Bowers & Wilkins PX ANC headphones

Rating: 5/5

Review:
Excellent noise-cancelling headphones

I am very impressed with the Bowers & Wilkins PX headphones.  I've tried a lot over the years and these are among the very best.  The sound is excellent, having both wired and Bluetooth connectivity is very useful, the build quality is top-class and the noise-cancelling is very effective.

You get the headphones themselves, a nice soft carry-bag, a USB-C charging and update cable and set of quick-start instructions, warranty etc.  It's all very good quality, with gold-plated plugs and good materials.   The design of the headphones is very nice, I think.  They are comfortable with a firm grip which doesn't feel too tight, so I find them comfortable for several hours use.  Note that they don’t fold up; the earcups swivel to go flat in the bag, but they do take up a bit more space than folding headphones. 

Sound quality is excellent - very well balanced with extremely clear articulation.  There's a firm bass which doesn't dominate but is really strong when needed.  Middles are rich and resonant and the treble is clear and sharp with no trace of harshness and I find them an absolute pleasure.  I have listened to a lot of music through these headphones, including my Test Tracks list which goes from 16th Century choral music to London Grammar. Everything sounds very good to me. Chamber, orchestral and large choral works are clear and distinct with a lovely full sound, things like classic rock - the Rolling Stones' Gimme Shelter, for example - sound great, acoustic music has a lovely airy quality and the deep, rolling bass in London Grammar's Hey Now (one of my standard tests of headphones) is all there. Volume goes plenty loud enough for me with no distortion.

Functionally they're very good.  The Active Noise Cancelling is very effective; it has a small deleterious effect on the sound quality, but nothing much.  The controls are simple and effective and I like the automatic pause when you lift an earcup.
 
These are expensive headphones, but they are excellent quality with a top-class brand name behind them.  Personally, I can't fault them on anything and recommend them very warmly.