We personally had no trouble using them while out and about, but if you prefer your headphones light and portable then these might not be the pair for you. Performance There’s no doubt that the P9 Signatures are a very talented pair of headphones. No matter what you feed them, they find themselves right at home, delivering a sound that’s not just accurate, but that’s enjoyable too. The P9 Signature are by far the best headphones Bowers & Wilkins has produced and are a glorious way for the company to celebrate a half-century of existence.

Works with iPhone 8 or later and iPod touch (7th generation) with the latest version of iOS; and 12.9‑inch iPad Pro (2nd generation or later), 11‑inch iPad Pro, 10.5‑inch iPad Pro, iPad (5th generation or later), iPad Air (3rd generation or later) and iPad mini (5th generation or later) with the latest version of iPadOS.Works with AirPods Pro (2nd generation) with the latest firmware when paired with a compatible Apple device with the latest operating system software. The downside to this is that the P9 Signatures won’t do much to help badly recorded, or heavily compressed music; you’ll really benefit from using them to listen to higher-quality music of at least CD standard. The fact remains that they’re a comparatively feature-light pair of cans. If you want to spend less then you can get a much more portable pair that’ll be better suited to the morning commute or a plane ride thanks to additional features like noise-cancellation and Bluetooth connectivity. Never is this clearer than with a piece of orchestral music, like Mozart’s Don Giovanni Suite KV 527 – Madamina (Leporello). Violins are crisp and textured, with depth in every bow, while flutes flutter and soar without constraint. B&W has promised that a Lightning cable for iPhone users will be available in early 2017, which you can claim for free. The only thing otherwise missing is an airplane adaptor, but these are inexpensive if you need one.

The design of the connection does at least mean the cable becoming detached is never going to be an issue if it gets snagged, and makes for a more elegant look compared to other detachable cable designs. Bowers & Wilkins P9 Signature sound quality — An expansive soundstage with a rich and detailed sound As mentioned, though, the P9 Signature require very little to drive them, so they’ll play nicely with smartphones without amplification – even if that won’t show them at their best. These headphones do lend themselves to on-the-go use, thanks to the generous cushioning providing a decent amount of passive isolation. Noise cancellation, wireless functionality and portability can all be had on much cheaper models. The sound quality won't be nearly as good, but depending on your listening habits these features might be more important to your overall enjoyment. After all, what use is amazing sound quality if you can’t hear your music without noise-cancellation on a noisy bus? While the sound isn’t quite emulating loudspeakers as much as I would’ve liked in terms of coming from in front, the soundstage is one of the widest I’ve heard from closed headphones. The stereo separation in “All Along the Watchtower” in particular is marked. Instruments come in from all directions and Hendrix’s vocals are nicely separated from the other layers.Their price tag won’t be easy to swallow for many, but the detail, dynamic and organisational improvements these offer over the rest of the B&W headphones range, makes them worthy of their price, not to mention their flagship status. MagSafe charging requires a compatible MagSafe charger. Wireless charging requires a Qi‑certified wireless charger. AirPods (3rd generation) charging case also works with the Apple Watch charger or Lightning connector. AirPods Pro (2nd generation) charging case also works with the Apple Watch charger or USB‑C connector.

Once you put them on, they begin justifying their position as Bowers & Wilkins’ top-of-the-range headphones, too. These are seriously excellent headphones, and a fitting anniversary celebration. Bowers & Wilkins P9 Signature design and comfort — A premium pair of over-ears that are supremely comfortableWhile B&W may have foregone releasing an anniversary loudspeaker this time, that doesn’t mean its rich loudspeaker heritage hasn’t played a part in the P9 Signature’s design. B&W has tried to emulate the effect of listening to stereo loudspeakers by angling the transducers. The B&W P9 Signatures are a simple pair of headphones designed with the single-minded aim of providing a fantastic level of sound quality.

We’d be remiss if we didn’t mention the P9s' exceptionally high price, and if you’re considering purchasing these headphones then you should know that almost every penny is going towards sound quality, rather than non-essential features. The one modern flourish B&W has allowed the headphones is an inline remote for controlling your music, but you have the option of removing this by switching out the detachable cable if you want to minimise signal noise. A final point on the form factor of these headphones is that they’re probably at the edge of what we’d consider portable. There’s a lot of technology built into these cans, and the result is that they’re very bulky, and moderately heavy. They perfectly envelope your ears while providing plenty of clearance for your lugholes to breathe and, more importantly, for more air to move in and deliver the P9 Signature’s sound.The vented multi-layer memory foam cushioning of the earcups and headband is plentiful – these are headphones you can quite happily wear for hours at a time. The comfort levels are heightened by the sheer size of the cavernous cups, too. Siri may not be available in all languages or in all areas, and features may vary by area. Compatible device and internet access required. Mobile data charges may apply. The P9s achieve this detailing through an unflinching commitment to accuracy. These are not a pair of headphones that will paper over poorly recorded music, and they don’t cloud the sound with any undue emphasis on certain parts of the frequency spectrum.