Bowers & Wilkins P5 Wireless

Bowers & Wilkins’ entry into the wireless headphone game is the P5 Wireless, and — as an unshackled version of their much-acclaimed P5 headphones — it’s an instant success.

The sound quality of the P5 Wireless matches expectations of the Bowers & Wilkins name, employing two 1.2-inch full-range drive units that deliver precise, controlled movement and have a frequency range from 10Hz (inaudible) to 20kHz (the upper range of human hearing).

Unlike wireless headphones of the past, the P5 Wireless allows users to stream hi-fi-quality music from any device with Bluetooth aptX. Originally developed in the late 1980s at Queen’s University in Belfast, the aptX audio coding algorithm has been used professionally in the audio, broadcasting and film industry, but now is available in consumer products. The technology allows high-fidelity transfer to happen without latency issues or loss of audio quality.

The leap to wireless typically involves a compromise — in sound quality, delay or design. But with the P5 Wireless, Bowers & Wilkins brings to the wireless world the same audiophile precision and classic design that have defined the brand for 49 years. bowers-wilkins.com

$400