Bowers & Wilkins C5 Series 2

276 reviews

Apr, 2024

Positive
sound (46)
comfort (22)
bass quality (16)
design (16)
usability (14)

Negative
mids quality (1)

General overview
Price comparison

alaTest has collected and analyzed 276 reviews of Bowers & Wilkins C5 Series 2. The average rating for this product is 3.9/5, compared to an average rating of 4.0/5 for other Headphones for all reviews. People really like the bass quality and size. The design and comfort are also appreciated. There are some less positive comments about the mids quality.

sound, comfort, design, size, bass quality

mids quality

We analyzed user and expert ratings, product age and more factors. Compared to other Headphones the Bowers & Wilkins C5 Series 2 is awarded an overall alaScore™ of 86/100 = Very good quality.

Review analysis

(Based on 276 reviews)

Expert Reviews

User Reviews

Review Ratings

(47% of reviews)
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Features

sound
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comfort
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design
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size
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bass quality
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Showing 216 review(s)

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Showing 1 - 191 of 216 Show Reviews: in English | in other languages (60)

Consumer review (amazon.co.uk)

Amazon.co.uk review summary for Bowers & Wilkins C5 Series 2

alaTest has collected and analyzed 15 user reviews of Bowers & Wilkins C5 Series 2 from Amazon.co.uk. The average user rating for this product is 3.5/5, compared to an average user rating of 4.0/5 for other Headphones on Amazon.co.uk.

80% of the reviews on Amazon.co.uk give this product a positive rating.

Apr, 2024

Consumer review (amazon.com)

Amazon.com review summary for Bowers & Wilkins C5 Series 2

alaTest has collected and analyzed 156 user reviews of Bowers & Wilkins C5 Series 2 from Amazon.com. The average user rating for this product is 3.8/5, compared to an average user rating of 3.9/5 for other Headphones on Amazon.com.

82% of the reviews on Amazon.com give this product a positive rating.

Apr, 2024

Consumer review (amazon.ca)

Amazon.ca review summary for Bowers & Wilkins C5 Series 2

alaTest has collected and analyzed 10 user reviews of Bowers & Wilkins C5 Series 2 from Amazon.ca. The average user rating for this product is 3.6/5, compared to an average user rating of 4.2/5 for other Headphones on Amazon.ca.

80% of the reviews on Amazon.ca give this product a positive rating.

Apr, 2024

Expert review by : David Carnoy Steve Guttenberg (cnet.com)

Bowers & Wilkins C5 Series 2 (review): A classy in-ear headphone with killer clarity

Bowers & Wilkins C5 Series 2 sound even better than the original, with improved clarity, more openness and tighter bass. They feature an Apple friendly three-button remote and microphone, and an eye-catching industrial design with an innovative...

The Secure Loop design won't appeal to everyone and the in-line remote is designed to work with Apple iOS devices, not Android smartphones.

The Secure Loop design may not be a perfect fit for every ear, but the Bowers & Wilkins C5 Series 2 sounds better than the original and is one top in-ear headphones for less than $200.

Oct, 2014

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Expert review by (cnet.com)

Bowers & Wilkins C5 S2 Black

To differentiate the new from the old , the Series 2 ($179.99, £149.99, AU$249.95) has an all-black design (the original had a translucent cable cover that revealed the silver cable inside). There's also been some slight modifications to the eartips...

The Secure Loop design won't appeal to everyone and the in-line remote is designed to work with Apple iOS devices, not Android smartphones.

The Secure Loop design may not be a perfect fit for every ear, but the Bowers & Wilkins C5 Series 2 sounds better than the original and is one top in-ear headphones for less than $200.

Oct, 2014

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Expert review by : Tim Gideon (pcmag.com)

Bowers & Wilkins C5 Series 2

The Bowers & Wilkins C5 Series 2 earphone pair has upgraded drivers and a fantastic sound signature with deep bass response and clear highs, just like its predecessor.

Powerful audio performance with rich lows, detailed highs, and excellent balance. Attractive, secure-fitting, lightweight design. Inline remote control and microphone

Projects some sound outward. More bass and less crispness in high-mids than some listeners seeking flat response might prefer

The Bowers & Wilkins C5, released in 2011, was a groundbreaking set of earphones. It offered the most secure in-canal fit we'd seen, thanks to the audio cable itself forming a loop that presses against the ear. The new version, the $179.99 C5 Series 2,...

Oct, 2014

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Expert review by : Steve Guttenberg (soundandvision.com)

Bowers & Wilkins C5 Series 2 Headphone Review

Performance Features Comfort Value

I doubt the original Bowers & Wilkins C5 that debuted in 2011 was ever confused for any other headphone. I loved its sharply angled, cylindrical aluminum earpieces and looped cables: They marked the C5 as a true original. The new C5 Series 2 doesn’t...

Apr, 2015

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Expert review by (headfonics.com)

The C5 Series 2 IEM by Bowers & Wilkins

From humble begins, Bowers & Wilkins was founded as a manufacturing company in the south coast of England. The founders John Bowers and his good friend Peter Hayward aimed to live modestly and reinvest any profits they had made back into research and...

Overall then, warm and bassy would be good descriptors to highlight the characteristics of the C5 Series 2. Whilst not a master of a specific field, the C5 offers a cohesive sound which is smooth and engaging and in addition to the superior comfort...

Feb, 2015

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Expert review by : David Carnoy (cnet.com.au)

Bowers & Wilkins C5 Series 2 (review): A classy in-ear headphone with killer clarity

The headphone retains its signature Secure Loop, which is "infinitely" adjustable and helps secure the headphones in your ear. It should work well for most people, but it won't be everyone's cup of tea (with some ears, it may put a little too much...

The Secure Loop design won't appeal to everyone and the in-line remote is designed to work with Apple iOS devices, not Android smartphones

The Secure Loop design may not be a perfect fit for every ear, but the Bowers & Wilkins C5 Series 2 sounds better than the original and is one top in-ear headphones for less than $200.

Oct, 2014

Partner Source

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Expert review by : David Carnoy (cnet.co.uk)

Bowers & Wilkins C5 S2 review

For 2014, Bowers & Wilkins has done something interesting with a couple of its headphones, the on-ear P5 and the in-ear C5 we're reviewing here. Instead of coming out with completely new versions of the headphones , it left their exterior designs...

The Secure Loop design won't appeal to everyone and the in-line remote is designed to work with Apple iOS devices, not Android smartphones.

The Secure Loop design may not be a perfect fit for every ear, but the Bowers & Wilkins C5 Series 2 sounds better than the original and is one top in-ear headphones for less than $200.

Oct, 2014

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Expert review by (which.co.uk)

Bowers & Wilkins C5 Series 2 review

(Rating Hidden)

The Bowers & Wilkins C5 Series 2 in-ear headphones claim to improve on the original C5s with redesigned drivers that enhance the sound quality and a design that fits so snugly that you'll hardly be aware you're wearing them. We found their predecessors...

Nov, 2014

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Expert review by (gadgets.ndtv.com)

Bowers & Wilkins C5 Series 2 Review: Luxury in Your Ears

Bass-oriented sonic signature has real character Superb soundstaging and imaging Detailed sound with superb fluidity Well designed and built

Cable and in-line controls feel cheap for the price Expensive Secure Loop mechanism won't suit everyone

Bowers & Wilkins has decades of expertise in producing loudspeaker drivers, and it appears that all of that experience has gone into producing a quality pair of earphones in the C5 Series 2. There's an incredible sense of detail and a well-defined...

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Consumer review (cnet.com)

Killer sound, great fit

These are my favorite in ear headphones by far, even improving upon the original C5. Overall, can't recommend this enough to those that enjoy listening to music in a personal way. Ensure you download a high bit rate because it's the difference between...

Everything from bottomed out bass, to high treble comes through perfectly with a tight fit that keeps other sound out.

After wearing them for more than an hour your ear canal can get a little tired.

Feb, 2015

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