B&W has a house sound, and you either love it or you don't. I don't, but obviously a lot of people do. I don't expect the company to abandon the formula that has made them successful.
I clearly remember retailing B&W because
the expectations from customers was so pre-defined and clear to themselves about B&W. The 801s and it's family sounded pretty good and the entire DM series was for nearly all the sales staff horrible but the customers wanted them and so many sales people simply gave the customers what they wanted and saved themselves the time and effort of selling product and just
clerked the job. ("Clerking", is a insult to real sales people.) I sold 801s but the B&W mid priced line-up was flat and boring sounding and yet so many customers would sit there for a hour(s) trying to give themselves a reason to pull the trigger. I don't think I ever sold a B&W mid-line speaker in 9 years of retailing audio product. I took the time to introduce the customers to several different product lines, then narrow down the price range they could afford or not (...and come back another day because good customers are loyal if you show them them the good stuff and respect them rather than lay-down slam them like a shark clerk.) and play different genres of music so they could experience the speakers better. Customers bought KEF Uni-Q- and Reference series with the best warranty service, Mission, Energy, MB Quart, Infinity Kappa and mid line Infinity product, JBLs both in bookshelf and large-size floor standing stuff, Paradigm, Celestion, Polk large and small stuff, Magnat and even Yamaha NS-1000 series but not B&W from me on most any day. We would order in different brand speakers models by the thousands per full line order from small to expensive and large and so B&W had some boots to fill and for some it did.
I have not heard the latest line-up from B&W and I heard so much negativity about the, "House sound." It make me wonder if B&W has retained the same boring flat sound in mid price product.