[spacecowboy2050]

It’s good to know I’m not alone in struggling with this sound quality perfection disease....

 

[hifi80sman]

It’s good to know I’m not alone in struggling with this sound quality perfection disease....

I think this sums it up best:
The honest truth about this hobby.

 

[musicmaker]

I tried the PX7 and now have the NC700. The PX7 is the better sounding headphone, no doubt. However the NC700 has much better anc. The call quality is also better. Those are my main use cases and I'm happy with the nc700.

 

[spacecowboy2050]

Sound quality is the most important thing for me. I’ve just ordered some momentum 3s to test out...

 

[hifi80sman]

Sound quality is the most important thing for me. I’ve just ordered some momentum 3s to test out...

If you like bass, then you'll love the M3. They also have excellent mids and more balanced highs. The soundstage, however, is not as good as the PX7 and it does not give you that "arena" presence the PX7 can deliver, which excels with certain genres. I have both, so I go back and forth depending on my mood.

As you spend more time in this hobby, you'll likely find you will crave different sound signatures here & there and end up having dozens of headphones. One day, you'll look around and say to yourself, "What have I become?".

 

[spacecowboy2050]

Thanks for all the replies, really appreciate it. The lack of an EQ in the B&W app really irritates me, even though I didn’t think it would when I bought them. Tidal and Roon don’t have an EQ in their apps on my iPhone and I just can’t get used to a flat EQ, I’ve always been a V shape listener...

 

[Asspirin]

In my opinion, B&W headphones don't respond particularly well to EQ

 

[hifi80sman]

In my opinion, B&W headphones don't respond particularly well to EQ

I agree. I also have the P7W and they sound best as the come out of the box.

Thanks for all the replies, really appreciate it. The lack of an EQ in the B&W app really irritates me, even though I didn’t think it would when I bought them. Tidal and Roon don’t have an EQ in their apps on my iPhone and I just can’t get used to a flat EQ, I’ve always been a V shape listener...

Another suggestion would be the B&W P7W if you can find a pair. They sound incredible for those that love a V shaped signature.

 

[scottyb06]

Hoping I can get some help here. I own a pair of PX's which I bought over a year ago. All was good until right around when B&W released the new headphones app. Since that time, I can't get sound to emanate from my headphones when using my iPhone X or my iPad Air 2, even when using the older app instead of the new one. The Bluetooth page under system preferences shows the headphones are connected, as does the B&W app (i.e., everything looks like it did before this issue and all should be good). Despite this, I can only get the noise cancellation but no sound (yes the battery is fully charged). I also tried obtaining sound using a wired connection to no avail. Ideas regarding what I'm doing wrong? Thanks!

 

[hifi80sman]

Hoping I can get some help here. I own a pair of PX's which I bought over a year ago. All was good until right around when B&W released the new headphones app. Since that time, I can't get sound to emanate from my headphones when using my iPhone X or my iPad Air 2, even when using the older app instead of the new one. The Bluetooth page under system preferences shows the headphones are connected, as does the B&W app (i.e., everything looks like it did before this issue and all should be good). Despite this, I can only get the noise cancellation but no sound (yes the battery is fully charged). I also tried obtaining sound using a wired connection to no avail. Ideas regarding what I'm doing wrong? Thanks!

1) Try to Reset the headphones from the App if you can.
2) If not, forget the headphones from the BT menu on each Device.
3) Uninstall the App.
4) Restart the headphones (see below), then power on & pair to your iPhone again. See if you can get something to play.
5) Reinstall the App.

 

[scottyb06]

Thanks man. Worked like a charm. Also, KISS is awesome.

 

[sfalexi]

Recently (like three days ago) purchased and have been fiddling with the PX7. I have one real question that maybe if there's an answer, it'll help others.

Q: I don't have any latency, as long as it's dedicated to one device. But there's a problem with a specific device of mine... How can I tell it that I don't WANT multiple devices? It seems to search for and auto connect to a second bluetooth device, even if I manually disconnect it.

Example, connected to the TRANSMITTER and my PC (both through bluetooth), and my PC audio is about 150ms behind. If I use the app to disconnect the transmitter, the PC 'resets' the lag and its lag free, but it will on its own, reconnect to the transmitter. Even if I force disconnect it. I can only KEEP it disconnected if I manually walk over and turn off the transmitter.

Is there a way to disconnect an audio device in the app, and leave it only on ONE device, without it automatically continuing to search for a second device to connect to?

Alexi


PS - I'll be doing an amateur, quick-compare between this and a B&0 H9i in a few days. I currently own both, and will be giving my thoughts.

 

[ryanmatic]

Are your PX7 updated to the latest 1.1 firmware? If so, you can tap the dots icon next to the Connection header in the app, and pick the device you always want it to connect to when it powers on. I've only ever noticed my PX7 connecting to that one device, even when others it's previously paired with are nearby, after setting that preference. (Before the 1.1 update, it would always attempt to connect to the two last-connected sources after powering on.)

Also, you can always disconnect all connected devices by flicking the on/off switch up to the top spot two times in rapid succession.

 

[sfalexi]

Are your PX7 updated to the latest 1.1 firmware? If so, you can tap the dots icon next to the Connection header in the app, and pick the device you always want it to connect to when it powers on. I've only ever noticed my PX7 connecting to that one device, even when others it's previously paired with are nearby, after setting that preference. (Before the 1.1 update, it would always attempt to connect to the two last-connected sources after powering on.)

Also, you can always disconnect all connected devices by flicking the on/off switch up to the top spot two times in rapid succession.

Yup. Updated the latest firmware. I tried various combinations, including on/off switch twice to force disconnect. It still happens, but I'm pretty sure at this point that it's not a fault of the headphone, but rather a symptom of a bluetooth transmitter that seems to "agressively" search for it's paired device. I guess my transmitter just keeps sending out a "pair with me, please" signal over and over again and my headphones pick up on it. It's a small nitpick, and lazy me will just force the second device to be something I'm not using (for example, if I want to listen to my PC audio, I'll pair the second device to an ipad that I'm not using through the app) so all connections are taken and the transmitter can't butt in.

[EDIT]Actually, pairing a second device won't solve the latency. I'll have to (GASP) actually get up off my ass and turn off the transmitter when I'm not using it.... damn it....

Thanks for the tips though. The on/off switch thing is super handy. Shoulda been in the manual somewhere.

Alexi

 

[sfalexi]

BASIC THOUGHTS BETWEEN PX7 AND H9i

Up front, PX7 wins. And it’s not really close.

My use-case is primarily using headphones at home, playing games on the computer or listening to movies/tv shows on my tv. If I’m out and about, I tend to use airpods, and I don’t listen to a ton of music. More of a podcast/audiobook guy. I also don’t travel much, so the noise canceling feature is more for me to drown out when my fridge or A/C kicks on, or neighbors in my apartment complex. I don’t use multi-pairing much, if at all. I tend to hardwire into a computer if I want to listen or pay attention to games, and connect ONLY to a device when I’m using it. I don’t care about using them on the phone based on my use-case.



SOUND QUALITY

I’m not an audiophile, but if I listen to music, it tends to be classical, jazz, that sort of thing. Mostly instrumental. And I prefer a nice wide soundstage for positional cues while gaming, and I find a wider soundstage more immersive in movies.

I almost always test my headphones with the same few things.

• Chamber Music test ->
  • I use this test because it carries a spread of range, and the musicians are all amazing enough to ensure that they are blending well when performing. So does that blend come across? Any ranges of instruments that really stick out badly, or overall seem to be louder and not properly blended?
• Large Big Band test ->
  • Great tune. A LOT going on. Can I hear it or focus in on individual moments? When the timbales come in, do they sound like they’re far away from the rest of the band to the left? Do the keys sound natural and does the sax come in clear, but not piercing? Great tune.
• Spacial soundstage tests 1 and 2 -> and
  • Basically to see how immersive they are. Like I said, to ME, immersive means I want to hear distance. It’s a good indication of how well space engineered in a movie will sound. Does the rain sound like it’s right on my head, or actually around me? Is the door that opens and closes far away or really close?

When it comes to sound quality without ANC on, they’re both very good, just different.

• H9i, yes can be sibilant when listening to screeching trumpets in my big band music, or when a soprano sax or clarinet go high, but I can lower the volume a bit and enjoy it.
• PX7, has this sort of “veil” over it. It seems to blend the sounds better and nothing is really punctuated or sharp. I can see what people mean when they say that these are not fatiguing. You can listen to them for hours and be fine cause there’s no sibilance or anything.

Then you turn the ANC on….

• H9i, horrible. Well, maybe HORRIBLE is a little strong, but there’s a such a difference and it’s so much worse it’s really noticeable. And not enjoyable. That was an immediate disqualification for me.
• PX7, so little of a difference, I’m not even sure I hear one. Sounds pretty much the same. Still really good.

Features-wise, the PX7 beats the snot out of the H9i. The app is awesome, with its ability to choose which devices you want to pair, easily set differences in ANC, the buttons are very easy and intuitive. The H9i connects to whatever the hell it wants to when you turn it on. So maybe I have to go into my other room that has my ipad and open it, and disable bluetooth so it can forget that pairing and MAYBE connect to what I actually WANTED it to connect to. And the touch pad wasn’t as bad as everyone says. It worked about 90% of the time for me. But compared to buttons that worked 100% of the time, well, buttons won the round. I love the idea of the replaceable battery. But the sound with ANC and the very VERY sparse app, well, it’s not worth it.



The only thing that REALLY makes me mad with PX7, is the latency. It’s very musical. It’s got good soundstage. The app and buttons/features on the headphones are really good. Comfort is really good. It’s not super “exciting” but it’s very pleasing to listen to…. And then I connect it to my Bluetooth transmitters to watch movies, and there’s 150ish milliseconds of latency between sounds and visuals. And it breaks it.

BTW, I was super excited to read about this aptx adaptive, and it’s 50-80ms of latency, only to have a rude awakening that NOTHING has it!!! So it’s a useless codec to have in my headphones. No transmitters have it. And some phones of brand names you didn't even know made phones. So what the hell is the point? ESPECIALLY for my particular use case. So as great as the features and everything are, I’m still looking for a headphone. Cause I can’t sit here and watch my movies and TV and see that god-awful out of sync audio/video. Congrats B&W. Your advertising suckered me into a purchase that I literally can't use, and there are no companies that make transmitters that allow me to use your WONDERFULLY advertised aptx adaptive. Thanks a-hole marketing department for making me blow $400 on something that on paper fits my needs, and in reality fits NO ONES NEEDS CAUSE IT REALLY DOESN'T EXIST ANYWHERE!



Alexi