B&W 703 Speaker System Review

By Ian Bell June 12, 2004

Quote from the review:

“There are few audio companies that carry a brand equal to that of B&W. For many years Bowers and Wilkins, a British speaker manufacturer better known as B&W, have produced speakers that are argued to be at the top of each price class they compete in. Over a decade ago, the B&W Matrix 801s dominated the over $10,000 class with a speaker that was referenced by many professionals in the industry. After 801s came the futuristic yet functional Nautilus speakers. This $40,000-plus speaker looked radically different than anything consumers had ever seen. Sonically, the Nautilus was a masterpiece that employed technology meant to reduce internal resonances. This technology had precisely measured and formed tapering tubes with a conch-like shell form on the bottom. Much like Acura did with their flagship NSX sports car, the Nautilus line of speakers trickled down cutting-edge speaker technology to price categories that everyday music and movie enthusiasts could afford.”

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B&W Panorama 3 soundbar: Easy Dolby Atmos for $1,000

Bowers & Wilkins Panorama 3 front touch panel.

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B&W might be best known in audiophile circles for its $35,000 per pair floor-standing loudspeakers, but the company also knows a thing or two about building speaker systems for those who want to keep things simple. In fact, that's the whole premise behind the Panorama 3: There's no wireless subwoofer, no HDMI inputs, and no option for rear speakers. Instead, B&W has put everything you need inside one remarkably slender speaker enclosure. There are 13 individual drivers, including three 3/4-inch dome tweeters, six 2-inch cone bass/midranges, two 2-inch cone Atmos (height) drivers, and twin 4-inch subwoofers -- all powered by 400 watts of amplification. The result, B&W says, is "a room-filling and powerful sound no one-box rival can match."

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Bowers and Wilkins new Zeppelin wireless smart speaker.

Bowers and Wilkins (B&W) has brought back its iconic Zeppelin, and it's loaded with new features that make it a thoroughly modern wireless speaker. Priced at $799, the new Zeppelin is available starting October 13 in Midnight Gray (black) and Pearl Gray (gray).

The Zeppelin is one of the most enduring designs of the new millennium. The original, which was released in 2006, was a beautiful but extravagantly priced iPod speaker dock. It was followed by the 2011 Zeppelin Air, the Zeppelin Mini, and most recently, the 2015 Zeppelin Wireless. And while the new Zeppelin holds onto that unique ellipsoid shape, it goes much further than its predecessors both inside and out.

Audio / Video

Bowers & Wilkins’ pricey flagship speakers get an expensive update

Bowers & Wilkins 801 Series Diamond D4.

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From left: Bower & Wilkins' 801 D4, 802 D4, 803 D4, 804 D4, 805 D4, HTM81 D4, HTM82 D4 Bowers & Wilkins