Enjoy your B&W P7s; they are a terrific set of headphones.
My understanding is that the second generation of headphones made by B&W has seen a significant improvement in every single one of the headphones.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Post your headphones
- Thread starter daneoni
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Enjoy your B&W P7s; they are a terrific set of headphones.
My understanding is that the second generation of headphones made by B&W has seen a significant improvement in every single one of the headphones.
Compairing them side by side, I can't see any major design differences. However the quality of the cable is noticeable.
The secure loop is a bit more secure. Slightly harder to move up and down. I'm using some comply foam tips, so they come slightly further out of my ears than the tips included.
Last edited:
I may have over exaggerated it a bit; The AE2's weren't awful, but I just remember being a bit underwhelmed vs. what I expected. After listening to these Apple IEMs (the 80 dollar ones) - The Bose definitely did a few things better, one being that the Bose NEVER distorted and got supremely loud (if you're into that) without any kind of acoustical breakup. The Bose also had zero cable noise when rubbing on clothes etc.
IDK why exactly I was that harsh about Bose headphones, but Bose headphones are pretty decent - I think I was just dealing with a Bose issue and let that frustration bleed into my post a bit.
Supposedly the SoundTrues are excellent, and are getting great reviews everywhere. Now, I really WAS disappointed overall with the AE2's, but I'm seriously considering giving the SoundTrues another try. I said they were the same, but the reviews are leading me to believe that SOMETHING must have changed.
I'm actually really curious how you would find the QC25's or SoundTrues compare with your B&W's. Could you do a quick comparison and let us know? I've never heard the 25's myself, either. I just know you HAVE to have the Noise Canceling enabled to get the proper sound out of them.
What I will say about Bose is that their customer service is extraordinarily good and professional, and I am writing from personal experience.
Sennheiser HD558 (comfy, and damn good)
Grado SR80 (not really that comfortable, even with the soft ear pads, but they do sound wonderful if they're powered by more than what an ipad 3 puts out
SMSL SD793II headphone amplifier/SPDIF DAC (bought when I nearly damaged my imac retina after tripping over the HD558's long cord) Also lets me keep my
Audiosource AMP 100 + Klipsch Synergy B20 speakers
plugged in (and turned on) without reaching behind my imac
So far, a nice setup.
Grado SR80 (not really that comfortable, even with the soft ear pads, but they do sound wonderful if they're powered by more than what an ipad 3 puts out
SMSL SD793II headphone amplifier/SPDIF DAC (bought when I nearly damaged my imac retina after tripping over the HD558's long cord) Also lets me keep my
Audiosource AMP 100 + Klipsch Synergy B20 speakers
plugged in (and turned on) without reaching behind my imac
So far, a nice setup.
OK, here's a quick (and very unscientific) comparison of the two: I've just listened to Tumbling Dice by the Stones from Made in the Shade four times, twice with the QC25's and twice with the P7's. This was the first song that came onto my iPhone 6 Plus.
I'd say that the P7's are the better headphone sound wise. The QC25's are very good and have a well balanced sound. The bass is good but the treble is maybe a little too soft for my liking whereas the bass on the P7's is stronger and more prominent. On the P7's the treble is nice and clean and balanced. The soundstage on the P7's is fantastic and I think this is where it excels, the QC25's seemingly having a kind of veiled sound. Maybe this is to do with the noise canceling?
Where the QC25's trump the P7's is for shear comfort, they are, quite simply the most comfortable headphones I've ever used. I can see why they are so popular with those who travel a lot. They also "win" (obviously) when it comes to noise canceling.
I do love them both and am fortunate enough to own both. If I had to pick one? mmm, that's a hard one. It would be easy to say the P7's because they are better sound wise, but the QC25's are so darn comfortable! Would I of noticed the lack of soundstage if I didn't have the P7's? I'm not so sure.....Hope this helps!
Excellent bit of info, thanks! Glad I didn't totally deter you from giving the Bose a shot. I've been doing a lot of research on Bose lately and I'm super impressed with their quality and R&D they put into their products. They're definitely legit and the real deal.
For speakers, Bose is a phenomenal investment (but there IS better, however by how much? And is the tradeoff of having 50 pound 1,000 dollar amps worth it?) - And/or it's possible to equal the Bose performance for about the same or a bit less, but the overall ecosystem and experience with Bose is what also attributes to Bose being an excellent choice. And they're speakers do sound damn good. I actually found a French review site that did THD and FQ Response measurements on the latest Lifestyle system - and the results were excellent; Very even, natural sound with a pretty flat frequency response, and the Acoustimass module has been measured down to 28Hz! Holy moly. That's lower than most home theater subs. Any Bose hate that's out there is just ignorant crap, spewed by "audiophiles" who think that the only way to get good sound is via 50 pound 7ft speakers etc.
It's good to know there ARE alternatives, however, like Bang & Olufsen, Anthony Gallo Acoustics, Orb Audio and Def Tech, too.
A bit off topic for a headphone thread, but I've actually been a Bose fan for almost 10 years now. On and off lately, but anyways.
Anyways, back to headphones?
Yeah, I've never really understood the "Bose bashers". They are great headphones. Of course there are better out there but I don't want to start messing around with headphone amps etc or more expensive sets. Theses are about my limit.
Do you think the C5 series 2 upgrade was worth it?
Do you think the C5 series 2 upgrade was worth it?
Yes I do, improvements to the cable, secured loop and sound.
Everyday use: Beats Studio Wireless 2.0 Matte Black
Workout/when sweating: LG Tone Infinim
Love both sets...got them both for WELL below retail, too!
Workout/when sweating: LG Tone Infinim
Love both sets...got them both for WELL below retail, too!
Just went last weekend to browse a local mall for an authorized mac seller here in Mexico city, because I have been postponing the need to replace my 5 year old laptop for almost a year now, or at least the need to replace its ageing hard drive for a SSD.
I happened upon a sale (up to 20% off), where besides the discount and financing, for every mac you bought they threw in a pair of Beats Studio Wireless until exhausting stock. Since I kind of was already planning on buying the laptop I took the dive and got the mac, plus the gift of the Studio Wireless (a value of about 350 USD including taxes when buying separately). In case you were wondering I got the MBP retina 2.9 GHz.
I got to say I'm impressed. I didn't even knew they had ANC, they were this portable and included mic/controls to call hands free in wireless mode. And although they clearly are not the MM-550X, they are quite good. The only quip I have is that the store had only red sets to give away. But, hey, the are worth every penny I paid for them
For sound quality at home I still highly prefer my HD 598, but, hey, the beats are wireless, have ANC and are able to make and receive calls without taking my phone out of my pocket, so for traveling and commuting this are my new daily drivers.
I know you were talking about the Bose's, but for this very reason alone, the studio wireless are great for commuting!
My HD 598 sport a bended 3.5 mm adapter precisely because I tripped on them while connected to my mac. The trip also damaged the headphone port in my previous laptop. It's not useless, but it wiggles now.
I happened upon a sale (up to 20% off), where besides the discount and financing, for every mac you bought they threw in a pair of Beats Studio Wireless until exhausting stock. Since I kind of was already planning on buying the laptop I took the dive and got the mac, plus the gift of the Studio Wireless (a value of about 350 USD including taxes when buying separately). In case you were wondering I got the MBP retina 2.9 GHz.
I got to say I'm impressed. I didn't even knew they had ANC, they were this portable and included mic/controls to call hands free in wireless mode. And although they clearly are not the MM-550X, they are quite good. The only quip I have is that the store had only red sets to give away. But, hey, the are worth every penny I paid for them
For sound quality at home I still highly prefer my HD 598, but, hey, the beats are wireless, have ANC and are able to make and receive calls without taking my phone out of my pocket, so for traveling and commuting this are my new daily drivers.
I know you were talking about the Bose's, but for this very reason alone, the studio wireless are great for commuting!
My HD 598 sport a bended 3.5 mm adapter precisely because I tripped on them while connected to my mac. The trip also damaged the headphone port in my previous laptop. It's not useless, but it wiggles now.
Attachments
Last edited:
Oh good. I'm not alone. grrr
Maybe Sennheiser has a shorter cord with a 1/8 inch jack. (for those who don't know, the cord is trivially replaceable on these headphones, which should help them last longer than a few years)
Last edited:
Normal USB 2 out of the MacBook into Cypherlabs Algorhythm dB DAC, then a balanced connection into ALO Rx3B+ amplifier, balanced connection into Audeze LCD-X
I'm sticking with Panasonic RP TCM125 EK. A great pair of in-ear headphones! They fit extremely well into my ears and don't fall out during sport etc.
I'm still searching for a larger alternative that works well when you've got glasses. These should be amazing from what I've heard but unfortunately they're so damn expensive.
I'm still searching for a larger alternative that works well when you've got glasses. These should be amazing from what I've heard but unfortunately they're so damn expensive.
Tried a pair of the Marshall Monitor Black - https://www.marshallheadphones.com/mh_uk_en/headphones/over-ear/monitor-black in the Apple Store today. Really impressed with them. Light and really comfy. Adding them to my wish list.
Picked up a pair of B&W C5 Series 2s a few weeks ago. They're high quality and certainly stay in my ears. The loops were very uncomfortable at first, but I think I'm getting to where I can fit them better so they are less irritating. The cord on the actual earpieces are thinner than I expected, judging by how thick my P7's cord is.
Picked up a pair of B&W C5 Series 2s a few weeks ago. They're high quality and certainly stay in my ears. The loops were very uncomfortable at first, but I think I'm getting to where I can fit them better so they are less irritating. The cord on the actual earpieces are thinner than I expected, judging by how thick my P7's cord is.
Nice pair of in-ear phones. Only thing I wish they would change is the jack to a right angle.
Is the consensus that the Bluebird bluetooth are the best bluetooth type headphones to go with an apple watch/6s+ for exercise, walking, etc?
I am looking for minimal, great sounding, balanced ear buds as I usually listen to podcasts during an exercise session or a quick 30 minute playlist.
Thanks for any feedback
I am looking for minimal, great sounding, balanced ear buds as I usually listen to podcasts during an exercise session or a quick 30 minute playlist.
Thanks for any feedback