[Mark Up]

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[tim440]

Do people think that a firmware update is likely to change the sound much? Is a firmware update even likely?

 

[Radiorog]

Could anybody show evidence that firmware 1.2 is real? I have contacted b&w and they told me there is no such thing, and the headphones latest firmware is 1.1

 

[LDude]

Could anybody show evidence that firmware 1.2 is real?

Spoiler: Software version

 

[Radiorog]

Spoiler: Software version

Thanks very much. Very strange then that they told me otherwise, and i appesr to have no way of downloading this version. Any ideas? Im in the uk, would that matter?

 

[LDude]

1.2 is for Carbon Edition only.

 

[Radiorog]

1.2 is for Carbon Edition only.

Yeah, no i have the carbon , and informed b&w of this, and they told me the latest firmware is 1.1

 

[3Putter]

Yeah, no i have the carbon , and informed b&w of this, and they told me the latest firmware is 1.1

They told me the same thing. Internally, they're all the same. I'm eager to find something out with this...

 

[neil74]

So what is the view in 2021, have B&W quietly fixed any of the issues on later models and do they equally affect the carbon model?

I have PXs, like them a lot but the audio quality hit when switching on ANC does bug me so have been considering the carbon PX7s.

 

[neil74]

Pulled the trigger on the carbons which arrived yesterday. I still have the PXs and some QC35s and recently sold my Sony m4s, for what it is worth here are my initial thoughts:

1 - They are way more comfortable than the PXs, not as good as the QC35s though
2 - Build quality seems very good, took them on a 3 mile walk earlier and they were great, way better than the creak-fest Sony M4s. I’d rather the pads were leather, some very minor ear sweat after the walk, still better than the Sonys and Bose for ear sweat but worse than the PX. Some after-market leather pads would be an instant buy for me.
3 - Hard to tell a difference with the ANC vs. The PX, maybe slightly better, not as good as the Sony or Bose though and traffic in particular does still get through. Won’t get a chance for a while to test them on public transport or a plane.
4 - They sound different to the PXs. With the ANC off I’d say the PX7s are slightly better, the big advantage though is they sound way better than the PX with ANC on, this is a HUGE plus for me vs the PX. I prefer the sound of both the PX7 and PX to the Sony and Bose though

Overall they are a keeper I think if only for the comfort and better audio quality with ANC on. I still think the PX are nicer looking though!

 

[WilcoRoger]

3 - Hard to tell a difference with the ANC vs. The PX, maybe slightly better, not as good as the Sony or Bose though and traffic in particular does still get through. Won’t get a chance for a while to test them on public transport or a plane.
4 - They sound different to the PXs. With the ANC off I’d say the PX7s are slightly better, the big advantage though is they sound way better than the PX with ANC on, this is a HUGE plus for me vs the PX. I prefer the sound of both the PX7 and PX to the Sony and Bose though

Overall they are a keeper I think if only for the comfort and better audio quality with ANC on. I still think the PX are nicer looking though!

The ANC on the Sony is much better on airplanes (I have the mk2) than the PX7. On commuter trains, the PX7 is already very adequate.

The PX7 runs circles around the 1000Xs with SQ.

The Sony has much better mic for phone calls - with the PX7 the other party keeps asking "speak up, I can't hear you"

 

[Radiorog]

Pulled the trigger on the carbons which arrived yesterday. I still have the PXs and some QC35s and recently sold my Sony m4s, for what it is worth here are my initial thoughts:

1 - They are way more comfortable than the PXs, not as good as the QC35s though
2 - Build quality seems very good, took them on a 3 mile walk earlier and they were great, way better than the creak-fest Sony M4s. I’d rather the pads were leather, some very minor ear sweat after the walk, still better than the Sonys and Bose for ear sweat but worse than the PX. Some after-market leather pads would be an instant buy for me.
3 - Hard to tell a difference with the ANC vs. The PX, maybe slightly better, not as good as the Sony or Bose though and traffic in particular does still get through. Won’t get a chance for a while to test them on public transport or a plane.
4 - They sound different to the PXs. With the ANC off I’d say the PX7s are slightly better, the big advantage though is they sound way better than the PX with ANC on, this is a HUGE plus for me vs the PX. I prefer the sound of both the PX7 and PX to the Sony and Bose though

Overall they are a keeper I think if only for the comfort and better audio quality with ANC on. I still think the PX are nicer looking though!

Could you do me a favour, and check what firmware are currently on your px7, this will be identifiable in the app. Mine was changed withiut warning after 4 weeks of use, and the sound signature changed massively. Im notnimpressed at all as i preferrd the sound i had before. I will write more on this tomorrow as its now bed time
Thanks.

 

[greenkomodo1]

I bought a v moda boom pro inline mic for the PX7s but doesn't seem to work Does it just not support inline mics?

 

[Radiorog]

Ok so a quick update on the various firmwares. Yes, there are 2 and yes they do sound very different. I bought the carbon edition and it came with V1.1. It was a big and rich sound that begged yountonturn it up more. I usually listened a few notches above the recommnded highest level on phone. Vocal were often recessed, bit the bass was big and sound was very full and live sounding, often feeling like your own personal concert. Loved them, bit the recessed vocals was disappointing on some tracks.
After a few weeks of this i reconnected to the app as i wasnt using it before. It automatically updated the cans to V1.2 and i immediately noticed all the bass had gone and the sound was tinny. Since then ive been kind of freaking out and liasing with b&w who have offered me another set of cans but they would be the V1.2 which im just not digging. I find i have to turn the sound down a lot compared to V1.1 to prevent i stant fatigue, and even tinitius. There are literally no more recessed vocals where as before it was very prominent. But i can no longer rock out as much because more tracks sound harsh, the vocal area too far forward and sounding shouty. Basically feels like upper bass has been totally removed in some point, and some midrange projectwd forward.
Its really hard to get a handle on. Not all albums do this. Fleetwood mac rumpurs for example sounds perfect. But too many sound shouty, and the meat on the bones of a lot of tracks to me , has gone.

 

[Blinxat]

The resolution and slam are pretty solid for a BT headphone. Pretty deep soundstage.

While I wouldnt say the timbre is off or the tonality itself is wrong BUT these are headphones are quite heavily tuned in a V shape.

The mids can be slightly wonky, and the treble while always sparkly and lively, can be rather lacking as well. So you get this sound that can be slightly darker yet sibilant at the same time.

At the end of the day it is a fun, mostly musical and exciting tuning, with gooey warmth yet with some excitment.

I think it does a good job as a consumer product which it is anyway.

I prefer the sound when listening through the USB-C cable hooked up to PC