The Bowers & Wilkins C5 Series 2 ranks #885 out of 909 total In-Ear Headphones for sound quality. See all Headphones rankings for every top pick.
Brand: Bowers & Wilkins
Prices on this page were last checked October 13, 2026 at 3:17 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
#885 Bowers & Wilkins C5 Series 2 Discontinued eBay
Pros: Bass is lifted about 7 dB with extension to 20 Hz, giving kick drums and bass lines extra weight. Lower mids sit within about 0.9 dB of target, keeping voices and guitars natural. It uses 1 x 9.2mm dynamic with an easy 32 ohm load.
Cons: Discontinued, so it is mainly found used. The 7 dB bass lift can sound boomy and mask midrange detail. A Harman score of 30 places it in the lower part of the in-ear rankings.
| Released | 2014 (12 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 4.72 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 9.2mm dynamic |
| Form Factor | In-ear |
| Frequency Response | 10Hz - 20kHz |
| Harman Preference Score | 30 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 32 ohms |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+7.2 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | -2.32 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -5.0 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by AutoEQ from its measured frequency response.
| Filter | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low shelf | 105 Hz | -7.5 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 5,430 Hz | +10.0 dB | 0.21 |
| Peak | 195 Hz | -5.9 dB | 0.78 |
| Peak | 713 Hz | +1.0 dB | 1.69 |
| Peak | 4,865 Hz | -9.8 dB | 0.67 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | -2.6 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 67 Hz | +1.0 dB | 1.75 |
| Peak | 119 Hz | -0.8 dB | 2.28 |
| Peak | 2,293 Hz | +1.2 dB | 2.89 |
| Peak | 3,239 Hz | -1.2 dB | 3.78 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples