CEDIA 2019

Bowers & Wilkins is using CEDIA Expo as the launchpad for a high-performance compact speaker it is adding to the Formation Suite series of wireless speakers introduced last spring.

Slated for release in the coming weeks, the new Formation Flex is a two-way design that mates a 1-inch double-dome tweeter that borrows technology from B&W’s 600 series speakers with a 4-inch woven-glass-fiber woofer and 2 x 50-watt amplifier in a stylish enclosure 8.5 inches tall and 5 inches in diameter. Pricing was not announced.

The Flex is capable of streaming 24-bit/96kHz high-resolution audio and, in multiroom setups with other Formation speakers, leverages the patented mesh network B&W developed for the Formation series. The network runs independent of the home’s Wi-Fi network for more seamless sound.

The speaker supports aptX HD-enabled Bluetooth streaming and Apple’s AirPlay 2 wireless platform and is compatible with the Roon music playback/management system favored by enthusiasts.

Described as easy to set up, the Flex is controlled by an iOS/Android app that provides access to Spotify and can be used as a standalone speaker, in a stereo pair, or as part of a surround-sound system with other Formation speakers. Dynamic EQ is used to optimize audio performance in real time for “higher level performance, with less distortion than other wireless speakers.”

For more information, visit bowerswilkins.com.