Back in 2010, Bowers & Wilkins established the gold standard for Apple headphone industrial design. Its P5 was the sexiest pair of headphones ever marketed towards Apple users, using leather, aluminum, and chrome accents to upgrade a product category that had become stale -- at a $300 price.…

Bowers & Wilkins was one of the first luxury/hi-fi audio brands to begin offering more affordable speakers and headphones. Of course, "more affordable" is a relative term—B&W's in-ear and on-ear options start at about $175, and rise steadily through the models. The new P7 is the company's first over-the-ear (circumaural) headphone pair, and at $399.99 (list) also its most expensive. The design exudes luxury, the fit is exceedingly comfortable, and, most importantly, the audio performance is fantastic. The price may be a dealbreaker for some, but the P7 doesn't disappoint otherwise, and it earns our Editors' Choice award. DesignStyled similarly to its cousin, the on-ear (supra-aural) B&W P5, the P7 is reminiscent of the leather interior of a luxury car. Practically every surface that isn't aluminum is covered in soft black leather. We're not knocking the visual effect, as it looks stunning, but one does wonder how much of the $400 price tag goes toward the cosmetic materials alone...

The Bowers & Wilkins P7 headphones combine top-notch audio performance with a luxurious design, and despite a high price, earn our Editors' Choice.

Superb sound at normal listening levels; Luxurious black leather and aluminum design

Distorts slightly at top volumes on tracks with intense sub-bass content

The Bowers & Wilkins P7 match their elegant and graceful design with a luscious display of clarity, power, and dynamic expression…

Clear; vividly detailed treble; Warm; powerful bass response; Excellent dynamic expression; Great passive noise isolation; Gorgeous; luxurious design

Glosses over some instrumental tone quality; Expensive

For all its audiophile heritage and reputation as something of a style connoisseur, it is strange that Bowers & Wilkins has until now abstained from competing in the higher-end headphone space with the launch of its B&W P7 over-ears.

Gorgeous design with quality materials; not too ostentatious for over-the-ear headphones and can be worn out and about; superb audio performance with all types of music and movies

Some sound leakage outwards means you'll be sharing with those in your immediate surroundings; hardly budget (but they don't look or sound it

Even in this post-Beats by Dr. Dre world ￡330 is a hefty price to pay for a pair of headphones, but the B&W P7 offer a class-topping combination of premium materials and durability, comfort, timeless style and phenomenal sound quality.

Soft leather; Brilliantly built; Epic sound

Price; Large headband; Less than portable

When Bowers & Wilkins does something new, we pay attention. It has been going since 1966, in the grand old tradition of British audiophile companies producing and sticking with a very few, very excellent models.

Classy cans that break from mainstream habits

The Bowers & Wilkins P7 are classy headphones with the sort of construction most other sets can only dream of. Sound quality is bettered by open-back sets, but they're portable headphone royalty. As long as you don't work on a building site – noise isolation isn't that good.

Top sound quality; (Mostly) Excellent build quality

Expensive; Sound bettered by ‘at home' sets at price; Mediocre isolation; Jack construction needs a tweak

In the vast jungle of fancy headphones, some trees stand taller than others. The Bowers & Wilkins P7 , a gorgeous $400 pair of over-the-ear headphones, is one such specimen. I use "fancy" in the way one would speak of a Bentley or a Morgan.

Excellent sound; a big bottom without sacrificing anything up top. Wonderful clarity. Comfortable, with beautiful leather and stylish design notes. They fold up nicely. User-serviceable pads, cables, and drivers

Price - all that hand-stitched leather ain't cheap; Designed for portability and isolation, so unless you have a noisy home, they aren't as desirable for home listening

Just sold out the P5 that bought last Dec and tried the new P7. It's super comfortable but may need more time to get the sound open. The cable is much better than the P5! You won't regret having this.