Bowers & Wilkins, founded in the UK in 1966, has been at the forefront of high-performance audio technology for more than 50 years. It designs and manufactures precision home speakers, headphones, custom installation and performance car audio products, and its products earned countless awards and accolades. Bowers & Wilkins joined the Sound United LLC family of brands in 2020 and this also means expanded global distribution and the possibility to explore new product segments, which helps explain the launch of the Panorama 3 soundbar, short after the introduction of an all-new, smarter Zeppelin Home Speaker.
For many years, Bowers & Wilkins loudspeakers have been used to create movie soundtracks for world-famous films such as Return Of The Jedi and Raiders Of The Lost Ark, to epics such as The Lord Of The Rings. So, it’s no surprise that the Bowers & Wilkins engineering team thought to establish a very "high bar" for the sound quality of the new Panorama 3 soundbar.
Bowers & Wilkins introduced its first soundbar, the Panorama, back in 2009. Named in tribute to two iconic film technologies from the golden age of cinema – Panavision and Cinerama – the Panorama defined a new concept for soundbar design by trying to offer the best possible sound quality from a single system, with no need for an external subwoofer or other add-ons.
In 2013, Bowers & Wilkins updated that successful original premise with the improved Panorama 2, which featured upgraded drive units for even better sound, plus HDMI inputs for easier connectivity.
The new Panorama 3 builds on the proven heritage of its two forebears. As with those models, it has been specifically designed to offer great sound from just one elegant component, with no need for an external subwoofer. Its elegant design and low profile, at just 2.5" in height, makes it easier to install, easier to set up, and easier to live with than most rivals.
Despite its slim proportions, Panorama 3 still features 13 individual drive units, including twin 4" subwoofers built-in for deep, extended bass, plus a mighty 400W of amplification. Inside the slim chassis there are also 3x 19mm (0.75") titanium dome tweeters, 6x 50mm (2") woven glass fiber cone bass/ midranges, and two 50mm (2") woven glass fiber cone Atmos drivers, making the Panorama 3 to be the first Bowers & Wilkins soundbar to feature true Dolby Atmos upwards-firing drive units. Specifically engineered and carefully angled to deliver optimal immersion, they’re accompanied by a sophisticated Dolby Atmos decoder and processor to deliver great sound from spatial audio soundtracks on TV, film, game and music streams.
Installation and set-up is simple and seamless with Panorama 3. Its low profile makes it easy to place on a piece of furniture in front of the TV without obstructing the bottom of the screen, with a metal wall bracket also included in the box for wall mounting if desired.
Streaming in High Resolution
As one would expect from a brand with such a rich history in stereo sound, the Panorama 3 also excels with music. It includes both AirPlay 2 and aptX Adaptive plus AAC Bluetooth support, so both iOS and Android users can easily stream their favorite music to it from their mobile devices. Spotify fans can also enjoy the convenience of Spotify Connect, ensuring both high-quality sound and convenient, easy operation.
For high-resolution listening plus the most seamless user experience, the new Panorama 3 also supports the Bowers & Wilkins Music App, giving listeners instant access to a host of streaming services including Deezer, Last.fm, Qobuz, Soundcloud, TIDAL and TuneIn. Connectivity for the soundbar includes HDMI eARC, Toslink digital audio input, RJ45 Ethernet and one USB-C connector that is reserved for service only.
Like its iconic Zeppelin stablemate, Panorama 3 has been engineered to last. Its powerful digital ‘brain’ can be upgraded over time, with multi-room capability planned for introduction shortly after launch. That will make it compatible with both other Panoramas or other Zeppelins in a multiroom environment or, even a multiroom system based on Bowers & Wilkins Formation products.
The Panorama 3 soundbar is now available for $999 USD from the Bowers & Wilkins website and select dealers.
www.bowerswilkins.com
