I own the wired P7. I must say, I haven't been as Luke warm on their sound as
this reviewer seems to be. But if the new ones are as good as he says, that
much better than the originals, and you don't already own a pair of P7, and you
have 400 bucks, go for it.Bowers & Wilkins P7 Wireless headphones review: They
sound better than the original
Macworld / Theo Nicolakis
Bowers & Wilkins has earned its place as the BMW of high-end audio. The
company’s loudspeakers are legendary: Its five-figure Nautilus speakers have
been displayed in museums; Abbey Road Studios has used their monitors for more
than 20 years; and the company’s new 800 Series Diamond (which I auditioned
during last year’s NYC launch event) are receiving rave reviews.
The company’s headphone line, on the other hand, has been the black sheep in
the family. The wired versions have been judged as pretty good, but not truly
great; they’ve certainly never achieved the acclaim afforded the company’s best
speakers. Just before Apple’s iPhone 7 announcement, Bowers & Wilkins upgraded
its P7 and P3 models to Bluetooth wireless versions. The question on just about
every audiophile’s mind is whether these new models simply add wireless
capability to the previous generation, or if they up the ante. I was among the
first reviewers to get my hands on the B P7 Wireless, so I was anxious to
find out.
Identical or fraternal twins?
Bowers & Wilkins P7 Wireless Headphones
TechHive rating
$399.99MSRP $399.99
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on Amazon
B magically transitioned its luxurious P7 headphones to Bluetooth and made
them sound even better than the wired version.
The new P7 Wireless are easily mistaken for the original. I placed the new
model next to its wired forerunner, which I’ve owned for quite some time, and
found the two virtually indistinguishable. Even their spec sheets look alike:
two 40mm full-range drivers, impedance of 22 ohms, frequency response ranging
from 10Hz to 20kHz, and sensitivity of 111dB/V at 1kHz. The P7 wireless are a
hair heavier at 323g vs 290g.
The Bluetooth 4.1 P7 Wireless omits the chrome accent around the ear cups, and
while I was sorry to see that feature cut, it has zero impact on performance. A
three-button remote control has been added to the left ear cup, as well as a
power switch and a micro-USB charging port on the bottom.
With all the controls now on the left side, the wired input has moved to the
right ear cup. The ear cups are magnetic, as they were on the original. To
switch to wired mode, emove the right-hand cup, insert the 2.5mm angled end
into the articulating input, and you’re set. Plugging in the cable immediately
disables Bluetooth, but removing the cable doesn’t re-enable Bluetooth. You
must power the headphones back on again manually to do that.
Theo Nicolakis
The B P7 Wireless have magnetic, replaceable ear cups. The right ear cup
(shown above) also has an input for wired mode.
This lap of luxury needs some break-in time
There’s nothing cheap or flimsy with these headphones. The P7 Wireless simply
spoil you with their luxurious fit and feel. There aren’t many headphones under
$500 (or twice the price, for that matter) that can keep up with Bowers and
Wilkins in this regard. In my book, the P7 Wireless are a gold-standard. The
genuine sheep leather headband and ear cups are smooth, soft, and supple. The
sleek-looking aluminum frame is sturdy and infinitely adjustable. The headband
guides, conceals, and automatically expands and contracts the nylon-braided
wire connecting each ear cup. The engineering is a thing of beauty.
The headphone design gets even better. Many over-the-ear headphones aren’t
portable—they’re just too bulky and they can’t fold flat. B has solved this
problem by inserting a rotating joint between the edge of the headband and the
ear cup arm that allows you to fold the headphones to half their size.
Brilliant.
The accessories have been pored over just as meticulously. The included
carrying case is smooth, lined with velour, and snaps closed with a magnetic
flap. That’s industrial design done right—down to the smallest detail.
Theo Nicolakis
Remove the left magnetic ear cup to see the headphone’s serial number and
Bluetooth reset button.
Like a pair of your favorite Jeans
You should treat the P7 Wireless like a new pair of designer jeans: They need
to be broken in. As with every other B headphone I’ve owned (the P5 wireless
and the original P7), the new P7 Wireless are stiff and overly-snug when you
first put them on. Trust me, they'll loosen up over time. Once you’ve broken
them in, they’ll fit like a glove. Don’t be afraid to flex the metal frame a
bit (within reason, of course) to loosen things up more quickly.
Once you get used to the P7s, you’ll notice that other headphones will seem far
too loose and won’t stay on your head as precisely as the P7s do. You can jog
with them without worrying that they will shift or slide off. Perhaps most