Question New B&W Px7 S3 owner here - and disappointed

[Southdowns]

Hi all,

long time HiFi enthusiast / audiophile and long-term subscriber to WhatHifi in the past too.

The last decent system I put together was the Arcam Alpha 10/10p/9CD with Monitor Audio 703PMC floorstanders - that could rock - and it had the dedicated space to do so !

Currently without separates due to space availability to do it properly (and neighbours), so have been making do with a pair of AKG Y50BTs for the last 10 years, when I get the opportunity to relax. They still impress me, even for a sub-£100 pair at the time, but my budget's higher now and I know there's better out there.

So, I bought a pair of B&W Px7 S3 yesterday... and I am NOT blown away, in the slightest.

Qu: do I have a duff pair, or do I need to give them a chance to warm up a little..?

I've put in around 90 minutes of listening so far, and the main (disappointing) area that is lacking is the bass extension. The AKGs seems to produce a substantially more pronounced (and lower) sub bass frequency response.


For example:

Track 1: Anna Lapwood's version of "Chavaliers De Sangreal" uses one of the lowest pipes on the Royal Albert Hall organ, kicking in at 9secs. On the AKGs you can hear the wavelength wobble and the frequency push through your body (the 20Hz pipe I think it is - the 32footer). On the B&Ws it's almost non-existent.

Track2: Stormzy - "Big For Your Boots" - this track is layered with a sub bass track, starting at 16secs, which on the AKGs is in your face. The B&Ws it seems like an afterthought - you have to zone in to hear it. The extension is just not there anymore.

Track 3: Genesis - "Jesus He Knows Me" - this is great for the studio drumkit replication. The bassdrum (kick) sounds full and solid on the AKGs - the whole kit actually sounding like a kit. On the B&Ws it sounds like someone's stuffed a duvet in it

Track 4: Sub Focus - "Turn The Lights Off" - sub bass riffs kick in around 1'06. Pretty obvious on the AKGs, but not on the B&Ws.

Track 5: Becky Hill “True Colours” – full bass accompaniment eventually kicks in (after a few layers are added) at 1’18, like a sledgehammer. Some real force behind it on the AKGs, yet on the B&Ws sure it’s more refined but the volume of air is just not being pushed in that frequency range at the lower end


Were the Y50s really THAT good.? I know they were a What HiFi 5* Award winner at the time (for a few years if memory serves), but do they still out-extend a current £400 pair that's beating pretty much everything it competes with under a grand !

I have the possibility to return. Should I..? Or should I just wait it out and let my ears adjust to the sound..?
Cheers
Rich

 

[Gray]

'Warming up' isn't going to help you Rich.
It can take a while to acclimatise to / appreciate a different tonal balance.
But with what you're missing, maybe you won't 🤔

PS I've learned, not least with headphones, not to make too many assumptions based on price.

 

[Al ears]

I

'Warming up' isn't going to help you Rich.
It can take a while to acclimatise to / appreciate a different tonal balance.
But with what you're missing, maybe you won't 🤔

PS I've learned, not least with headphones, not to make too many assumptions based on price.

And auditioning before purchase is a good idea.
some headphones over -emphasis certain frequencies so once you have become used to that a more neutral headphone might be less impressive.

 

[R2D2]

Hi all,

long time HiFi enthusiast / audiophile and long-term subscriber to WhatHifi in the past too.

The last decent system I put together was the Arcam Alpha 10/10p/9CD with Monitor Audio 703PMC floorstanders - that could rock - and it had the dedicated space to do so !

Currently without separates due to space availability to do it properly (and neighbours), so have been making do with a pair of AKG Y50BTs for the last 10 years, when I get the opportunity to relax. They still impress me, even for a sub-£100 pair at the time, but my budget's higher now and I know there's better out there.

So, I bought a pair of B&W Px7 S3 yesterday... and I am NOT blown away, in the slightest.

Qu: do I have a duff pair, or do I need to give them a chance to warm up a little..?

I've put in around 90 minutes of listening so far, and the main (disappointing) area that is lacking is the bass extension. The AKGs seems to produce a substantially more pronounced (and lower) sub bass frequency response.


For example:

Track 1: Anna Lapwood's version of "Chavaliers De Sangreal" uses one of the lowest pipes on the Royal Albert Hall organ, kicking in at 9secs. On the AKGs you can hear the wavelength wobble and the frequency push through your body (the 20Hz pipe I think it is - the 32footer). On the B&Ws it's almost non-existent.

Track2: Stormzy - "Big For Your Boots" - this track is layered with a sub bass track, starting at 16secs, which on the AKGs is in your face. The B&Ws it seems like an afterthought - you have to zone in to hear it. The extension is just not there anymore.

Track 3: Genesis - "Jesus He Knows Me" - this is great for the studio drumkit replication. The bassdrum (kick) sounds full and solid on the AKGs - the whole kit actually sounding like a kit. On the B&Ws it sounds like someone's stuffed a duvet in it

Track 4: Sub Focus - "Turn The Lights Off" - sub bass riffs kick in around 1'06. Pretty obvious on the AKGs, but not on the B&Ws.

Track 5: Becky Hill “True Colours” – full bass accompaniment eventually kicks in (after a few layers are added) at 1’18, like a sledgehammer. Some real force behind it on the AKGs, yet on the B&Ws sure it’s more refined but the volume of air is just not being pushed in that frequency range at the lower end


Were the Y50s really THAT good.? I know they were a What HiFi 5* Award winner at the time (for a few years if memory serves), but do they still out-extend a current £400 pair that's beating pretty much everything it competes with under a grand !

I have the possibility to return. Should I..? Or should I just wait it out and let my ears adjust to the sound..?
Cheers
Rich

Having a possibility to return is good. I bought some B&W PX8 headphones from Amazon Germany for £300 and don’t regret it, if you paid more for the B&W PX7 S3 I would say you paid over the odds. Any B&W PX7 S2 for a good price and still in stock or the B&W PX8 for £400 in the UK I saw recently would be the better options than the new B&W PX7 S3.

These are still a good buy:

Amazon.de

About £320 in pounds delivered same box as the UK one.

This pair is a very decent price and from Amazon UK:

Amazon.co.uk

B&W PX8 headphones in Black and from Amazon UK £387 with prime:

Amazon.co.uk

 

[Messiah]

Whilst I cannot comment on the B&W pair (I suspect you will at least need to give it some time to make your mind up), I used the have the AKG and would agree that they are really good.

 

[Southdowns]

'Warming up' isn't going to help you Rich.
It can take a while to acclimatise to / appreciate a different tonal balance.
But with what you're missing, maybe you won't 🤔

PS I've learned, not least with headphones, not to make too many assumptions based on price.

Cheers Gary. Always been a bit suspiscious of the "running in" fad in Audiophilia-land myself 😎

Been wearing them a bit more today and am starting appreciate more than I was hearing initially.

I've switched inner-ear headphones in the 12 months due to failure of the original (upgraded, obviously) and now remember the new ones sounded rubbish too on the first day. Now I think they're awesome (Earfun Air Pro4).

I too have also learnt over the years to not make assumptions on price, but as the B&W have basically wiped the board in review-land over the last 2 months, I was willing to give them a punt without testing.

I was originally going to wander down to Richer in Kingston and try out the Dali IO8s and the Sony XM5s, alongside the AKGs to see if it was worth upgrading. Then the XM6 have come out and I decided they looked trash, so that option was ditched. The Dalis are still a hundred extra and get negative comments on the small ear cups, so kinda ruled them out too.

I'll give it another day and see/hear where I stand. They ARE growing on me.

Rich

 

[Southdowns]

Whilst I cannot comment on the B&W pair (I suspect you will at least need to give it some time to make your mind up), I used the have the AKG and would agree that they are really good.

They do get a bit uncomfortable after an hour though, as they are "on ear" 'phones, so once again having 'over/around ear' is a bit of a revelation.

Used to have some chunky Senns back in the mid-'90s that I blew a couple of weeks salary on IIRC that were 'around ear' so it's full circle going back. Never really appreciated how good they were at the time.

 

[Gray]

They ARE growing on me.

That's good.
We've overlooked a fairly important question though 🙄
What are you driving them with - always the same, or different things?

 

[Messiah]

They do get a bit uncomfortable after an hour though, as they are "on ear" 'phones, so once again having 'over/around ear' is a bit of a revelation.

Fair point. I found the comfort ok. Only reason I got rid of mine was due to the constant flashing of the blue light. I mainly use my over-ear headphones when in bed and if the room was completely dark, that blue light would be quite irritating.

(I now use Sony WF & WH XM5).

 

[Gray]

Only reason I got rid of mine was due to the constant flashing of the blue light.

I'm guessing the light needs to be seen at times - so can't be covered with insulation tape ?

 

[Messiah]

I'm guessing the light needs to be seen at times - so can't be covered with insulation tape ?

Only really when pairing. Not sure why else it would need to be constantly on.

I could have covered it over.

 

[Southdowns]

That's good.
We've overlooked a fairly important question though 🙄
What are you driving them with - always the same, or different things?

Both driven via the same mobile, via aptX, so that 'shouldn't' account for any differences. Just don't have any other suitable kit these days. When we move out of SW London, maybe ;-)

Digitised all my 100s of CDs at least 10 years ago and upload a selection to Android. Been debating whether there's an achievable higher quality way of doing it - a dedicated streaming device - but the thought of uploading everything AGAIN at a different bit rate (or whatever) fills me with dread. For now, back-burner.

Only really when pairing. Not sure why else it would need to be constantly on.

I could have covered it over.

I have the same issue with a blue LED on the TV backlighting unit. Jeeees, literally projects a blue circle onto the hallway wall 8m away !

Again, I COULD sort it with tape, but the damn thing is still on, right !!

 

[SenseiKofi]

r

Hi all,

long time HiFi enthusiast / audiophile and long-term subscriber to WhatHifi in the past too.

The last decent system I put together was the Arcam Alpha 10/10p/9CD with Monitor Audio 703PMC floorstanders - that could rock - and it had the dedicated space to do so !

Currently without separates due to space availability to do it properly (and neighbours), so have been making do with a pair of AKG Y50BTs for the last 10 years, when I get the opportunity to relax. They still impress me, even for a sub-£100 pair at the time, but my budget's higher now and I know there's better out there.

So, I bought a pair of B&W Px7 S3 yesterday... and I am NOT blown away, in the slightest.

Qu: do I have a duff pair, or do I need to give them a chance to warm up a little..?

I've put in around 90 minutes of listening so far, and the main (disappointing) area that is lacking is the bass extension. The AKGs seems to produce a substantially more pronounced (and lower) sub bass frequency response.


For example:

Track 1: Anna Lapwood's version of "Chavaliers De Sangreal" uses one of the lowest pipes on the Royal Albert Hall organ, kicking in at 9secs. On the AKGs you can hear the wavelength wobble and the frequency push through your body (the 20Hz pipe I think it is - the 32footer). On the B&Ws it's almost non-existent.

Track2: Stormzy - "Big For Your Boots" - this track is layered with a sub bass track, starting at 16secs, which on the AKGs is in your face. The B&Ws it seems like an afterthought - you have to zone in to hear it. The extension is just not there anymore.

Track 3: Genesis - "Jesus He Knows Me" - this is great for the studio drumkit replication. The bassdrum (kick) sounds full and solid on the AKGs - the whole kit actually sounding like a kit. On the B&Ws it sounds like someone's stuffed a duvet in it

Track 4: Sub Focus - "Turn The Lights Off" - sub bass riffs kick in around 1'06. Pretty obvious on the AKGs, but not on the B&Ws.

Track 5: Becky Hill “True Colours” – full bass accompaniment eventually kicks in (after a few layers are added) at 1’18, like a sledgehammer. Some real force behind it on the AKGs, yet on the B&Ws sure it’s more refined but the volume of air is just not being pushed in that frequency range at the lower end


Were the Y50s really THAT good.? I know they were a What HiFi 5* Award winner at the time (for a few years if memory serves), but do they still out-extend a current £400 pair that's beating pretty much everything it competes with under a grand !

I have the possibility to return. Should I..? Or should I just wait it out and let my ears adjust to the sound..?
Cheers
Rich

return. they're mediocre. like very mediocre. Also price rise has never equaled rise in quality and that is that in audio. the moment you know that, you get less angsty about wanting expensive stuff especially ANC. since all of them are mediocre to ass

 

[Gray]

I have the same issue with a blue LED on the TV backlighting unit. Jeeees, literally projects a blue circle onto the hallway wall 8m away !

It took so much effort to annoy people 🙂

View: https://youtu.be/AF8d72mA41M?feature=shared

You could dim your blue LEDs by fitting a (much) higher value series resistor - with the necessary soldering skills and very good eyesight 🥸

 

[Southdowns]

Decision made: they are being returned. There are some things I just cannot do without, and bass frequency reproduction down to the limit of my physical hearing is not one of them.


Next steps: I will shortlist 2 or 3 others and audition first, hand-in-hand with the AKGs.

Cheers for the comments 🙂

It took so much effort to annoy people 🙂

View: https://youtu.be/AF8d72mA41M?feature=shared

You could dim your blue LEDs by fitting a (much) higher value series resistor - with the necessary soldering skills and very good eyesight 🥸

In the words of the great Ozzy Man - "Yeah nah."

 

[Gray]

Decision made: they are being returned.

Wise decision.

Next steps: I will shortlist 2 or 3 others and audition first, hand-in-hand with the AKGs.

Even wiser.
The only way to ensure satisfaction 👍

 

[Southdowns]

I have now auditioned the PX8s and the Focal Bathys. Neither cut the mustard, and neither reproduce the lowest pipe on "Chavaliers De Sangreal" with any gusto - barely there at all.

Guess I'm sticking to my 10 year old sub-£100 on-ear non-ANC worn out AKGs for the time being.

 

[Al ears]

I have now auditioned the PX8s and the Focal Bathys. Neither cut the mustard, and neither reproduce the lowest pipe on "Chavaliers De Sangreal" with any gusto - barely there at all.

Guess I'm sticking to my 10 year old sub-£100 on-ear non-ANC worn out AKGs for the time being.

Wired, non ANC headphones will always be better in my opinion.

 

[R2D2]

I have now auditioned the PX8s and the Focal Bathys. Neither cut the mustard, and neither reproduce the lowest pipe on "Chavaliers De Sangreal" with any gusto - barely there at all.

Guess I'm sticking to my 10 year old sub-£100 on-ear non-ANC worn out AKGs for the time being.

You could always try these:

CeX

 

[Southdowns]

Wired, non ANC headphones will always be better in my opinion.

These ones -Y50BT - can be used wireless. Reviews indicate actually that they sound better when on wireless than on wired, bizarrely.

 

[Southdowns]

You could always try these:

CeX

Interesting - they were around at the time I bought the AKGs funnily enough, but out of the budget I could justify at the time.

 

[R2D2]

Interesting - they were around at the time I bought the AKGs funnily enough, but out of the budget I could justify at the time.

I bought the B&W P9 headphones of there and they were grade B but really good condition. I traded in my B&W P7s at CEX with my B&W P5s when I bought the B&W PX8 wireless headphones but the B&W P7s are much better, and you get a 5 year warranty and can return them if you don't like them.

 

[RJW232]

Strange. I had to turn down the lows on my B&W PX7 because it was a bit too much.

 

[elliswils]

I have a pair of P7s and Px8 S2s and although the Px8s, with the bass turned up are good to OK, the P7s with no adjustment at all have deeper bass and a broader sound stage. As is often the case IMHO, new and improved isn't always so...