Following on their 45-year tradition of quality components, excellent build quality and amazing sound, Bowers & Wilkins has built what they consider to be a best in class product in the über-competitive in-ear headphone market. Priced at a not (for B&W) unreasonable $179.95, the C5 could very well be an introduction to that famous B&W sound for those previously put off by the high price of admission. They are priced well below many competing brands of universal fit earphones.
The C5 has a few unusual features. There is what B&W calls the Micro Porous Filter which is a diffuser composed of microscopic steel balls that allow the C5 to deliver a more natural, but more spacious audio, previously not possible with in-ear headphones. The C5 also has a proprietary Secure Loop design which is a soft loop that fits within the inner ridge of the ear. B&W says that this holds the C5 firmly, but comfortably in place during activities and it is adjustable.
Like the award winning P5 headphones, the C5 is crafted from high-grade aluminum. Also included is a Made For iPhone compatible cable, ideal for making calls on the move, right-angle and in-flight adapters and a quilted pouch for storage.
The Bowers & Wilkins C5 will be available in August.
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B&W is supposed to have such a good reputation for quality sound, but when I went speaker auditioning with a friend recently, the more-than-$1,000-a-pair B&W’s on display at a local BB had the WORST bass of any speaker we listened to. Perhaps some BB customer had kicked in the woofers — I don’t know — but we were NOT favorably impressed! Incidentally, the speakers my friend wound up buying are the Triton 2’s from Goldenear, featuring an updated version of the famous Heil Air Motion Transformer tweeter!
Thanks for the comment Jerry,
I can’t speak on the B&W floor models, as I have never heard them, but I do like their P5 headphones and LOVE their MM-1 computer speakers. And I think the C5 may introduce B&W to a wider audience.
In the past I have own a pair of B&W speakers, I was not that impressed and got rid of them. But I received the P5 Headphones for Christmas, they are great. I love them and listen to them all of the time. I let a fried listen, who is very critical and he got a pair for himself. I WILL be looking into the new in-ear headphones by B&W.
they look so stylish, specially with that unusual over-ear loop can attract anybody’s eyes.
Mima, that’s actually not an over-ear design. That adjustable loop fits into the helix (or anti0helix) part of the ear. It’s quite unusual.
I’m super excited for this product. I was supposed to buy the Etymotic HF3’s today as I’ve heard some great things about that product then I stumbled across this.
I’ve used B&W speakers for my home theater setups for years and I’ve been very happy with them so I’m very curious how these will actually perform and I can’t wait for the reviews. Hopefully it can be stacked up against the aforementioned Etymotics in a review somewhere so I can make an informed purchase.
Needless to say, I won’t be purchasing the HF3’s just yet.