Over-ear headphones with noise cancellation, the Bowers & Wilkins PX5 are the announced heirs of the wireless P5 model reviewed some time ago, but design and features in hand, are more children of the design that accompanies the Bowers & Wilkins PX7, although in this case it is a more accessible model with slightly different characteristics.
Bowers & Wilkins PX5 , the review
At first sight
The box is in classic cardboard, even if inside the headphones stop in a delicate shape: to accompany them a charging cable (USB-C, very nice) and an analog audio jack cable that makes up for the battery or if we want to use headphones to a device without bluetooth or not in common use.
In addition to this, the “bag” for carrying headphones to pack, whose unusual shape is still interesting because, when empty, it flattens out and takes up no space at all.
proximity sensor motion
The headphones are constructed of material with woven carbon fiber arms, a material inspired by the world of motor racing. The material is opaque and “grunge” in the arch as opposed to the pavilions which are instead presented in soft satin material with the glossy logo in relief.
The bow is accompanied by a cushion that shows a soft leatherette part at the bottom and a fabric part at the top.
The general impression is to have a pair of headphones of a definitely high quality, light and not too big, but as much on the head as in the bag, they are a model that can be watched with pleasure, especially for the details which, as is the philosophy by Bowers & Wilkins, show off a class that is hard to miss.
Technique
The headphones can be obtained via Bluetooth (5.0 with aptX, too bad it doesn't work on iOS) even without the App, which is still well done and worth the download.
Inside, in fact, we find the digital control of noise reduction (which can also be managed directly from the headphones, using the appropriate button), the connection history, with the possibility of selecting the source, the possibility of updating the firmware and changing the name and settings. but above all an interesting Sound area, in which there are ambient sounds to relax, excellent for use in the office, such as the sound of the sea, that of the forest, the crackle of fire in a forest and so on.
On the pavilions there are buttons for controlling playback and volume, as well as the one for noise reduction (NC Active) in three ways. The buttons are embossed and it is easy to find them even by touch and do not bother removing the headphones, because in this case it is easy to touch the generous cushion instead of the buttons.
The battery, which promises 25 hours of autonomy, is faithful in most cases, even with discontinuous use. When it does not reach that number of hours, however, it stops shortly before.
The App is beautiful, complete and well done, and is a great companion during use
The noise, this stranger
It goes without saying that one of the most intriguing aspects of this model is the active noise reduction function: the headphones feature a system that works in four modes, low, high, auto and off.
The tests we carried out in the field, walking in traffic (because traveling by train or plane are not recommended at the moment) have offered us mixed results.
The proximity sensor motion automatically pauses the headphones by raising the pavilion, resuming the music just placed
While the High mode (high, with the greatest noise reduction) seemed very good to us, the Low mode (low) is too little active and the Auto mode offers results mostly close to the Low one.
Basically, the High mode gives the sensation of silence while the Low one, designed to mix the external noise that is not too annoying, works, but with mostly irrelevant results.
Otherwise, the High mode allows only the most suitable frequencies such as speech to pass, muffling it, and lower but very strong frequencies, like a vacuum cleaner but only if close: it must be said that the pavilions are not very large and do not cover any the whole ear, which means that the passive noise reduction part, given by the containment of external noise, works partially, this is not a defect, but a production choice.
Music and more
The audio quality of the Bowers & Wilkins PX5 is very good. Despite having not very large pavilions, which rest on the ear rather than enclose it, the musical perception is interesting.
The high tones are very good and the mids particularly full of detail: the bass is present but not overwhelming, which makes it a great pair of headphones for users of a certain age or so, certainly not for kids who are addict bass.
According to the humble opinion of the writer, headphones are perfect for live ballads, such as concerts or acoustics, with particular attention to the vocalism of the artists.
Attitude that was also exalted in listening to some films and TV series (from the very strange “Vivarium” to the splendid “The Expanse”, up to the majestic and complex “Trilogy of Baztán”).
As for the use in the workplace, such as a streaming with Teams or Zoom, the headphones perform very well, especially because that environment is less difficult than a musical one where the smallest defect appears clear. However, the microphone is not the best, and you probably need to add a dedicated model to it, we did it by swinging the Blue Yeti and the Razer Seiren Mini.
Upon first pairing, the Bowers & Wilkins app instructs the user: having said that, the headphones are completely independent and work great too without App
Considerations
The new Bowers & Wilkins PX5 are, on balance, a really nice product at an all in all correct price: light, very comfortable, suitable for those who listen to music as a hobby or those who need a pair of headphones that are not too demanding in terms of space for travel or to enjoy a movie on the iPad.
Music is the best weapon and noise reduction a convenient utility on the go, with the possibility, via the App, to relax with ambient sounds that offer a great way to fully concentrate.
With the right support they work very well even in streaming, although we see their natural environment one where the tiniest musical nuance becomes essential to an attentive ear.
Pro:
• Elegant and precious • Excellent musicality • The NC function works well, but only in one mode
Cons:
• Two out of three NC modes are too light • The pavilions are a bit small for those who want more isolation
Price:
• 299.99 Euro
The Bowers & Wilkins PX5 are available for purchase starting from the parent company's website, or even on Amazon.it. For those who want more isolation or a more present presence in the ear we recommend the Bowers & Wilkins PX7 model, a little more expensive but with a more important shape on the head.
