Tag Archives: bowers and wilkins

Best On Ear Headphones To Buy in 2017 – Expert Reviews

Posted on by
Reply

Best On Ear Headphones 2017

Best On Ear Headphones 2017

Looking for a new pair of on-ear headphones?  We’ve collected the best on ear, open back, closed back and portable headphones to buy in 2017 and reviewed them to help you choose.

Shop: Visit our on-ear headphones store

Read More: Best In Ear Headphone Buying Guide

Best On Ear Headphones under £50

SoundMAGIC P22C

SoundMAGIC takes a lot of beating in this price category – the brand is a natural at making low cost headphones which sound much pricier.

The P22C model is a lightweight portable with a flat tangle-free cable and good isolation. Ideal for travel and holidays, these will fit right in to any bag or backpack when stored in their low profile travel case. The P22C included a microphone for phone usage and the remote is compatible with both Android and Apple devices.

Sound is impressive for this price point, with plenty of detail and a good kick to the bass without overpowering the mid range.

Engaging and fun-sounding, the P22C will make the absolute most of the output from any portable player.

Edifier P650

The Edifier P650 is a smartphone friendly, easy to carry portable headphone that punch above their weight and price.

Offering a well balanced sound with a little added kick down low, the midrange is clean and detailed and the treble isn’t far behind. The bass does not have the most sub-bass rumble but for a quick and easy to use, on the go headphone they offer great sound.

What impresses most is their ability to portray the whole frequency range in a well controlled and balanced manner, too many budget headphones overload you with muddy bass, yet these offer plenty of detail but are also easy to listen to; a no brainer at this price point.

Koss PortaPro

The simple design and great sound keeps them viable while the open-back design, whilst not being the best for isolation of course, is perfect for those who wish to be aware of what’s going on around them such as joggers, and muggers.

The sound is generally well balanced between bass and treble, although the midrange can seem a bit distant and mushy. Bass is perhaps a bit on the heavy side, but it will definitely satisfy those who want a bassy sound. The Koss Porta Pro Classics offer a warmish sound overall.

Be aware though that their open-back nature means that they will be of limited use in noisy environments.

READ MORE: Koss PortaPro Full Review

Best On Ear Headphones under £150

B&W P3 Series 2

B&W have a long history of making excellent hifi products, and this has trickled down into their headphones.

The P3 are superbly built with an elegant and sophisticated look, the P3 really do impress. Lucikly they are not all about the look either, as the P3 offer a smooth and effortless sound that is akin to their house speaker sound. Offering excellent full bodied bass response with a non fatiguing and slightly sweet midrange and treble.

Comfortable, well built with a smooth and pleasing sound signature, the P3 are perfect for on-the-go use.

Sennheiser HD25-1 II

The HD25-1 II are one of the most well known on-ear headphones, this is partly due to their popularity as a DJ headphone. Used by DJ’s and sound engineers globally the HD25-1 II are a rugged portable headphone that will last for years.

Offering an immediate and aggressive sound they won’t give you a wide soundstage but will give you an engaging and detailed signature. The bass is tight and digs deep with excellent control and presence, the midrange is smooth yet very detailed and the treble has good extension and is very well placed in the mix.

If you are looking for a smooth laid back sound, the B&W are probably a better choice, but if you want a fun, upfront and engaging listen the HD25-1 II is for you. All parts are easily replaceable too, should anything ever break.

Grado SR80e

The Grado SR80e are a definite improvement over the SR80i, with a slightly warmer, more balanced sound. Their retro styling may not appeal to all, but underneath the looks is a fine sounding open-back headphone. The undisputed king of headphones for rock music, these are sure to get you toe tapping and head banging in no time.

These will not appeal to bass heads, they fair better with music that is played on real instruments. They have long been favourites for people that enjoy rock music due to the speed and control of the sound.

At the price point I still think Grado hold their own with a well balanced, aggressive and detailed sound, there is nothing quite like them.

READ MORE: Grado SR80e Full Review

Best On Ear Headphones under £250

Sennheiser MOMENTUM 2.0i

The Momentum series are hugely popular with on the go commuters, and for good reason. Offering stylish looks, a comfortable fit and a smooth easy to listen to sound.

Built to last with replaceable parts, the Momentum has slightly retro looks and comes in an array of colours. With playback controls on the cable you no longer have to take your phone out of your pocket. The sound is dynamic and punchy, offrering a slightly bass driven sound without sacrificing the midrange and treble. Engaging and fun are the best word to sum up the Momentum 2.0i.

Good looks and great sound, it is easy to see why the Momentum 2.0i is so popular with commuters. For Android users there is also the Sennheiser Momentum 2.0G.

Beyerdynamic T51i

The T51i have been around for a while now and are still excellent on-the-go headphones. They have a sturdy and sophisticated look, and offer a well balanced and detailed sound.

The T51i again tilts towards an easier to listen to sound, with a slight bass boost that gives the whole sound a little added body. There is sufficient detail across the range to keep them from sounding boring and what comes to mind when you put the T51i on is refinement.

With excellent build, comfy fit and refined sound the T51i has a lot to offer.

READ MORE: Beyerdynamic T51i Full Review

Bowers & Wilkins P5 Series 2

Leather earpads and a metal headband, the P5 Series 2 screams quality and luxury. The earpads are soft lambskin leather with memory foam inside, like cushions against your ears.

Like the P3 the P5 Series 2 has the typical B&W house sound, which is smooth and effortless. Offering a well balanced but slightly rich sound with superb separation and articulation, from highs to lows these sound very refined and grown up.

The P5 Series 1 look stunning, have replaceable cables and a smooth effortless sound, what is not to like?

READ MORE: Bowers & Wilkins P5 Series 2 Full Review

Best On Ear Headphones Over £250

Audeze Sine

Built from leather and metal, the Audeze Sine are built to last and also come with detachable cables. Using planar magnetic drivers they take a little more power than most phones can output, so they are best used with a high quality music player.

Give them a good source and the Sine in return give you excellent audio with snappy dynamics that can keep up with the most demanding of music. The bass is full yet superbly controlled, the midrange is where these excel not allowing the lows to affect them. Guitars have excellent power, and vocals come across with plenty of detail. The highs are present and well defined, but never become too hot and harsh.

The Sine are a mighty fine sounding on-ear headphone when driven well, and give you a full and detailed sound all

B&W P7 Wireless Headphone Review

Posted on by
Reply

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.

———————————————————————————————–

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

———————————————————————————————–

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.

Bowers and Wilkins P9 Signature Review – Streamlined and Benign

Posted on by
2

 Intro:

Bowers and Wilkins have done it again and added to their sequence of odd numbers with the Bowers and Wilkins P9 Signature. However they’ve taken a break from their black and silver theme and gone over to the brown side, giving the P9 even more of an executive feel. But has the sound of the P9 undergone a similar transformation?

Pros:

  • Great versatile and comfortable sound
  • Three cables included
  • High quality construction

Cons:

  • Isolation quite low for a portable
  • Headband needs adjusting for use with case

To Buy Now click the image below.

Design and appearance:

As mentioned above, the colour of the Bowers and Wilkins P9 Signature has been changed from the familiar black we have all come to know, and the basic design of the headband has changed as well. Gone are the swept back silver yokes of the other black models, with some very solid-feeling forged aluminium ones on the P9 model. There is a nicely put together soft case for storage, although the headband needs to be adjusted to its minimum size for this. The P9 comes with a generous three cables; two of which are short for portable use (one with mic/controls) and a long 3m cable for enjoying music at home.

Durability & build quality:

The new yokes are very strong and together with the firmness of the earpads, the P9 is a very sturdy design. It is a little more hefty than previous models, but the weight is by no means excessive and once in use barely noticable. Cables are similarly solid with good strain relief at the jack end; as with previous models, the cable is attached to the headphones by taking off one of the earpads, where the jack sits within a recessed cavity. The earpads and headband padding are coated with Saffiano leather which not only looks and feels luxurious but also means it last the test of time.

Comfort:

With the right adjustments, clamping force is distributed equally between headband and earpads, and the earpads have enough give in them for glasses to be worn with no trouble or discomfort.

———————————————————————————————–

READ MORE: Grado GS2000e Audiophile Headphone Review

———————————————————————————————–

Sound isolation:

Isolation on the P9 is fairly low; when tried here in the office with no music, the headphones allow pretty much everything through. With music playing, this is of course mitigated against but still those distracting exterior sounds can be a problem; especially during those quieter passages in classical music, for instance.

Sound characteristics:

Overall the Bowers and Wilkins P9 Signature has a very versatile frequency response. The accent is tilted towards the warm but there’s plenty of detail to be had.

Bass:

Down low, there’s good extension as sub-bass is fully present; it’s certainly skull-rattling with tracks with plenty of subby basslines, and a nice amount of weight and drama is added to classical performances. Kick drums decay with a certain unmistakable rumble. Higher up, the mid-bass is slightly pronounced, and together with the sub-bass makes bass a real feature of the P9’s sound. The P9 is no one-trick pony however, as bass moves up into midrange very smoothly and with great definition.

Mids:

In the middle, there’s no hint of bass encroaching on midrange territory, which can certainly hold its own. Here there is a nice amount of clarity and presence giving crisp directional cues and harmonics. Space is there in spades and there is no danger of congestion with more complicated or busy passages.

Treble:

Higher frequencies are well balanced with the rest of the presentation and lead to what most will think of as a comfortable sound. Detail is not sacrificed however and as with the midrange, there is a certain crispness here which grabs the attention. Having said that, the P9 is on the forgiving side when it comes to older recordings, or those whose production might leave something to be desired.

Soundstage & Separation:

Soundstage is impressive; with good width and depth. It’s easy to pinpoint individual instruments and the instruments themselves are very nicely rendered thanks to the clear midrange and treble, enhancing the 3D effect.

Music Genres Good For and Why:

The Bowers and Wilkins P9 Signature has been tried with pretty much everything and provides a nice touch with all genres. Weight for those dramatic strings in classical and for heavy basslines in rock and dance music. Conversely, acoustic performances enjoy a certain lightness and plenty of air. Old music such as Harry Richman’s ‘Puttin on the Ritz’ is most enjoyable on the P9, despite its being recorded over 80 years ago!

B&W P5 Series 2 Headphone – Expert Review

Posted on by
Reply

Bowers and Wilkins P5 Series 2 – Chrome on your Dome

Bowers and Wilkins has been making world class speakers for just about 50 years now, and are still going strong at their Worthing site, just a stone’s throw from ourselves at hifiheadphones. Not that we find ourselves throwing stones at them very often of course, as apart from anything else we have a few windows of our own. Brought out in 2010, the original P5 model has now been updated to the Bowers & Wilkins P5 Series 2.

Design and appearance:

Designed by Morton Warren, they exude a feeling of graceful simplicity while at the same time feeling very solid and light. The materials give it the same looks as the Oppo PM-1, with plush leather and chrome working together in that classic, opulent pairing.

Durability & build quality (e.g. cabling, connectors, materials:

The B&W P5 Series 2 is very well put together and its lightweight construction belies the fact that nothing rattles or squeaks when the headphones are flexed and placed on the head. Cables are about right for portable use. Both the Apple control cable and plain stereo cables are 1.2 m; they are no thicker than those found used with in-ear headphones. The Apple control/mic itself is very stylish and easy to use despite being just out of sight near the mouth. The earpads are held on by magnets but are unlikely to be removed accidentally; the magnetic force is strong! Changing the cable necessitates the removal of one of the earpads which is a simple process.

Comfort:

Clamping force on portable headphones is always a balance between comfort and the headphones falling off, or needing constant readjustment. On the P5 it’s just slightly on the heavy side, but with time and gentle stretching this should improve. The earpads are made from lambskin and are quite comfortable , offering both a decent amount of isolation and comfort. Glasses wearers may however find themselves adjusting their glasses once the P5 is on, as some discomfort may be encountered over the ears in some cases.

Sound isolation:

Isolation is good, but you are still going to be aware of your surroundings. With music playing however, most exterior noise will melt away. The P5 does leak a little bit of audio but no more than any equivalent headphone. Your fellow train passengers will be all sweetness and light.

Portability:

The B&W P5 Series 2 really hits the mark for portable uses; they can be worn around the neck with minimal fuss, and the pads do block out a fair amount of exterior noise. They’re showy, but not in a way that might cause the wearer to feel self-concious and will fit in with any scenario. They fit the supplied carry case very well which can be stored or carried in a briefcase or bag easily.

Sound characteristics:

The sound of the P5 Series 2 is most agreeable; some people may be expecting accuracy or a neutral tuning but the P5 is squarely aimed at the portable market, with the average music source (read:phones) taken into account.

Bass:

The bass of the P5 Series 2 is fairly powerful considering the driver size. It is well controlled and in proportion, but goes down low and reproduces sub-bass very faithfully. It’s a good match for the typical unamped iDevice with which it will more than likely be paired, bringing up the low end for a more engaging sound.

Mids:

The midrange is free and able to shine quite separate from the bass, and vocals are clear and enjoyable. Acoustic instruments are well rendered and harmonics give a good feel of a performance. Reverb/echo is very enjoyable and not lost during busier parts. It’s all taken in the P5’s stride.

Treble:

The P5 is a little gentle where the higher frequencies are concerned, and this is no bad thing. A lot of people find it frustrating when, because of a headphone’s brightness, high frequencies dictate what volume level a piece of music can be enjoyed at. The P5 gives enough treble to give sparkle and resolution to the music, but it knows its audience and what they’re likely to be doing – they are not listening critically when on the move. Some may want more emphasis at the top end of the frequency spectrum but B&W have gone for the common ground.

Soundstage & Separation:

Soundstage is good for a closed back, with a presentation from far outside the physical confines of the headphones and separation is very good too. A listen to ‘Flight of the Valkyries’ had me convinced that one would collide with me at any moment.

Music genres good for and why:

As implied above, classical music is made very rich and full with the P5, along with jazz, opera and any genre where the space in which the recording is made is part of the enjoyment.

Heavy Metal is pressing and immediate, Disco and more modern Dance Music certainly benefits from the low bass … and something older such as Rock n’ Roll is fully rendered in all its midrange majesty. The P5 is a great all-rounder.

 

Pros:

Stylish and light
Light, removeable mic cable
Spare stereo cable
Good isolation

Cons:

Initial clamping force
Some may expect a brighter sound

Summary:

The Bowers&Wilkins P5 Series 2 makes for perfect company during those long journeys when we’d prefer to be unencumbered by additional amps, DACs and other gadgets needed to get the best from our other equipment. The P5 is designed and tuned to sound amazing straight out of any phone, so that we may travel light!