Hello, I’ve just read about new headphones from B&W. Great news! However, I’m a little bit shocked due to the changes of their product line. P7, P7 wireless (the most awarded wireless headphones by audio purists) & P5 series 2 are not on sale anymore?! New PX’s are supposed to replace them or do you think updated version are on their way?
New Bowers & Wilkins PX
- Thread starter joscejrod
- Start date
jjbomber
Well-known member
joscejrod said:
PX are noise cancelling, hence the X. There again, there seems to be a lot of offers on the P series of late. My guess is that an update is due.
gel said:
They should be about the same as the P5, but, you never know until the reviews. The good news(?) is that unlike the P5 where I broke 3 of their ultra-thin cables, this one doesn't require a cable.
gel said:
I had the H2. The headband became fatigued and would no longer grip properly for correct bass response. I don't recall having that issue with any other headphone. As much as I examined it, I don't believe it was defective, just not designed with proper materials.
gel said:
I never had that problem with B&W. B&O created several problems (with the H4 also) by cutting their material quality to a minimum to achieve a low price point.
Yep, but then again B&W have been overtook recently, which could mean anything for their new products.
I cant wait to see a shootout with MDR-WH-1000XM2 and Bose QC35 Mark 2 and B&W PX, my guess is bells and whistle is not a priority than PX will be a winner but will wait for Awards 2017 to see who trumps
So I have been listening to these for 24 hours and comparing to the Sony WH-1000XM2.... and i don't understand or agree with the WHF review. happy for WHF team to put me right please...
Noise cancelling is your first reason to buy these and the Sony's are far superior. Not by a little, but a lot. to get that out the way.
Comfort is poor on the PX's, my ears hurt from being clamped hard by the stiff leather cups and the headband doesn't sit easy. The Sony's feel light on your ears although the extra padding makes your ears sweaty / hot.
Usability with PX's are simply breathtaking. Simply pick up the headphones and place them on your ears and they are ready to go. Take them off and they turn off - simples. The Sony's on the other hand has touch sensitive cup which is just wrong. Some nice tech, but you simply won't use it or if you do, it will be by accident.
Music quality is difficult because each headphone has different strengths and audio signatures. Sony's suit compressed music well and make an enjoyable effort with depth lower down rather than accuracy. PX's sound like there is a veil and the bass is restrained, but precise. Vocals are detailed and soundstaging does sound better than expected. Neither are great to my ears though, but I must be expecting too much.
Noise cancelling is your first reason to buy these and the Sony's are far superior. Not by a little, but a lot. to get that out the way.
Comfort is poor on the PX's, my ears hurt from being clamped hard by the stiff leather cups and the headband doesn't sit easy. The Sony's feel light on your ears although the extra padding makes your ears sweaty / hot.
Usability with PX's are simply breathtaking. Simply pick up the headphones and place them on your ears and they are ready to go. Take them off and they turn off - simples. The Sony's on the other hand has touch sensitive cup which is just wrong. Some nice tech, but you simply won't use it or if you do, it will be by accident.
Music quality is difficult because each headphone has different strengths and audio signatures. Sony's suit compressed music well and make an enjoyable effort with depth lower down rather than accuracy. PX's sound like there is a veil and the bass is restrained, but precise. Vocals are detailed and soundstaging does sound better than expected. Neither are great to my ears though, but I must be expecting too much.
going to sound like I hate these headphones but truth is i expected and really wanted more from B&W.
so after another day, been using them whilst woodworking. Why does this matter?
well the afore mentioned noise cancelling. It's just not strong enough.
Comfort is is becoming a real annoyance with too much clamping force directed through leather pads that are mostly solid plastic, yet they don't stay in place.
Here's why you will hate them though....
when ever i move my head, the music stops and the headphones risk falling off my head and when I say move I simply mean looking down at the floor.
There are are two main problems;
1. the clever stop music function is like a faulty smoke detector always going off for no reason.
2. Too much weight in the headband. Centre of gravity is just too high, and wearing these headphones is like walking with books on your head.
so after another day, been using them whilst woodworking. Why does this matter?
well the afore mentioned noise cancelling. It's just not strong enough.
Comfort is is becoming a real annoyance with too much clamping force directed through leather pads that are mostly solid plastic, yet they don't stay in place.
Here's why you will hate them though....
when ever i move my head, the music stops and the headphones risk falling off my head and when I say move I simply mean looking down at the floor.
There are are two main problems;
1. the clever stop music function is like a faulty smoke detector always going off for no reason.
2. Too much weight in the headband. Centre of gravity is just too high, and wearing these headphones is like walking with books on your head.
Afraid not, although you can switch them off with the power button in addition.
None of this matters though - they simply don't stay put on your head. If you want to sit on the sofa and not move, this might be ok, but why would you want the Noise Cancelling tech?
I've boxed them up to return, and wished so much that they would be better - even if they were marginally worse than the Sony's, I love B&W brand that much I would have convinced myself the PXs were better.... Friend came round and also tested. Initially loved the look of the B&W, but very quickly declared the Sony superior audio quality. Also noted the heavy weight and comfort (or lack of).
Would love to know why WHF gave these 5 stars, I really would.
None of this matters though - they simply don't stay put on your head. If you want to sit on the sofa and not move, this might be ok, but why would you want the Noise Cancelling tech?
I've boxed them up to return, and wished so much that they would be better - even if they were marginally worse than the Sony's, I love B&W brand that much I would have convinced myself the PXs were better.... Friend came round and also tested. Initially loved the look of the B&W, but very quickly declared the Sony superior audio quality. Also noted the heavy weight and comfort (or lack of).
Would love to know why WHF gave these 5 stars, I really would.
woollyjoe said:
I read a bunch of reviews, but none were reviews by people who are the top headphone experts. At least one review said you could turn off the auto-detection features with the earcup controls. None of the reviews stated what exactly you could get without the B&W "app". That would be good to know.
dalethorn said:
Yes, it would be ideal to have the headphone pro's review the four front runners head to head - B&W, Bose, Sony, Senn.
Even though my opinion on quality is hugely personal, I think the uncomfortable and impracticality of the PX's made the decision for me. Even if you manage to fix the on off when they move, they are still moving quite a lot on your head from moving it very slightly, and they are very uncomfortable.
Don't let that put you off if you don't care about practicality and like the audio signature of the PX (lean, tight, great vocals), the Sony's are just really good and QC35s NC as good, i think more comfortable than all of them, and lighter than the Sony's, but the audio quality for me is better with Sony.
Great thing is we now have some decent choice - WHF awards for NC heapdhones will be genuinely competitve this year.
woollyjoe said:
It's more helpful to tell people that they're uncomfortable compared to headphone X, Y, or Z, because we all have quite a tolerance for the nuisance of headphone clamping, sweating, etc. etc. We need to know if they're really worse than the competition.
Read earlier.
I do review others - the Bose QC35, Sony WH 1000XM2.
The bose easily lightest and most comfortable. The cups large over ear and provide the best feeling of freedom from what is a weight on your head. You could go running in these.
The Sony's are comfy, but not as much as Bose. The padding a bit more, and smaller cups once the foam compressed on head. The weight is still good, headband sponge ha so much give it effectively helps friction - so they don't move as much. You could probably go running in these but likely to get hotter than the Bose.
The B&W PX. Painful. Nothing comfortable about them. The design is very different:
higher centre gravity, causes headphones to lurch across your head. The clamping is very strong maybe as B&W try to compensate. The contact points are stiff plastic with thin foam on top but foam is less about comfort than providing a seal around the ears. The thickness of the contact patch is like the Bose, but it's hard plastic. Headband angle to ear pieces is different to others and I don't know if this is why, but the headband is uncomfortable.
you can make the best earpieces in world but if you can't have them sat on your head, what's the point.
Just won WHF award for best wireless headphones - no surprise - WHF blinded by B&W badge. As more reviews come out, you will see no one else giving them winner in category and all other reviews to date are 4 out of 5 stars.
I'm happy with Sony out all 3. There is a lot to like with PX sound, but as I almost exclusively listen to compressed music or Netflix on my iPhone with wireless, the B&Ws don't shine well with less than CD quality. Even then, 4 out of 5. Not best in class.
I do review others - the Bose QC35, Sony WH 1000XM2.
The bose easily lightest and most comfortable. The cups large over ear and provide the best feeling of freedom from what is a weight on your head. You could go running in these.
The Sony's are comfy, but not as much as Bose. The padding a bit more, and smaller cups once the foam compressed on head. The weight is still good, headband sponge ha so much give it effectively helps friction - so they don't move as much. You could probably go running in these but likely to get hotter than the Bose.
The B&W PX. Painful. Nothing comfortable about them. The design is very different:
higher centre gravity, causes headphones to lurch across your head. The clamping is very strong maybe as B&W try to compensate. The contact points are stiff plastic with thin foam on top but foam is less about comfort than providing a seal around the ears. The thickness of the contact patch is like the Bose, but it's hard plastic. Headband angle to ear pieces is different to others and I don't know if this is why, but the headband is uncomfortable.
you can make the best earpieces in world but if you can't have them sat on your head, what's the point.
Just won WHF award for best wireless headphones - no surprise - WHF blinded by B&W badge. As more reviews come out, you will see no one else giving them winner in category and all other reviews to date are 4 out of 5 stars.
I'm happy with Sony out all 3. There is a lot to like with PX sound, but as I almost exclusively listen to compressed music or Netflix on my iPhone with wireless, the B&Ws don't shine well with less than CD quality. Even then, 4 out of 5. Not best in class.
Check it out, they are already falling apart - loose thread:
https://www.sevenoakssoundandvision.co.uk/p-9911621-bw-px-soft-gold-wireless-noise-cancelling-headphones.aspx
https://www.sevenoakssoundandvision.co.uk/p-9911621-bw-px-soft-gold-wireless-noise-cancelling-headphones.aspx
Tried them on today in John Lewis are they are cheap and tacky. Well uncomfortable too! Didn’t listen to them and wouldn’t buy them anyway. Put back on my P7s and was naturally delighted again.woollyjoe said:
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