B&W P5 headphones

Hi Julian.

I've had a listen to these a few times and they sound very good indeed with good bass weight.

They feel really comfy although I normally prefer over ears as opposed to on ears.

The build quality is second to none for a set of cans although its a shame the flimsy wire can't be replaced.

I believe they were designed for the iphone/ipad etc so work very well without a headphone amp. I've never heard them amped up but can only imagine it would make them sound even better.

I'm considering buying a set myself just to use with my iphone/ipad when I fancy a bit of music whilst the wife's watching the soaps!

All the best

Mark

Hi

That all sounds positive thanks Mark. I don't like listening too loud and like to hear what is going on around me which is why I don't mind the fact they are on rather than over ear type. Is the bass quick and tuneful or B&W warm, needing some beans to get going?

Cheers, Julian

ps - good luck with the pair you have expressed interest in!

I have owned some P5s since they hit the shelves last year. I really like them, and have not craved anything else since.

I find they can be used for all types of music, and are even good enough to produce music with on the move. They are isolating enough to be used in busy places, trains and planes. 

Build wise, they are superb and nothing has gone wrong with mine, nor do they show signs of age, despite frequent use. 

They may not be for you Julian if you like to hear whats going on around you.

I've listened to them in the Apple store several times and once on you can;t hear any noise from within the store with music playing at a very moderate level.

I would say there pretty typical B&W sounding, I wouldn't say they sound quite as good as my Sennheiser HD650's but then again there a different type of cans really as the B&W's try to incorporate good levels of sound quality along with a stylish design.

I would never wear a set of Senn's outside the house however I'd happily wear a set of P5's to the shops.

As soon as a replied to your thread the first time I went on PFM and have purchased a mint set with 1 hours use for £150  which at that price is an absolute bargain for the build quality and sound quality.

If your after absoloute sound quality for around the same price as the P5's (new) then have a look at the Grado SR80i's, Sennheiser HD600/650's or AKG K701's but none are small or that nice looking.

Mark

Julian,

I have a pair of these that I sometimes use when travelling if I don't want to use my in ear Etymotics. Used them yesterday on the train and I think they strike a reasonable balance of letting outside sound in and keeping it out (as they are closed) - let too much noise in on a plane though. They sound very good but do not have as big a soundstage as I was expecting but I like them (was a bit underwhelmed at first but used to them now). There is a fair amount of bass which suits me as I like a full range sound. 

Don't worry about look a prat, as every other person in London is wearing large multi coloured headphones these days. I always think the Beats headphones look mighty strange with a suit and tie.

PS> you need to come and listen to my B&W PM1's - they are truly wonderful, best small boxes I have heard by a country mile and I am now very tempted to try out the big B&W's at some point. 

I normally use in ear Etymotics which keep all sound out. I find the P5's let some sound in but it is a good balance. It will of course depend on what you are listening to and the volume. They worked well on the train.

I used them on a propellered plane flight to Dublin the other week and they let far too much sound in for that flight. Might be alright on a jet though...

There is no doubt they are a quality product, they fold nicely flat and are easily transported in the case provided.

I can imagine a prop plane is louder than the Apple store  but I found them fairly isolating which for me is a good thing as they don't much sound out either so ideal for listening to music in the lounge whilst the wife watches the tv without disturbing her.or her disturbing me!!

Glad your enjoying the PM1's I'm tempted to go from my Dynauadio Focus 110's to a set but worried they'll lack the bass I'm used to with the Dyn's. I used to have some 805S's and best speakers I have owned!

Apologies for deviating off topic.

Mark

I agree, at first I didn't like the PM1s, I thought they lacked weight, but I heard them today whilst trying some Naim digital kit and really liked them. I little brighter than my Harbeths but still sounded very natural. 

Mark, I think the P5's will do a fine job isolating sound at home and as they are closed the sound escape will be small. I bought them for my daily commuting.

I use the PM1's as my computer speakers powered by a Unitiqute. They sit on my desk and in the close field listening position the bass works really well. It would be interesting to hear them in a more open environment on their stands but I did not buy the stands. They are a beautifully made product and I have been so impressed that I am really interested in their big brothers...no idea how they would compare to your Dyns!

Thanks gents, they certainly appear to be worth checking out at the iStore

Adrian. Love to hear the PM1's one day soon

Cheers, Julian

Hi

In having a chat with one of my friends it turned out that he happened to get a pair of P5’s for Christmas [nice present ] so he has lent them to me for evaluation. Initial impression of quality and design are superb. Right up there with my expectation from a quality brand like B&W.

I have listened to them for a few hours now, fed by my iPod which mostly contains ALAC files.

Disappointingly, my impression on comfort is not too good. Obviously this is highly personal and I would not suggest anyone should be put off by this, it being more a function of head size and shape. The headphones clamp my head quite tightly and the earpads get very warm. Although, had they been mine, I might have been able to do a bit of judicious bending to loosen them a little, the clamping effect is very much the way that they stay on the head due to their design, so probably not ideal to be too much looser.

The sound quality is initially impressive from my iPod, very detailed and full and refined. Unfortunately, they are too thick in the bass, quite warm and dull for me, not tuneful and lively as I would prefer.

So, the hunt goes on. I have been looking around and discovered the AKG K450 and Sennheiser HD25-1 II models which online look interesting so I am going to see if I can get a demo of them. Hopefully, they won't look too bad on me!

In hindsight, I was lucky to be able to hear the P5’s which has confirmed to me, choosing by spec. and appearance off the .net is definitely not the right thing for me to be doing!

Cheers, Julian

Hi Bert

Thanks for the recommendations. The Ultrasone, as you rightly surmise, is a little beyond my budget! The Shures look like a full size headphone. Is that right? I wanted something more portable really, to sit on the train and walk around to work / shopping etc.., directly running from my iPod.

Cheers, Julian

May I suggest you audition the Audio Technica ES55. 

Beautiful well balanced sound with a good dose of musical excitement reminiscent of a nice pair of Geados without the fatiguing brilliance.

The AKG K450s are horribly ruined by muddy bass that is all over the place.

Julian, 

You might like to investigate a company called beyerdynamic (http://europe.beyerdynamic.com/). They are a headphone specialist with a long tradition and excellent reputation for premium quality headphones. If you wish, you can even request your headphones to be handcrafted according to your own selected specifications. You'll find a review of their T50P also on the Whathifi homepage.

Best

tp

Have a check over on head-fi for the review of now "98 portable headphones" in  the Portable headphones, earphones and in-ear monitors section. Nice review of phones covering sound, build quality, isolation and other factors. 

Personally I found the B&Ws rolled off at the top and had a certain restraint to the sound ie good with smooth jazz, folk and "mainstream pop", but qive it something with bite - Bitches Brew, Hound Dog Taylor, Undertones or Wilco for example - and it never quite presented the necessary aggression.Depending on your music, this may be a good or bad thing....

I have a number of phones (see the Outdoor thread for details) and prefer the Senn Hd25-1, Beyers and Audio Technicas to the B&Ws after extensive auditions. The T50P already mentioned is reasonable without an amp, as is the AT ESW9 or ES10 and the Senn 25-1, but the Beyer DT1350 is current king of the roost albeit with an amp.

regards,

Giles

Hi and thanks for the replies.

I had already shortlisted the T50P Beyers thanks and have now dismissed the K450's. Trouble I am finding is that there is nowhere to try these things out? Any choice will need to work straight from my iPod so what do I need to look out for, high sensitivity an low impedeance?

Julian

Hi Bb

I have just had a bit of a read of the Headfi reviews thanks. The Beyer 1350's and AT ES10's also look interesting. I am hoping to go to the Bristol Show and it looks like some headphone manufacturers will be there. Maybe there will be some demo pairs floating about....

Do the 1350's really need an amp?

Cheers, Julian

Hi Julian,

Technically no the DT1350's don't need an amp, in the same way a 202 doesn't need a hi-cap. It just scales up so much better  and provides an enhanced listening experience.

On its own the DT1350 is hard to drive and will need a goodly portion of the volme of a bare iPod to produce music in a dynamic way. An amp provides better control of the bass and the treble on the Dt1350's. The Es-10s T50Ps do not require an amp as they are very easy to drive.

regards,

Giles

Very helpful thanks Giles. Much appreciated!

I can't say I find the bass on my K450 muddy or bloated. They sound really crisp and detailed, sit on the ear nicely and they don't over heat my head. £40 can't be wrong.