Bowers and Wilkins Formation Duo Speaker Review - Wireless HiFi
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- Опубліковано 28 вер 2024
- 🎯 Formation Duo 🇺🇸 bit.ly/2GXyWkq • bit.ly/46OB59a 🇬🇧 bit.ly/3JQPZlB
👉 QUESTIONS? Click THANKS☝️to highlight your question & give thanks for the help you receive
👀 for something? Click the 🛍 on screen or open the description box below to see more!
► SHOP BOWERS & WILKINS FORMATION SPEAKERS
Formation Duo
🇺🇸 bit.ly/2GXyWkq • bit.ly/46OB59a
🇬🇧 bit.ly/3JQPZlB
Formation Bar bit.ly/3rF5gdP
Formation Wedge bit.ly/3rDsuRx
► TESTING THE FORMATION DUOS
TVS
Sony X950G UHD Smart TV: amzn.to/2XCis8K
Vizio P Series Quantum (2019): amzn.to/30p5gRm
RECORD PLAYER
U-Turn Audio Orbit Plus Turntable: amzn.to/2G3KTRS
MUSIC
Amazon Music: amzn.to/2LG8b46
Spotify: amzn.to/2XEIk3B
► COMPARABLE POWERED SPEAKERS
KEF LS50 Wireless:bit.ly/37HOx27, amzn.to/32moR94
Devialet Phantom ii: bit.ly/3GY4AsJ
ELAC ARB51-GE: amzn.to/38YIwgt
Klipsch The Nines bit.ly/3If76wP
► FORMATION DUO REVIEW - Wireless HiFi
► MY REFERENCE AUDIO AND HOME THEATER SYSTEM
POWER
Naim Uniti Atom All In One Music System: bit.ly/NaimAtom
Musical Fidelity Integrated Amp: bit.ly/M5si
LOUDSPEAKERS
Q Acoustic Concept 300: bit.ly/3QBqOW2
Klipsch Heresy IV: bit.ly/heresyiv
Jamo S809: amzn.to/356tnK5
SPEAKER STANDS
Kanto Bookshelf Speaker Stands (budget): bit.ly/Kanto26
SolidSteel Speaker Stands (best): bit.ly/2VOs7p3
TURNTABLES/CARTRIDGES
Audio Technica LP140XP: amzn.to/33OfgXO
Cambridge Audio Direct Drive Turntable: bit.ly/AlvaCA
Ortofon 2M Black: bit.ly/Ort2MB
HEADPHONES
Sony WH-1000XM4: bit.ly/WH1000xm4
SOUNDBARS
SENNHEISER AMBEO: bit.ly/35yLQO1
TVs
LG 8K TV: bit.ly/LG8K99TV
Hisense H9G: bit.ly/H9GTV
TCL 6 Series: amzn.to/35Vn9NO
BLUETOOTH / DESKTOP SPEAKERS
Naim Mu-so V2: amzn.to/33ASZxI
Klipsch The Fives: bit.ly/fivesUS
► SHOP OUR LIVING ROOM
ARTICLE LEATHER CHAIR: bit.ly/NirvanaChr
ARTICLE SOFA: bit.ly/2HI6cMH
ART: bit.ly/howfaryt
TV / MEDIA CABINET: bit.ly/BDIMEDIA
EVERYTHING ELSE: bit.ly/ARdecor
► STAY CONNECTED
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FTC: This video is not sponsored. Some links above are affiliate, meaning we make a small percentage if you buy through the link but it won't change the price for you! Thank you for helping to support the channel.
#BW #bowersandwilkins #homeaudio
🎯 Formation Duo 🇺🇸 bit.ly/2GXyWkq • bit.ly/46OB59a 🇬🇧 bit.ly/3JQPZlB
👉 QUESTIONS? Click THANKS☝️to highlight your question & give thanks for the help you receive!
👀 for something? Click the 🛍 on screen or open the description box below to see more!
I don’t like using my phone as a remote control, does this system come with its own remote control ???
I’ve heard your review and I enjoyed it so much that I went to listen to them. And they sound so lively and it does not tired you down. I bought it and brought it home and compare it against my 804 nautilus with over 6k worth of amp and 2 k pre amp. This Formation speakers blew that way easily. Just want to say thank you for taking your time and explained these speakers. It convinced me. I bought it and now looking to sell my system and buy another set for my other room. Thank you, thank you.
Thank you for sharing! Happy listening!
is that a fair comparison tho? Those speakers are really old
@@oscillatingdailyaudio And...? :)
Revisiting this “vintage Andrew” video it’s interesting to note how he and Kristy improved the quality of their productions, which, btw, were already very good.
Great work!
Coming back to this review in 2024, I own 3 pairs of Duos in different rooms. I like them because of the way they make classical piano music sound, like you are in the room with the pianist. I own a Bluthner grand piano so I know how the instrument should sound, and these are magical. I was planning to buy a high end Naim system, but after hearing these I didn’t bother.
I had both the kef ls50 wireless 2 s and the formation duos. And i was switching back and forth from the kefs to the duos using Spotify connect and to me the duos are much better. Way more crisp sound and not fatiguing at all. The bass sounds superb. Similar to a subwoofer. Im sending the kefs back. The duos are more than worth it atleast to me.
I hope you’re still enjoying the Duos. I am thinking of making the move myself. Quick question. Can you connect the Duos via Bluetooth with a Bluetooth turntable or purchasing the Formation audio device is unavoidable?
Thanks
If you get the duos just make sure to get the stands and they will stay cool or warm to the touch at the base. You could possibly lift them from the surface where ever you have them. But if you have them on a table or console they will get really hot to the touch.
They connect through Bluetooth. I use them for surround sound my LG tv connect to them. There's no lag in the dialogue. Movies sound great. I like them. I use Spotify connect. And I have the formation bass and it's a good musical bass.
@@Ramon-lp8fp I am thinking of connecting them to my laptop via Bluetooth (hope no latency there). I watch movies and listen to music through my computer anyway which is connected on a big screen.
My only fear is support as. Company’s faith on the product given its poor sales performance . I live in London I must have called literally over 20 B&W stores and no one stocks them. A few also told me they used to but not anymore as they were hard to sell. I guess it’s a failed product which is awkward given how great some of the reviews are. I hope its future is not short lived.
@@gpapa31 maybe just wait they might release a formation duos second gen or somethin . I know kef launched there wireless standing speakers. It seems that more companies will probably launch more similar style speakers. In the United States they launched the duos @ 3999$ then raised the price to 4999$ maybe sales were better here. Cause it wouldnt make sense to raise the price on a product that is selling poorly as that would seem to slow sales even more.
@@Ramon-lp8fp I know purists will hate me for saying this but IMHO wireless active is the future of HiFi. It will only get better and gradually, through generations, will put aside the traditional amp + preamp + DAC + passive speakers + wires everywhere. I am not saying it will completely replace the philosophy but it will become like vinyl and CD is to streaming in terms of sound quality and efficiency triggering endless debates on forums and blogs about which one sounds better.
So this is the 2nd pair of speakers that I have purchased Solely on your reviews!! Yikes ! These maybe my end game .. again your review is spot on the question is what do I do with the Denton 85s that I love so much but these bw duos are .. uhm .. awesome thank you for all you do and love your reviews
Nice review but won’t leave my Nautilus 805’s with my McIntosh Amp. They sound good for the last 15 years and no need to firmware upgrade. Timeless like an automatic watch. Maybe I can use this in my office.
Just ordered a pair of Kef LS50 wireless after months of research. Thanks for making me question my decision. :)
I wouldn't. Enjoy your KEF speakers!
When you start adding up components and subs etc., the value of these starts to make sense. You should really try to get a pair of Forte III's in
A lot of people will likely balk at the $4K pricetag, but like you said, once you start adding up all the extra costs, they're actually a fairly good deal. Thanks for tuning in!
I'm not avoiding the Forte III. I get asked to review the Forte IIIs every day, literally. It simply wasn't a request I felt I had to respond to. Give me a break, not everything is a conspiracy you and you alone are capable of uncovering.
@@andrewrobinsonreviews You can only compare a speaker to what you have experience with and no-one can possibly experience every speaker someone else has. I only brought up the Forte because the qualities you liked in the Formation DUO are there in spades with the Forte III so I thought it may be a speaker you would really enjoy. I didn't mean it as bait for the conspiracy theorists, sorry LOL! Looks like that comment is gone though.
Having said that, I know you have heard A TON of great speakers so your glowing opinion of the DUO's has a lot of value to me even though you have not heard some speakers I also like.
We have to digest all of these reviews within the correct context, my friends. Andrew Robinson has done a great job of detailing where he is coming from and that is very valuable as you watch these reviews/opinions etc.
Before taking any UA-camrs opinion as gospel or just too literally, we should think about it within the context of that reviewers experience and overall opinion of the subject at hand. Also, even if every review could include counter-points to any question or competitive product someone may think or ask about, that would make for a very long, very boring video!!
My conspiracy response was not directed at you. It was meant for another user who will no longer be joining us in discussions on this channel. I appreciate your comment(s) and am looking into a Forte review in the future. Best!
I have these. They look better in white. They are everything as good as Andrew says. Stunning sound. So simple. Rock solid. 10 stars.
In some of the hi-fi forums many people complain about the formation duo having constant drop outs because of the app. And at that price tag this is really unacceptable. Are you having these problems too?
Still have them? Thoughts Jon?
I'm buying these because of this review! With the sub added.
So let us know how they are?
@@pvtcmyers87 Definitely! I'm getting the sound bar first for my TV, then these for music later!
@jez, doe the sub really add spice to the duo?
How doesn’t this guy have a few million subscribers... literally the most informative, interesting and well edited and great content out there. I see the most dumbest channels with millions of a free hundred million subs. Quite odd. I can’t stop watching.
It is too bad you don't include some music with your reviews...I have a pair of B&W DM6 Speakers which I love and have now paired them with Fluance Signature series bookshelf speakers...which are great...they even produce a pretty good strong Bass...I have been an audofile before your were even born and at 82 I still enjoy vinyl , cds and r2r tape....enjoy your videos very much..
thank you for the review. I've been trying to figure out a new home audio only design and after watching this I bit the bullet and went and bought the Formation Duos, the Formation Audio and the Formation wedge to go along with it. product wasn't in stock so i wont take delivery for two weeks but they let me crank the store models to 11, the whole store was happy, they are flipping amazing.
Great review Andrew! I recently auditioned the formation suite of speakers after your review, very impressed. So impressed, I bought the whole line.The only thing I was not able to sample, was a turntable being played through the duo speakers, how does it sound with a turntable?? Again, great review, appreciate the detail. Keep up the great work!
Scott Welch Hi Scott, as a new owner of the Duos, what is your opinion? Any regrets or are you loving them?
Hi Steve, after a couple months of use, I am really enjoying the duos. No regrets.
Great, happy listening! 👌
Very exciting! As a lazy person who likes good music, I hop that one day I'll be wealthy enough to afford these!
It would be good to have a bit of context to what you mean by better than the 800 series. I've heard 803's and 802's and they beat the duo's quite easily in my opinion. If you're talking about the stand mounts, fair enough. Not tried them and I'll take your word for it. As I mentioned in another comment on here I ended up getting the 702's over these. For the size of my room and the amplification I have they sound better to me. The duo's sounded better in store though so I'm glad I did a home demo.
How is it possible for internal, most likely class D amps to sound as good as a quality, external $2k amp? Agree that DSP, tuning,etc can be great. However class D, switching amps generally don’t sound the same. Your review has me curious and appreciate the overall, personal sound perspective that you included along with comparison thoughts. Nicely done review.
great review andrew - i've auditioned about 60 loudspeakers since the beginning of the year across MANY brands for my 2 channel / HT build and my favorite has been the 800 D3 thus far - after hearing this, i will definitely check these out for another application in my house - keep the content coming !
Interesting concept high end wireless audio. But I purchased the 805 d3 before the announcement of the Formation Duo. I am very satisfied with the silky smooth treble the d3 is delivering! And I think it is hard to believe that the Duo speakers is better in this regard... Anyways, I am thinking of the Devialet Pro 200 amplifier. Expensive, but as I understand this Devialet amp has a good DAC included, and streaming out of box is also possible. So, one stylize box (Devialet amp) gives more functions and also less costly cables are required.
Devialet makes killer amps or all-in-one solutions so I doubt you'll be disappointed! Enjoy your 805 Ds!
I run McIntosh C-47 / MC-152 into my 805d3’s. Match made in heaven. If these speakers are so wonderful why is there not a single online review where you can hear them? Makes me suspicious.
But do you like them?
Pffft not as good as my pair of echo dots and echo sub.
Truth.
It's amazing how long actives have existed and finally, major makers are producing them. "On paper" they're superior to passive speakers for obvious reasons. Now adding other connectivity and such, and that's win win win. The B&W Formation Duo should be an active 805 for that kinds $, but I have no doubt they sound great.
1. what is MY budget? 2. what are MY needs? those are the only 2 ?'s i ask myself when buying ANYTHING (house, car, clothes, audio, video, food, appliances, phone, vacation, pots & pans, etc.). bashing/defending/justifying to (or at) others is a waste of time. i am over the moon happy w/ my formation duos.
I see there are no replies to any technical questions so may I ask you. Would I be able to connect these up with my Yamaha piano keyboard? Of course, it is the quality sound I am seeking. What is your opinion on this Sam? Thank you.
Thank you Andrew for your detail review on B&W Formation Duo speakers... for similar price range, how would you compare these with a pair of Devialet Phantom I 103dB speakers? i'm very curious...
Hi Andrew, several years later, how do the formation duo compare to the Kef LS60 and other available power speakers of today. Also, if your intention is to build a multi-room system with the formation flex, how does that compare to using the LS60+two pairs of LSX II? Any other multi room systems you’d suggest?
BluOS is a valuable alternative 😉
Thanks for great vid Andrew! I am currently planning a speaker upgrade, but I have not considered powered speakers until now. The Formation duo seems like a tempting alternative. I would have to add the Formation Audio for my turntable setup. The biggest con about the Formation duo is, as I see it, the app. I currently use Tidal hifi and cannot understand why they have not integrated this in the formation app, or direct play trough the TIdal app. Even if Roon solves the problem, it is still both pricy and inconvenient to have to use multiple apps. Do you have any info or thoughts about how soon B&W will include Tidal Hifi in the app, and maybe even locally stored music files? Thanks again, Kristoffer.
Do you think the duo formation is perfect first pair of speakers for the living room? Or should I stick to the old classic loudspeakers? My dad currently is still using the DM602, and it’s still amazing!
Kef wireless 50 first
I hv been using the Bowers 804 D2 for years. Auditioned the duo recently, the duo's clarity cannot beat 804's diamond tweeters that produce extreme high clarify... Also, the 804D has more layer/depth significantly. Having said so, the duo's mid and low can be roaring!
Great review Andrew, loved it!
I wonder how the new KEF LS50W 2 ($1500 cheaper) stack up against these? Is the jump in price really worth it?
I auditioned the kef ls50w 2. The duos has much better sound stage and deeper lingering bass
I have to say, WOW! I didn’t expect you to be so impressed with these, given that they’re two-way bookshelf speakers.
I have a pair of old B&W CDM1 SE bookshelf speakers that are quite picky about the source production quality. My current budget doesn’t allow for an upgrade but they’re still making me happy. I had to add an SVS SB1000 sub and using a Crown class D amp to drive them. I’m using my SMSL SU-9 as my preamp. I’ll be able to upgrade everything in the future but this is it for now. Ahhh, the life of a poor audiophile... 😁
@Andrew Robinson, I am so grateful for finding you in my hour of need. Gearing up for a milestone birthday gift to myself. I am considering my options and there are many. If I may, I have a two-part question. Are the B&W Formation Duo Loudspeakers too much for a 156 square ft. listening space... and is the Cambridge Audio Alva TT Turntable compatible without additional components? Thank you.
Does pairing the Formation Bar with the Formation Duo require the Formation Amp to be connected? Also do the Formation speakers work without the Formation Amp in-case using for MultiRoom application with all Formation speakers?
yes! I have the Bar, Duos, and Bass all in one big media room. and you don't need to formation Audio to play them all together in perfect sync. However you can't connect the duos to a TV even if your formation bar is connect via optical. and you also cant use the formation duo as rears. basically the app will consider the duos apart from the bar and bass, however there is a feature that can stream all speakers and it works great that way. and you can even adjust the volumn seperately between the systems. Still consider the formation audio for analog and optical inputs though
It’s sad we can’t use the duo in front speakers with the bar as a central speakers. The lack of lossless 5.1 or Atmos is also a deal breaker to me. I would love B&W to find a solution to use all their Formation Speakers as we want in 5.2.4 for example as long as the customer wants it. I could agree to spend this money on duos if I can also use them in my 5.1.2 configuration. I can’t afford having a movie speaker configuration and a music speaker configuration. And I think I’m not Aline, cause the Formation doesn’t have a great success even with their speakers quality. They have to think to a better integration..?
Not sure if you would know this. But do I need the formation audio to connect duos to my Sony A9F? Also do you think it’s valid to have this (expensive) hifi 2.0 setup in a TV audio world that has stuff like Atmos
I went and seen these at a local retailer. They look like cheap plastic, I’m really surprised. I couldn’t even focus on the sound because they looked like they came from the bottom shelf of a Walmart clearance isle.
Very interesting. Let's say I could stretch my budget to purchase something in this price range, and assume that I fall in love with the sound (still looking for a local place to audition), do these make sense as a stretch-the-budget-and-keep-them-for-a-decade kind of thing?
I just picked up the formation duo’s the bass And the formation audio
How do they sound?
@@bertraminc9412 real nice
do you think the duos need the sub or that the sub really adds that much value ?
@@karanbangera5969 I think the sub helps it definitely adds to the dimension
I haven't been able to find anything confirming that the Duo supports MQA yet you mention Tidal Masters and 24/96 in the same sentence. Am I missing something?
B&W's own website talks about the Formation Duo's 24/96 playback capability right on the main page.
Hi Andrew. How do you feed Tidal MQA music to the Duos? I've been looking at a way ti do it, but I can't see anything in the instructions - e.g. native streaming as with the Kef Wireless speakers. I can only see lower protocols like Airplay and Bluetooth
I too have this question
roon
I was very interested in these until I found out they only did 24bit/96KHz audio. That's a deal breaker for me. At this pricing level there is no excuse, none, for not doing 24bit/192KHz natively.
You think you would be able to tell the difference between the same recording in 24bit/96KHz and 24bit/192KHz...?
@@gb3496 I don't think. I know. I have my own recording studio and have mixed and mastered hundreds, perhaps as many as a thousand recordings. But that really is beside the point. Asking whether or not one can tell the difference is the wrong question. Where do you draw the line? If 24/96 is good enough for you then why not 16/44.1? I mean if you can't tell the difference. Or why not lossy compression like mp3 since many people can't even pass a double blind test with that? These speakers cost FOUR GRAND for a pair and most cheap DACs can do 24/192 pretty competently without breaking a sweat. You might have a point if you could waltz into Walmart and pick up a pair of these for a couple hundred bucks.
The issue is one of fidelity. With the sampling rate capped at 96KHz the spectral content tops out at half that, or 48KHz (half the Nyquist rate). Everything over 48KHz is lost. You might be thinking, we can't hear frequencies above 20KHz so what's the big deal? The big deal is that many, if not most audio recordings have spectral content that extends well beyond 50KHz. I have some 1/4 inch tapes that go out to 70KHz. The frequency response of most phono cartridges extends out 60KHz or more. Many vinyl records have spectral content out to 60KHz as well. So, if I am going to invest in a high fidelity vinyl rig and spend money on high fidelity digital content (MQA, 192KHz, DXD, etc) then I damn well expect my loud speakers to be of comparable fidelity and not the lowest common denominator. Putting it another way, the B&Ws cannot match the fidelity of a typical vinyl record. That is why I passed them over and bought a pair of KEF LS50 Wireless II's instead, which do 24bit/192KHz natively and have better high frequency response. The B&Ws go lower. I paired my KEFs with a SVS SB-4000 subwoofer. If fidelity is not a make or break issue for you and you are prepared to accept the compromise of 24/96 then jump right in. What I think doesn't matter since someone buying the B&Ws isn't buying them to please me. I can only tell you what is important to me, which may or may not be important to someone else.
@@CrazyAboutVinylRecords so what did u get?
@@michaelmich00 As I said in my earlier comment: KEF LS50 Wireless II. I paired them with a SVS SB4000 subwoofer. Very, very happy with the decision.
@@CrazyAboutVinylRecords cool! ill try his little brother lsx tomorrow
If... you are a fan of MQA the Formation Duo will seem a bit weird. Optimized for Bluetooth and/or Airplay, even the Formation audio doesn’t support MQA. Roon will give you the first unfold. Not particularly hi res friendly. To be clear, not a criticism, personally I look for well mastered recordings and don’t worry too much about the resolution... (... and Tidal doesn’t license my favourite label, Chesky).
Am looking forward to the first comparisons between these and the soon to be released Buchardt active.
This is a great review!! But I somehow want to sample a short music through these speakers on this video. Of course, the sonic quality on UA-cam will never be the same. But still . . . . :)
Yeah, I'm not going to be doing that, plus I don't want a copyright strike either. A lot of these channels doing audio demos are playing with fire and could find their channels suddenly turned off.
@@andrewrobinsonreviews Oh, that's why. Thanks.
I've got a formation sound bar and sub. How will they pair with the duo? will it be better than just having the duo?
Andrew, thank your postings and reviews. I just recently discovered you & them, as such, and I find them informative and I enjoy your perspective. Specifically about these B&W Duos, I am intrigued & also more unsure about my upgrade plans. I was in the market for B&W 700 series floor standers & was zeroing in on the 702, 703, or 704 s2. My goal is to elevate my existing 5.1 system, which is currently an all B&W bottom of the line from many years ago book self system- four M-1s, center channel, and sub, now driven by a Sony STR-ZA1000ES. I want to upgrade the two front to a fuller, higher quality, more decidedly audiophile B&W experience for two channel enjoyment yet also integrate into my 5.1 setup. This review has thrown me for a loop.. The big question is would it be ridiculous to try to integrate the formation duos into a more traditional passive speaker a/v situation?
I bought these, the Bass, and Audio, after I saw the review. I couldn’t tell you much about how they sound, as it just wasn’t possible to get sound to be produced for more than a very short time. To get airplay to work, you can’t leave or change the music app, or it shuts off and have to restart the device to get it to play again after that. I couldn’t get it to play anything at all through Room, and when connecting the tv through the optical and the Audio, it sounded like so much digital reverb had been added that it was not listenable, and the surround setting made that sound even worse. Obviously it’s not for someone wanting something that’s plug and play, either to set up, or to use. Setup was horrible to get the app to find the items, then to update the software, many times it was if I had not paired them, and then suddenly they did show up. The product looks nicely built, but the rest of it makes the product compelelty useless for its intended purpose. When I could get music to play, there was no way to adjust volume, and after the speakers were set up, could not find the setting to adjust the sound any more.
Thank you for the information. I am not interested in buying wireless speakers. Call me old-fashioned, but I want speakers wires/cables connected to my speakers.
I don't get people that use AIRPLAY for these type of hi fi speakers. You might as well be using bluetooth. You should be using Roon and nothing else...
Convienece. I did try roon, but just could not make it work.its more complicated to set up and use. If it’s not super easy, it’s not for me. Now if I knew someone that really k ew it and spent the time to show me, maybe, but I tried following some UA-cam tutorials also, and I just could not get it done. I want Apple iTunes easy. There’s no real reason why it can’t be, good programing can make it happen, but it seems that’s the weak point on many of the types of things. They’re geared more towards the computer enthusiast with a higher level of desire and knowledge to learn and figure these things out. I don’t fix my own cars anymore, I put in the key and start it, it goes. If it dosnt, I need a different car, lol
Funny thing is most would attribute that method of use(wireless) with the younger crowd. I’m 59, so no spring chicken.
@@stephenbarnes8817 I think it is super easy and I'm almost 40, but understanding ALL of the functions can be a bit confusing- I will give you that. But it's not hard to login to Tidal and or Qobuz and play a track. My wife can do it ;) However, I understand you want a plug and play- Airplay setup type system. I just would think users would want the best sound quality available when spending that kinda of cash on speakers.....
Hi great review. How do they compare against devialet phantoms?
Cheers Jens
Unfortunately that I do not or would not know as I didn’t have a pair of the Phantoms to test alongside the Formation speakers, sorry. Thank you for watching though and be well!
Andrew, quick challenge question. I am looking to get a new system (i will most likely stream). That said I love the look of the Technics SU-G700 and I am thinking of pairing them with Buchardt S400 with a Bluesound 2i as the streamer (the SL-G700 break the bank). Then I saw your review of these speakers. I know this is subjective but would love your thoughts on pro and cons on which one your would prefer. I don't blast music and live in mid size apt. If you find the time would appreciate your thoughts. I am stuck at home and I am obsessing about this:)
If I want a powered speaker I pull out my old original powered Advent speakers. I remember the B&W Nautilus speakers and they were interesting but not the best I heard. After living with electrostatic speakers for years all conventional dynamic speakers sound colored to me.
Hey I was currently doing some research on a bunch of loudspeakers - most of them being active since I am one of those firm believers that technology and DSP is good enough today that you can still achieve astonishing results without so much fuss....In any case - do you have something in a similar price range that is worth looking into you could suggest?? Prior on discovering this I thought (even tho completely different) klipsch (forte iii e.g.) may be a good starting point for HQ - Audiophile systems....(a friend is really satisfied and suggested it - aside from the amp etc. jazz) - atm I do enjoy listening to Genelec/ Adam audio 5/ 7 inch active monitors at my workplace - maybe that helps a bit as a reference point) Thank you very much for any advice in advance!! Keep up the good work ;) Love ur videos!!
Be still, my heart... Andrew actually admits that streaming music can sound good (or great, as most folks will confirm). Perhaps some day he might even stop rationalizing his support of "dinosaur victrolas," with their ridiculous inconvenience and horrendous surface noise...
Sound like a class D amp perfectly match with the speakers
Hi, would you choose the B&W formation duos & hub vs the Q acoustics concept 500 with the Naim Uniti Atom? You praise both :) I have the voice to get both at the same price . Thanks
I wonder how these would do compared to some genuine recording studio speakers like the HEDD Type 20's ?
Hey, Andrew, I'm currently looking at 2 turntables right now, the House of Marley Stir it Up turntable, and the U-Turn Orbit custom, the only upgrade being the Ortofon om5e cartridge, I personally don't care for the acrylic platter. Which one would you recommend? Thanks.
Can only recommend the U-Turn Audio Orbit table as I have not listened to the Marley myself.
I'd love to have them for my turntable!
I loved 'em with mine! Thanks for tuning in!
Is the bass accurate, or is there some psycho acoustic trickery involved?
Very accurate. Very deep. Very, very good!
I'm no expert, but I will suggest that acoustic trickery is very much involved and it's called DSP. It's benefits are hard to deny, yet there is a price to pay in the way of augmented sound effects to include phase manipulation and various subtle artifacts that spice the frequency response.
How does it compare to my floor-stand B&W603S3 in terms of sound quality? I'd like to upgrade but not much sure...
He pretty much said they are at the level of the floor standing 800 series so I think that means formation Duo.
he said they were maybe the finest speakers and your asking about the entry level series....shouldn't be hard to answer your own question with a bit of listening..lol
Great video! I have a question regarding the formation duo speakers. Would I be able to use these as side surrounds in a 5.1 set up? I have 2 702 s front speakers, 1 HTM71 for center speaker and SVS Sb16 ultra subwoofer all connected to the Denon x6700h AV receiver. I wanted to use wireless side surrounds to avoid running wires through the room.
Don't think that would be possible with these but I'm not 100%. Remember, they're not truly wireless, you still need to plug them in to a wall outlet.
You need the formation audio analog connection
christian cova I have the Audio. It put bout 40ms input delay in the system.
The Formation set up allows you to add a sound bar, sub-woofer and rear channel to Duo as front L/R. You can built up to a very flexible surround sound system, although I have not seen a 7.1 Dolby setup with them. Mixing and matching legacy equipment is doubtful. Also I don't immediately see would I would connect digitally from my source - a computer - digitally 5.1 as the only surround output is on the HDMI or USB.
The Duo can not be used as Front left right in a surround sound system with other Formation components. The Bar supports front left right and centre.
Steve Guttenberg review descibes the sound in detail..
I stopped listening at "steamed only" audio. But seriously, I have to say no soup for B&W. Even though I've coveted this brand throughout my audiophile years, I can say that these won't be on my need to buy list anytime soon list. B&W seems to have missed the boat in "pulling an Apple" in which nothing will work unless you commit to their entire ecosystem.
The whole point of a powered speakers is first and foremost its plug & play simplicity. Unfortunately, when you add a bunch of boxes and peripherals to that formula you defeat the purpose and end up back at square one, e.g how is the box any different from the need of a preamp or receiver? You might have an up-to-date TV, but you old phonograph or tape deck left over from days past still need assistance. If that's the case you're out of luck without the box making it pretty much a necessary part of the system.
In any event, the fact that you need to invest in additional piece of very expensive proprietary equipment just to make these speakers compatible with all you audio devices just means the minimalism of a powered speaker is defeated. Maybe that wouldn't be so bad if the box gave buyers extra feature beyond the connectivity to basics devices, but that's not the case here. Instead, these are the connection that are pretty much universal, and that everybody needs. I suppose B&W is only interested in catering to a unique clientele of up-and-coming techno consumers; and if that the case, these speakers should fit quite nicely within the lifestyle of that narrow group of individuals.
Good point
So I want to buy them , what else do I need to be able to stream tidal music from my smarthone to them ? 2x Speakers aaand ?
You can Bluetooth or Airplay to them straight from your phone. Just download the app once you have them.
@@andrewrobinsonreviews you mentioned the
bowers wilkins formation audio. Do I nessercerly need that ?
Only if you want to connect other or 3rd party components. If you’re just streaming from your phone, tablet or computer you should be fine with just the speakers.
Very very good review I enjoyed every minute of it, nevertheless, design is one of the most ugliest thing I have ever seen in my music career. Especially with the stand!
Would be perfect if it had digital inputs like the $1300 (used on Amazon ) KEF LS50 Wireless. As it is, not worth $2400.
It has digital inputs. You just need to buy to box first.
I wonder how the new 705 signature stack up against these? With a db4s..
We reviewed the 705 Signature speakers. You should watch that review and find out.
@@andrewrobinsonreviews You have? Thought it was the 702 signatures you reviewed?
really???? please audition willson audio and yg acoustic speakers, and then reconsider your opinion
I said they were as good as the aforementioned brands, and second, I have auditioned (owned) Wilson and the like so no further auditions required. But thanks for watching!
@@andrewrobinsonreviews ok, fair enough :)
Genelec?
Good company, that makes good speakers too!
@@andrewrobinsonreviews And how would their powered Genelec 8331 SAM compare, at $5000?
Not sure, haven't demoed them together or even demoed a Genelec speaker in probably 3-4 years.
High quality review, thanks. I’m crushing hard on these speakers.
I am interested as well, but I struggle with the idea of investing in something where there is just an app to control it. No one knows the future, so what ensures there is a app available in say 5 years or that said app is compatible with my choice of phone. I am also considering some offerings from B&O, like B&W they have an app however they also offer a remote.
PS. Is it just me or are the stands for the Duo's a bit on the pricey side.
@@bzdtemp I follow you. Im uncertain about everything people are talking about software and stuff. And, when people in the comment section say that you will need the the stands because of the venttilatuon, and this ventilation costs 700$ for some pure metal? hmm, getting sceptical. And one more thing. Why isn’t Andrew here answering the hard questions?
Andrew isn't "here" because as you stated in another comment, Sverre, this video is from 2019. I don't tend to monitor comments on 3 year old videos. To address your concerns: The B&W stands that are not included but designed to go with these speakers, facilitate proper wiring of the speakers as the inputs are located on the bottom of the speakers which means they will not be compatible with all stands.
If you have questions you can ask them but please know that on videos this old, it is unlikely that I will see them.
Posso colocar formação duo em uma estante sem suporte?vão aquecer?
@@andrewrobinsonreviews
It has an old one Bluetooth contact
Remember...Reviewer = salesman
If only that were true, maybe I'd earn a commission and not have to do all this work for free.
Andrew Robinson well watch New Record Day’s drop today. Cringeworthy
So...no way to connect them to a PC, turntable or a TV via wire(why act like this is a plus?), the app's rating on play store is 2/5 and the last update to it is about a year ago. Hardly a bargain for 3000 €
They have wired Ethernet. So if you can send audio from a PC via Ethernet. uPnP perhaps. TV can plug into Formation Bar or Formation Audio. If the PC sound card includes fibre optic output that can go into the Formation audio. Turntable needs a phono stage amp and plugs into the Formation Audio.
This is why I hate your reviews. I want to sell my car and buy these speakers. You are are so passionate and your reviews are so compelling. Thank you.
Not going to lie, you had me in the first half.
I have a pair of the B&W Formation Duo's and every time I turn them on they say "Exterminate! Exterminate!" and sometimes "You will obey!". Weird, huh?
Definitely one of your most convincing videos. and about liking a speaker. I just realized it is from July 2019. Do you still stand by the Formation Duo? I recently decided to upgrade from my cheap Yamaha speakers and Mini Rigs and bought a PS Audio Sprout 2 to get started. Intended to buy speakers in the 2-$4k range. Should I send the Sprout back or have you uncovered a passive Formation Duo-like alternative?
I literally bought these speakers (whole hog; a full B&W formation integration across our house) off the back of this review.
...naturally following a solid demo. But couldn’t agree more with you on performance and ‘infectiousness’
Had not the chance to audition these speakers locally and decided to buy them based on reviews like this. Got a pair, defective tweeter, airplay connection unstable to say the least, app is a joke. Got them replaced and in the meantime the app got some updates. If you want them to work properly you need to use their app. Forget about airplay, there’s pops and glitches all the time, no matter the wifi access point one uses. Bluetooth works better but forget about multiroom. First and last B&W product I buy.
well they are probably using a Hypex Ncore or ICE amplifier inside, I would like to see how they sound compare to the LS50W, Great review thanks brother
I wouldn't have considered myself as "into" powered loud speakers simply because I enjoyed all the other "gear" that is needed to run passive speakers, it was just fun to me to have all this extra "stuff" to run speakers and make them sound great..... until I hooked up my new Klipsch The Fives - it completely changed the way I look at my audio system and components. I used to have the B&W 802s as my bucket list speaker to someday have, and now I find myself looking more at something like this as a replacement for the 802s on my bucket list??? I still love the way the 802s look, but I have had a major change in mindset since hooking up The Fives (which I'm sure aren't even close to these, yet I still find them amazing -to me) and seeing what can be done with a powered loudspeaker. Thanks for the awesome review, I can't believe I hadn't seen this one until now! As always, keep up the great work the two of you do... and Thank You!
I’ll stick with my lowly Klipsch speakers BUT if I need that fix for that utmost orgasmic sound. I would not spend $3000 on this pair. I’d get in my car, visit the Kit Kat Jazz lounge during the week when crowds are minimum. And for the price of a drink, enjoy a jazz ensemble deliver to me that sound I so desperately need......nah, what the heck, I’ll buy them 😂
Would be great to hear your comparison og these to the Burchardt A500?…
Great review. Would be great if you could compare to the newly launched Buchardt A500 ;) all the best
I think the Buchardts are going to kick the B&Ws to the floor...
Yes lets compare to the buchardts a500 please
@Andrew Robinson - maybe have a look at the Buchardt A500s and A700s. I think they kick the B&Ws a bit... Warranty is longer; multiple audio frequency profiles; compatible with multiple transmitters.
A500s similarly priced to the B&Ws, A500s much more powerful by means of Amp and processor power.
...For sure the Buchardts kick the B&Ws.
Sounds like DSP made this speaker full range. Great review
I was VERY surprised when I looked at the Formation Audio to pair with these and add some functionality, that it didn't have HDMI eARC. If you're looking at changing an ecosystem and way of thinking, in MY opinion, that would have been something almost necessary on the Formation Audio? Hopefully that is coming in the future for these from B&W. I was able to listen to the Duos and was amazed..... but also, equally amazed at the lack of the eARC on the Formation audio. I'm sure I'm missing something here, but to me, it seems like that would have been a no brainer for them on the Audio.
I'd love to hear and see off between the B&W Formation and the KEF LS 50 II, or maybe even LS 60 ? any chance you can make that happen?
It's the same story with almost any B&W product: good performance with crazy disconnected from reality prices. I really don't get what is the target market for these speakers. Pro studio users won't pay $4k for a B&W product (they use real pro brands like Genelec) and audiophiles will never use a powered monitor because they love pres and amps... it doesn't make any sense.
There are many who love the sound but are turned off by typical audiophile equipment. Plug em in, connect them (like every other device in your home), stream away and enjoy.
I agree that this product seems to be going after an extremely niche market (audiophiles who don’t want speakers that can actually be hooked up to stuff). However I disagree with your assessment of B&W’s pricing. Something like the 606 is very well-priced and outperforms most other speakers in its price range.
Audiophiles like me do use active products.. the amp is made specifically to drive the speakers.. studios are so far ahead of public hifi.. you can carry on trying to match amps to your speakers if you like though. You 'audiophile' you ;-)
Damn it...I hate you...trading everything in buying this system...I will be forwarding you my new found alimony bill😂
Are you gonna review Devialet?
Hi Andrew, have you compared it with a LS50 wireless ii? Do share your point of view, thanks a lot
So refreshing to watch someone that doesn't require 500 cuts in editing to make a video watchable. You sir are a reviewing God.
After watching this video, I ordered a pair of these without even seeing (let alone listening to) them prior to the purchase.
I am very grateful and would like to Thank you wholeheartedly for your review.
Nice review! I wonder how they compare against Buchardt A500?
Good question! I'd like to know too!
@@andrewrobinsonreviews I would also love to see your review regarding A500 and to hear how does it compare to Formation Duo - please make us happy, please ;)
Thanks for the good quality production. Excellent for mentioning you don’t need a sub with these as that I was quite worried about. I‘m definitely planning a listening session at the local Hi-Fi hub.
@Andrew Robinson, you have my resting audiophile juices running again. It has been 20 years since my last major audio purchase. Discovering you on IG and your UA-cam channel has been a godsend; I think. At the moment I own 0 vinyl records and my CD collection is for shit. Since I am already a Tidal subscriber, I'm thinking a digital system with music streaming is my next ticket in. I really enjoyed your review of the B&W Formation Duo Loudspeakers. Before I pull the trigger, will you be reviewing the Buchardt A500s anytime soon?
Buchardt decided not to send us his new speakers so we have no plans to review them.
@@andrewrobinsonreviews What a shame. :-(
Your Sony tv probably delayed the video to cover the Bluetooth lag.
Can i ask how you listened to tidal masters on these im about to pull the trigger on some but ive read they dont unpack MQA you have to listen to 24/96 flac files..great channel been watching for years but only subscribed today because this review...
These are the best speakers I've ever heard - okay, besides this crazy expensive set up (12k+/pair) we heard at Whetstone Audio one time. That said - these B&W's are definitely my favorite of all the ones Andrew's had in house for review. They really are THAT GOOD. He just plugged them back in after a couple of weeks listening to another pair and I knew INSTANTLY they were back, while in another room. They are sooooo good I happy danced when I realized they were back.
I was going to get the kef LS 50s Metas but I went with these something about these just drew me in
God they ugly as hell tho
They look like a 1960s robot from space
Futurama …day the earth stood still …like a speaker that Kong shat out…hideous
Is that a karaoke machine with detachable microphone???…ok I’ll stop…
I am glad to see this review. I heard these tucked away in a corner at Best Buy and in that poor acoustic setting, I stopped in my tracks and sat and stared at them. I have owned many Paradigm, B&W, Wharfedale, Dynaudio, and KEF speakers. The B&W Duo's are shockingly good.
Sorry but I think ls50w much more worth for the money. No joke I own both and also gold phantom pair. I don't think in terms of value these two can beat ls50w, as a owner, for me(and some of my friends) ls50w are the same level with these two with even more open sound and expansive soundstage and can always hook up a subwoofer for extreme low frequency. $4000 is too much for me, even tho I own it I may sell it in a while. How is it possible with $4000 price tag when ls50w and elac navis at $2000 but they are the same level of sound quality, for example when duo wins in bass and detail, ls50w wins in soundstage, airy and micro dynamic, and navis does extreme good mid range and warm presentation. Same situation with gold phantom, I think duo and gold phantom are not worth for their price, The midrange and airy feeling of gold phantom is no where come close to rivals, and soundstage I can say(as A Real Owner) it's among the worse, not saying it's not deep, but not refined and a bit "fake" feeling. I don't know how elac and kef are able to make such good product with that price, when u see through the market and try out the rivals....they just reflects the worth of these two speakers.
interesting, so yo have the formation's and the ls50??? I
@@oscillatingdailyaudio Yea I own both. I own the ls50w as bedroom speaker for a while. B&W is my no.1 favourite brand in terms of speaker so I purchased the duo pair since it launch. It's 9 months since I owned them both and I don't change my mind that ls50w is more worth of money(still duo is better in low end and still it's worth for what it cost). But seriously, the low end different can easily over come. You can always find a really high quality subwoofer that can fulfill music and movie needs within $1500. IMO, formation duo shouldn't priced that much high (in my region it's around $3700-$4000) which is so overpriced. $3000 is more reasonable, I think. It's a little bit disappointing when I played my first song with duo pair, i was wondering if it can be better with time goes after run-in, but the different is intangible.
TonyWilliamGT good to know. I own LS50 wireless and the 702S2 with a Mac integrated.
I had been thinking of replacing the LS50 with formation duo but I’d rather not have to. Lol
TonyWilliamGT what sub would you recommend for ls50?
b&w fan here. no line input for 4 grand? add another 700$ for this? B&w is going the apple way increasing pricing every year... so much competition now...