Built With a Loudspeaker in Mind
A Review of the Bowers & Wilkins P7 Headphones
Primarily known for making hi-fi speakers for audio studios and luxury hotels, the British company Bowers & Wilkins recently turned its expertise to headphones. The company quickly built a high-quality lineup, and rounding out the roster is the P7, its first over-ear headphones.
The P7 is the first over-the-ear headphones from Bowers & Wilkins.
The inside of the P7 headphones includes parts designed with a traditional loudspeaker in mind. The technology includes voice coils made of a light aluminum-copper compound, which improves high-frequency reproduction, and damping materials to reduce distortion. All of this adds up to produce “truly immersive sound,†according to Bowers & Wilkins.
But the company seems to have spent equal time on the exterior of the P7. The headphones are made with sturdy materials like leather and stainless steel, providing a look of refinement. “Dual-cavity†cushions on the ear cups are intended to provide a more comfortable fit while blocking outside noise. The ear cups even have a rectangular shape that resembles a loudspeaker.
All of that attention to detail pays off in the sound quality. The aural precision is pretty amazing; it's like sitting in a sound studio. I could hear every nuance of the music, with clear highs and a solid bass.
At first glance, the headphones didn't look as if they would fit well, but the rectangular cups fit securely over my ears, creating a nice seal that allowed little sound to escape. They were so comfortable that at one point I fell asleep while wearing them, not realizing they were still perched on my head.
The P7 headphones come with two tangle-free audio cables â€" one with an in-line remote and microphone and the other without â€" and a quarter-inch plug adapter. The headphones can be folded and stored in a case that is included and resembles a clutch handbag.
At $400, the P7 headphones are not a product I would use on my daily subway commute, but I would feel comfortable wearing them while relaxing in a luxury hotel.
