Our Verdict
Decent as mixed usage everyday headphones. They have a sturdy wireless design and a good sound quality. Their poor noise isolation makes them not ideal for loud environments but at sufficiently high volumes, it shouldn't be too much of an issue.
- Good audio reproduction.
- Compact, wireless design.
- Sturdy, durable build.
- Poor noise isolation.
- A bit tight on the head.
The P5 Wireless deliver a balanced audio reproduction that caters well to bass and instrument-heavy music. They don't have a spacious soundstage due to the small closed on-ear design, but their sound reproduction won't disappoint as long as you find the on-ear design comfortable.
Average at best for commuting. They have a good control scheme, and they're decently portable headphones. However, they struggle to block the ambient noise of loud environments and won't be ideal if you have a busy daily commute or plan to take them on a noisy flight.
Above-average for sports. They have a compact wireless design with an efficient control scheme. They're also moderately stable enough for jogging and some light exercising. However, they're not the most comfortable, and the on-ear pads get a little steamy when you sweat a lot.
Decent for office use. They won't block all the ambient noise in a loud office environment but don't leak too much.
Changelog
- Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.1.
- Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.
- Updated Feb 16, 2018: Converted to Test Bench 1.2.
- Updated Sep 28, 2017: The microphone has been tested with our new methodology, as explained here
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Test Results
The P5 Wireless have a sleek and polished design. They're well-crafted headphones that make use of premium materials in their build. The headband and ear pad are covered in a stylish black leather that adds to the high-end appeal of these headphones. They have small square ear cups and a unique metal frame that's quite eye-catching.
The P5 Wireless are moderately comfortable headphones but can feel a bit tight on your head. The ear pads are well made and covered in leather, which feels good on the skin. However, they're thinly padded, that, coupled with the on-ear design makes them feel slightly uncomfortable and tight at first. You get use to the fit but they won't be the most comfortable headphones for long listening sessions, especially, if you wear glasses.
The P5 Wireless have a simple and efficient control scheme. They provide call/music, track-skipping, and volume controls. The buttons offer decent tactile feedback but they are a bit narrow, which could be bothersome for larger hands.
These headphones are moderately portable. They're compact on-ear headphones that lay flat to take less space. They will fit in most bags and larger purses, but unfortunately, they don't fold to reduce their footprint, which makes them a bit cumbersome to carry on your person.
Comes with a stylish pouch that will protect the headphones from scratches and minor water damage. However, the pouch is soft and will not shield your headphones against hard falls. The pouch design is also not waterproof.
The P5 Wireless like the P5 S2 and P7 are well-built headphones. They have a durable yet lightweight metal frame that's sturdy enough to withstand moderate physical stress. The ear pads magnetically attach to the ear cups and can be replaced if damaged by regular wear and tear. They're are also sufficiently dense and won't break easily from a few falls. However, the thin hinges that connect the frame to the ear cups are the weakest point of this robust and long-lasting build.
These headphones are above the average stable. The on-ear design of the P5 clamps on to your head with enough tension that they won't easily fall during physical activity. They're also wireless, which frees you of the hassle of tangling audio cables. However, they won't maintain a stable fit under strenuous conditions like running or intense exercises at the gym.
- Bowers & Wilkins P5 Wireless Headphones
- 1/8" to 1/4" Adapter
- Audio cable
- Carrying pouch
- Manual
Poor overall isolation. However, considering these headphones don't have active noise cancelling, the passive isolation provided by the ear cups is decent. Treble isolation is good but as expected, the passive isolation only becomes effective past 400HZ and does not really block any low/bass frequencies. Isolation in the mid-range is also below average.
Decent leakage performance. The majority of leakage is in the 2KHz-7KHz frequency range, which is relatively narrow. The overall level of the leakage is also decent, making these headphones perform above average in Leakage.
The P5 Wireless deliver a solid 16 hours of battery life with a few battery saving features that reduce how often you have to charge them throughout the day. They have a built-in auto-off timer that switches the headphones off within 10 minutes of not using them. They can also charge while playing audio so if you're on a train, plane or at your office with access to a power source then you can play and not worry about battery life. This makes them decent headphones to use on long flights or road trips and they also do not take long to charge.
No compatible app.
