Bowers & Wilkins P5 Wireless, premium wireless audio

One of the excuses that many of the enemies of wireless audio use to criticize the trend of eliminating cables from mobile devices is that the quality of Bluetooth headphones will never be the same as that of conventional headphones with a jack plug. But some top-of-the-line brands like Bowers & Wilkins seem hell-bent on proving that sound quality and Bluetooth shouldn't be at odds., and a perfect example of this are their P5 Wireless headphones, a small marvel of sound that we have been able to test with our iPhone 7 Plus.

Quality of materials and construction

When you open a box of a quality product it is noticeable almost since you are removing the plastics, and it is something that happens with these headphones. Its solidity, feel and appearance are simply unbeatable, and all the movements of its pieces are perfectly meshed so that they are smooth and without any type of play.

The headband is covered with stitched leather, giving it a premium look, and the shiny aluminum of its pieces together with the black color it is imposing. The black plastic buttons and connectors and removable ear pads make for a really nice ensemble.

The headphones are not so small that you can carry them in a pocket, but they are not as big and bulky as other on-ear headphones, so you can take them with you. something that is also facilitated thanks to the transport bag that incorporates. By the way, you can use them as a hands-free for your iPhone, thanks to the built-in controls it brings to receive calls and its microphone.

Comfortable though small

The headphones are comfortable to wear. Perhaps at first it may give you the impression that the headband is too rigid and that it is too tight, but soon that feeling disappears. Like all on-ear headphones, if you are a spectacle user, you may have a problem with the temples and end up with some discomfort, but the ear pads are really very comfortable and fit your ears well. Due to their small size, they do not completely cover your ear, and that may mean that it does not isolate completely from the outside, but it is enough to be able to enjoy audio without problems in noisy environments.

Of course, the size can be quite fair for those of us who have a larger head than the average. In my case, I have not had problems, but I do feel that they are perfectly adjusted, and if I had longer hair, they might not fit me so well. They are "small" headphones to be supra-aurals, so if your head is size XL, keep that in mind.

Premium audio quality

I could tell you that the Bowers & Wilkins P5s enjoy powerful bass, a very balanced midrange and detailed highs, but these are not my words, but rather what I have taken from other audio expert reviews that I have been able to read. In my opinion, the P5s sound really good. I was very happy with my AirPods and their sound, even my red Beats that podcast listeners love so much, but all of that was until I started enjoying the audio from these headphones. The reality is that the sound is much better than that of the two examples, and although the Beats enjoy more exaggerated bass than the P5, the amount of nuances that you perceive with the latter are not enjoyed with the other models mentioned..

Even if the Bluetooth issue is a problem for you, or if you run out of battery and want to continue enjoying the headphones, you can use the cable with Jack connector that the P5 incorporates. You just have to remove the earphone pad, which is fixed magnetically, and place the jack to listen to the music with the cable. There are no excuses not to use these B&W P5s in any situation.

Premium quality at premium price

Obviously after everything I have told you we cannot expect them to be cheap headphones. It is a premium product for materials, design and sound quality, and you have to pay for that. Its price is around the 299 € on Amazon, something that is by no means an excessive price if we compare them with other headphones in the same category. We cannot forget besides that They incorporate a battery that gives it an autonomy of 17 hours according to the brand, and that easily reaches 15 hours according to my calculations with a single charge. To be able to enjoy your headphones for hours and hours you will not need to put them in any charger case, nor of course connect them to the network. Are you looking for quality, design and performance in a bluetooth headset? Few better candidates than the B&W P5 you will be able to find.