High-end audio purveyor Bowers & Wilkins has launched a brand new range of wireless speakers with Apple’s AirPlay 2 streaming tech built in.
The brand new B&W Formation Suite arrives as challenge to multi-room audio leader Sonos and includes a pair of bookshelf speakers, a soundbar, a subwoofer, a standalone speaker and an audiobox. The pricey speakers, which support 24-bit audio and 96kHz sample-rate streaming, can be used alone or as a network.
Related: Best multi-room speakers 2019
As well as AirPlay 2 compatibility, the range utilises a patented mesh networking system co-developed by B&W’s parent company EVA Automation, which means your Wi-Fi network won’t be troubled, while keeping the synchronisation to within one microsecond.
The headline product in the range appears to be the Formation Bar soundbar, which contains a trio of 25mm tweeters and a whopping six 65mm woofers. There’s support for Spotify Connect, Bluetooth and Dolby Digital too. The soundbar, which does not offer a HDMI slot, costs $1,199.
However, that’s nothing compared to the price of the Formation Duo bookshelf speakers, which utilise B&W’s Continuum cone driver and feature an isolated tweeter on top. They come in at $3,999 for the pair.
The pick of the bunch from an aesthetic perspective is the Formation Wedge, which is shaped as it is named. In many ways, this finally looks like the successor to the firm’s iconic Zeppelin speaker. It provides two 25mm tweeters, two 90mm woofers, as well as a 150mm subwoofer. It costs $899.
Finally, there’s the Formation Bass subwoofer, which is $999, while the Formation Audio box is $699 and can help modernise wired music systems for pairing with other speakers in the Formation range.
UK pricing has yet to be confirmed, with the range expected to go on sale in the region before the end of the month.
Can B&W unseat Sonos as the masters of wireless home audio? Or are the prices too high for the average user? Let us know @TrustedReviews on Twitter.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
