I just got a used pair from Amazon. I don't know how long the previous owner burn them in, but as of now my initial impression is that they aren't worth the $900 asking price. As I type this I'm listening through a Schiit Gungnir MB dac + Beyerdynamic A2 headphone amp with an album called
Mata Hati by an Indonesian rock/fusion band called Tohpati Ethnomission in the wave format. "So these ramblings are live impression."
The P9s sound like maybe $200-$250 headphone. There are headphones that sound very similar (Sony MDR 1A) or better (PSB M4U 1). I bought these because I was looking for something with an "entertaining" sound signature, better build quality than the MDR 1A, Better comfort than the PSB M4U 1 and less of a mid bass hump than the MDR 1A. The build quality is of coarse very good just like the P7, all leather and metal but the trade off is that they are heavy! In fact these maybe the heaviest headphones I've ever owned. I can see that B&W is going for the "entertaining" approach to the sound like the P7. I remember the sound of the P7, it was a very "V" shaped headphone and the bass went far more north than I expected for a company that describes it self using words like audiophile and luxury. But while the P7 had this mid section that was extremely far back in the sound stage. the P9 mid range is brought up closer, but the problem is that Mid bass hump finda drowns it out a bit. Its hard to hear some details in the bass guitar. Instead of sounding like a vibrating stringed instrument it sounds like an indistinct low frequency sound effect. The P9s aren't as booted in the treble as much as the P7. I can detect a small peak may round 10 khz but its limited at just the right point.
Really this headphone is very similar sounding to the MDR 1A. Just better built.
Ok so that mid bass is becoming a little fatiguing on my ears with this album. The bass mix in the album itself is intense enough and doesn't need boosting.
So I'm going switch to something more simple and less demanding.
African Variants by Sébastien Giniaux & Cherif Soumano a duo consisting of French guitarist and a West African kora player. accompanied by an occasional woodwind and cello.
Now this music reminds me of something that I liked about the P7, its rather intimate presentation of the instruments. The P9 has that same intimacy, I feel like I'm sitting directly in front of the musicians. I can hear the textures each instrument and I can feel the vibrations when they reach their lower tones. The mid bass hump is still noticeable, but not as distracting as the first album.
I'm not sure if I'll keep these or not. they are nice looking headphones, and wonderfully built. The sound stage is very open for a closed back headphone, and its really good with transients. The lower bass is impactful with visceral impact and well controlled. Despite the weight they are still comfortable, but not as comfortable as the much lighter MDR 1A. The clamping force on them is a little tight just like the P7 and M4U 1, but I was able to wear them for about an hour with no issues.
Sound quality wise they need improvement, a Mid Bass hump is helpful but I think B&W approach is a little extreme. Its blocking some detail further up the mid range and can they can sound fatiguing with bass heavy music.
Personally I think the PSB M4U 1 is the best sounding of the 3, the M4U 1 has a bass hump but its further down the bass range so the mid range isn't effected, and the tone is very similar from the mid range and up as the other two. The problem is that the M4U1 is the least comfortable.
The Sony MDR 1A sounds very close to the P9 but they lack the same level the intimacy and transient detail of the instruments, But it's the most comfortable of the 3.
Hopefully the P9 will get more relaxed after some more burn in. Someone here suggested 100 hour? Does to rest of you have the same experience with the burn in?