B&W C5B C5 In-Ear Headphones - Black

I purchased these headphones after reading many customer and expert reviews expecting amazing things and they delivered. First, they arrived much earlier than expected, which was much appreciated. Once I got them and put them on and cranked up my Ipad, I was blown away - and this was lossy AAC. I've read where people can't tell the difference between lossless and lossy files but when you put these things in your ears, you can definitely hear a difference. Not that the AAC files sound bad - they still sound great - but ALAC lossless exposes sounds you don't even know are in the recording. To top it off, when I registered the headphones with B&W, I received a 3-month subscription to the Society of Sound, which provides high-quality lossless downloads from various artists. I downloaded some classical music, which includes the Messiah. During one of the pieces, you can hear the turning of pages, very faintly, but it gave you the impression you were sitting in the chamber listening live. In fact, I think the thing that impresses me the most is the realism of the instruments. A kick-drum may sound tight or loose based on the tuning of the drum and you can hear the difference. Then there's the fit. I've tried a variety of ear-buds and over-the-ear headphones and they all seem to slip or become painful after a while. These fit snugly and with the loop, you open the inside of the ear canal slightly to slip the ear-pieces in place and they don't slip out. When I work-out or mow the lawn, I used to find myself adjusting my buds constantly, getting more and more frustrated or they fall out. While I don't think anything you stick in or on your ears will stay there perfectly when you're moving, I find myself dealing with these surprisingly infrequently; and mostly to adjust them for the best sound, not because they are slipping or uncomfortable. I once read an expert reviewer who indicated that the chord is too short. I don't know how long they need to be. I've got plenty of chord for carrying it on my person. In fact, I have way more chord than I need. If I had one request, it might be to add a short clip to allow you to attach the upper part of the cable to your shirt so you have the Ipad control in a consistent place as you're moving around. I'm very happy with my purchase. (I'm not sure my wife is - she's always trying to talk to me and frustrated because I've got them in my ears so much.)

I've rated these earphones 3 stars rather than 4 or 5 because the right ear bud quit working after only one month. I returned them and haven't decided yet whether or not to try another pair. Having said that, the sound from the Bowers & Wilkins C5 in-ear headphones is extremely good. The base in particular is much better than with other in-ear headphones I've tried, yet isn't booming or unnatural. The sound is best if you experiment with the replaceable ear tips to find the size that fits you best. To remove an ear tip from the ear bud, pinch it HARD and pull it straight off. Don't twist it or you might tear it. The adjustable cable loop that holds the ear bud in your ear is ingenious and easy to use. First distinguish the right ear bud from the left ear bud. The straight part of the cable that runs through the small hole in the ear bud should face the front of your body (loop to the rear). First pull the cable downard through the hole to make a small loop. Insert the ear bud into your ear canal. While holding the ear bud in place, push the cable upward through the hole to make the loop larger until it lodges snugly under the ridge in your ear above the ear canal. You don't have to do this each time you wear them. Once you adjust the ear loops, you can take them in and out with no further adjustment. After you have adjusted the loops properly, the ear buds will not fall out even if you shake your head to try to dislodge them. At the same time they are comfortable. You don't have to jam the ear buds into your ear canals as tightly as you would with most other ear buds to try to get them to stay in. I purchased the C5 to use while jogging because I have had difficulty getting other in-ear headphones to stay in. The C5 stays put, no problem. I stopped using them while jogging, however, because I became concerned that perspiration would damage them. I perspire quite a bit when I exercise. The left ear bud got wet from perspiration dripping into my ear canal and then all I heard was static out of that ear bud. I immediately took them out and let them dry. They were fine again after that, but I was afraid that continued usage where they get wet from perspiration might damage them. If you don't perspire much, the C5 may be perfect for your exercise routine. I used the C5 for several more weeks for casual listening (not exercising). I was REALLY pleased with the quality of the sound. Unfortunately the right ear bud quit working altogether, so I returned them. Bottom line. The sound quality is very good. The ear buds stay in your ear better than any other type I have found. I don't think they handle getting wet from perspiration, and I have concerns about the quality since they only lasted one month. For comparison, I also own Shure SE215-CL in-ear headphones and Sony Mdrnc22 in-ear noise-cancelling headphones. They all sound good. The C5 has the best sound quality. The Shure 215 comes in second place (base not as good and not as crystal clear). The C5 stays in my ears the best. The Shure stays in fairly well using the "wire over the ear" method and they don't seem to be affected by heavy perspiration. They are not as comfortable as the C5, but not bad either. The Sony is a constant struggle to keep them in when exercising. The Sony works best in an airplane with its active noise cancellation. The C5 and Shure provide some [passive] noise reduction in an airplane, but not nearly as much as the Sony (as expected). My recommendations. For active noise cancellation on noisy airplanes, get the Sony or something like them. For exercising if you perspire a lot, the Shure SE215 is a good choice. For best pure listening pleasure, the C5 wins hands down.

Acquistate da poco usate solo per esposizione ad un prezzo molto vantaggioso. In sintesi, non posso che confermare (e ringraziare) i recensori che hanno provato e riportato la prova in questa pagina. Confermo tutto al 100 per cento. Possiedo cuffie in ear Bose, Kiplish, Rha, Monster di medio/alto profilo. Non sono un audiofilo, mi piacciono i bassi potenti ma amo la precisione dei suoni. Le altre cuffie sono ottime, con caratteristiche diverse e per vari titpi di musica. Amo la musica elekro per gli effetti sonori e le C5 sono perfette, sommano i pregi di tutte le altre messe insieme. Costano parecchio a prezzo pieno, ma se si vuole prendere una cuffia per sempre (parola grossa per gli appassionati...) sono da riferimento. Comodità discreta, non si muovono (le uso anche in bicicletta, con prudenza....) Consigliate per una pazzia ed ascolto super in mobilità (meglio su i phone).

Pour juger ces intra, il faut se positionner sur 2 points: 1-la musique : très jolie réussite, avec un son très aéré, et qui à la pêche ! des basses rondes et très bien définie comme tout le spectre => vraiment impressionné par la qualité rencontrée à ce niveau. Pour bien apprécier, il faudra bien mettre votre équaliseur en off et ensuite régler à votre convenance. Mais, attention, la qualité de votre écoute dépend du bon positionnement des écouteurs. 2-ergonomie : bonne idée sur le papier mais pas du tout confortable. Ce ne sont pas des intra mais des semi intra. Aucune isolation des bruits donc c'est la catastrophe au sport et dans les transports => obligé d'augmenter le son pour couvrir les bruits. Au bout de quelques heures, les premières douleurs arrivent. Le système mise en place avec le câble n'est pas sûr et ni plaisant. Pour la télécommande, vraiment de mauvaise qualité. La housse est une vraie réussite. Pas d'autres accessoires et qu'une seule série d'embouts donc ne s'adapte pas à toutes les oreilles. Conclusion : vrai réussite en termes de qualité de la musique mais catastrophe au niveau de l'usage au quotidien et dans tous les lieux.

Let me preface this review by stating one simple thing: I am not a basshead, but I loved the bass on these headphones! If you, like me, were looking for a pair of quality midrange IEMs, better than buds but not as expensive as multi-armature-driver options, then look no more! I was a little worried about the amount of bass on the C5s given their reputation and the general trend of tech companies to introduce extra mid bass response as a counter to low fidelity music and to mask poor treble performance. But let me set one thing straight, these are not Beats! They are not Bose! These are a class above, a company that is well versed in the art of combining all bands of the sound spectrum. B&W speakers are one of the only big consumer brands than can really be considered to hold any weight in the high end audio market and as such they have a reputation for quality. Unlike Beats and Bose, for whom expensive marketing makes up for sub-standard performance (at their price points), the B&Ws perform excellently. Mids are strong and well staged for a IEM, especially one using only one dynamic driver. I was nicely surprised that I didn't feel too confined when comparing to my SennsHD598, highs are also sharp, perhaps a little bright in some tracks, but these are aimed at a large scale consumer market and not to audio purists! Most importantly BASS IS EXCELLENT! It is presented more than I am used to but it is done so in a controlled way! Unlike the muddy Beats/Bose bass the C5 produced controlled, high-impact, deep-extending and distortion free low tones. Yes no headphone will ever be a subwoofer, but at least these can give you a good feel for the bass tones without drowning you in poor quality muddy bass. Finally I must point out that although relatively speaking these are quite expensive, you have to concede a certain amount to the fact that B&W have produced a consumer product and charge a 'consumer focused' premium for the 'exclusivity'. To some this may be unacceptable and I know a few people would run to the Yamahas and Sennheisers of this world. But personally I think the price is justified by the overall design and durability of the product. Not to mention the 'Apple-esque' design that goes into packaging and extras. The carrying pouch is also a nice touch and the C5s come with enough tips to fit anybody's ears. As such I feel they deserve the 5 star review!

The Bowers & Wilkins C5 arrived in beautiful condition. With all original packing. The ear tips were not included which is probably a good idea for hygiene. Very happy with this purchase. Thanks to the seller

For me a decision to buy these is going to based on what you're after. You can get better audio quality for the money, but can you get a better complete package? We'll start with audio as .. well.. that's what they're for. Results after 20 hours burn-in, they do seem to stabilise over time & I don't think these have finished yet. *Like all IEMs you need these deep in the ear canal for best results. Have a play with the tips to find out what's best for you. I will swap the OEMs for foam tips. If I remember I'll update this review with foam tips (should be more comfortable give better isolation but may muffle slightly) + more burn-in* As they're supposedly 'made for I-Pod', which seems a little dumb to use as your marketing line as I-Pods are good portable players but they certainly are not great players. I tested these on the I-Pod classic playing a variety of music in apple-lossless. AUDIO Bass - A little cartoonish, a little boomy, but gives a very powerful sound. The half-wits that seem to think Beats are good headphones will love the bass on these without appreciating just how much better they are. It nice to listen to but it's certainly not accurate, boundaries are a little poorly defined and can swamp the mids. Mids - Very clear sound if a little dull. Highs - Very powerful highs but can lack clarity in some situations. Sound stage - I found the sound stage good, giving the impression of a broad source. Sound isolation and Leakage - Thought I would add this due to the 'porous filter' I would say it makes no difference to leakage & isolation. There's a little leakage but when out and about you'll need to be cheek-to-cheek with someone else for them to notice. Over all - Powerful but somewhat unnatural bass that swamps the mids, pretty good highs. They do lend themselves particularly well to rock music as it doesn't highlight their flaws. The bass signature while a negative for me may be a big selling point for the those that have been led to believe that's what good audio should sound like (it's not). Conclusion - If all you are after is audio quality you can do better for the money (or you could equal it for £50 less). They do create a very pleasing sound, just not so accurate. Overall 3.5 / 5 DESIGN AND BUILD Box and packaging - Really, who cares? You take them out and put it in a cupboard. Yeah, it's a pretty box that will look great at the back of your junk cupboard. Design - It's fantastic, but that's always going to be subject to taste. For me these things are beautiful, I've never seen a more attractive pair of in-ears. The buds themselves are incredibly well built. Cable - Cable is OK, bit prone to tangling but I've never noticed cable noise except for when there's no sound being put through them. Plug - Straight plug. I'm one off the oddballs that prefers a straight plug but lack of an angled jack will put some off. It seems robust but it's certainly not pretty (Like the Bose IE2). Controls - In-line controls, these will be love or hate I guess. They are incredibly slim and unobtrusive. Some will read that as fiddly. It works fine but has the feeling of something that might break if you abuse it. Overall 4/5 COMFORT AND FIT This is what made these a keeper for me (remember the so-so audio review). The comfort is excellent and I have never had a fit like it. The ear-loop-a-me-bob works really well and keeps them in place no matter what you do. The company propaganda states the tungsten build also adds weight making them more inclined to move towards the ear canal, maybe it does all I know if that for me the whole package works. These things never come out of place. These things stick to you for as long as you need no matter what you do. Commute to work, easy. Run to work, no problem. Cycle to work, yep they're still there. Hour in the gym... well you get the idea. This is why for me they're a keeper. You only get a good sound from an IEM when it's well placed. You can do anything in these and they will remain where you put them, they sound their best all the way from A to B without any need for fiddling or adjusting. BUYER BEWARE - They do protrude from the ear. If you want to wear a helmet, ear muffs or whatever (I don't know what oddities you get up to) you might want to think about that. Overall 5/5 EXTRAS The IEMs come with a 3-month guest subscription to B&Ws music gallery. Here you can download oodles of lossless binaural recordings for FREE. There's a little something for everyone there but if your tastes are broad you might just find a lot. I grabbed myself 9 GB of Apple Lossless. I'll be downloading the FLACs next while I weigh up Colorflys vs Cowens. CONCLUSION You can get better sound reproduction for less money (something like the Yamaha EPH-100) but as a total package I can recommend these as a good, if slightly fun sounding set of IEMs. When you look at what IEMs are used for (being out and about) I really can't fault them. If you want to do anything active these things will really come into their own. 4/5.