I was sitting in my office the other day when I looked up and saw Paul Pabst, Executive Producer of The Dan Patrick Show, wearing a pair of Bowers & Wilkins P5 headphones live on their ESPN morning show.  I don’t watch the show much, but since I sell Bowers & Wilkins loudspeakers and headphones, it was easy to spot the pair resting on his noggin.

Bowers & Wilkins have been receiving rave reviews for the P5 headphones.  They are loved by people in a wide range of industries other than just casual listening from a personal MP3 player.

Haven’t heard them yet?  You should.  The P5′s are incredible headphones compatible with anything that has a headphone output.  They were designed and developed with the assistance of the folks at Apple to work hand in hand with their different personal media products, such as the iPhone, iPod, and iPad products.

If you own an iPhone, you will be pleased to find an integrated microphone in the headphone signal cable.  A small control on the cable provides easy volume adjustment and instant muting capabilities so that you can receive your most important phone calls and talk at the same time without having to take your beloved headphones off.  Brilliant.

PM-1 Diamond 800 Series Compact Speakers

Innovative Design and Classic Details from Bowers & Wilkins

We are thrilled to announce a brand new speaker from the world-class speaker manufacturer that provides incredible performance in all categories of stereo, surround sound, and iPod solutions.  Bowers & Wilkins has introduced the new PM1 bookshelf loudspeaker.

The “Prestige Monitor” (PM1) offers a compelling blend of new technologies and features that have been adopted from the flagship 800 Series Diamond.  The result is an exquisite two-way loudspeaker that is far more than the sum of its many impressive parts.  We believe it will set the performance bar at its price tier higher than ever before, and allow listeners in

smaller spaces or with budget constraints to experience much of our flagship 800 Series performance in a package that suits their needs.

The PM1 is an exciting new entry for mid-priced HiFi speakers, priced at $2,800.00 per pair.  This fills a big gap between the CM5 ($1,500/pr) and the 805-Diamond ($5,000/pr).  The speaker offers a new tweeter design with an integrated carbon fiber ring to provide greater structural support that results in a smoother and wider reproduction of high frequencies, which basically means that these will play really LOUD and very CLEAR.  As with the 800 series models, this tweeter is isolated outside of the cabinet / enclosure in its own Nautilus-inspired tapered tube housing.

The Kevlar® cone bass driver is renowned for its ability to deliver clarity and detail at mid frequencies.  They have improved this with a new Foam Damping Cap (FDC) in the center.  The stiffness and resistance properties of the foam are adjusted to damp down inconsistent vibrations in the driver material, keeping the entire cone balanced.  This accounts for the desired “slam” without the unwanted bloom of lesser bass drivers.

No less attention has been paid to the crossover, which is critical to the overall tonal balance and smooth response of the system.  For the PM-1, we have taken a few leaves out of the 800 Series Diamond design book by adopting oxygen-free copper for the conducting path of the terminals and Mundorf M-Cap Supreme Oil capacitors in the minimalist crossover.  The addition of oil reduces microphony effects inside the capacitor – the tendency that all components have to convert small mechanical vibrations into low-level electrical signals that can reduce clarity.

The mocha gloss finished cabinet with wood grain detail is a work of art.  Bowers & Wilkins pioneered extreme cabinet bracing with the introduction of the original Matrix™ cabinet back in 1985.  They have continuously evolved this design over the years and have developed cabinet designs that reduce mechanical vibration down to infinitesimal levels.  The PM1 is a superbly advanced example, using the latest generation of Matrix interlocking panels, curved cabinetry, and a mineral loaded resin baffle.  Tap anywhere on the enclosure to prove to yourself how quiet it is.  As you know, an inert enclosure translates directly to low coloration sound.

Thanks to Doug Henderson, VP of Sales and Marketing at Bowers & Wilkins, for some of the product details listed above.

Suggested retail is $2,800 per pair.  Matching stands are also available, they are $550 per pair. Shipping will begin in late June 2011.  We have pre-ordered our first pair, so do yourself a favor and schedule a demonstration to hear these soon to be classic speakers.  Cheers!

David Privitera

Senior Project Designer
Georgia Home Theater
Call 770-955-8909 to schedule a demonstration!

It’s not surprising that B&W has yet again hit a home run with their latest product offerings.  Although the company is new to the headphone and computer speaker categories, you would never have guess that when you hear the new P5 headphones and MM1 computer speakers.

The P5 headphones, at $299, are perfect for around the house or travel.  They are beautifully designed both cosmetically and sonically.  They are an excellent match for connecting directly to an iPod / iPhone, or into your more sophisticated hi-fi system.  Other than just setting out to deliver a great sounding pair of headphones, it is very apparent that comfort was at the top of the priority list.  The P5′s give the feel of slipping on a tiny little pair of fluffy pillows that just happen to playback music!

At $499 a pair, the MM1 computer speakers may seem pricey for a “computer” speaker, but they are anything but a typical set of computer speakers.  Very stylish in design, very compact in footprint, these will look just as good as they sound next to your desktop monitor.  The audio performance is unbelievably good.  Rich full sound that delivers plenty of bottom end.  I have been VERY impressed!

We have both of these exciting new products from Bowers & Wilkins available for demo and ready to cash and carry right in time for Dad’s special day!

Make it a special one!

Eric Joy

ARE FINALLY HERE AND ON DISPLAY !!

Imagine your favorite recipe that you’ve been familiar with for years.  Now picture this: you change one or two ingredients, and then… POW! you’ve just improved the flavor 10-fold!  It’s not that your previous recipe was bad, but now the experience is much different.  That is the experience I witnessed today with the new 800-Diamond series loudspeakers!

I don’t want to discount the performance of any previous B&W loudspeaker over the years by any means, because I own a previous series (CDM-9NT, about 8 years old) that still sound amazing.  But the fact that the engineers at Bowers & Wilkins can improve on the previous premium 800-series with such a breathtaking new offering presents a statement that sets the benchmark once again, reminding us that they define the list of the absolute finest loudspeaker manufacturers in the world [and maybe even the universe!].

I want to share this experience, so I encourage all of you to listen to the new 800-Diamond series for yourselves.  Even if you are satisfied with your existing speakers, I encourage you to listen to the new 800-Diamond series.  And if you already own speakers from Bowers & Wilkins, you will grin with a cocky satisfaction that you own legendary speakers.  It will shock you how amazing these new speakers really are.

For more information on the new 800-Diamond series, click the following link:
http://www.bowers-wilkins.com/display.aspx?infid=4621

David Privitera

When using a single full-range speaker cable (not biwiring), the large amounts of bass energy carried withing the single cable has an adverse effect on the higher frequencies.  In a BiWire setup, the cable feeding the higher frequencies no longer handles the large magnetic fields caused by the high current needed to produce bass.  BiWiring does not affect the bass fundamentals, but allows the treble signal to now travel a less disturbed path.  It’s a bit like the difference between swimming through waves versus through smooth water.  Bass frequencies will sound better because bass definition is actually located in the midrange and higher frequencies.

It is always worthwhile to take advantage of the benefits of BiWiring when the speaker manufacturer has gone to the extra expense of providing this capability.  The performance benefits of reducing distortion in this way are substantial!

Audioquest, our go to cable provider has a significant range of BiWire speaker cables available.  Come visit our showroom to hear the advantages of BiWiring with your own ears.

Eric

With each passing year, we continue to see the trend of eliminating big floorstanding speakers in a dedicated home theater grow.  Emphasis on cosmetics, and maximizing floor space has become a top priority for our clients today.  Thankfully, our go to speaker manufacturer Bowers & Wilkins, is making it a priority as well, without sacrificing performance.

Meant to be heard and not seen, the B&W CT700 series is size and budget friendly, yet incorporate technology found in their most advanced speakers.

Our system NOT on display here at GHT consists of three CT7.4 as L/C/R and two CT7.5′s  for surrounds, all built into the columns of our room.  Behind the front wall, we pack the powerful punch of two CTSW10 subwoofers.  Because the subs are powered by an external amplifier, they have a depth of only 10.3 inches.  Your wife, just like mine, will appreciate not having that big subwoofer sitting out on the floor.

Also on display in the CT series are the CT8.4, and coming soon the CT8.2!

I personally like to see my theater speakers, my wife does not.  The B&W CT700 series makes it OK for me to let her be the boss.

Now available for test drives!

Eric
eric@georgiaht.com