Bowers & Wilkins
Encyclopedia
Bowers & Wilkins is a British
loudspeaker
company that produces mid-range through reference quality hi-fi and home theater speakers. The company name is often abbreviated to just B&W.
Joe Atkins (Canadian) is current owner and chairman. He is the successor to Robert Otto Trunz, who led the company after founder John Bowers
died in 1987.
Bowers & Wilkins is based in its home town of Worthing
, West Sussex
, England
.
B&W is part of the B&W Group Ltd, which also includes Rotel
and Classé
audio (midrange and high-end, respectively).
B&W previously offered a range of electronics (amplifiers etc.) under the Aura brand, but it was discontinued in 1997. Other sub-brands were 'John Bowers' for the Active One loudspeaker and preamp and 'Rock Solid' for a lifestyle speaker range. The B&W 'Blue Room' brand for 'Pod' speakers disappeared as these are currently produced and sold by Scandyna. From 1988 to 1996 B&W ran their own record label
.
has been a core activity within B&W stimulated and exercised by its founder John Bowers
. From the start of the company, earnings were invested in new product development
.
In 1982, 18 months after Robert Trunz joined, the company opened a dedicated, purpose-built research center titled 'SRE' or 'Steyning Research Establishment' in Steyning
, about 10 miles from Worthing
. The buildings were fit for audio-related work since they were previously used by SME, the English tonearm designer who felt the downturn in tonearm sales due to the introduction of the new digital media CD. SRE housed a prototype shop and listening rooms, ranging from semi-anechoic
to typical small living rooms. Also available was advanced equipment like a laser interferometer and PDP-11/35
computer.
The staff of the research facility counts around 20. Engineers of note who have worked there in R&D include Ray Greenwood, Dr. Steve Roe, Dr. John Dibb, Dr. Glyn Adams, Dr. Peter Fryer and Laurence Dickie.
The design of B&W loudspeaker cabinets has been done by industrial designer Kenneth Grange
since 1975. Morton Warren became manager of design in the late 90's when designing the new 800 series of speakers.
Noteworthy loudspeaker innovations by B&W:
Laurence Dickie later went on to co-form Vivid Audio in South Africa - another award winning speaker manufacturer.
and Roy Wilkins met in military service
during the Second World War
. They discovered a common interest in radio and after the war set up an electronics shop. Rentals
became a large part of the business and a service department was established to support this extra business, run by Peter Hayward. Bowers and Wilkins became involved in the supply of public address equipment to schools and churches throughout Sussex, with the result that John Bowers began to devote more and more of his time to the study, design and assembly of loudspeakers. Bowers' designs soon gained a reputation for quality, and before long a small production line was established in workshops behind the shop.
The 1967 P1 was the first commercial speaker from B&W. The cabinet and filter were B&W's own, but the drivers came from EMI
and Celestion
. The profits of the P1 allowed Bowers to purchase a Radiometer Oscillator and Pen Recorder
, allowing for calibration certificates for every speaker sold.
In 1968, Audioscript in Holland became the first international distributor
appointed. The DM1 (Domestic Monitor) and DM3 are introduced.
Dennis Ward (a former technical manager at EMI
) became member of the board in 1969.
, produced in Worthing to be distributed in Japan
.
John Bowers decided to develop a loudspeaker wholly built in-house. The sizable DM70 from 1970 combined electrostatic
mid- and high range on top of a traditional base unit. The distinct shape of the loudspeaker won a British Industrial Design Award. Good press reviews made exports starting to rise.
In 1972 a new production facility was opened in Meadow Road, Worthing. It housed anechoic chamber
s and extensive Bruel & Kjaer measurement equipment. The research team investigated into phase linearity and speaker cone
construction using laser interferometry
.
1972 also saw the introduction of the DM2, a three unit system, comprising an 8 inch bass/mid-range speaker rear loaded with an acoustic line, a Celestion
HF1300 tweeter and a super tweeter.
B&W received the Queen’s Award
for Export in 1973, and built programme content monitors
for the BBC.
In 1974, Kenneth Grange
was appointed as industrial designer.
The 1976 DM6 loudspeaker introduced Kevlar
cones and phase linear filter and enclosure design. The Steyning
research facility is opened and a PDP11/35
computer is acquired.
The 1977 DM7 showed a tweeter separate from the main cabinet and a passive radiator.
After a tenfold increase in export since 1973, the second Queen’s Award for Export is awarded in 1978.
The 801 loudspeaker, taking 3 years of development, was introduced in 1979. The 801 and following 800 series are a reference standard that, in later incarnations, have been used in recording studios around the world such as Abbey Road Studios, Skywalker Sound and Sony Music Studios - NYC. They are also used by classical music labels such as Deutsche Grammophon, EMI, Philips and Decca in their studios to monitor recordings.
Research into amplifiers and active filters leads to the Active One loudspeaker, branded under the name of John Bowers in 1984.
The 800 loudspeaker range was improved into matrix versions with a very rigid cabinet construction in 1987. .
In December 1987 John Bowers
died. In the same year, John Dibb joined the company, later to become responsible for many speaker designs, notably several signature models.
The 1987 'Concept 90' CM1 loudspeaker was the first B&W speaker with a plastic matrix cabinet.
In 1988, B&W started the 'B&W Music' record label
. Releases were in the jazz, Latin & electronica genres. From 1988 to 1990 B&W sponsored the Montreux Jazz Festival.
developed the Pod speaker range in their own company 'Blue Room Loudspeakers', soon to be assimilated in B&W by Robert Trunz. The curvy, rounded design of composite, fiberglass
enclosures is radically different from the standard wooden box speaker.
In the same year, the Silver Signature loudspeaker was launched to commemorate the company’s 25th anniversary.
Increasing demand led to by opening an additional production site at Silverdale, Worthing, West Sussex in 1992.
The 1993 'Nautilus' speaker still remains the company's flagship product. In 1998, Nautilus technology was introduced in the somewhat more affordable Nautilus 800 series.
In 1996 Robert Trunz left B&W selling his shares to Canadian conglomerate Equity International. Joe Atkins is appointed as new chairman. The B&W Music label ceased to exist and the Pod speaker brand was transferred to the Danish firm Scandyna. The current Pod range is not produced by B&W and uses ABS plastic
instead of composite enclosures.
In the same year, production was further increased at a site in Bradford, West Yorkshire
In 2002 B&W moved its Worthing production, warehousing and head office to a new £7 million location on a former landfill site in Dale Road, Worthing. A second plant is built in Bradford. Under Managing Director Paul Stanforth, staff counted around 500.
B&W took over its own production factory for cabinets Agerbæk, Denmark in 2003. In the same year, the Bradford location was left for new premises in Cleckheaton, West Yorkshire.
In 2005, Bowers & Wilkins replaced its top-of-the-line N800 range with the new 800D range. The most publicized change was the introduction of diamond dome tweeters on some models 2005 also saw B&W receive the Queen's Award for Innovation for the tube-loaded drivers on the 800's. The EISA Award for European High End Audio Component of the Year is awarded to the 803D. The PV1 receives the European Home Theatre Subwoofer of the year 2005-2006 award. The XT series introduce aluminium as a speaker cabinet material.
2007 saw the introduction of the 'Zeppelin' iPod
speaker system.
In 2008, the "Jaguar XF Audio System" was introduced, a car audio setup with 14 speakers and a powered 440 Watt Class AB DSP
amplifier
Bowers & Wilkins' latest project is the Society of Sound. Launched in June 2007, it is an online community focused on issues and discussions relating to high quality sound. The Society of Sound has a number of celebrity "Fellows", who contribute material. Fellows include rock star Peter Gabriel
, movie composer James Howard
, musician Dave Stewart
, jazz singer Cassandra Wilson
, and industrial designer Kenneth Grange
.
In May 2008, Bowers and Wilkins started the Bowers & Wilkins Music Club - now known simply as Society of Sound, returning the company into the music business. The Society of Sound is a subscription-based music retail site. Albums are currently available in either Apple Lossless
or Flac
format. The site is a partnership with Peter Gabriel
's Real World Studios
, and artists to be featured have been Little Axe
, Gwyneth Herbert
and Portico Quartet
. Former Suede
frontman Brett Anderson
had his solo album Wilderness
released through the Society of Sound before being available for retail.
On 5 January 2011, Bowers & Wilkins announced the Zeppelin Air, their first speaker to include Apple AirPlay
to make it into a wireless iPod speaker.
For the 2010 season, they sponsored the FAZZT Racing #77 of Alex Tagliani
in the IZOD IndyCar Series, which became the Sam Schmidt Motorsports
entry for 2011, winning the pole position at the Indianapolis 500
. Because of a 2011 IZOD IndyCar World Championship
at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway
promotion, Tagliani was temporarily replaced for the Kentucky Indy 300 by Dan Wheldon, who would be killed at Las Vegas in the car Tagliani put on the pole at Indianapolis, while Tagliani was driving for Las Vegas the #98 William Rast
Bryan Herta Autosport car that was another Schmidt-prepared car.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
loudspeaker
Loudspeaker
A loudspeaker is an electroacoustic transducer that produces sound in response to an electrical audio signal input. Non-electrical loudspeakers were developed as accessories to telephone systems, but electronic amplification by vacuum tube made loudspeakers more generally useful...
company that produces mid-range through reference quality hi-fi and home theater speakers. The company name is often abbreviated to just B&W.
Joe Atkins (Canadian) is current owner and chairman. He is the successor to Robert Otto Trunz, who led the company after founder John Bowers
John Bowers (Loudspeaker Builder)
John George Frederick Bowers , born near Worthing, UK was in special operations during World War II contacting allied resistance in occupied Europe by radio transmissions. Posted in Germany in the Royal Corps of Signals, he met Roy Wilkins...
died in 1987.
Bowers & Wilkins is based in its home town of Worthing
Worthing
Worthing is a large seaside town with borough status in West Sussex, within the historic County of Sussex, forming part of the Brighton/Worthing/Littlehampton conurbation. It is situated at the foot of the South Downs, west of Brighton, and east of the county town of Chichester...
, West Sussex
West Sussex
West Sussex is a county in the south of England, bordering onto East Sussex , Hampshire and Surrey. The county of Sussex has been divided into East and West since the 12th century, and obtained separate county councils in 1888, but it remained a single ceremonial county until 1974 and the coming...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
B&W is part of the B&W Group Ltd, which also includes Rotel
Rotel
Rotel is a Japanese manufacturer of high end audio and video equipment: home theater, amplifiers, compact disc players, etc. The company was established in 1966. The company was formed by the "elder" Tachikowa and currently run by the son, Bob Tachikowa...
and Classé
Classé
Classé is a Canadian manufacturer of high-end audio equipment, such as amplifiers, pre-amplifiers and source components .-History:...
audio (midrange and high-end, respectively).
B&W previously offered a range of electronics (amplifiers etc.) under the Aura brand, but it was discontinued in 1997. Other sub-brands were 'John Bowers' for the Active One loudspeaker and preamp and 'Rock Solid' for a lifestyle speaker range. The B&W 'Blue Room' brand for 'Pod' speakers disappeared as these are currently produced and sold by Scandyna. From 1988 to 1996 B&W ran their own record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
.
Technology, research & development
Research and developmentResearch and development
The phrase research and development , according to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, refers to "creative work undertaken on a systematic basis in order to increase the stock of knowledge, including knowledge of man, culture and society, and the use of this stock of...
has been a core activity within B&W stimulated and exercised by its founder John Bowers
John Bowers (Loudspeaker Builder)
John George Frederick Bowers , born near Worthing, UK was in special operations during World War II contacting allied resistance in occupied Europe by radio transmissions. Posted in Germany in the Royal Corps of Signals, he met Roy Wilkins...
. From the start of the company, earnings were invested in new product development
New product development
In business and engineering, new product development is the term used to describe the complete process of bringing a new product to market. A product is a set of benefits offered for exchange and can be tangible or intangible...
.
In 1982, 18 months after Robert Trunz joined, the company opened a dedicated, purpose-built research center titled 'SRE' or 'Steyning Research Establishment' in Steyning
Steyning
Steyning is a small town and civil parish in the Horsham District of West Sussex, England. It is located at the north end of the River Adur gap in the South Downs, four miles north of Shoreham-by-Sea...
, about 10 miles from Worthing
Worthing
Worthing is a large seaside town with borough status in West Sussex, within the historic County of Sussex, forming part of the Brighton/Worthing/Littlehampton conurbation. It is situated at the foot of the South Downs, west of Brighton, and east of the county town of Chichester...
. The buildings were fit for audio-related work since they were previously used by SME, the English tonearm designer who felt the downturn in tonearm sales due to the introduction of the new digital media CD. SRE housed a prototype shop and listening rooms, ranging from semi-anechoic
Anechoic chamber
An anechoic chamber is a room designed to stop reflections of either sound or electromagnetic waves.They are also insulated from exterior sources of noise...
to typical small living rooms. Also available was advanced equipment like a laser interferometer and PDP-11/35
PDP-11
The PDP-11 was a series of 16-bit minicomputers sold by Digital Equipment Corporation from 1970 into the 1990s, one of a succession of products in the PDP series. The PDP-11 replaced the PDP-8 in many real-time applications, although both product lines lived in parallel for more than 10 years...
computer.
The staff of the research facility counts around 20. Engineers of note who have worked there in R&D include Ray Greenwood, Dr. Steve Roe, Dr. John Dibb, Dr. Glyn Adams, Dr. Peter Fryer and Laurence Dickie.
The design of B&W loudspeaker cabinets has been done by industrial designer Kenneth Grange
Kenneth Grange
Kenneth Grange, CBE, MCSD, RDI, is a British industrial designer.Grange’s career began as a drafting assistant with the architect Jack Howe in the 1950s...
since 1975. Morton Warren became manager of design in the late 90's when designing the new 800 series of speakers.
Noteworthy loudspeaker innovations by B&W:
- The patentPatentA patent is a form of intellectual property. It consists of a set of exclusive rights granted by a sovereign state to an inventor or their assignee for a limited period of time in exchange for the public disclosure of an invention....
ed use of KevlarKevlarKevlar is the registered trademark for a para-aramid synthetic fiber, related to other aramids such as Nomex and Technora. Developed at DuPont in 1965, this high strength material was first commercially used in the early 1970s as a replacement for steel in racing tires...
fibers, impregnated with a stiffening resin, resulting in B&W's distinctive yellow speaker coneSpeaker coneA speaker cone, loudspeaker cone or diaphram can be manufactured from various materials depending on driver implementation , desired frequency response for each driver, and cost....
s started in 1974. This composite materialComposite materialComposite materials, often shortened to composites or called composition materials, are engineered or naturally occurring materials made from two or more constituent materials with significantly different physical or chemical properties which remain separate and distinct at the macroscopic or...
proved to provide controlled rigidity and internal dampingDampingIn physics, damping is any effect that tends to reduce the amplitude of oscillations in an oscillatory system, particularly the harmonic oscillator.In mechanics, friction is one such damping effect...
, minimizing distortion, as Dr. Peter Fryer determined by using laser interferometry on speaker cones. - Phase linear transmission was realized in the DM6 from 1976. In the DM6, the speakers are mounted in different vertical planes, resulting in the distinct 'kangaroo' enclosure shape. Also known as the 'Pregnant Penguins', despite this being biologically incorrect.
- In 1977 the DM7 introduced a tweeterTweeterA tweeter is a loudspeaker designed to produce high audio frequencies, typically from around 2,000 Hz to 20,000 Hz . Some tweeters can manage response up to 65 kHz...
separate from the main speaker cabinet. This has been a feature of many B&W speaker designs since. - B&W scientist Laurence Dickie invented the 'Matrix' enclosure which reduces cabinet sound coloration. This bracing topology resembles a wine-case, providing multiple thin panel-braces, spaced throughout the enclosure, improving rigidity.
- The 'Nautilus' speaker by Laurence Dickie resulted from research commenced by John Bowers into 'perfect dipoles'Dipole speakerThis article is about loudspeaker systems designed such that one approximate point-source emits sound equally in two opposing directions, 180 degrees out of phase. For discussion of "stereo dipole" speakers, see stereo dipole and ambiophonics....
. The Nautilus project supported by Robert Trunz who took over from the late John Bowers was one of the most extensive research and development projects undertaken. Instead of open-backed drivers, it uses drivers loaded by reverse-tapered horns, or exponentially diminishing tubes, to absorb the rear radiation. The construction is based on fibre-reinforced plasticFibre-reinforced plasticFibre-reinforced plastic is a composite material made of a polymer matrix reinforced with fibres. The fibres are usually fibreglass, carbon, or aramid, while the polymer is usually an epoxy, vinylester or polyester thermosetting plastic...
enclosures. The result of the distinct speaker shape was a near perfect response and near-zero enclosure coloration. - The 'Flowport' is an improvement that reduces friction in the air moving through the bass reflexBass reflexA Bass reflex system is a type of loudspeaker enclosure that uses the sound from the rear side of the diaphragm to increase the efficiency of the system at low frequencies as compared to a typical closed box loudspeaker or an infinite baffle mounting.A reflex port is the distinctive feature of a...
vent. This is realized by covering the surface of the vent with dimples, just like a golf ballGolf ballA golf ball is a ball designed to be used in the game of golf.Under the Rules of Golf, a golf ball weighs no more than 1.620 oz , has a diameter not less than 1.680 in , and performs within specified velocity, distance, and symmetry limits...
. - The diamondDiamondIn mineralogy, diamond is an allotrope of carbon, where the carbon atoms are arranged in a variation of the face-centered cubic crystal structure called a diamond lattice. Diamond is less stable than graphite, but the conversion rate from diamond to graphite is negligible at ambient conditions...
tweeter is developed to create an optimal ratio of tweeter dome mass and material stiffness. The tweeter is grown into shape by chemical vapor depositionChemical vapor deposition of diamondChemical vapor deposition of diamond or CVD is a method of producing synthetic diamond by creating the circumstances necessary for carbon atoms in a gas to settle on a substrate in crystalline form....
.
Laurence Dickie later went on to co-form Vivid Audio in South Africa - another award winning speaker manufacturer.
Early years
John BowersJohn Bowers (Loudspeaker Builder)
John George Frederick Bowers , born near Worthing, UK was in special operations during World War II contacting allied resistance in occupied Europe by radio transmissions. Posted in Germany in the Royal Corps of Signals, he met Roy Wilkins...
and Roy Wilkins met in military service
Military service
Military service, in its simplest sense, is service by an individual or group in an army or other militia, whether as a chosen job or as a result of an involuntary draft . Some nations require a specific amount of military service from every citizen...
during the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. They discovered a common interest in radio and after the war set up an electronics shop. Rentals
Rental shop
A rental shop, also known as a video library, is a business that allows a consumer to temporarily obtain a reusable good or product for a specified period of time in exchange for payment, a process known as renting...
became a large part of the business and a service department was established to support this extra business, run by Peter Hayward. Bowers and Wilkins became involved in the supply of public address equipment to schools and churches throughout Sussex, with the result that John Bowers began to devote more and more of his time to the study, design and assembly of loudspeakers. Bowers' designs soon gained a reputation for quality, and before long a small production line was established in workshops behind the shop.
The 1960s
In 1966, Bowers decided to turn what had begun as a hobbyist sideline into a separate business - B&W Loudspeakers Ltd., at the same time relinquishing his involvement in the shop. The first production line was established in the workshops in the shop's backyard. The shop still exists to this day, and the remnants of the original production line can still be seen. The shop is now owned by and managed by Roy's son Paul Wilkins, who together with Chris Hugill used to run the UK distribution arm of B&W, B&W Loudspeakers UK Ltd. They also acted as the UK distribution of the aforementioned Aura range of electronics, and Nakamichi, regarded as the worlds foremost manufacturer of compact cassette decks and associated electronics.The 1967 P1 was the first commercial speaker from B&W. The cabinet and filter were B&W's own, but the drivers came from EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
and Celestion
Celestion
Celestion is a British maker of loudspeakers.-History:The work of what would become Celestion started in Hampton Wick in 1924. Celestion Radio Company and Celestion Limited were formed in 1927, and two years later the company moved across the Thames to Kingston. The company grew rapidly, but was...
. The profits of the P1 allowed Bowers to purchase a Radiometer Oscillator and Pen Recorder
Chart recorder
A chart recorder is an electromechanical device that records an electrical or mechanical input trend onto a piece of paper . Chart recorders may record several inputs using different color pens and may record onto strip charts or circular charts...
, allowing for calibration certificates for every speaker sold.
In 1968, Audioscript in Holland became the first international distributor
Distribution (business)
Product distribution is one of the four elements of the marketing mix. An organization or set of organizations involved in the process of making a product or service available for use or consumption by a consumer or business user.The other three parts of the marketing mix are product, pricing,...
appointed. The DM1 (Domestic Monitor) and DM3 are introduced.
Dennis Ward (a former technical manager at EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
) became member of the board in 1969.
The 1970s
In 1970, the ionovac-tweeter equipped P2 speakers produced were licensed by SonySony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
, produced in Worthing to be distributed in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
John Bowers decided to develop a loudspeaker wholly built in-house. The sizable DM70 from 1970 combined electrostatic
Electrostatic loudspeaker
An electrostatic loudspeaker is a loudspeaker design in which sound is generated by the force exerted on a membrane suspended in an electrostatic field.-Design and functionality:...
mid- and high range on top of a traditional base unit. The distinct shape of the loudspeaker won a British Industrial Design Award. Good press reviews made exports starting to rise.
In 1972 a new production facility was opened in Meadow Road, Worthing. It housed anechoic chamber
Anechoic chamber
An anechoic chamber is a room designed to stop reflections of either sound or electromagnetic waves.They are also insulated from exterior sources of noise...
s and extensive Bruel & Kjaer measurement equipment. The research team investigated into phase linearity and speaker cone
Speaker cone
A speaker cone, loudspeaker cone or diaphram can be manufactured from various materials depending on driver implementation , desired frequency response for each driver, and cost....
construction using laser interferometry
Interferometry
Interferometry refers to a family of techniques in which electromagnetic waves are superimposed in order to extract information about the waves. An instrument used to interfere waves is called an interferometer. Interferometry is an important investigative technique in the fields of astronomy,...
.
1972 also saw the introduction of the DM2, a three unit system, comprising an 8 inch bass/mid-range speaker rear loaded with an acoustic line, a Celestion
Celestion
Celestion is a British maker of loudspeakers.-History:The work of what would become Celestion started in Hampton Wick in 1924. Celestion Radio Company and Celestion Limited were formed in 1927, and two years later the company moved across the Thames to Kingston. The company grew rapidly, but was...
HF1300 tweeter and a super tweeter.
B&W received the Queen’s Award
Queen's Awards for Enterprise
The Queen's Awards for Enterprise is an awards programme for British businesses and other organizations who excel at international trade, innovation or sustainable development. They are the highest official UK awards for British businesses...
for Export in 1973, and built programme content monitors
Studio monitor
Studio monitors, also called reference monitors, are loudspeakers specifically designed for audio production applications such as recording studios, filmmaking, television studios and radio studios where accurate audio reproduction is crucial....
for the BBC.
In 1974, Kenneth Grange
Kenneth Grange
Kenneth Grange, CBE, MCSD, RDI, is a British industrial designer.Grange’s career began as a drafting assistant with the architect Jack Howe in the 1950s...
was appointed as industrial designer.
The 1976 DM6 loudspeaker introduced Kevlar
Kevlar
Kevlar is the registered trademark for a para-aramid synthetic fiber, related to other aramids such as Nomex and Technora. Developed at DuPont in 1965, this high strength material was first commercially used in the early 1970s as a replacement for steel in racing tires...
cones and phase linear filter and enclosure design. The Steyning
Steyning
Steyning is a small town and civil parish in the Horsham District of West Sussex, England. It is located at the north end of the River Adur gap in the South Downs, four miles north of Shoreham-by-Sea...
research facility is opened and a PDP11/35
PDP-11
The PDP-11 was a series of 16-bit minicomputers sold by Digital Equipment Corporation from 1970 into the 1990s, one of a succession of products in the PDP series. The PDP-11 replaced the PDP-8 in many real-time applications, although both product lines lived in parallel for more than 10 years...
computer is acquired.
The 1977 DM7 showed a tweeter separate from the main cabinet and a passive radiator.
After a tenfold increase in export since 1973, the second Queen’s Award for Export is awarded in 1978.
The 801 loudspeaker, taking 3 years of development, was introduced in 1979. The 801 and following 800 series are a reference standard that, in later incarnations, have been used in recording studios around the world such as Abbey Road Studios, Skywalker Sound and Sony Music Studios - NYC. They are also used by classical music labels such as Deutsche Grammophon, EMI, Philips and Decca in their studios to monitor recordings.
The 1980s
In 1981, Robert Trunz was appointed as marketing director as sales continued to increase, freeing up time for John Bowers to spend with his research team in the dedicated facility in Steyning.Research into amplifiers and active filters leads to the Active One loudspeaker, branded under the name of John Bowers in 1984.
The 800 loudspeaker range was improved into matrix versions with a very rigid cabinet construction in 1987. .
In December 1987 John Bowers
John Bowers (Loudspeaker Builder)
John George Frederick Bowers , born near Worthing, UK was in special operations during World War II contacting allied resistance in occupied Europe by radio transmissions. Posted in Germany in the Royal Corps of Signals, he met Roy Wilkins...
died. In the same year, John Dibb joined the company, later to become responsible for many speaker designs, notably several signature models.
The 1987 'Concept 90' CM1 loudspeaker was the first B&W speaker with a plastic matrix cabinet.
In 1988, B&W started the 'B&W Music' record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
. Releases were in the jazz, Latin & electronica genres. From 1988 to 1990 B&W sponsored the Montreux Jazz Festival.
The 1990s
In 1991 Laurence Dickie and Simon GhaharySimon Ghahary
Simon Ghahary is a loudspeaker designer from the United Kingdom, known for his unconventional speaker designs.Ghahary is a designer, who inspired by sound and nature, creates fantastical sculptural pieces combining art with technology...
developed the Pod speaker range in their own company 'Blue Room Loudspeakers', soon to be assimilated in B&W by Robert Trunz. The curvy, rounded design of composite, fiberglass
Glass-reinforced plastic
Fiberglass , is a fiber reinforced polymer made of a plastic matrix reinforced by fine fibers of glass. It is also known as GFK ....
enclosures is radically different from the standard wooden box speaker.
In the same year, the Silver Signature loudspeaker was launched to commemorate the company’s 25th anniversary.
Increasing demand led to by opening an additional production site at Silverdale, Worthing, West Sussex in 1992.
The 1993 'Nautilus' speaker still remains the company's flagship product. In 1998, Nautilus technology was introduced in the somewhat more affordable Nautilus 800 series.
In 1996 Robert Trunz left B&W selling his shares to Canadian conglomerate Equity International. Joe Atkins is appointed as new chairman. The B&W Music label ceased to exist and the Pod speaker brand was transferred to the Danish firm Scandyna. The current Pod range is not produced by B&W and uses ABS plastic
Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene
Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene is a common thermoplastic. Its melting point is approximately 105 °C ....
instead of composite enclosures.
In the same year, production was further increased at a site in Bradford, West Yorkshire
The 2000s
Robert Trunz moved to South Africa, continuing the B&W Music label under the name 'M.E.L.T. 2000' and starting the Vivid Audio company. Laurence Dickie joined Vivid Audio (www.vividaudio.com) Vivid Audio as well.In 2002 B&W moved its Worthing production, warehousing and head office to a new £7 million location on a former landfill site in Dale Road, Worthing. A second plant is built in Bradford. Under Managing Director Paul Stanforth, staff counted around 500.
B&W took over its own production factory for cabinets Agerbæk, Denmark in 2003. In the same year, the Bradford location was left for new premises in Cleckheaton, West Yorkshire.
In 2005, Bowers & Wilkins replaced its top-of-the-line N800 range with the new 800D range. The most publicized change was the introduction of diamond dome tweeters on some models 2005 also saw B&W receive the Queen's Award for Innovation for the tube-loaded drivers on the 800's. The EISA Award for European High End Audio Component of the Year is awarded to the 803D. The PV1 receives the European Home Theatre Subwoofer of the year 2005-2006 award. The XT series introduce aluminium as a speaker cabinet material.
2007 saw the introduction of the 'Zeppelin' iPod
IPod
iPod is a line of portable media players created and marketed by Apple Inc. The product line-up currently consists of the hard drive-based iPod Classic, the touchscreen iPod Touch, the compact iPod Nano, and the ultra-compact iPod Shuffle...
speaker system.
In 2008, the "Jaguar XF Audio System" was introduced, a car audio setup with 14 speakers and a powered 440 Watt Class AB DSP
Digital signal processor
A digital signal processor is a specialized microprocessor with an architecture optimized for the fast operational needs of digital signal processing.-Typical characteristics:...
amplifier
Bowers & Wilkins' latest project is the Society of Sound. Launched in June 2007, it is an online community focused on issues and discussions relating to high quality sound. The Society of Sound has a number of celebrity "Fellows", who contribute material. Fellows include rock star Peter Gabriel
Peter Gabriel
Peter Brian Gabriel is an English singer, musician, and songwriter who rose to fame as the lead vocalist and flautist of the progressive rock group Genesis. After leaving Genesis, Gabriel went on to a successful solo career...
, movie composer James Howard
James Howard
James or Jim Howard may refer to:* James Howard, 3rd Earl of Suffolk * James Howard , English dramatist* James Howard MP , British Liberal politician, manufacturer and agriculturalist...
, musician Dave Stewart
David A. Stewart
David Allan Stewart , often known as Dave Stewart, is an English musician, songwriter and record producer, best known for his work with Eurythmics. He is usually credited as David A. Stewart, to avoid confusion with other musicians named "Dave Stewart".-Early life:Stewart was born in Sunderland,...
, jazz singer Cassandra Wilson
Cassandra Wilson
Cassandra Wilson is an American jazz musician, vocalist, songwriter, and producer from Jackson, Mississippi. Described by critic Gary Giddins as "a singer blessed with an unmistakable timbre and attack [who has] expanded the playing field" by incorporating country, blues and folk music into her...
, and industrial designer Kenneth Grange
Kenneth Grange
Kenneth Grange, CBE, MCSD, RDI, is a British industrial designer.Grange’s career began as a drafting assistant with the architect Jack Howe in the 1950s...
.
In May 2008, Bowers and Wilkins started the Bowers & Wilkins Music Club - now known simply as Society of Sound, returning the company into the music business. The Society of Sound is a subscription-based music retail site. Albums are currently available in either Apple Lossless
Apple Lossless
Apple Lossless Apple Lossless Apple Lossless (also known as ALAC (Apple Lossless Audio Codec), or ALE (Apple Lossless Encoder) is an audio codec developed by Apple Inc. for lossless data compression of digital music. After initially being proprietary for many years, in late 2011 Apple open sourced...
or Flac
FLAC
FLAC is a codec which allows digital audio to be losslessly compressed such that file size is reduced without any information being lost...
format. The site is a partnership with Peter Gabriel
Peter Gabriel
Peter Brian Gabriel is an English singer, musician, and songwriter who rose to fame as the lead vocalist and flautist of the progressive rock group Genesis. After leaving Genesis, Gabriel went on to a successful solo career...
's Real World Studios
Real World Studios
Real World Studios is a residential recording studio in Box, Wiltshire, England associated with the Real World Records Ltd. record label founded by rock musician Peter Gabriel...
, and artists to be featured have been Little Axe
Little Axe
Little Axe is the stage name of Skip McDonald an American blues musician. McDonald played jazz, doo-wop, and gospel when young, and moved to New York as a teenager with his band of friends, called The Entertainers.Axe joined the group Wood Brass & Steel in 1973 with bassist Doug Wimbish and...
, Gwyneth Herbert
Gwyneth Herbert
Gwyneth Herbert is a British singer-songwriter and pianist, initially known for her interpretation of jazz and swing standards, and now established as a writer of original compositions. She lives in Hackney, London....
and Portico Quartet
Portico Quartet
Portico Quartet are a 4-piece modern jazz group from London and Southampton. Their sound is made distinctive by the use of the Hang, a 21st Century percussion instrument used on all their tracks. The group is composed of Jack Wyllie , Duncan Bellamy , Milo Fitzpatrick , and Keir Vine...
. Former Suede
Suede (band)
Suede are an English alternative rock band from London, formed in 1989. The group's most prominent early line-up featured singer Brett Anderson, guitarist Bernard Butler, bass player Mat Osman and drummer Simon Gilbert. By 1992, Suede were hailed as "The Best New Band in Britain", and attracted...
frontman Brett Anderson
Brett Anderson
Brett Lewis Anderson is an English singer-songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist of the band Suede. After Suede disbanded in 2003, he briefly fronted The Tears, and has released four solo albums...
had his solo album Wilderness
Wilderness (Brett Anderson album)
Wilderness is the second studio album by the English singer Brett Anderson.Fans who bought tickets for Anderson's performance at London's Mermaid Theatre on July 7 received a copy of the album on USB stick format, though the album didn't receive a general release until September.There is minimal...
released through the Society of Sound before being available for retail.
The 2010s
2010 saw the release of the P5 Mobile Hi-Fi headphones and the MM-1 computer speakers. P5 mobile H-Fi headphones are well known for their balanced, natural sound quality and noise isolation.On 5 January 2011, Bowers & Wilkins announced the Zeppelin Air, their first speaker to include Apple AirPlay
AirPlay
AirPlay is a proprietary protocol stack/suite developed by Apple Inc. that allows wireless streaming of audio, video, and photos, together with related metadata between devices...
to make it into a wireless iPod speaker.
For the 2010 season, they sponsored the FAZZT Racing #77 of Alex Tagliani
Alex Tagliani
Alexandre Tagliani is a Canadian auto racing driver from Montreal, Quebec, Canada. He currently competes in the IZOD IndyCar Series, driving the #77 entry for Sam Schmidt Motorsports.-Champ Car career:...
in the IZOD IndyCar Series, which became the Sam Schmidt Motorsports
Sam Schmidt Motorsports
Sam Schmidt Motorsports is an auto racing team in the IndyCar IndyCar Series and Firestone Indy Lights Series owned by quadriplegic former driver Sam Schmidt....
entry for 2011, winning the pole position at the Indianapolis 500
2011 Indianapolis 500
The 95th Indianapolis 500 was held on May 29, 2011 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It was the premier event of the 2011 IZOD IndyCar Series season. The track opened for practice on May 14, and time trials were held on May 21–22. The race was won by Dan Wheldon and was the final win of his...
. Because of a 2011 IZOD IndyCar World Championship
2011 IZOD IndyCar World Championship
The 2011 IZOD IndyCar World Championship was the final race of the 2011 IZOD IndyCar series schedule. The event took place at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Clark County, Nevada, United States on October 16, 2011...
at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Las Vegas Motor Speedway, located in Clark County, Nevada near Las Vegas, is a complex of multiple tracks for automobile racing. The complex is owned by Speedway Motorsports, Inc., which is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina.-History:...
promotion, Tagliani was temporarily replaced for the Kentucky Indy 300 by Dan Wheldon, who would be killed at Las Vegas in the car Tagliani put on the pole at Indianapolis, while Tagliani was driving for Las Vegas the #98 William Rast
William Rast
William Rast is a Los Angeles, California based clothing company founded by Justin Timberlake and Trace Ayala most known for their premium jeans.On October 17, 2006 Justin Timberlake and Trace Ayala put on their first fфтл...
Bryan Herta Autosport car that was another Schmidt-prepared car.