This is a P5 headphones from one of the top audio brands Bowers & Wilkins. Has a lux design and used high quality materials.
The sound is more on the balance side. So this headphones is not a gear for bass lovers.
I personally don't really impressed with the sound, stereo imaging was not good, detail was great but can be better. The bass rich enough for any genre. High frequency was clean but not soft enough.
The headband was too tight and after 2 hours usage it feels uncomfortable.
For 6 months of normal usage, I noticed the sound from the right earpiece was smaller compared to the left one. But after around 2 years the sound differences between right and left earpiece becomes more noticeable. And the sound from the right earpeace sometime just went off and on again.
And now the sound from right earpeace was totally gone.
Unfortunately, there were no more warranty left for my P5.
Curious for what was the caused of it, I managed to disassembly the right earpeace.
And I was really shock to found that the transducer plastic membrane with coil inside was crumpled.
That was my first time to disassembly my P5,
and I am very sure I never torn or do anythings harm to it before.
So what was the caused to the crumpled membrane?
From my investigation, I suspect it may caused by vacuum effects, which is when we put the earpiece over the ear, tightly closed with no gap, and also if there isn't any breathing holes on the earpeace, it will form a vacuum tight space between the ear and the earpiece.
So a small move will create a pull and a push effect to the membrane inside. And after sometime, it will crumpled the membrane.
It will not happen with the left earpeace, because there were lot of breathing holes on it eg. the cabling track.
Design flaws? Please do investigate it B&W.
I took the P5 to B&W service center and they are asking around US $150 for the sparepart and labor.
That is a half price from my P5. So dissapointing.
There is also another problem with my P5, that is the black soft part of the cushion and the earpiece
became sticky and clammy. Happen after a year.
So now I just keep the P5 for good.
$ 300
Pros
- Balanced sound
- Lux design and materials
- Detail sound
- Build in mic for calling
Cons
- Stereo imaging was not clear
- damaged in a short time, design flaws?
- Too expensive
- Too tight uncomfortable headband