Bowers & Wilkins P7

[Deleted member 89070]

just took apart a broken PX5 which uses the same driver style, just a little smaller (35mm) and with a different back magnet.

notice the wire snaps where its glued (red residue) to the voice coil bobbin, it flops around with this being the tightest bending point
View attachment 475646

thanks for the photo. I was going to buy these when they first were released. I really like the build quality of the headphones themselves; but decided the sound quality was a bit off putting.

 

[Deleted member 89070]

@amirm

Thanks for measuring these headphones. I hope to see more headphone reviews in the future. It's always great to see headphones that I passed on because they weren't good enough...and proof in the measurements which align with my original listening impressions.

 

[SoundfanSwe]

From my (outdated..) memory:
- P7 model WITH cord, bad reviews from most listeners
- P7 model WIRELESS, good reviews from most listeners

..remember it like ”night and day” in difference.

Still got my P7 wireless in a box somewhere, really like them but seldom use. For sure will never sell.

 

[HalSF]

From my (outdated..) memory:
- P7 model WITH cord, bad reviews from most listeners
- P7 model WIRELESS, good reviews from most listeners

..remember it like ”night and day” in difference.

Still got my P7 wireless in a box somewhere, really like them but seldom use. For sure will never sell.

I’ve been feeling bemused at the scowls directed at B&W in this thread. I’ve got the Px7 S2e over the ears headphones (I use then via both Bluetooth and USB-C wired) as well as the Pi8 earbuds and love both.

Never owned the P7 but I once listened to them playing “Street Fighting Man” at the Apple Store in Covent Garden and that fleeting experience surrounded by London glamour left me with a pleasant and lasting non-objective impression that makes it difficult for me to think of them as Headphone’s Greatest Monsters

 

[nerdstrike]

I've been using the P7 as my PC headphones for about 14 years. I have some observations to contribute, besides dunking on the product.

Excellent comfort for my ears and dome. I appreciate their build.
The let's say generous bass backed off as the clamping force of the headband declined after a year or so.
I've treated them reasonably kindly, but they've not broken despite extensive use far in excess of any dedicated music listening I might have done. Thousands and thousands of hours.
Ignorance is in fact, bliss.

Now this wondrous and cursed forum has created an upgradeitis itch...

 

[LarsF]

I have a pair of those and to my ears they sound as good as headphones can do (but never close to HiFi)

 

[flagshipper]

Still got my P7 wireless in a box somewhere, really like them but seldom use. For sure will never sell.

me too. I wonder if any Px[s[X]] are on par with the P7W.

 

[Phos]

FWIW I think these were a lot more compelling of an offering when they first came out, IIRC this was before the likes of the meze 99 classics and DCA Aeons. There weren't that many medium sized closed back headphones that didn't have the egregious Beats style mid bass shelf. Prior to getting a set of them I had tried the sennheiser momentums and their ear cups were so small I couldn't get the two cups to seal symmetrically.