[WDitters]

Cheers, I've just A/B'd the new Pallbearer album that I own on CD vs Spotify and it's night and day, best get transferring some flacs over to my phone! I'll be sure to check out Neutron as well

That's why I went with Tidal. Next to regular 320kbps streams they also offer 16 bit 44khz cd quality streams and high resolution studio quality master streams..

 

[wildpanda86]

I wonder if ANC on set to office mode changes the SQ depending on the environment you are in? ANC= Active Noise Cancelling and it does have the little microphones above each ear cup to pick up outside noise and cancel them out.

For instance with ANC on in a very quiet or silent environment they may sound better which may account for some reviewers preferring the ANC on.

Whereas ANC on in a bit of a louder environment means the ANC is more active and the more aggressive cancellation is affecting the SQ at that point. Even the slight vibrations from walking is triggering the ANC circuit where some people are noticing the slight thumping on tracks that have silent sections.

Maybe these factors are accounting for the difference in what reviewers are saying?

 

[Hab]

That's why I went with Tidal. Next to regular 320kbps streams they also offer 16 bit 44khz cd quality streams and high resolution studio quality master streams..

Just took out a trial for Tidal, wow!

 

[hrhmedia123]

If you're in the USA, BestBuy is running a one-day promotion today: buy pretty much any CD, vinyl etc. and get a free six-month Tidal trial. (Make sure you click "SHOP ALL ELIGIBLE MUSIC" -- there are thousands of choices, starting from $.99 https://www.bestbuy.com/site/promo/tidal-digital-offer-co21247)

 

[Hab]

If you're in the USA, BestBuy is running a one-day promotion today: buy pretty much any CD, vinyl etc. and get a free six-month Tidal trial. (Make sure you click "SHOP ALL ELIGIBLE MUSIC" -- there are thousands of choices, starting from $.99 https://www.bestbuy.com/site/promo/tidal-digital-offer-co21247)

I wonder if I could buy a CD from the UK and be eligible? It is after all a code they send you via email?

 

[hrhmedia123]

I wonder if I could buy a CD from the UK and be eligible? It is after all a code they send you via email?

I believe it is a code. I'm going to be purchasing momentarily and will report back. In the meantime: https://slickdeals.net/f/10648568-free-6-month-tidal-subscription-with-any-cd-purchase-at-best-buy. Is Tidal available in the UK?

 

[Hab]

I believe it is a code. I'm going to be purchasing momentarily and will report back. In the meantime: https://slickdeals.net/f/10648568-free-6-month-tidal-subscription-with-any-cd-purchase-at-best-buy. Is Tidal available in the UK?

It is yes, I've just ordered a cheap CD and had it sent to Best Buy themselves in order to get the code, a few dollars lost if it doesn't work but it's worth a try!

*edit* Didn't work, they cancelled the order

 

[wildpanda86]

If you're in the USA, BestBuy is running a one-day promotion today: buy pretty much any CD, vinyl etc. and get a free six-month Tidal trial. (Make sure you click "SHOP ALL ELIGIBLE MUSIC" -- there are thousands of choices, starting from $.99 https://www.bestbuy.com/site/promo/tidal-digital-offer-co21247)

Curious... is this for the standard resolution Tidal? Or is it for the twice as much high rez version of Tidal? I remember when I was looking into it before that there are 2 tiers of Tidal.

 

[hrhmedia123]

Curious... is this for the standard resolution Tidal? Or is it for the twice as much high rez version of Tidal? I remember when I was looking into it before that there are 2 tiers of Tidal.

Good question. According to this, it's only 3 months if you want Hi-Fi: "You CAN get HiFi, but only 3 months! You redeem code as normal, go to "manage subscription" and then "upgrade". Your renewal date is then 3 months instead of 6."

 

[WDitters]

Strange.. My PX may have died on me.. Reset via the app led to a situation where the Blue light keeps flashing shortly twice and repeats that continuously... And nowhere to be found in the Bluetooth section of my Note 8 when I try to scan for it. Factory reset via Bluetooth combined with Volume - also does not make it reappear..

 

[bedlamite]

I knew wireless was more convenient, but I have to say it's MUCH easier using these than my previous setup of laptop => USB Extender => Dragonfly => 3.5mm cable => PM-3. Not only is it faster to get set up in the morning (no cables to plug in), but I never realized how often I used to manage to get myself tangled in cables until they were gone.
Overall, I've definitely decided to keep these, despite having quite a bit of time left on B&W's generous trial period. Especially considering my upcoming switch away from a phone with a headphone jack, these seem to be my next daily use pair.

Wireless is just too convenient when you're out and about. AptX is more than good enough for the commute, unless you have golden ears, and the advantages of a decent BT4.1 wireless headphone far, far outweigh any compromises in sound quality you'll have to make.

 

[WDitters]

Strange.. My PX may have died on me.. Reset via the app led to a situation where the Blue light keeps flashing shortly twice and repeats that continuously... And nowhere to be found in the Bluetooth section of my Note 8 when I try to scan for it. Factory reset via Bluetooth combined with Volume - also does not make it reappear..

Even stranger .. USB audio still works .. And I managed to re-pair .. But once Bluetooth is disconnected (for instance after a manual power off) it refuses to re-connect via Bluetooth ... Guess my headphones need to be returned to B&W ...

 

[Tubakien]

+1 for aptX HD

aptX HD is noticeably better than aptX. I'm currently previewing two ~$500 new smartphones, the LG G6 - International Edition (aptX HD and DAC) and the Samsung S8 (aptX), as potential upgrades to my LG V10. At first, Samsung's skin, additional features (iris scanner to unlock phone, edge swipe,), size, and drop-dead gorgeous design made me play with it for hours, while leaving the LG G6 to sit in the box.

Then, I decided to test their Bluetooth capabilities. From critically listening to several songs via Tidal on the PX's, I could tell that there is a noticeable difference between the two codecs. For songs from genres with less-produced music (jazz, classical) the extra information being sent through aptX HD improved several aspects of the music: separation, soundstage, fullness of bass instruments (bass, bari saxophone), decay of bass notes, and other details. The music sounded more dynamic and fuller on the LG G6 than the S8.

In terms of everything else besides SQ and durability, the S8 appeals to me more in pretty much every category, which makes me really think about where my priorities lie. On one hand we have what I consider to be the most cutting-edge phone line, hardware-wise, and on the other we have a very strong audio contender with DAC and the latest and greatest codecs. Oh well, that's a problem for a different thread.

PX's are great and they connected to each phone quickly without any troubles during comparisons.

 

[DivaFonda]

+1 for aptX HD

aptX HD is noticeably better than aptX. I'm currently previewing two ~$500 new smartphones, the LG G6 - International Edition (aptX HD and DAC) and the Samsung S8 (aptX), as potential upgrades to my LG V10. At first, Samsung's skin, additional features (iris scanner to unlock phone, edge swipe,), size, and drop-dead gorgeous design made me play with it for hours, while leaving the LG G6 to sit in the box.

Then, I decided to test their Bluetooth capabilities. From critically listening to several songs via Tidal on the PX's, I could tell that there is a noticeable difference between the two codecs. For songs from genres with less-produced music (jazz, classical) the extra information being sent through aptX HD improved several aspects of the music: separation, soundstage, fullness of bass instruments (bass, bari saxophone), decay of bass notes, and other details. The music sounded more dynamic and fuller on the LG G6 than the S8.

In terms of everything else besides SQ and durability, the S8 appeals to me more in pretty much every category, which makes me really think about where my priorities lie. On one hand we have what I consider to be the most cutting-edge phone line, hardware-wise, and on the other we have a very strong audio contender with DAC and the latest and greatest codecs. Oh well, that's a problem for a different thread.

PX's are great and they connected to each phone quickly without any troubles during comparisons.

LG is a definite hidden gem in the smartphone world. My friend has an old beaten up one still going after 4 years. It's too bad they don't do better in sales compared to Samsung.

On topic: I have these in my cart but I'm really disliking that they don't work with a cable when turned off fully. I've never seen BT headsets have that limitation unless I'm missing something. But I know for sure my H7s work with just a cable. And so do my Parrots(although they sound hollow).

 

[AlwaysForward]

OK so I've had mine for 24 hours now and will share initial impressions:

These are perfect for me. From the design, to the sound, to the thoughtful ANC implementation. Everything is what I was hoping to find in an all day comfort over-ear wireless headset that also had nice ANC for when that's needed. I think these are the best wireless headset I've yet heard, including: QC35, H6, H9, P7W, Studio3, Solo3 & PCX550. I'd rank these: PX > P7W > H6 > H9 > QC35 > PXC550 > Solo3 > Studio3.

Ok, on to the sound performance: The sound is presented with gobs of energy and dynamics. They're very fast, tight and controlled in the bass & plumb deep enough to satisfy my EDM bass cravings with aplomb. I had become addicted to this kind of presentation through the iSine20 and am thrilled with these. I see another user is very happy with them after acclimating to his PM3. I imagine that may be due to the really clean frequency structure from top to bottom that maybe heavy Planar users prefer. It's certainly not as fast as Planar or Balanced Armatures but it sure feels like one of the faster dynamic sets I've run across since acclimating to speedy drivers. The detail retrieval, seperation and imaging are outstanding. When I listened to pretty much every other set here, it sounded like I was listening to headphones. These are the closest to feeling like you’re at a performance I’ve come across in the Wireless closed back world.

These are the first wireless set I've heard where the mids/highs give the impression of having instruments next to you, like with a good planar. At the same time, I also love how it retains the warmth of a dynamic driver, including that closed back dynamic driver punch. The bass is definitely a bit forward however it's also put together in a linear fashion. I prefer this to a mid-bass-bump. The presentation is breathtakingly coherent while being incredibly lively and full of energy. They bring out the most detail and subtlety I've heard in a wireless set.

They sound even better plugged in. I am deeply wishing for an MFi certified lightning->AptX dongle adaptor right about now since I'm on iPhone and the reports on AptX-HD are really cool.

The controls are intuitive, tactile and easy to find.

The build speaks for itself but it's incredibly impressive in person.

No comfort issues. I actually love the way they seal around the ear creating what feels like a music chamber.

ANC: while not the “chamber” of the Bose, here’s where these shine in the ANC world for Audio nerds:

-office: this is excellent for open office environments because of how much sound quality it retains. In addition to cutting noise while allowing voices to get your attention, the slightly laid back presentation is not only musical but much less distracting than with ANC off. I’ve Having a bit too much detail in a song can be distracting from work itself when you’re enveloped. The “office” setting brings the music, what must be, right to the edge of the musical envelopment and distractingly immersive line. I think this is a much bigger musical-tool innovation than we're giving them credit for.

-city: works as advertised and this mode is great for the gym.

-plane: I'll find out on October 29th and report back

Flaws: the intelligent system can cause auto-pause in funky times, I've turned it off.

I’m excited to read the audiophile reviews on these. I imagine they’ll score incredibly high and lead the market for some time. They’re just such a complete product to live with.