Bowers & Wilkins' P5 headphones made waves on release for their perfectly modern-yet-classic styling, excellent sound quality, and exacting build quality. The Bowers & Wilkins P3 is a cut-down version of the P5 - smaller, using fabric padding instead of leather, and with a folding headband.

Excellent overall sound; Good bass response; Excellent build quality and design

Treble is slightly overshadowed; Can leak sound at high volumes

The fact that Bowers & Wilkins makes excellent audio products is not up for discussion. The company's product history speaks for itself, ranging from outstanding iProduct docks to speakers made from diamonds.

I was going to purchase another make of headphones just because I wanted them in blue!! Then I went into my local store and tried the "blue" headphones along side these. The B &W won. I listen to a wide range of music and these won hands down!

Dashing design, inside and out

These are the best PORTABLE headphones I have yet heard. By portable I mean that they are reasonably easy to fold an carry about. They are dynamic, yet a little soft on the high end. They are very comfortable, and they are not at all fatiguing.

If you are familiar with the Bowers-Wilkins sound, you will probably like these headphones. Strong, clear midrange and dialogue, bass you can hear but not necessarily feel. Stellar build quality, looks really cool. No frills operation and highly portable.

Signature Bowers-Wilkins sound Look and feel high quality Small and easy to take with you

Not the most comfortable

After countless debacles with Beats by Dre headphones, which I have returned on every occasion, I've gone and took the plunge with the B&W P3s. They cost the same as the Beats Solo HDs, and in a good way for the P3s, I cannot see why. They simply run rings around the Beats. Here's why.

The B&W P3 headphones reproduce sound impeccably. I think that they marry sound and portability perfectly so that I can real very relaxed at work. In fact, these have actually helped me to stay focused at work, whereas other headphones have distracted me and their fabricated equalizations have hurt...

Warm, natural EQ; No exaggerated frequencies, Comfortable for long period of time / lightweight, Beautiful design, Easy-to-use, understated control talk design, Very portable yet these do not sacrifice audio quality, Small, hard-shell case

After a few hours; ear pads begin to hurt ears (short moments of rest can cure this

The P3 headphones are exactly what we would expect from Bowers & Wilkins. They are small, light weight, and extremely comfy. Unfortunately, for those that have bigger ears – these may not be for you, as the ear cups are definitely on the smaller side of the scale.

Excellent craftsmanship; lightweight and comfortable fit; easily portable; offers a well-rounded listening experience that does Bowers & Wilkins justice and the blue P3 headphones really stand out

The included cable is a bit on the thin side; the carrying case is impressive but a bit overwhelming; we would have liked a smidgen of more bass; and some may think the ear cups are too small

Two years ago, Bowers & Wilkins debuted its P5 headphones , some of the best-sounding compact headphones we'd ever heard. B&W's design for the P5s coupled a minimalist and luxurious aesthetic - complete with supple memory-foam ear pads swathed in black New Zealand sheep leather - with truly stunning...

Great sound quality, as expected from the Brit audio powerhouse; 30-millimeter mylar drivers handle mids and lows with gusto; Cables snake under the earpads, protecting the connection jack; Earpads and cables are user-replaceable; Folding design makes them great for travel.

Light on high-end detail - you'll have to fiddle with your EQ; Ambient noise isolation is lacking; Stowing them away inside the plastic case takes patience and practice; Cheap, thin cable