Bowers & Wilkins announced the P9 Signature. Which they say is their ‘best sounding and most luxurious headphone to date.’ P9 Signature was conceived to celebrate Bowers & Wilkins 50th anniversary. Engineered by the same team responsible for the 800 D3 loudspeaker, P9 Signature is Bowers & Wilkins’ largest over-ear headphone. They have positioned the transducer to provide a more natural listening experience. They say that the wearer hears sound as if they are listening to a pair of stereo speakers rather than headphones. The headband adds strength, but is decoupled from each ear cup, stopping unwanted vibration from distorting the sound while also offering ‘the very best in comfort’.
The headphones are crafted from Italian Saffiano leather, using a ‘stamping’ technique that gives the material a distinctive cross-hatch finish. Memory foam cushions in the ear pads help isolate noise from the outside world and mould to the shape of the user’s head over time.