The proliferation of pocket audio players has made headphones two a penny in terms of type, quality and price. Needless to say, choosing the right pair can be difficult
For instance, over-the-ear cans not only warm your lugholes in winter months but can offer a greater ‘live’ experience due to the space between ear and speaker. Quality can be excellent but require quiet listening environments at home. In-ear phones are smaller and sit closer to the ear canal, blocking our ambient noise – great for travelling – but not renowned for top-quality sonics. They can also be prone to ‘leakage’ – a common trigger for commuter rage. So, when respected audio specialists Bowers and Wilkins decided to launch an in-ear set that claimed to be a ‘concert for one’ – our ears pricked up.
The C5’s look like superbly crafted industrial bullets. They’re ‘noise-isolating’, meaning that they plug into the ear-canal, drastically reducing outside noise and meaning you don’t need the music cranked up to 11 to hear it. A regular complaint about in-ears are how they can fall out easily, so B&W has integrated a plastic loop that curls around – and fits into – the inner rim of your ear. It sounds like medieval torture but actually works well and feels comfortable. A clever design.
Of course, headphones live or die by sound quality and the C5’s are hugely impressive – as you’d expect from a company with near fifty years hi-fi experience. Providing your source is decent (high bit-rate MP3s, CDs, etc), the sound reproduction is exceptional. Clear detailing, distinct separation of layers, punchy bass and vivd range across all music types. If you’re an iPhone/iPad user then the in-line microphone and remote will allow you to take calls, pause and skip tracks without taking the device out of your pocket.
The £150 price tag is a sizeable amount to pay for a set of in-ears but if you really want to squeeze the last little bit of audio goodness from your portable media player, the C5’s will do it with aplomb.
The C5’s look like superbly crafted industrial bullets. They’re ‘noise-isolating’, meaning that they plug into the ear-canal, drastically reducing outside noise and meaning you don’t need the music cranked up to 11 to hear it. A regular complaint about in-ears are how they can fall out easily, so B&W has integrated a plastic loop that curls around – and fits into – the inner rim of your ear. It sounds like medieval torture but actually works well and feels comfortable. A clever design.
