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When Bowers & Wilkins announced its Formation line of wireless speakers, it was clear they were designed to be a conversation piece as well as a speaker. But that doesn’t mean they’re form over function. The Formation series consists of a pair of active powered speakers, a soundbar, a wireless subwoofer, an audio box and wireless speaker, and they all can work together in a multiroom system or as standalone devices. Using B&W’s proprietary wireless mesh network technology, called Formation Wireless Technology, the speakers can also stream up to 96/24-bit audio, which B&W claims this is twice the fidelity of many other high-end wireless speakers.
The Wedge ($900) is the small standalone speaker in B&W’s Formation series and it’s arguably the most interesting. It’s unmistakable with its 120-degree wedge-shaped design and woven grille. With the ability to play full-range stereo that can easily fill a room, it’s a cousin to the Sonos Play:5, but for serious audiophiles who also have a little more cash to splash.
The Good: The Wedge is an all-in-one speaker with five drivers that are each individually amplified, and it has no problem filling a room. Just like a Sonos speaker, the Wedge is also super easy to use. It works with Spotify Connect so you can stream music directly from the app, is Roon Ready, supports Bluetooth aptX, so your guests don’t need to be connected to wi-fi to play music, and supports Apple AirPlay 2 so you can group it with any other AirPlay speaker. Ultimately, it’s designed to play in a multi-room setup with B&W’s suite of other Formation speakers, but the flexibility is key, especially if you don’t want to spend any more money.
And while the design is certainly striking, the sound quality is definitely its standout feature. In my testing, I found myself revisiting older albums by Florence and the Machine, and the clarity of the midrange and vocals on tracks like “Spectrum” and “Breaking Dawn” were impressive. The Wedge has a built-in sub, too, so it’s able to bring the bass.
Who It’s For: You have to want a top tier, high-end wireless speaker with a bold design. Seriously, you better love that design. It’s also anything but cheap, so you have to be someone who is serious about hi-fi as well as speaker design.
