Bowers & Wilkins C5 Series 2 In-Ear Headphones


This is a short review of the Bowers and Wilkins C5 Series 2 In-Ear Headphones. This is my first Bowers and Wilkins product and I was fairly excited about these. I bought them from Headphone Zone, an online retailer base out of Mumbai.



My Background

Prior to this I have used the following-
  • The first proper earphones I every used were the Sennheiser CX 180. About 8 years ago.
  • After this, I used the Bose IE 2 for a short while
  • Then I switched to the Harman Kardon AE 2
I have sparingly used the Sennheiser HD 518 and regularly used the Harman Kardon BT headphones.

My primary audio listening device is the Apple iPhone or my computer. I have subscribed to Apple Music for my music content.

At the time of the review, I have been using these for around 4 months.

With this information about me, I think you will be well equipped to interpret my conclusions-



Build Quality - 4/5 - Well built

  • The earphones are very solidly built. They feel premium and should last a long time
  • The wire at both the ends has a rubber extension to resist pulling.
  • The loop around the earbud is well built and holds its shape.



Design - 2/5 - Not the best

  • Aesthetically they are very good and stand out. A very elegant design. 
  • Bowers and Wilkins claims the following main design features:-
    • Secure Loop
      • Adjustability is a myth. There is slippage around the Secure Loop. If you try to enlarge it then it has a tendency to slip down and go back to the original size. However, it does help the earbud stay in place.
      • The secure loop also sometimes prevents complete sealing of the ear canal as it prevents the earbuds from going completely inside as the loop rests against the ear.
      • The loop, however, helps in figuring out which earbud goes into which ear without referring to the 'L' and 'R' on the earbuds.
    • Comfort Fit Ear Buds
      • The supplied earbuds did not suit me. They were not able to seal well and started to hurt after some time. I had to switch them and it solved the problem.
    • Made for the iPhone
      • The inline remote is of good quality and the design is intuitive. It works with the iPhone as promised.
  • The provided pouch does the job well. It is on the smaller size but I don't have any problems in fitting these into it.



Sound Quality - 7/5 - In a different league

  • The purest sounding earphones that I have ever heard. Very detailed.
  • The sound is very well separated and crisp. Percussion instruments especially stand out.
  • Very well balanced. The sound have a very nice mixture of mid, highs and lows. 
  • Excellent sound stage. Feel fairly open thanks to the micro-porous filter. One of the most open noise insulating earphones I have heard.
  • Overall a great experience.




Final Score - 13/15




Conclusion 

  • They produce some of the best sounding audio I have heard. Have beaten by open ear headphones. Simply amazing.
  • The design is not very good but can be overlooked thanks to the audio experience.
  • I would recommend these earphones if you are in the market for premium earphones. However, it will be better if you are able to try the fit first before buying them.
Pros
  • Great sound quality. In a different league. More than sufficient to justify the purchase.

Cons

  • Fit. They do not seem to fit well with the stock ear tips. You will need to change them. I replaced them with the ear tips from my Sennheiser's and they seem to fit well now. However, it is disappointing to find 17K earphones come with ear tips that do not do the job well.



Product photos are on their way.




Availability

At the time of the review, the C5 S2 are available with most of the major online retailers in India. I am yet to see them at a brick and mortar store so far. I made the purchase from Headphone Zone but that website does not seem to carry the product anymore.






References:-



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