The P3s have all the design panache of B&W’s high-end
models, but do they have the same cut and thrust?
Representing the UK (in terms of design rather than
manufacture) in this roundup are Bowers & Wilkins, a hi-fi speaker brand
recently garnering itself an enviable reputation in the headphone sector thanks
to a small but impressive range of high-end cans. The P3 is the company’s most
affordable on-ear model and is given the succinct tag line of “Mobile Hi-Fi” on
its packaging. These headphones don’t come with a 3.5-to-6.35mm adapter, but
are supplied with two cables, one with an inline remote control for iPhones,
iPods and iPads, the other, a non-gain version for all other devices. The
cables are Y-shaped, and you need to peel off the ear pads to prise out the
plugs. B&W has positioned the terminals to make sure that airflow around
the drive units is uniform, resulting in a more linear movement. The cables,
like the phones and the headband are finished in rubberized plastic, which is
durable and tactile and lends itself nicely to the black, bright blue, bright
red and white color options. The use of brushed and polished metal elsewhere
gives the P3s a distinctive yet restrained and somewhat classy look. Each
headphone is hinged and they fold for storage in a stiff plastic container.
Each 3cm enclosure sports a dynamic driver with neodymium magnets and B&W
has incorporated a mylar damped laminate diaphragm to provide the best balance
between stiffness and flexibility.
Bowers &
Wilkins P3
At 130g the P3s are nice and light, but feel a bit on the
stiff side so that the foam pads press in rather than sit on your ears and you
feel aware of the lightly padded headband. This closeness of fit may improve
the acoustic properties, but can make your ears feel rather warm.
Sound quality
With the P3s hooked up to an Onkyo amp, The Lark Ascending
SACD reveals a dominant bass character that dampens the zest of the lead
violin. The ride is not especially smooth and the sound of the second fiddle
doesn’t have the clarity heard elsewhere. This propensity to dampen the sound
means that The War of the Worlds SACD is not as engaging and lively as
expected. Higher frequencies don’t cut through cleanly. Sonic imaging is,
however, good with the unscrewing of the cylinder working its way satisfyingly
across from high above one ear to the other.
Bowers &
Wilkins P3
On to the 24/96 DTS Blu-ray audio disc and the vocals in
Minus The Bear’s Listing aren’t as resonant as hoped and the track lacks some
of its punch, but the acoustic guitar is well timed and overall there’s a nice
texture to proceedings. Again, that low-end emphasis is responsible for taking
some of the definition out of Kate Bush’s vocals in Snowed In At Wheeler
Street.
Bob Marley is another victim in Could You Be Loved. The
higher frequencies of the guitar and Marley’s voice are robbed of their natural
agility as the bass muscles its way to the forefront of the soundstage. Susan
Wong’s 24/96 download of Desperado is by far the most impressive test track,
with both piano and voice showing a deftness of touch masked by the overly
forward bass.
Bowers &
Wilkins P3
The P3s are undoubtedly stylish headphones built to a high
standard. There are no real problems with ergonomics as they sit comfortably on
your head and fold up nice and neatly for storage. What would otherwise be a
reasonably neutral and pleasing performance, however, is dominated by an overly
keen bass response so that the overriding effect is a rather flat sound.
On Test
B&W claims 111dB sensitivity for the P3 for 1V input at
1kHz, but our measured sensitivity at that frequency was 118.6dB, so B&W’s
spec is conservative. The 34ohms nominal impedance also errs on the side of
safety – we measured a minimum of 35.1ohms at 736Hz rising to a maximum of
38.7ohms at 82Hz. This variation is small enough to cause negligible frequency
response variations of 0.2dB for a 10ohm source impedance and 0.4dB for a 30ohm
source. Diffuse-field-corrected frequency response rises gently below 1kHz to a
peak at 200Hz before falling away rapidly, hence the poor LF extension figure
of 50Hz for -6dB ref 200Hz. Above 1kHz the corrected response also decays
rapidly to be around 6dB down through the treble. Capsule matching error of
±5.8dB is typical for a headphone and mostly represents different interactions
with the left and right artificial pinnae used in testing.
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Specifications
·
Price: $277.7
·
Product: Bowers & Wilkins P3
·
Origin: China
·
Type: Closed back, on-ear headphones
·
Weight: 130g
·
30mm driver
·
Metallic headband covered with rubberized plastic and a memory
foam cushion
·
Universal cable (OFC)
Verdict
·
Sound quality: 3.5/5
·
Value for money: 4/5
·
Build quality: 4/5
·
Features: 4/5
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