Bowers & Wilkins C5 In-Ear Monitor Headphones

Bowers & Wilkins has done something extraordinary with these monitors.  Perhaps they examined competitors products to see what corners were cut, or perhaps they simply decided to apply their speaker technology to an unusual, open-principle in-ear-monitor, or perhaps they simply decided to try something completely out of the blue.  Whatever the development process was, the resulting oxygen-free copper, anodized aluminum, and tungsten somehow became audio gold.  Considering the truly impressive audio quality, the price is within reach of the vast majority of potential customers, as well – B&W could have definitely charged significantly more for the C5 than the $180 street price, and their reputation – and expert opinions on head-fi – would have carried them far.  Given the exotic construction materials and methods and apparent durability, it seems like they are shooting for a less exclusive and image-driven, more accessible and quality driven market strategy.  The C5 is by no means cheap – the Apple dual-driver IEM is quite good and half the cost – but neither does it represent the sort of naivete and/or excess that Monster Cable and “harmonically tuned wood” volume knobs have exploited for years.  There are a great many ways to spend far more money than necessary on stereo equipment, but it is my firm belief that this is not one of those ways.  Those with good ears, discerning tastes, or better, both will find the C5 an excellent investment in their enjoyment of their music.  Those who are perhaps more motivated by the image will find this an excellent choice – the luxurious leather case (or at least the impressive fake leather case) is an excellent touch, and will keep the deep glossy finish and sparkling “micro-porous filter” looking good for a long time, and keep the cord from tangling, too.

The downsides of the C5 are quite minimal, but still existent; they offer poor Android compatibility though this is due at least partially to platform fragmentation.  They have a slightly finicky fit – though you’ll know quickly if it’s wrong, and once you’ve got them adjusted properly, they’re quite comfortable and listening fatigue doesn’t set in for a while.  The cylindrical in-line remote is ergonomically poorer than the competition, who generally offer flatter designs.  While these are real problems, none of them are particularly showstopping, and the Android one is fairly unavoidable at this point.  There is no such thing as a perfect product, but B&W have gone out of their way to minimize any potential flaws.  Their only real mistake was the poorly shaped, fashion-over-function remote pod, and though this can be rectified in a newer version, this is absolutely no reason to not go out and buy a pair right now – in fact, I would go so far as to say there is no good reason to not go out and buy a pair right now.  This may well be the single best bargain in audio quality on the market right now, and I consider this a feat worthy of recognition.

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