Bowers & Wilkins P5 Wireless - Bluetooth On-Ear Headphones - Black

Product Information

Starting at the low end the P5 exhibits a relatively balanced and refined sound, offering bass quantity similar to that of the HD25-1. But either way, it's definitely a luxurious "designer" type of a carry case which goes along with a whole luxurious design of these headphones. The play/pause button and volume rocker offer gratifying tactility with only a gentle press and they operated without a hitch. When listening to jazz, slow rock, or several pop songs, the bass feels less resolving and lacks a little bit of quality, but contributes to the overall thickness of the sound.

I really think this model (it's the series 1, with the earpads of the series 2) is a gem regarding the drivers, they are great speakers, they just need some love, attention to detail, patience with the burn-in and a little help with the magic of the Audyssey app. There is enough grip for a brisk walk, but we would caution against anything beyond a moderate headbang. P5W vs Touch - Touch has less sub-bass and a touch more aggressive mid-bass, lower mids are a bit thinner and upper mids are a little brighter and a bit more forward, treble is a bit crispier. The vocals here get the ideal level of bright, crisp high-mid and high frequency presence—things are clear, never too sibilant. The headband and ear pad are covered in a stylish black leather that adds to the high-end appeal of these headphones.

However, these qualities will vanish the moment bass kicks in mainly because they lack extension which prevents them from having this sort of airiness and presence to them. In its defense, the P5 works just fine straight out of a portable player, which was obviously the designers’ intent, and manages to be pretty forgiving of crappy recordings and rips while maintaining a semblance of fidelity, partly due to the slightly compressed dynamic range. The headband and earpads are covered in a smooth black leather that adds to the high-end appeal of these headphones. It felt better after 20 minutes or so, and after several days of use, the headphones did loosen up a bit–I was eventually able to wear the P5 comfortably for multi-hour listening sessions–but I never forgot I had headphones on. These headphones make a statement with their appearance and feel, something akin to designer watches or bespoke suits.

As I ran through dozens of pieces from all genres, I was struck by just how non-fatiguing the sound really was. However, just about everything else concerning the design is dead-on—the detachable cable, for instance, will power down your headphones when you connect it, saving as much battery life as possible. The signature looks of the P5 series are all here—supra-aural (on-ear) black leather pads with ample cushioning and perforated leather over the two 40mm drivers, the aluminum frame that twists into the earcups like a spiral staircase, and the black leather headband, with its stitching reminiscent of a luxury leather glove. The P5 Wireless deliver a balanced audio reproduction that caters well to bass and instrument-heavy music. With the ear cushions in hand, giving them a twist as you would to put them on your head yields about 130-degrees of swivel.The top end gives bite and attack, while still leaving plenty of breathing space for a song to reach its soaring crescendo. The percussion on Grizzly Bear's "All We Ask" stands out because the song was mixed that way, not because the P5 exaggerates the low-end.