Stuff UK – September 2019

3

TESTED BOWERS & WILKINS FORMATION WEDGE

Q Bass (£900)

Possibly the prettiest sub

we’ve clapped eyes on,

the Formation Bass uses

opposed dual driver tech

to provide less distortion.

The dynamic EQ works

in real time to continually

assess and adjust

performance.

Q Duo (£3500/pair)

Signature styling and

sound make these active

bookshelf speakers a

force to be reckoned with.

There’s hi-res streaming,

patented carbon-dome

tweeters and a multitude

of connectivity options.

‘Ouch’ at the price, though.

Q Audio (£600)

Don’t like to let go? This

one gives your passive

sound system a reprieve

by connecting existing

hi-fi devices to your

Formation multiroom

network. Ports include

RCA, digital coax, digital

optical and Ethernet.

Q Bar (£1000)

Designed for high-fidelity

music and movies, as well

as envious looks from

visitors, the Formation

Bar has no fewer than

nine drivers including a

dedicated centre channel.

It sits about as wide as a

55in TV.

The Formation range includes a further quartet of

multiroom offerings with individual flair and features

Drivers 2x 25mm tweeters, 2x 90mm mids,

1x 150mm woofer Output power 240W

Connectivity Bluetooth, Spotify Connect,

AirPlay 2, Roon Ready, Formation Wireless

Dimensions 281x260x254mm, 6.5kg

STUFF SAYS +++++

It’s pricey, but this is a

brilliantly accomplished

illustration of what

a wireless speaker

is capable of

Whole lotta love

Te c h s p e c s

Nothing’s perfect, and that goes for the Formation

Wedge just as much as any other product. It

does look a bit weird, and it might seem unduly

expensive at first acquaintance. But make up your

own mind about the looks, think long and hard

about the price, then hear the Wedge in action – and the

pros will far outweigh the cons. @OnlySimonLucas

Rock and rule
Sound is purposeful, rigorous and
businesslike in a way that’s at
odds with this device’s eccentric
appearance (3). Whatever the
streaming source, it remains
controlled, authoritative and
engaging. And for a relatively
compact speaker, it offers a
remarkably wide spread of sound.

Good times bad times

A fiddle with the in-app EQ yields

a smooth sound throughout the

frequency range. The Wedge isn’t

the last word in excitement – it’s

a little too grown-up to let its hair

all the way down – but it’s only

during moments of real musical

abandon that a slight shortage of

dynamism becomes apparent.

When the

line-in breaks

B&W has taken it back

to the bone with no aux

inputs – it’s a wireless

speaker for wireless

sources and that’s

your lot.