[ubs28]

Might sound better however for me, imho, it sort of defeats the purpose of wireless headphones.
If one is to use these wired then it opens up a much larger world of wired headphones to try

I agree, I will probably continue to use it wireless most likely.

 

[Ling Vu]

B&W has come back to me with this response regarding firmware update and audio quality, hope this helps.
-----------------

Thank you for your email below.

I can confirm that the latest firmware offers the following improvements:
The lowest volume level has been reduced, so music can be listened to at a much quieter level. The louder volume levels remain unchanged.
There are more volume levels at the quieter end of the volume range, providing finer adjustment for quieter music listening.
Improved audio experience during a call, providing a more natural sound and feeling.
Conference call / VOIP (e.g. Skype) enhancements to in-call connectivity.
Minor bug fixes and user interface improvements.
The only change that effects audio output for music would be with the reduction of the lower volume limit and more volume levels to allow finer adjustment of volume at lower levels.

At Bowers & Wilkins, we are committed constantly to improving the performance of our products. Part of this commitment involves making available to our customers firmware updates for many of our products. Firmware updates are released in order to bring enhanced benefits to the user, including but not limited to:

Improving the product's performance.
Fixing bugs which only become apparent after the product is in the market.
Updating the product so it is compatible with newly released devices.

In order to avail of these benefits, we always encourage our customers to update to the latest version of firmware.

However, in some instances it is possible that some legacy devices may not be fully supported. Even in these cases we do not advocate downgrading to a previous version of firmware, as we believe the improvements we bring to the product with each firmware update outweigh any disadvantages.

For this reason, we do not support downgrading a products firmware to an earlier version.

Kind regards,

David Carter
Technical Support Technician
Bowers & Wilkins

 

[headitaly]

 

[Dougeefresh]

Now we gotta worry about exploding wireless headphones?
 
http://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/woman-s-headphones-explode-during-flight-china-australia-n733836

 

[zviratko]

I took a quick look into the (macOS) update programme, managed to download the old firmware from their server and it looks like it can be flashed if you really want to. It just needs some manual cmdline hackery.
But it can also brick the headphones just as easily
 

B&W has come back to me with this response regarding firmware update and audio quality, hope this helps.

---

Thank you for your email below.

I can confirm that the latest firmware offers the following improvements:
The lowest volume level has been reduced, so music can be listened to at a much quieter level. The louder volume levels remain unchanged.
There are more volume levels at the quieter end of the volume range, providing finer adjustment for quieter music listening.
Improved audio experience during a call, providing a more natural sound and feeling.
Conference call / VOIP (e.g. Skype) enhancements to in-call connectivity.
Minor bug fixes and user interface improvements.
The only change that effects audio output for music would be with the reduction of the lower volume limit and more volume levels to allow finer adjustment of volume at lower levels.

At Bowers & Wilkins, we are committed constantly to improving the performance of our products. Part of this commitment involves making available to our customers firmware updates for many of our products. Firmware updates are released in order to bring enhanced benefits to the user, including but not limited to:

Improving the product's performance.
Fixing bugs which only become apparent after the product is in the market.
Updating the product so it is compatible with newly released devices.

In order to avail of these benefits, we always encourage our customers to update to the latest version of firmware.

However, in some instances it is possible that some legacy devices may not be fully supported. Even in these cases we do not advocate downgrading to a previous version of firmware, as we believe the improvements we bring to the product with each firmware update outweigh any disadvantages.

For this reason, we do not support downgrading a products firmware to an earlier version.

Kind regards,

David Carter
Technical Support Technician
Bowers & Wilkins

I took a quick look into the (macOS) update programme, managed to download the old firmware from their server and it looks like it can be flashed if you really want to. It just needs some manual cmdline hackery.
But it can also brick the headphones just as easily

 

[Sonic Defender]

Just to post a clarification regarding the driver in the P7 wireless. I had called B&W's North American distributors support and twice they assured me the P7 wireless indeed had a different driver compared with the P7 wired. This was apparently incorrect and they do share the same driver so any sound differences are simply from the electronics used with the P7 wireless. As I was the one who originally posted this incorrect information (thank you B&W USA) I would like to apologize to anybody who was under the incorrect assumption as I have been up until yesterday. Cheers.

 

[audioxxx]

Also the felt material used is different, its a much denser material in the p7w, as well as the speakers​enclosure is completely different, there's more room for your ears in the wired P7. The p7w have less room in the cup because of battery and circuit board.
Where my ear touches the inner materials in the p7w. This also could account for a change in sound perhaps.

 

[headitaly]

I took a quick look into the (macOS) update programme, managed to download the old firmware from their server and it looks like it can be flashed if you really want to. It just needs some manual cmdline hackery.
But it can also brick the headphones just as easily



I took a quick look into the (macOS) update programme, managed to download the old firmware from their server and it looks like it can be flashed if you really want to. It just needs some manual cmdline hackery.
But it can also brick the headphones just as easily

where can I get the old firmware of p7w ???

 

[zviratko]

https://dds.bwfirmware.com/sparkle/getRelease.php?release_id=97/p7v60011.zip

 

[ubs28]

  Just to post a clarification regarding the driver in the P7 wireless. I had called B&W's North American distributors support and twice they assured me the P7 wireless indeed had a different driver compared with the P7 wired. This was apparently incorrect and they do share the same driver so any sound differences are simply from the electronics used with the P7 wireless. As I was the one who originally posted this incorrect information (thank you B&W USA) I would like to apologize to anybody who was under the incorrect assumption as I have been up until yesterday. Cheers.

The sound difference comes from the electronic because if I go wired and use the Chord Hugo, it's more neutral. But I go wireless, it's boomy and V-shaped. So there seems to be a EQ build in I believe.

 

[headitaly]

https://dds.bwfirmware.com/sparkle/getRelease.php?release_id=97/p7v60011.zip

This is a downgrade, a return to the first version?

 

[headitaly]

  https://dds.bwfirmware.com/sparkle/getRelease.php?release_id=97/p7v60011.zip

how do I install it?

 

[zviratko]

  how do I install it?

If you can't figure that out, then you shouldn't.
 
But I don't think there's any point in doing that anyway. There's ABSOLUTELY NO audio quality difference between the two firmwares, the rest of the improvements is almost invisible, and I don't know of any regressions.

 

[Ling Vu]

If you can't figure that out, then you shouldn't.

But I don't think there's any point in doing that anyway. There's ABSOLUTELY NO audio quality difference between the two firmwares, the rest of the improvements is almost invisible, and I don't know of any regressions.

Yeah actually I upgraded and haven't found any difference in the way they sound yet. However, there are several problems I have encountered:

- The battery level indicator differs on my LG V20 and my iPhone 6s (the V20 shows it has more than the 6s shows). It also can change over time, half an hour ago I saw it was below 50% and now it is around 70%. Should it be a common bug or just mine?

- Many times when I try to play videos on facebook, it stops the sound streaming from Tidal as the Facebook takes over but no sound (then I switch the output to iPhone speaker and back to P7, the sound was then being played through the P7). Anybody on the same boat?

- Which volume level do you find satisfying? I have heard many saying that they can only turn up to 30% at max whereas I have to put it at least 50% and on some tracks 70% when I am out and about. Is my hearing or my P7 not alright :mad::mad:?

Cheers,

 

[buzzlulu]

The P7 wireless has been a huge success for B&W.  I was just on the phone with them inquiring why they were out of stock.  They informed me that sales have greatly exceeded their expectations and they got caught short with production.  They do not expect any more inventory, either for themselves or for other retailers, for at least one month.  Crutchfield is also out of stock - Amazon was out of stock a while ago however now appears to have a few.