The Formation Wedge is part of B&W’s Formation series. It's the kind of geometric pattern we see in modern architecture and home design, but has been completely absent in the realm of soundbars for, well, the entire time that soundbars have existed. For a smart speaker or an all-in-one Bluetooth option, that might cut it, but for $1,200, the lack of an HDMI connection is absurd. Of course, with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth streaming in the mix, there are plenty of ways to connect, but this is still a head-scratcher of an omission. The connection panel on the rear of the soundbar also houses an Ethernet port and a reset button—but that's it. This newsletter may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. The Formation Series was the first major project after B&W was purchased by Eva Automation in 2016. B&W seems to have worked some magic as the speakers are rated to go down to 25hz in an incredibly small cabinet. PCMag.com is a leading authority on technology, delivering Labs-based, independent reviews of the latest products and services. Our first listen to the B&W 800 D3 was a few years ago at Music Matters at Definitive. Again, you can tell that the additional subwoofer would roll in the rumble where the Formation Bar begins to rein it in. This driver is paired with a 1” carbon dome decoupled tweeter. Hopefully its looks spark a revolution, and maybe in a year or two we'll be reviewing lovely soundbar designs that cost half as much. This is good, since the Formation Bar ships with no remote control—instead, it uses your TV remote's controls. That said, a pair of B&W 705 bookshelves would still need at least an integrated amplifier, a source, cables etc. The ends of the bar are capped with circular metallic pieces emblazoned with the Bowers & Wilkins logo. Our expert industry analysis and practical solutions help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology. If you don’t own it, you should buy it now. Bowers & Wilkins says the pronounced elliptical shape of the back panel (it travels through 120 degrees) and the curve of the front allows it to position the speaker’s drivers in a … He wanted to ensure that whatever sound re-enforcement was used to play his new album at the party did justice to many months of hard work. That's good news, because the soundbar gets incredibly warm when it's up and running. The wireless Bowers & Wilkins Formation Wedge speaker is big, beautiful, powerful, and priced like fine art. The Bowers & Wilkins Formation Duo is a pair of self-contained, wireless, active speakers that act as the flagship of the Formation range of wireless products, of which, the Wedge has already been tested by us. The ability to dig low and have Mac’s voice slide over and dig deep. Your subscription has been confirmed. Although I am blessed with an incredible reference listening setup, it’s complicated. With its trademark decoupled tweeter on top, the B&W Duo won’t be everyone’s cup of tea aesthetically, but there’s no denying that it has style. These appear to be a tour de force; Linn claims “best wireless speakers in the world.” Half again the cost of the Formation Duos. I closed my eyes and dropped my pen and paper, no need to note anything more. I can imagine someone who has their Duos in one location where they listen, and their turntable and records in another location. The higher register brass, strings, and vocals have a lovely brightness to them, and things are nicely complemented by the rich, subtly boosted lows and low-mids. To my ears, that was the start of a fresh B&W sound that was more neutral and offered a pleasing tonality. There's lovely clarity here, and a beautiful design to match, but at the end of the day, the pricing seems almost absurdly exclusive. While it is perfectly possible to argue that the Wedge is a lifestyle product, one look at the Duo should be enough to establish that this is a rather more serious proposition. Of course, with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth streaming in the mix, there are plenty of ways to connect, but this is still a head-scratcher of an omission. I’d love to spend more time with them. The connection panel on the rear of the soundbar also houses an Ethernet port and a reset button—but that's it.