Reviews for Bowers & Wilkins P5 Mobile Headphones

I broke my old Klipsch in-ear phone and was looking for a replacement. I want to get a mobile on-ear phone this time, so I tested drive the Bose, V-moda & Monster Beats Solo but were scared by the unnecessary heavy bass. I think I am so used to the more balanced sound headphone since Kipsch is the same kind of headphone as B&W, going for a more balanced sound. When I tested this one, I like it very much. While I am saying this is a balanced sound headphone but it doesn't mean its bass is not good. It actually procduced powerful but comfortable bass, just not the DJ type bass.

My major concern of this headphone is comfort. It's on-ear phone and that means it will produce some pressure on your ears, especially if you are waering glass like me. I have to give my ears a break every 30 mins or so. The carrying case isn't that good too and I prefer a hard case with better protection.

These headphones are overpriced and do not deliver the promised sound quality. Now I am stuck with them, even though I would love to return them to the store, but it is too late now. The headphones do look good and are well made but just like one of the person mentioned on this forum they sound as if the music is muffled. My old Beyerdynamic DT 250-80 ohms headphones sound so much better. The B&W P5 are now collecting dust . . .

I record and listen to music more than anyone I know, and these headphones are a great representation of what you play through them. In NYC, as a music engineer and producer, it's hard to do the "car test" unless you own a car. Most of us don't, or don't always get a chance to use them. These headphones take the place of that "car test" for your mixes. I listen to them all over town... If your mix if off, they'll let you know it's not that good sounding. They're pretty noise isolating but not completely, which I dig because I don't want to get hit by a bus. They're super comfortable, streamline, built to last and sound noticeably better then ear-buds and other small mobile head-sets. They just feel nice. Like a BMW over a Honda... In my studio I've got fantastic Focal audio monitors and awesome Ultrasone headphones... These B&W P5s are another great way to listen to all kinds of music. Save your up your money, they're worth every cent!!!

..Struggle as long as you can, then relax and succumb as the waves of sound wash over you.

Bowers and Wilkins suckered me in with the desktop computer speakers which give blindingly awesome sound. Compared with the $50 PC speakers I'm accustomed to it was a universe of difference in sound.

It was just a matter of time before I got in my car, things got kind of hazy, and when consciousness kicked back in, I was standing in the Apple Store with a set of P5s in my hands.

Sound Quality
I'm not an audiophile, and don't know the lingo - but I can say that it's far easier to pick out the details in a piece of music with these over the standard earbuds you get. When I crank up the volume, it's great. No distortion, just a wall of amazing sound.

Noise Isolation
This is not active noise cancellation where the earphones do crazy sound wave collapsing. The P5s have thick padding, a large enough surface area to cover the entire ear, and a firm, snug, fit that keeps a lot of noise out. On a bustling street with cars and trucks in the city, you can hear your music fine without having to raise the volume much.

What you get with it:
They come with two cables: one special iPod cable that has an inline remote (press 4 times to go back!), and a regular cable for other players which I'm using with my Zune (though the ipod cable works with it fine, you just lose the inline remote functionality).

The replacement method for the cables really showcases the extremely high quality and attention to detail here. To change the cable, you remove the black padded section that usually rests against your ear. I assumed it would be clipped on and I'd have to squeeze somewhere. No - it's fitted magnetically and just pulls away with a firm tug. Inside, the cable attaches to the P5s with a smaller version of the regular cable jack. The socket inside even rotates slightly out towards you when you remove the cable to make it easier to get out. Brilliant engineering here.

Also included is a pretty nice storage pouch with a magnetic closure. Inside the pouch you can store the P5s and there's a separate little sub-pouch for storing your player. I'm not sure if I'll be using this. Seems like more baggage to carry around, but the P5s are an investment and something you don't want to get scratched and buffeted around in the main section of a bag.

Comfort
I've had them on for two hours now and have yet to rip them off and rub my ears back to life like with my old headphones.

When I was told of the Bowers & Wilkins P5 Headphones from a friend, my curiosity was peaked due to the fact that I was on the prowl for a new pair of headphones. So I went down to the Apple Store on 5th Avenue and tested them out. For those of you who have been to said store, you can imagine how busy it can be during August and when I put the headphones on, I was shell-shocked to find they completely canceled out the crowds. I hit play on the iPhone 4 they were connected to and I don’t think I have ever heard Louie Armstrong any clearer. The treble and base were perfectly in sync, unlike the notorious “Beats” by Dr. Dre which have an obnoxiously high base, and there was not even the slightest rattling sounds from the speakers. This is a big deal for me because after a year, my Bose headphones began to disintegrate. For those of you who are audio professionals, audiophiles or just love the Bowers & Wilkins bran, I strongly recommend them (and if you ask, they give my Bang & Olufsen EarSet 3’s a run for their money!).

For years I've been using Sennheiser HD580 headphones. I enjoy them so much I have two sets, just in case one has to go back for service. (the pads need replacing as they wear with use.) After reading the reviews from others here, I decided to try the P5's out. B&W's reputation for studio monitors is excellent, and I was hoping that experience would transfer to their headphones.
After a week of ownership I can say that they are indeed excellent. The sound is very neutral and clear. My ears tell me that nothing is added or subtracted from the audio being pumped into them. Being closed to outside noises, I get the impression that I'm hearing more than with the Sennheisers.
The only minor issue is while wearing glasses, the pads place too much pressure on my temples. I have to raise my glasses up above the pads to alleviate those pressure points.

After reading so many good reviews and comments about these headphones, and because of the very nice design, I took a chance and ordered them without first trying them out.
Now, I which I hadn't. Sure the bass is OK but they totally miss the midrange and general clarity that you get from brands like Sennheiser. In fact I have a pair of Sennheisers for $70 that sound twice as good. Also they are not as comfortable as you might think and get very warm quickly. I really don't see what everyone is raving about. These headphones are just not that good! Sure they look great, but at the end of the day it's all about the sound..

Overall these are great looking comfortable high quality phones, they isolate great and also don't bleed out a lot of noise.
The sound signature however is very very tight, best if you are on a noisy bus but not so good for watching a movie or playing a game. These sound like many higher end IEMs and seem to work best with tight enclosed music, not airy Jazz or Classical. However that is just my opionion others may vary

These headphones are truly well made and good looking. I bought them based on the great reviews from the Apple Store and the reputation of the brand.

However, I just returned them a day after buying them because they did not deliver on as a suitable set of headphones for iPhone usage. Sure they say they are iPhone compatible with mic and easy to use controls. What they don't say is that they are IMPOSSIBLE to carry on a phone call (especially a business call) because you cannot hear yourself talk. You hear yourself muffled and it's too distracting to engage in a conversation. In my opinion, this fatal flaw makes them UNUSABLE with the iPhone. They should either immediately fix this or do not claim to be iPhone compatible. They can still be iPod compatible of course because music listening is a treat with these headphones.

But for anyone looking for a high quality set of headphones that can serve admirably for both music and phone calls, keep looking...

As anybody who's worked in audio production and engineering will tell you, 99% of the audio products on the market are junk. Instead of concentrating on accurate reproduction of the midtones: the vast spectrum of sound where most of the audio information is contained, everything gets thrown into the bass to make it seem "fat and wet" and most of the midrange - if discernible - is just there as a skeleton to hold together a piece of music.

B&W is does not qualify for the junk-box test. These are reference grade headphones: flat tonal response up and down the curve, a beautiful, natural decay (something very difficult for closed headphones; the sound energy has to go somewhere!

Put these on, and you'll realize that you've been missing 70% of the acoustic data from your audio products. Sure, they may not be as amazing as a handmade open-back, wooden-framed set from Brooklyn, but for cans that fit wonderfully, are designed for all-day comfort, never get slimy, sound amazing and have an inline mic AND audio controls — well, there's really not much more to ask for. Thank you B&W for creating a product that is worthy of it's price point, that is functional to boot, and is a beautifully designed piece of gear. I will never leave home without 'em.