Competition in the wireless headphones market is always bringing prices lower. The £39.99 price of the SoundMAGIC P22BT is certainly attractive but are there any compromises in the design to achieve this suspiciously low price? We’ll take a look..

Pros:

• Light and comfortable
• Low cost
• Decent isolation
• Travel pouch included

Cons:

• Considering the price, nothing!

Design and Appearance

If you’re familiar with similar wired SoundMAGIC models (such as the P21), the P22BT is constructed in much the same way with a light, small headband and foldable earcups. When adjusted, the headband gives a nice clicky feel and maintains its position quite securely. Numbered marks on the steel part within the headband allow the user to easily find the right size before putting the headphones on, if taking out of the travel case.

Durability and Build Quality

This is where some compromises are expected, but the P22BT is actually quite decent. Granted, it doesn’t have the feel of a premium set of bluetooth headphones, but some of those cost ten times the price of course. Build quality is not as spartan as we might expect for the asking price, but care should be taken as they are not indestructible. Don’t put them anywhere where you might accidentally sit on them!

Comfort

The 70mm earpads are soft and do a good job of keeping the ears comfortable; glasses wearers may feel the pinch after a while, but the arms of the glasses can be worn resting on top of the earpads when in position.

Suitability for intended application

The SoundMAGIC P22BT can be worn around the neck when not in use, but those with a Tyson neck might find it a bit tight. No matter, as the included travel pouch will also keep them safe between uses. Isolation with those soft pads is pretty good for an on-ear, so a good option for roving around in town.

Sound Characteristics

Those familiar with previous SoundMAGIC models will not be surprised to hear that the sound is fairly typical of this brand. The P22BT has a warm tilt, with enough bass emphasis to give those basslines a lift without going overboard. As with all on-ear and over-ear headphones, be aware that the position of the drivers over the ears can alter the sound but the P22BT appears to be more fussy than most and bad positioning can affect the sound quite drastically.

• Bass

Bass is full and well-rounded, with a decent amount of sub bass coming through too. There is a little bit of flabbiness where it meets the midrange, but it’s well within the realms of acceptability. Generally however, it’s punchy and with good width.

• Mids

Despite the slight intrusion of the bass into the midrange, the P22BT is really enjoyable! Midrange has an engaging quality about it which gets the listener moving. It’s comfortable, with no piercing qualities when it comes to female vocals for example. Harmonics are good too, bringing out the characters of the instruments nicely.

• Treble

Fine details are perhaps a bit of a stretch for an entry-level priced bluetooth model; however the P22BT gives a decent impression of what’s going on at the top end of the spectrum. Granted, things can get a bit splashy but not to the detriment of the presentation as a whole. Taken with the rest of the sound, the treble gets away with it.

• Soundstage and Separation

There is a nice bit of width and depth going on here; the feeling of immersion is not going to transport anyone to a musical paradise, but it gets close. Separation is decent too, with different elements standing well on their own.

Music genres good for and why

The P22BT is a good all-rounder, but is particularly suited to commercial genres such as pop and rock/ dance music etc.

Summary

The SoundMAGIC P22BT is suspiciously low-priced for a bluetooth model, but exceeds all expectations. Watch out this summer however, as wearing these constantly may affect your suntan.

The post SoundMAGIC P22BT Bluetooth Headphone Review appeared first on HiFiheadphones.

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Edifier have created a great grab and go Bluetooth headphone, the W830BT‘s sound is not particularly refined, but for the price they are very fun to listen to.

Pros:

• Big bass – fun sound
• comfort
• Build quality

Cons:

• Sound is a little thick and congested

Aesthetics, Build Quality and Accessories

The Edifier W830BT is an understated looking headphone, with soft edges and a black and silver colour scheme they won’t stand out. They are not made to be flashy and catch peoples attention, instead they look sophisticated and elegant.

The W830BT feel well built, they are mainly made out of plastic but they feel well put together and the headband is reinforced with metal. There are controls on the right earcup, and the charging port is on the left earcup along with the 3.5mm socket for wired use. All the joints are smooth, and with a bit of care, these headphones should last a while.

Accessory wise you get a 3.5mm to 3.5mm cable to use them when the battery runs out, a micro USB charging cable and a carry case. The included accessories are excellent and nothing is missing out of the box.

Comfort and Isolation

The W830BT are comfy in use, the clamping force is not too tight, and they are lightweight which means there is not too much pressure on the top of your head. The headband has plenty of adjustment, the top is adequately padded and the earpads are plush and deep preventing your ear from touching the driver.

Isolation is really good on these, they block out moderate outside noise well, and would be perfect for daily commuting. They also don’t leak sound so you won’t be annoying the person next to you.

Battery Life and Bluetooth Connectivity

One of the major selling points of the Edifier W830BT is nearly 95hrs of battery life when playing, this obviously depends on the volume but it is still very impressive and means you won’t be needing to charge them every day.

The W830BT can have 2 devices connected at the same time, they use Bluetooth 4.1 and are AptX compatible. The range is excellent, and I had no issues with audio dropouts.

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READ MORE: Best Over Ear Headphones – Wired and Wireless

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Sound Quality

• Bass

The bass on the W830BT is full and carries great body and impact, but isn’t overemphasized. The bass presence is a little over neutral, and these are a fuller sounding headphone, but the bass does not drown out the rest of the sound. Kick drums are easily separated from bass guitars, and there is great depth to the bass, it is not there in basshead quantities but the amount will likely be more than enough for most people.

• Midrange

The midrange is lacking a little bite and clarity, it sits behind the bass and does not have a lot of air and separation. However the midrange is smooth and fatigue-free, these do lend themselves to modern pop recordings over genres which require a detailed midrange.

• Treble

The treble here again is smooth and would never cause listening fatigue, the treble does not extend very far but it does have some presence and is not completely drowned out. Luckily the treble has an inoffensive tone and doesn’t come across harsh or metallic.

• Separation and Soundstage

Instrument separation is fairly average on these, nothing special but there is enough to distinguish different instruments. The soundstage is not very wide, these have a more fun and up-front presentation.

Conclusion

The Edifier W830BT is not a headphone for the seasoned audiophile, they are for the average person looking for a quality Bluetooth headphone for out and about use. For this purpose, you cannot go wrong with them, easy to use and fun to listen to, along with effectively blocking out most ambient noise. Perfect for the daily commute, or office listening.

The post Edifier W830BT Bluetooth Headphone Review appeared first on HiFiheadphones.

Pioneer SE-MS7BT Wireless Headphone Review

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The Pioneer SE-MS7BT are a great performer for the price, they offer an engaging, upfront sound that is sure to please fans of rock music.

Pros:

• Balanced sound
• Great separation
• Fast and energetic

Cons:

• May be lacking bass for some

Design and Appearance

The Pioneer SE-MS7BT have an understated, simplistic design with an all black colour scheme, metal faceplates and a simple headband. They use an over the ear, closed back design and will blend in seamlessly with your daily routine.

Durability and Build Quality

The SE-MS7BT feel sturdy; the headband is metal, the cups are plastic and they feel like they will last with some care. All the sockets and buttons feel great, the arms that hold the cups on are a little on the thin side however.

Easy of use

Pairing these is easy, and there were no transmission issues, however they do use a long press to change the volume and short press to change track. This does mean it is not as easy to fine tune the volume level but is something that you get used to.

Comfort

The earpads offer plenty of room which leads to evenly distributed pressure, along with a well padded headband makes these a very comfortable headphone and perfect for long commutes.

Sound Isolation

The closed back nature of these headphones means they effectively block outside noise, they do not have any noise cancelling feature, but they do a good job of drowning out the world around you.

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Sound

Now with a name like Pioneer, you would expect a dark, bass oriented headphone, yet the SE-MS7BT lean towards a more neutral and balanced sound.

• Bass

The bass is tight and fast, hitting hard when called for but always under good control. The bass can keep up with heavy metalcore, yet is equally at home providing a base for modern pop recordings. These are not for those who like big pounding bass, but are great for those who appreciate quality over quantity. Kick drums do however have a slightly flat feel, and could use a bit more punch.

• Mids

Due to the well controlled bass, the mids on these cut straight through the mix with excellent clarity and presence, there is a slight hint of sibilance in the upper regions but it is not problematic. The mids have good detail retrieval, and impressive separation, there is very little to fault in the mids for the price.

• Treble

The treble is well presented with good presence and definition, yes they lack the refinement of more expensive models, but for the price it is refreshing to hear a pair that does not lack treble energy. They are not piercing, but the treble is always audible and with good positioning.

• Soundstage and Separation

The soundstage is wider than average, not huge but some out of head moments to be had when listening to these.

Separation is very good, even during the fastest tracks you can still easily separate the different instruments. The layering in the mids is excellent, and the overall placement of instruments is very precise.

Genres good for and why

The SE-MS7BT is at home with all genres, but tends to lend its hand to rock best, with a fairly aggressive and up front sound it really helps bring out the best during faster, more complex tracks.

The post Pioneer SE-MS7BT Bluetooth Headphone Review appeared first on HiFiheadphones.

Bowers&Wilkins P7 Wireless Headphone Review

With the B&W P7 Wireless, Bowers have made a great little portable headphone, with a fun and engaging sound signature in an understated, yet executive look.

Pros:

• Engaging sound
• Superior build quality
• Comfortable

Cons:

• Bass may be too strong for some

Design and Appearance

Bowers & Wilkins have stuck with their understated black and silver colour scheme for the B&W P7 Wireless, retaining luxury leather earpads and headband, along with brushed metal faceplates and sliders.

These headphones are the perfect size for a portable over the ear headphone, and they look fantastic, the included carry case will help keep them looking pristine.

Durability and Build Quality

The P7 Wireless look and feel very well built, being made out of leather and metal gives you confidence in their build, along with good strain relief on the included cable.

Ease of use

Pairing these headphones is quick and easy, and once paired they connect instantly, no issues with Bluetooth transmission were encountered.

Comfort

The memory foam, leather earpads are not the biggest but fit snugly around your ears with good cushioning. The clamping force is quite tight but not uncomfortably so, the headband is well padded and evenly distributes the weight over the top of your head, all qualities of a brilliant portable headphone.

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READ MORE: B&W P9 Signature Headphone Review with Video

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Sound Isolation

These headphones isolate well, perfect for general out and about usage along with commutes, they also don’t leak sound so you won’t annoy people nearby.

Sound

The B&W P7 Wireless lean towards a darker, bassier sound whilst still giving you detailed sound.

• Bass

This is the first thing you will notice when you put these on, it digs deep with pulsating sub-bass lines, and punchy mid bass. It makes these really good fun to listen to, and also means they keep good bass presence when in noisy environments. The bass is not just there in quantity, the quality is superb and does not overwhelm the rest of the sound.

• Mids

The mids cut through well separated from the bass, with details in vocals being very easy to pick up on. Surprisingly these do not suffer from bleed from the lows, meaning they cut through cleanly, and the layering between instruments and different vocals is spot on.

• Treble

These are not bright headphones, they do not have a lot of energy in the treble but what they do have is well positioned highs. They are pinpoint accurate in positioning, and are void of any fatiguing properties, but do take a back seat in the mix.

• Soundstage and Separation

The soundstage is not huge, but it is very accurate with the ability to hear where instruments are placed in the mix easily.
Separation is good, these are a full sounding headphone so they do not fare so well during overly complex pieces of music.

Genres good for and why

The B&W P7 Wireless is perfect for modern pop recordings, along with some EDM, R&B and even some acoustic tracks. This is due to the slightly elevated bass keeping things exciting, and also well textured, and the mids having excellent detail retrieval.

Take a look also at the Sennheiser Momentum 2.0 Wireless, with a similar smooth, bass oriented sound and sleek aesthetic.

The post B&W P7 Wireless Headphone Review appeared first on HiFiheadphones.