Metal. Leather. Unrealistic cool speakers. No, this is not a member of the Motörhead group, but something more sophisticated - the Bowers & Wilkins P5 Series 2 "head phones" (recommended price is $ 299.99). The updated version of the headphones has the same attractive combination of soft sheep skin and curved metal wrapped around new, improved speakers.
Style and solidity
Headphones Bowers & Wilkins P5 are famous among music lovers for their meticulously made, comfortable head phones, capable of remarkable auditory splendor. The P5 Series 2 is comfortable, stylish, and superb. In addition to a little distortion at low frequencies, the sound is very balanced and correctly emphasizes the entire frequency range. They have practically no competitors. You can find cheaper devices with better technical characteristics, but with a huge difference in design. There are stylish headphones with the best bass for about the same price, but listeners who need more solidity should keep in mind this particular model.
Bowers & Wilkins P5 Design Review
The great attention to detail really pays off. It's hard to imagine someone who finds these headphones ugly, although some may argue that they are too unusual. Luxurious leather helps soften the inside of the temple, moving down to the cups through smooth, expressively curved metal branches. The reverse side of each cup proudly bears its own model name inside the grainy black-brown ovals framed by the same shiny metallic inserts.
The ear pads themselves, made of foam-filled soft sheep skin, almost wrap your ears. They are not only as comfortable as possible, which can be expected for $ 300. The P5 is about as comfortable as the in-ear headphones. The ear pads are mounted on magnets, and at any time they can be removed, easily prying off the edge. This not only allows you to satisfy your curiosity and look at the speakers close by, but also is necessary to replace the standard audio cable with the supplied 3.5 / 2.5 mm spare cable. The headband is pretty tough, but if the user wears glasses or finds the headphones too bulky, then this model is a good compromise, which this category can offer. The cups themselves have a good range of motion and are far enough from the bow to cope with heads of all shapes and sizes.
Compared to most headphones, the Bowers & Wilkins P5 are very comfortable and lightweight enough to be worn for hours.
Connection
At first glance, the P5 is connected using a non-removable cable, but, as is the case with other B&W headphone models, it can be easily removed by first removing the left ear cushion. By default, the wire has a built-in combination of a microphone and a three-button remote control. There is also a spare cable without a microphone. Although this is a simple wire with 3.5 mm jacks at both ends, it is worth noting that they have a special shape, so replacing with something else is not possible. Cables are surprisingly durable in the most vulnerable places, but relatively thin and flexible. The wires are short, but solid and quite durable.
Case
For travel, Bowers & Wilkins P5 has a neatly stitched polyester cover with a quilted pattern. Inside, it is lined with felt, which is designed to carefully clean the headphones from fingerprints and dust particles whenever head phones are placed in it. The cover is closed by a valve with a strong magnet, which ensures that the contents do not accidentally fall out of it. It does not protect against strong squeezing, but allows you to maintain an excellent appearance of the device on the go.
Bowers amp Wilkins P5 Wireless
The design of the headphones corresponds to the P5 series: the ear pads are very soft, made of black leather; she trimmed the bow; perforated leather covers 40 mm speakers; aluminum pins screw into cups like spiral staircases. The Bowers & Wilkins P5 Wireless will cost $ 100 more. With a weight of 213 g, headphones are 18 g heavier than wired. Their battery life is quite good and is 17 hours of continuous music playback. Three buttons on the right cup allow you to control the volume, skip tracks forward and backward, and also answer calls - there is a built-in microphone of excellent quality. There is also a switch that serves simultaneously as a Bluetooth connection setup button, and a micro USB port for recharging batteries. A separate charger is not included - you will have to use a computer or something else with a USB connector.
Bowers & Wilkins P5 Wireless supports the AptX Bluetooth standard, which supposedly provides the best sound quality, but this is debatable. The speakers are identical to the P5 Series 2. In Bluetooth mode, their clarity and dynamics are not fully manifested. The difference becomes apparent if you connect the Bowers & Wilkins P5 Wireless headphones through the included cable. Treble sounds brighter and bass sounds denser. This is not surprising, since it is difficult to find wireless headphones, the quality of which would not be inferior to wired ones.
Specifications
The main parameters of Bowers & Wilkins P5 are as follows:
- Frequency range: 10 Hz - 20 kHz.
- Speaker diameter: 40 mm.
- Impedance: 22 ohms.
- Sensitivity: 108 dB at 1 kHz.
- Maximum input power: 50 mW.
Sound quality
A pair of headphones of such a small size is a little shocking at what low frequencies it can reproduce. On tracks with intense sub-bass content, like Nife’s Silent Shout, P5 gives out real thunder. The deep rumble of bass in the mix is heard without distortion even at maximum volume. Outside the mix, the headphones do not fabricate artificially sounding lows, like devices with heavily raised bass. A great example of this is the composition of Bill Callahan Drover. His rich baritone does not need a boost in bass, and this does not happen. While some headphones with boosted bass make the sound of his voice a little muddy on this track, the P5 delivers exceptionally clear transmission. The vocals are excellent, neither thin nor too bright. The drums on this track are a little more present, but not significantly.
When playing a song by J-Z and Kanye West, No Church in the Wild P5 sounds phenomenal again. A bass drum attack breaks through the mix with ferocious high midrange massively supported by bass. The vocals float clearly over the dense track, and the synthesizer's sub-bass beats have hoarse midrange, which makes them sound formidable, with a rounded subwoofer-like presence, thanks to which the listener feels as if the sound passes through a club amplifier. A sign of great headphones is their ability to give the songs intended for playing on the radio or in clubs the power they need, while also managing subtle tracks like Drover.
Classical compositions, such as the opening scene of John Adams, “The Gospel of the Other Mary,” offer the same excellent balance across the entire frequency range. Lower case strings are present just as much as necessary. A wonderful resonance is heard when the mix requires it, and higher register strings, winds, vocals fill the scene clearly and clearly. Nothing sounds too bright, harsh or subtle.
Audio test
Bowers & Wilkins P5 Series 2 look incredible, but for their price they should work just as well. Although testing has shown many positive qualities, including detailed, balanced sound, the P5 suffers from noticeable distortion at low frequencies. Without boosting the bass, like many consumer headphones, the Bowers & Wilkins P5 S2 provide a healthy, smooth sound across the entire bass range. It is to be expected that instruments such as trumpet, cello and electric bass will be easily perceptible and will not drown out other sources on the stage - this is very important, since B&W sometimes lacks the feeling of the space of full-size headphones. Midrange elements, such as vocals or guitars, are emphasized a little less in their normal range and a little more in harmonic, which helps to distinguish subtle details. In addition, the upper mid- and high-frequency sounds, such as piccolo, flute and cymbals, are quiet during the first attack, but their harmonic resonance is quite audible.
Job evaluation
In general, Bowers & Wilkins P5 produce a balanced, comfortable sound that does not place too much or insufficient emphasis on any element. He lacks the plane necessary for studio engineers, but music lovers who are looking for a pleasant, even tonal answer will love these headphones.
However, the P5 has one notable drawback: deep sub-bass and bass elements tend to show noticeable distortion at high volume, causing unwanted noise at low frequencies. The P5 does not have any serious problems, but for their high cost you can expect an excellent result. It is likely that only people with perfect hearing will notice distortions, but they are nonetheless present.
Otherwise, P5 is one positive. Headphones perfectly isolate sound after their placement. A little distortion is a low price for high quality.
Verdict
Bowers & Wilkins P5 Series 2 are that rare breed of headphones that look as good as they sound. Smooth, molded metal and warm leather accentuate the details. The lack of distortion would make the P5 an ideal option. Depressing is the lack of compatibility with other popular mobile operating systems. Androis and Windows users are left with nothing. The price of $ 300 is a little overpriced, because you can find cheaper offers.
Music lovers who are looking for comfortable, great headphones have little choice. Premium buyers, as a rule, stop at full-size devices, so manufacturing companies have focused their efforts on this particular segment. But music lovers with glasses or bulky headphones spending a lot of time on the go every day will not work. Bowers & Wilkins P5 is an excellent compromise for those who need portability, design and sound quality.