Bowers & Wilkins P5 Series 2
Bowers & Wilkins is one of the most stylish brands in the audio world and is back with a new pair of headphones, an update to its flagship on-ear cans.
On the surface, not much has changed with these updated headphones. The P5 Series 2 look exactly the same as the previous model – which is no bad thing- so the real upgrades are on the inside and relate to the audio performance.
As you can see from our image, these headphones look great in the stylish and sleek combination of black and silver. Once again, the cups are leather-clad on the front and back, with the headband also making use of the material with almost invisible black stitching.
The back of the cups and the remaining construction is crafted from aluminium, and you can tell just from looking at these headphones that a lot of thought has gone into the design.
What’s particularly impressive is how small and lightweight (195g) these headphones are, the cups don’t stick out a mile.
Comfort is a big factor with any pair of headphones and especially on-ear designs. We found the cushions a little hard out-of-the box, but they soon softened after some use and become snug. These are cleverly held on with magnets (two small grommets hold them in place), so you can buy replacements if you happen to wear them out rather than needing to buy a new pair of cans. The other reason is so you can change the cable. One with an in-line control and mic is connected but a regular cable is also supplied. A soft travel pouch with hidden magnetic fasteners is found in the box, too.
While the P5 Series 2 are pretty comfortable, we did find the headband a little tight, pushing the cups inward with slightly too much pressure. This means during long listening periods we had to keep repositioning the pads.
Audio quality
With the design remaining the same as the original P5 headphones, all the work has been put into the improving the audio performance. The P5s use 40mm drivers – the same size as found in the firm’s over-ear P7 model, which costs £329 – and have a suspended diaphragm like a regular speaker.
Although the P5 Series 2 are closed back headphones they sound nicely open, but still do a good job of noise isolation, whether you’re in the office and don’t want to be distracted or trying to relax on the commute. You don’t need to pump up the volume to uncomfortable levels to compensate.
By far the biggest improvement in the sound is at the top end. Cymbals sound particularly alive and crisp thanks to this change.
With a nice boost to the top-end, Bowers & Wilkins hasn’t forgotten about the rest of the frequency range. The bass sounds great most of the time, with impressive power for small headphones, but can get a little out of control, occasionally allowing other elements to get somewhat swallowed up.
Mid-range is almost as impressive as the top-end, with bags of detail combined with warmth and balance. This makes these headphones versatile and great for long sessions.
Despite an impressive amount of audio quality, we’re not sure we can hear the “giant leap forward” that Bowers & Wilkins touts. They are certainly better than the original P5s, but an upgrade for existing owners isn’t a necessity.
Verdict
While original P5 owners don’t need to jump at this upgrade, the P5 Series 2 are one of the best pairs of on-ear headphones we’ve tested. The price tag might be a little high for some, but Bowers & Wilkins has done a sterling job once again of combining design and build with decent comfort, noise isolation and excellent sound quality.