B&W news

[mk05]

https://www.audioholics.com/news/bowers-wilkins-take-back-control-of-company

A clip in case you don't have time to read the whole article:

Control of Eva, with money still owed to him and other investors, has recently switched back to Atkins, reportedly at the behest of the banks. This week, the company hired back Nicoll PR, which will be a popular move with the media, as well as a stabilizing force for the brand. With Classe’ gone, Rotel hasn’t gotten the love as a brand that it has in the past. Perhaps that will change going forward.

For audiophiles and home theater enthusiasts alike, the change in ownership is likely a good thing, as Atkins’s team will bring back brand stability as he may seek a new buyer after cauterizing the wounds caused by Eva’s long-shot idea of turning an established speaker brand into a tech start-up.

 

[anmpr1]

I was never a B&W fan--the sound of their loudspeakers I mean, but they have a storied place in hi-fi. I certainly wish the company well.

 

[mk05]

When I was younger, I thought that B&W bookshelves were "audiophile quality." One of those moments looking back, where 8 realized the power of marketing!

Once I figure out how to solder and learn more technical things on ASR, I will put together my own kits. And I think that has always been the evolution.

 

[CDMC]

I was never a B&W fan--the sound of their loudspeakers I mean, but they have a storied place in hi-fi. I certainly wish the company well.

Same here. Listened multiple times over the years, including the 801 Nautilus and every time found them not to my liking.

 

[napilopez]

I found out shortly after reading this piece that B&W is set to be bought by Sound United. That's quite a shakeup

 

[jhaider]

One must hope they’re better to B&W than they were to Snell or Boston Acoustics!

 

[Doodski]

I retailed the full line of B&W for years. They competed with and sounded pretty good compared to the competition which was Energy, JBL, KEF, Yamaha, Mission, RFT, MB Quart and Infinity. I am still a bit miffed about blowing a woofer in a 801 because I was not pushing them as hard as I thought they could go. B&W is not my preferred sound either but they compete well against other brands and some people really enjoy the sound of B&W and they sell well.

 

[napilopez]

When I was younger, I thought that B&W bookshelves were "audiophile quality." One of those moments looking back, where 8 realized the power of marketing!

Once I figure out how to solder and learn more technical things on ASR, I will put together my own kits. And I think that has always been the evolution.

Same here. Listened multiple times over the years, including the 801 Nautilus and every time found them not to my liking.

To be fair, lots of b&W's older stuff measures objectively good by our harmanesque standards

https://www.stereophile.com/content/bw-705-loudspeaker-measurements

https://www.stereophile.com/content/bw-nautilus-801-loudspeaker-measurements-part-2

https://www.stereophile.com/content/bw-dm603-s3-loudspeaker-measurements

https://www.stereophile.com/content/bw-nautilus-805-loudspeaker-measurements-part-2

It seems it was somewhere in the mid aughts that they decided to get more... esoteric.

If we're lucky, maybe the new ownership will encourage them to take a bit more of a sciency approach again. Maybe??

One must hope they’re better to B&W than they were to Snell or Boston Acoustics!

Hope so!

 

[mansr]

I retailed the full line of B&W for years. They competed with and sounded pretty good compared to the competition which was Energy, JBL, KEF, Yamaha, Mission, RFT, MB Quart and Infinity. I am still a bit miffed about blowing a woofer in a 801 because I was not pushing them as hard as I thought they could go. B&W is not my preferred sound either but they compete well against other brands and some people really enjoy the sound of B&W and they sell well.

Sneering at B&W seems to be a bit of a shibboleth among certain audiophiles. Maybe it is because the speakers are not expensive enough.

 

[mk05]

To be fair, lots of b&W's older stuff measures objectively good by our harmanesque standards

That's just about when I started. Makes sense! B&W design look great. I remember loving the Nautilus very much. Hopefully, the quality and technology direction change with the times. I believe audiophile grade active wireless speakers is the future - true wireless, as in no interconnects whatsoever. There is much to learn from Bose.

 

[mhardy6647]

Same here. Listened multiple times over the years, including the 801 Nautilus and every time found them not to my liking.

You are not alone (FWIW).

 

[anmpr1]

Sneering at B&W seems to be a bit of a shibboleth among certain audiophiles. Maybe it is because the speakers are not expensive enough.

That's pretty good. You almost had me going for a while.

Kenrick Sound (large JBL monitor refurbs in Tokyo) once posted a clip of one of the big B&W speakers playing some tracks in order to compare. Comments were funny. Complaining about the 'plastic' and 'closed in' sound. I can only imagine what a harcore B&W fan would think of the 'Kenrick' sound! LOL

 

[LTig]

To be fair, lots of b&W's older stuff measures objectively good by our harmanesque standards

https://www.stereophile.com/content/bw-dm603-s3-loudspeaker-measurements

We (wife) got a pair of B&W DM601 (1st generation) bookshelf speaker sometime in the 90's. For the money they weren't bad at all (main system used Magnepan 1.6) but I don't know how they measured (or compared to the DM603). After many years they were sold and replaced by a pair of JBL LSR 2325 which (because of audible hum when placed in the corner) made way to a pair of Genelec 8020a. In comparison to the JBLs they sounded kind of hollow (purely subjective opinion).

2 years ago I witnessed a demo of B&W 800D3. The demo guy played them too loud for my taste (and several others as well) so I can't say how they play with at lower volumes but at high volume they were not really bad but too bright in the highs for my taste, and much too expensive of course.

 

[preload]

Haters gonna hate

 

[thewas]

Everyone at Bowers & Wilkins is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Steve Roe, one of the most influential figures in our history. In his decades working in our R&D team, Steve was instrumental in both defining our unique approach to loudspeaker development and in the delivery of a huge range of world-class loudspeaker designs. Perhaps his most significant and lasting legacy will be his pivotal contribution to the original 801, one of the most important loudspeakers we’ve ever developed. Our sincere condolences to his family.

Source:

https://www.facebook.com/BowersWilkins/photos/a.189490564402285/9886354174715827

 

[thewas]

By the way the older 801 series models and Nautilus are both few of my youth dream loudspeakers which I still would like to get today for my collection if I get a good deal.

The Nautilus are still produced today and there is just released a 30 years anniversary model.

Source and more details: https://www.bowerswilkins.com/en-gb/product/loudspeakers/nautilus

 

[fpitas]

One man's dream is another's nightmare. I can't atand the looks of the Nautilus.