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Bowers & Wilkins' new P9 flagship headphone will have a Lightning cable for iPhone 7 users

B&W's swanky P9 Signature headphone will set you back a mere $900, but you'll get a free Lightning cable as soon as it's ready to ship.

David Carnoy Executive Editor / Reviews
Executive Editor David Carnoy has been a leading member of CNET's Reviews team since 2000. He covers the gamut of gadgets and is a notable reviewer of mobile accessories and portable audio products, including headphones and speakers. He's also an e-reader and e-publishing expert as well as the author of the novels Knife Music, The Big Exit and Lucidity. All the titles are available as Kindle, iBooks, Nook e-books and audiobooks.
Expertise Mobile accessories and portable audio, including headphones, earbuds and speakers Credentials
  • Maggie Award for Best Regularly Featured Web Column/Consumer
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David Carnoy
2 min read
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The Bowers & Wilkins P9 Signature is available now.

 Bowers and Wilkins

To celebrate its 50th anniversary, Bowers & Wilkins has a gift for its fans: a new flagship headphone, the P9 Signature ($900, £700, AU$1,400).

I haven't played around with it yet, but it does look swanky, and Bowers & Wilkins is calling it its best-sounding and most luxurious headphone to date. It's also the company's largest over-ear headphone and weighs a hefty 415 grams.

Completely custom made, Bowers & Wilkins says the headphone is engineered by the team responsible for the class-leading 800 D3 loudspeaker and features "bespoke" technology and a "crystal-clear listening experience that's created through the innovative placement of the transducer, which is positioned to provide a more natural listening experience."

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The P9 Signature in its case.

 Bowers and Wilkins

Needless to say, with that kind of build-up, I look forward to testing out a pair and getting CNET contributor Steve Guttenberg's thoughts on the sound along with editor Ty Pendelbury's.

While we wait for a review sample, here's a look at the headphones' highlights, according to Bowers & Wilkins.

  • Crafted from Italian Saffiano leather, using a 'stamping' technique that gives the material a distinctive cross-hatch finish.
  • Memory foam cushions in the earpads help isolate noise from the outside world and mold to the shape of the user's head over time, providing both an acoustic seal and an incredibly comfortable listening experience.
  • Aluminum arms make them ideal for music on the move thanks to their innovative foldable design and material choice, which adds greater durability.
  • 415 grams
  • 40mm drivers
  • The luxurious case is crafted from Alcantara (suede-like feel) and Saffiano leather detail.
  • Come with three high-performance cables suitable for use at home and on the go (one cable has an inline remote with microphone).
  • An additional Lightning cable is in development and will be out from early 2017 free to those who have registered their P9 on www.bowers-wilkins.com.