About the Bowers & Wilkins P5 Wireless
Light, wireless headphones that are easy on the eyes
Light, wireless headphones that are easy on the eyes
One day recently, my fellow A/V writer Deia Z. found herself in the office without a decent pair of headphones. Luckily, we had received a sample pair of the Bowers & Wilkins P5 Wireless, so she gave the retro-looking on-ear 'phones a test drive. Having previously spent some time with wired P5 headphones, she knew they would be light, elegant, and portable. And of course, they offer the freedom of playing music wirelessly from a Bluetooth-enabled smartphone or tablet. She paired up her phone and slipped them on. She reported that they fit neatly — well-padded and snug on the ears, but relaxed on the top of her head. Deia had worn many pairs of on-ear headphones in the past, and told me she found the B&W P5s much more comfortable.
Solid build with strong Bowers & Wilkins sound
Intricately designed aluminum earcup sliders give the Bowers & Wilkins P5 Wireless headphones a sturdy frame and striking look.
These headphones may look petite next to some of the massive headphones out there, but the beautifully designed aluminum sliders feel sturdy and durable. Same with the flexible padded leather headband. And the sound is up-front and powerful, with open highs and punchy bass.
The drivers have been designed and tuned to have the same sound signature as the wired version of the Bower & Wilkins' P5, even over Bluetooth. Deia also noted that while they don't have noise-canceling, the P5 Wireless 'phones actually did a good job of keeping sound in and out.
From our Bower & Wilkins P5 Wireless review
"Jason Isbell's song “Children of Children,” sounded beautiful and melancholy as it grew from a stripped, low-key affair to a powerful, complex violin- and guitar-fueled arrangement... The headphones' inviting soundstage lured me into the almost haunting opening of the song before delivering the full sensory onslaught."
— Jeff Miller, A/V Writer
Handy on-ear controls plus 17 hours of battery life
On the right earcup, you'll find a mini-USB charging input along with a series of buttons. You can expect up to 17 hours of wireless music playback on a full charge. The sliding button on the bottom of the earcup turns on the Bluetooth to pair with your device. Three hidden buttons on the side of the earcup let you pause and skip tracks or answer a call through the built-in mic.
If you remove the padding on the left earcup, you'll find an input for the included cable with a miniplug. If you're in a situation that doesn't call for wireless, connect these headphones to any 3.5mm headphone jack on a smartphone, tablet, or other device.
Product highlights:
- lightweight on-ear headphones with closed back design to help block out noise
- large 40mm drivers offer rich, detailed sound
- Bluetooth 3.0 connectivity for wireless music listening and phone calls with compatible smartphone
- aptX® and AAC decoding provides high-quality music streaming from compatible devices
- built-in rechargeable battery offers up to 17 hours of wireless use
- soft, leather-covered earpads and headband for exceptional comfort and durability
- aluminum frame offers durability and elegance
- earcup controls let you answer calls, play/pause music, and skip songs
- built-in microphone on remote for receiving calls
- includes detachable miniplug cable for optional wired listening
- quilted carrying case included
- frequency response: 10-20,000 Hz
- sensitivity: 109 dB
- impedance: 22 ohms (wired)
- weight: 7.5 ounces
- warranty: 2 years
- MFR # FP37443
What's in the box:
Bowers & Wilkins P5 Wireless owner's manual
- On-ear wireless headphones (black)
- 48" Audio cable (straight male 3.5mm plug on one end and angled male 2.5mm plug on other end)
- 48" Micro USB charging cable (Type A USB on one end and Micro USB on other end)
- Carrying pouch
- Quickstart
- Safety Instructions and Warranty
- Bowers & Wilkins brand story
- Online registration card
Customer reviews for Bowers & Wilkins P5 Wireless
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Average review:
4.5 out of 5 starsThanks for submitting your review
Customer photos
This review was collected as part of a promotion
Pros:
Cons:
More details on the Bowers & Wilkins P5 Wireless
Features & specs
| General | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fit Style | On-ear | |
| Earcup Type | Closed | |
| Earcup Width x Height | 2.296" x 2.947" | |
| Noise-canceling | No | |
| Bluetooth | Yes | |
| Bluetooth Version | --- | |
| Single-earbud Operation | --- | |
| Mic For Taking Calls | Yes | |
| Voice Assistant Access | ||
| Amazon Alexa | No | |
| Google Assistant | No | |
| Siri | No | |
| Connectors | ||
| 3.5mm | No | |
| 1/4" | No | |
| Lightning | No | |
| 4.4mm balanced | No | |
| XLR4 balanced | No | |
| 2.5mm | No | |
| Other | None | |
| Specs | ||
| Frequency Response | 10-20k Hz | |
| Sensitivity | 109 dB | |
| Impedance | 22 Ohms | |
| Weight | 7.5 ounces | |
| Cord Length | 48" | |
| Parts Warranty | 2 Years | |
| Labor Warranty | 2 Years | |
Product Research
Features
Overview: The Bowers & Wilkins (B&W) P5 wireless on-ear headphones retain the classic styling of the original P5s, with the leather ear pads and detachable cables. The P5 wireless features Bluetooth version 4.1 for superior audio and wireless convenience. The P5 wireless headphones come with a 4' cable to use when you want to save battery life or when you can't use Bluetooth, and a quilted storage case with magnetic closures.
Bluetooth 4.1: The P5 wireless headphones uses Bluetooth 4.1 and AptX for streaming high fidelity audio from your smartphone, tablet, or computer. The headphones are powered by a rechargeable Lithium battery that is charged via USB with the supplied Micro USB cable. With a 3 hour full charge, the P5 Wireless can deliver up to 17 hours of music playback.
Ear Cups and Drivers: The P5 wireless headphones feature 40mm dynamic drivers that work more like a driver in a hi-fi speaker. The headphones are tuned by sound engineers, so they sound as good as they look. The removable magnetic ear pads allow you to connect the cable, or replace the pads if they gets damaged. These luxurious sheep's leather ear pads with an optimized grille pattern to allow the air to move freely through the pads for minimal acoustic impedance.
Folding Design: The ear cups swivel so you can fold them flat for compact storage in the supplied quilted soft case.
Cable: The B&W P5 wireless headphones come with a 48" audio cable. The headphone cable has a unique curved terminal on the headphone end that plugs in under the left earcup. The 2.5mm sub-mini plug rests in a contoured jack to protect the terminal and prevents accidental disconnection. The 3.5mm miniplug features a slim connector (less than 1/4" in diameter) that allows you to plug into your portable music device, even when it's housed in a hard protective case. A 48" Micro USB cable is provided for firmware updates, service, and charging the battery from a laptop or USB charging device.
On-board Controls: The on-board controls on the back of the right ear cup let you raise and lower the volume, and control the music playback (play, pause, next track, previous track) while you're in active mode (using Bluetooth). The controls will not operate when used in passive (wired) mode. The P5 Wireless headphones also have two microphones for clear phone conversations.
Specifications:
- Frequency Response: 10Hz to 20kHz
- Impedance: 22 ohms (passive)
- Distortion (THD): <0.4% (1 kHz/10 mW)
- Sensitivity: 109 dB/V at 1 kHz
- Weight: 7.6 ounces (7.9 ounces with cable)
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Customer Q&A
1 question already asked
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The sound is excellent with and without the detachable wire, really indistinguishable difference. Note that the P5s are very sensitive to equalizer settings: e.g., if there's too much/ too little bass just adjust the equalizer to get the sound you desire.
MarkH from Virginia