW65 offer that in bluetooth, as do the Shures. I also enjoy warmer sounding headphones that don't have as much deviation from neutral as I find the PX8 to have. Just something about these that do not sound right to me. Many months ago there was a review on YouTube where the reviewer said that this headphone just sounded bad and wrong out of the box (he was comparing these to two other models, I can't recall which). I am sad to say that I feel he was dead on correct.
That all said, I want to thank everyone on here for their comments, knowledge, research, observations, recommendations and input into this forum. It was highly enjoyable to be a spectator and hear everyone's opinions and assessments. Mine differ from the great majority....but I trust my ears as I know you all do.
Enjoy the PX8,all....and thank you for allowing me the space here to write and share my thoughts.
Regards,
Jazzophile
