Question about B&W P9 Signature

[Holland]

Recently I read What Hi-Fi's review on the new B&W P9 Signature. I really like them but I have some questions about them.

- Do these require a high quality source to drive them? I have a iPhone & iPad and for PC-use I own a DragonFly DAC. Since headphones which compete the P9 all need a top quality source in other to get the best out of them, I wondered whether these need one too. Such as the Beyerdynamic T1 Gen 2.

- Is the black part, where it states Bowers & Wilkins fingerprint friendly? Or does it easily get covered in fingerprints?

- Will "normal" quality files sound bad with these headphones? My music library contains a lot of lossless files, but also enough 320kbps mp3's.

Thanks in advance!

Theo

 

[Al ears]

Recently I read What Hi-Fi's review on the new B&W P9 Signature. I really like them but I have some questions about them.

- Do these require a high quality source to drive them? I have a iPhone & iPad and for PC-use I own a DragonFly DAC. Since headphones which compete the P9 all need a top quality source in other to get the best out of them, I wondered whether these need one too. Such as the Beyerdynamic T1 Gen 2.

- Is the black part, where it states Bowers & Wilkins fingerprint friendly? Or does it easily get covered in fingerprints?

- Will "normal" quality files sound bad with these headphones? My music library contains a lot of lossless files, but also enough 320kbps mp3's.

Thanks in advance!

Theo

Haven't heard them myself but if they are anything like the P7s I own then answers are No, Yes, and Yes.

Obviously the better the source and the quality of the music file itself will mean something but they will be an excellent buy for both a portable and a home system. Having said that these are so new I doubt many will have auditioned them yet.

 

[dalethorn]

Recently I read What Hi-Fi's review on the new B&W P9 Signature. I really like them but I have some questions about them.

- Do these require a high quality source to drive them? I have a iPhone & iPad and for PC-use I own a DragonFly DAC. Since headphones which compete the P9 all need a top quality source in other to get the best out of them, I wondered whether these need one too. Such as the Beyerdynamic T1 Gen 2.

- Is the black part, where it states Bowers & Wilkins fingerprint friendly? Or does it easily get covered in fingerprints?

- Will "normal" quality files sound bad with these headphones? My music library contains a lot of lossless files, but also enough 320kbps mp3's.

Thanks in advance! Theo

I've had 2 of the P7's - not very hi-fi in sound quality. I can find more than one headphone at less than half the price that sound better. Here's an EQ curve I did on the P7 to help it sound more hi-fi, to get a little closer to something like the Sennheiser HD650:

http://dalethorn.com/Photos/Audioforge/B_W_P7.jpg

If I wanted to spend the kind of money they want for a P9, without reading a rave review on the P9 from a trusted source (i.e. innerfidelity), then I'd get a Beyerdynamic DT1770 or one of the better planars in that price range.