Bowers & Wilkins - C5 Series 2 Wired Earbud Headphones - Black

I just purchased my CS5 Series 2 earbuds, so this is my initial reaction to the product. 1. Overall quality - As with all B&W products, fit and finish of the earbuds is superb. The micro-bead filters add a unique look, and do seem to add an extra spaciousness to the overall sound and soundstage. While the cable is not oval or flat, it does feel robust, and tangling has not been an issue so far 2. Fit - the provided ear tips, in four sizes, allowed me ample options for finding the most secure, sound dampening fit in each ear. Taking the time to experiment with the different sizes, mixing and matching so that each ear was perfectly sealed proved extremely valuable and revealed the true quality of sound reproduction from these headphones. 3, Sound - A little experimentation allowed me to "tune" the sound specifically to my liking, and provided a more accurate response curve, one I perceived to be more in line with a very good reference loudspeaker: bass was well-defined and tight, even at the lowest frequencies. Mid-range was excellent and clear, framing both male and female vocals well. The highest frequencies were smooth and pristine. I listen to quite an eclectic mix of music, from Nu-Metal to Opera. I found these earbuds to be especially well suited for acoustic and jazz, with a clear and pure sound and spaciousness. The dynamic range was evident on classical pieces, and even impressive with Nu-Metal and classic rock tracks. Overall definition was superb, and the smooth frequency response allowed me to clearly identify previously unnoticed nuances in the various performances 4, Comfort - Overall, these are quite comfortable to wear for extended periods. Initially, I found them just slightly uncomfortable, but soon was able to concentrate solely on the music, as the earbuds became almost unnoticed. The loop worked well to provide a secure fit, and I didn't need to constantly re-adjust or re-seat the earbuds. Certainly, it's important to spend time to find the best ear tips for comfort, sound, and noise isolation. I found external noise (moderate levels) dampened to significantly lower levels, and unobtrusive when listening at reasonable volumes In summary, I'm quite impressed with the sound quality of these earbuds. In truth, they provide even better sound than many over-the-ear headphones I've tried, and are very similar to the B&W P7 set that I currently use as a reference, NOTE: I did compare sound quality with and without a USB DAC on my computer: I can say that the DAC provided a very noticeable, very positive improvement to the sound quality, with tighter, more controlled bass, and an improved soundstage. I am very pleased with this purchase, and expect the audio experience to improve as these "break in" over the next few weeks of regular use.

I am in love with these headphones! Before I start this review, it's VERY IMPORTANT that you TRY ALL OF THE EARPOD COVERS and get the PERFECT FIT in your ears before you judge these headphones because the SOUND QUALITY INCREASES DRASTICALLY when you have the correct cover on for your ear size. Now back to the review, over the past year I have tried: - Bose SoundLink II On-Ear (Sounded artificial with too much bass) - JBL Everest 100, JBL Everest Elite 750NC, JBL Everest 310 (I'm not hating on JBL, I actually have their car speakers and they are fantastic, but their headphones aren't as clear as I'd wished for considering their car audio is of great quality IMO) - I hate even mentioning this but I even tried the Beats Studio 3 I returned all of these still trying to find those perfect headphones, and then I came across the great reviews for Bowers & Wilkins headphones. I did my research and was debating between the P5 Series 2 and these, and decided that getting earbuds would be more portable, wouldn't be heavy for long listening, and wouldn't get hot on my ears like ear cups tend to do. I must say that I wasn't expecting the level of clarity and tight bass from these small headphones. The 9.2mm drivers in these earbuds are fantastic and it gives you the illusion that you're wearing bigger headphones than you actually are. I listen to rock and plenty of acoustic songs and the vocals are crisp, the mids are perfect, and the bass is surprisingly boomy (tight) especially on FLAC audio files. They also aren't uncomfortable in my ears like some reviewers have said, they fit comfortably if you get them adjusted correctly to your ear. Definitely give these earbuds a try, I don't think you'll regret it!

Fantastic earbuds, had a few months to try them out and really break them in and they truly are impressive. Even with a garbage source like my Note 3, these things shine! They are very bass heavy at times but I listen to a variety of music and I'll leave some impressions by song/artist below. But, I will openly say I would call myself an audiophile, but I am not the type of audiophile who buys into marketing gimmicks like wires and other stuff to make myself feel fancy. As far as comfort goes, these are the most comfortable earbuds that actually stay in that I have used, I wear them to the gym and have no issues as far as falling out goes, and no problems with discomfort. I do acknowledge that I have large, goofy ears and that may be part of why I have no issues with comfort. Make Them Suffer-Elegies: I am a huge metal head so naturally my first song is one of my favorites by an incredible band. This song is a heartwrenching tale of how the vocalist has lost someone dear to him and these earbuds make it easy to feel that emotion. His gutwrenching screams have all the emotion that was meant to be packed into them, the piano has all the dismal tones it should, the cymbals crash, the bass kicks, and the breakdowns are as explosive and furious as they should be. Only complaint is that during the bass drop of the breakdown the bass is a bit overpowering at the "sweet spot" for these buds. Great experience, Hans Zimmer-I listened to two soundtracks, Interstellar and The Dark Knight. These really shine on well recorded classical type music, the deep string instruments are very powerful as well as the horns. All the high notes are captured and the soundstage manages to be very airy for earbuds. Incredible. Magna Carta Holy Grail- I really don't listen to much rap, but I know many people do. This song is well produced and it shows on these earbuds. The bass in it sounds clean without being overpowering, JT's voice is clear, Jay-Z's lyrics are easy to understand, and the piano is beautiful. Really great earbuds, as someone without over ten pairs, my favorite. Sound is relative, but these are very balanced for any music and I'd venture to say have enough bass to make a basshead happy with some EQ tweaks.

First, the bad. The unusual ear loop isn't for everybody. While the loop works great in my right ear, it is uncomfortable in my left ear and tends to pull the bud out of the ideal location in my ear canal. I was able to remedy this by pulling the loop out of the channel on the ear bud, which loosened it up enough to not interfere or cause discomfort. It does take a little extra effort to insert the ear bud correctly this way, but the shifting and comfort issues are gone. This is the only reason I did not give these a 5-star rating. I would expect a tangle free cord at this price range. Soundwise, these are a bit laid back on the highs, but to be fair, I take a medication that causes ringing in my ears for a couple hours and that is likely causing the apparent (very minor) loss treble. In-line controls are for iOS, although all functions work on Android devices except volume. I have not used with a phone, so I can not speak on those functions. The good. Excellent bass, not dance club boomy, so may not suit bass heads, but presence enough that you almost feel it resonate in your chest. Voices shine through with clarity while revealing subtlety and nuance. These present a soundstage far wider than an ear bud should with sounds seeming to come from outside your head and instrument placement was clearly locatable while deep bass seemed to radiate from everywhere. Please note that if you do remove the ear loops from their channels that you properly align the buds in your ear, otherwise your ear lobes may partially block the vents on the rear of the buds. Many reviews stated that these needed a burn-in period. I listened for a while out of the box, then left them to play overnight. I can confirm that the bass became more present and not so "tight" and restrained. Don't judge these until after 12 hours or so of use. I mainly use these with my Pioneer - XDP100R digital audio player, which I highly recommend. http://www.bestbuy.com/site/pioneer-xdp100rk-portable-high-resolution-digital-audio-player-black/5091408.p?skuId=5091408

Would rate 3.5 if I could. First let me start by saying in not a true audiophile. I don't use lossless tracks or use an external AMP/DAC. But I do enjoy good audio and have owned/own several high end headphones (Klipsch X10, original Phonak Audeo PFE, Shure SE530 and a few others). I bought there's at Best Buy for $159.99 + tax (as of today they are back up to $179.99). Once I found the best tips, large for me, the sounded really good with powerful bass. I really enjoyed the bass, there was lots of it and it was powerful for in-ears. I like bass and really really enjoyed it. A few days later I found the Sony XBA-H1 priced at about $150 (I was original looking at both of these but went with the C5 because of the bass). After two day with the Sony's I decided to return the C5 series 2. Though the XBA-H1 didn't have the bass of the C5s, still had very good and controlled bass. Unlike the B&W's the Sony's bass never seemed to become overwhelming. The rest of the audio spectrum (highs, vocals) where much more pleasant to my ears also. The C5s sounded veiled in comparison and the vocals weren't as predominant and pleasing to my ears. Not only where the highs and vocals superior on the Sony's but also the instrument separation also better and more enjoyable. As much as I liked the powerful bass on the C5 I want willing to sacrifice the other frequencies for that extra bass. The XBA-H1 with it's BA drivers delivers better high frequencies and it's 9mm dynamic driver also dished out pleading bass. Also consider the newer XBA-A1AP for an inline Mic and improved audio, or XBA-A2 for two BA drives and a 12mm dynamic driver for bass (just offered the XBA-A2 as B-day present to myself. If you value all the frequencies there are better choices for the price. If you're "all about the bass" the C5 series 2 may be right down your ally. Everyone's taste is different, but that's my take.

So this has been my third set of headphones in the span of half a year and I am blown away with the quality. Pro: -The sound quality is very rich, sometimes it is heavier on the bass and becomes over-powering, but it's only been more noticeable with the metal genre. Otherwise, the high's are perfect and the mid's leave nothing to be desired. -The build quality feels fantastic. No cheap plastic feel or low quality rubber inserts. -They stay in quite well, I have used them in normal daily walking, as well as at the gym and they have yet to fall out. Cons: -They would be much better with tangle-free wires. It's slightly a nuisance to have to keep unraveling them when you set them down for a little while. -The loops to secure in the ears don't stay the set size as well as you would hope. They stay in well enough but sometimes feel loose. May have been better with ones that you can swap, though being able to adjust on the go has some perks. Overall, after using various Sony, Klipsch, Beats and other odd brands, these are my favorite thus far. The overall sound quality for a huge variety of music is crisp and clean and does not sound distorted. While the fit isn't perfect with the loops getting loose, they stay in quite well and I am very pleased with the C5 S2 headphones. 4.5/5 would be a more accurate option.

I recently had my Klipsch S4 headphones quit working and was looking for something better. I tried the UrBeats and they were garbage, had decent clarity in the low range but mid and high didn't have any separation. I then tried the Sony XBAH1's and was very disappointed. The sound was all over the place. It sounded like there was a ton of peaks and valleys with the roll offs between lows, mids and highs. I thought at $150 dollars It would sound better! In my last ditch effort, I was recommended these by a gentleman at Magnolia. I couldn't be happier! The sound is balanced with very little roll off effect from lows, mids and highs. You have to get the fitment correct but once that is done you will be in pure audio bliss. Even though it was a little more than what I wanted to spend, you won't regret this purchase.

I bought these ear buds to replace my Bose MIE2. They have superb sound quality, if you can get them to fit right. However, the great sound comes at a cost, they are not comfortable at all. The adjustable loops that hold these ear buds in place are made of a semi-hard flexible plastic that I did not find comfortable when it was pressing against the cartilage in my ear. After 5 minutes of wearing them, my ears were sore and red. Additionally, I could not find an ear tip that fit perfectly. Without a perfect fit, the sound quality is terrible. When the ear buds were jammed in my ear and had a good seal, these ear buds sound absolutely amazing. They have excellent bass, clear mids and highs. If you are a bass lover and you can get these to fit properly and can tolerate the fitment, these are well worth the money. I wore these around the house for a day. After several hours, my ears hurt and I got tired of having to jam the buds back in my ear to enjoy the great sound quality. at the end of the day, I decided to take them back. While the Bose headphones don't sound as good, they are pretty close and they are much more comfortable.