Reviews for Bowers & Wilkins C5 In-Ear Headphones

These are my favorite pair of headphones by far. I listen to all types of music ranging from classical Wolfgang, to Ne-Yo, to B.I.G., as well as foreign artists. I need Headphones that are not orientated towards one genre or another. Being that these headphones are so well balanced, i am able to hear the frictional tug of each string with the bow of the violin. Feel the bass rumbling through my entire body as i play sweat.
These are by far also the most comfortable headphones i have in my arsenal. (Even better than the Klipsch patented oval shaped ones, and those are wonderful) I have worn these to sleep like they were regular form-fitting earplugs.
I also run everywhere i go. I have a very active life style so i need headphones that wont fall out every time i decide to run across the street to catch a light or a bus. With the secure loop, i am able to do just that. And may i add, it is also very comfortable.
(May i add you can headbang with these?!)

Because after you pick up a pair of these you are going to want to listen to all your favorite albums again at high bitrate. The sound is just astonishing. They fit like an old pair of jeans and stick like an ear worm. Worth every penny.

I bought this at Apple store about a year ago. My most frequent issue with headphones has been failing jacks which in this case didn't happen so that was good. Sound quality is appropriate for the price and I like the fitting mechanism.

Recently though the mid-section where cables join seems to have issues. When I walk or move the cable, if the joint also moves, sound in one ear stops. It's been getting worse. There's no sign of external damage and I kept these very well protected. Honestly, expected better build quality given the price.

I'll start by saying that I have owned Dre Beats Tour in-ear and the Bose IE2 in-ear and they come nowhere near the B&W C5 in-ear headphones in any way... They boast incredible audio separation, clear highs, amazing midrange and solid bass. I am most impressed by the midrange reproduction - a feat the Bose and Dre Beats failed at miserably. The bass of the C5 is solid and clear with awesome range - the bass is not "boomy" or muffled either like Dre Beats - best bass hands down! Highs are clean and clear but not ear piercing. When it all comes together - no matter what you're listening to - the sound is incredible and fulfilling. I seriously smiled from ear to ear with a big cheesy grin as soon as I began listening to music with these... I knew my search for the perfect headphones was finally over!

I'm very particular with my headphones. Like most people, all i want is clarity, clear acoustic, depth, and obviously great quality. The second i put these on, i knew it was something different. After only 10 seconds into the song I knew i was in for an experience. The clarity, and just overall quality is unparalled to anything in the market in my opinion. I've heard instruments and sounds in songs that i've listened to a million times that i never even knew were in the song. I don't just listen to the music anymore, i literally experience it now. It just feels so real. The acoustics are just absoutely amazing. For the people who claim theyre really uncomfortable, you're just wearing them wrong, and clearly you dont realize that R stands for Right and L for Left. In my opinion, if you can shell out the money for these, its TOTALLY WORTH IT!!!! From hip hop, classical, opera, dance, etc,etc....i listen to everything, and nothing has come close to the sheer experience you get out of these headphones. Im hooked for life.

The pros:

The C5 offer excellent sound, especially mid- to low range. Deep bass is reproduced with convincing control and authority, so much so that I frequently find myself pulling out one of the plugs to check if I accidentally left the subwoofers on. Vocals are also treated with usual B&W signature excellence. That being said, expect the usual B&W coloration; i.e. not neutral sound, but warm and a bit woolly and with a slight lack of treble clarity and detail.

Aesthetically, the C5 are things of beauty. From the jet black cylindrical design to the silver "grille" at the back, they look very nice indeed. Some users are complaining that the buds are too heavy, but for me this hasn’t been a problem during workouts.

The cons:

There are a few points that potential buyers need to know about. The cable is very stiff and easy to break. I work at a Hi Fi dealership, and we’ve had unusually many C5s returned due to cable breakage. I’m on my second pair now after only two months, and despite being very careful I’m likely to move on to my third before summer.

The carrying case is a joke. Although very stylish, it’s far too small, especially considering the stiff cable. B&W have attempted to rectify this by removing the integrated plug holder in later versions, but this hasn’t helped much considering the case is still the same overall size.

The remote is also a bit of a blunder. It’s cylindrical and only works if pushed in a very specific way. It’s difficult to use without looking, and impossible if you ever wear gloves. There is also a lot of noise when using the hands free function.

Conclusion: Great sound, but troubled by some very poor design choices.

innovative; makes a product useful; aesthetic; makes a product understandable; unobtrusive; honest; long-lasting; thorough, down to the last detail; environmentally-friendly; little design as possible.
This product meets most the caveats mentioned. Out of all the in-ear headphones I've owned, this is by far the best. Using the wire as adjustable in-ear loop is very innovative indeed. Unlike some other products where there are many different sizes in which you have to replace, this one is like "one-size fits all" design, and uses minimal parts. I love it!! And by having that "loop" the earphones will not go into your ears any further that would create pressure and potentially hurt your ears.

The sound quality is superb! There is no "excessive" bass/mid/treble. Some headphones just pwns the bass and bad treble, but this one gives a nice balance. Which is good when the user listens to just about every genre of music. Dubstep to Classical music, brings the "umph" to every genre of music to your ears.

I'm one of the people who believes in the break-in/burn-in headphones when first bought. So I will have to re-evaluate my initial conclusion later, but if this already sounds superb initially right out of the box, it'll only get better and better as time progresses. $200-ish well spent!

As a runner, I tend to sweat A LOT. I bought these in Aug'11 because I wanted something with a great sound, but would stay in place when running (most earbuds wont stay put). These are excellent...... for the first few weeks. Then the control on the wire stopped working from sweat. I try to dry them off after every use, and keep them clean. Thennnnn the right earbud stopped working. I contacted B&W and they replaced them for no charge........ Two months later, same issue. Right earbud isnt working and control works intermittently.

All in all, if you want a nice earbud with great sound, BUY THESE.... just dont work out in them if you intend on sweating.

...... back to the hunt on the perfect earbud yet AGAIN!

I've had probably 40 different pairs of earbud headphones, ranging from Apple to Bose and none compare to the comfort of these. AMAZING!!! Sound absolutely awesome!!! Suburb design and quality. EXCELLENT!!!!

Great headphones. I used these on a 13 hour flight and they were great for noise cancelation and did not hurt my ears when they were in the right place. Best sound quality and good for everyday use also. I definitely recommend.