Bowers & Wilkins P5 Portable Headphone/Headset
This story originally appeared at InnerFidelity.comI didn’t really want to like these headphones. They didn’t sound as I had hoped, and they’re really not made for a guy like me. I wear sweat pants and t-shirts mostly; I wrench on old dirt bikes sometimes; I think camping and not taking a shower for three days rocks. The B&W P5 would feel far more at home tucked into a pig-skin valise on the front seat of a Ferarri than on the picnic table next to the BBQ on my back porch.
Yet there it was … day after day … week after week.
Bowers & Wilkins P7 Wireless Bluetooth Over-Ear Headphones
This story originally appeared at InnerFidelity.comOh boy, I love it when a headphone ticks all the boxes and doesn't have a fatal flaw shiv strapped to its ankle ready to strike at an inopportune moment. Yep, the Bowers & Wilkins P7 Wireless is a dandy daily driver for all your mobile headphone needs.
Bowers and Wilkins C5
This story originally appeared at InnerFidelity.com
When I saw these pop up on the internet, I couldn't wait to get my hands on them. I have a pair of the B&W P5 headsets and I like them very much. They're somewhat colored but they're fun sounding, and a sexier piece of audio kit you'll hardly ever see. I was expecting a similar experience with the C5.
Didn't get it though.
Celebrity Headphone Deathmatch
This story originally appeared at InnerFidelity.com
Seems like every other day a new celebrity headphone comes out. And they're not cheap! Three hundred dollars used to buy you near-world class headphones. How come there's so much bling in headphones these days? How come they're so expensive? How the heck did we get here?
And more importantly, do these headphones sound any good?
Comparing World-Class Headphones
This story originally appeared at InnerFidelity.com
It's not often one get's to set-up $37,000+ worth of the world's best headphone gear on the dining room table. I should do a little comparative listening test and report my findings, methinks.
Wasn't easy to write with all the good music going on in my head, though.
Comply Foam Tips and the Effects of Tip Selection
This story originally appeared at InnerFidelity.com
I've seen numerous comments about tip selection affecting the frequency response of in-ear monitors. I've seen lavish words of praise for Comply tips ... and rants about how they muffled the sound.
I figured we should get to the bottom of this, eh?
Cool and Confident: Mr. Speakers Ether Planar Magnetic Headphones
This story originally appeared at InnerFidelity.com
Mr. Speakers first fully in-house designed and manufactured headphone seems to deliver quite nicely in the top-of-the-line category.
Creative Aurvana Live! A Classic Reincarnate
This story originally appeared at InnerFidelity.com
Enthusiasts recently mourned the death of the Denon AH-D1001 --- a really good sounding sealed headphone at just above $100. Lament no more. This Foster OEM design (model 443741) has found rebirth as the Creative Aurvana Live!
The very good news: it's even better than before.
DIY Headphone Measurement Contest Winners!
This story originally appeared at InnerFidelity.com
Having printed out the measurements for all 41 Do-It-Yourself modified headphones sent to me over the past year, I spread them out over my kitchen table and set to work picking the best and worst measuring of the bunch. I also picked what I thought were the coolest looking headphones. And I scrounged around my lab looking for all the headphones I might give away as prizes.
Let's see who got what ...
DIY Modified Aiwa HP-500 from Kabeer
This story originally appeared at InnerFidelity.com
Kabeer - "I am located in UK, and I have some orthos. Im not sure if its very viable for me to get anything measured?"
Tyll - "I really can't spend too much money on this, so I've limited DIY Ortho testing to the U.S. to keep the shipping costs down. Sorry."
Kabeer - "Id really like to send my Aiwa to you to get measured. I think its pretty great :). Wualta wants to see their measurements too and has kindly offered to pay you the postage back to UK for them."
Tyll - "Okie Dokie. If Wualta wants to see the measurements, it must be good."
You see, while Wualta might be a crusty old curmudgeon, he's also one of the patron saints of Orthodynamic DIYers, and if he thinks something is worthwhile ... well, you just have to have a listen.
By golly, he's right on the mark again!