In 2004, the Bowers and Wilkins (B&W) Nautilus 802 produced the best sound yet achieved at TMW. In 2005, we were treated to the new and only just released 802D loudspeakers. Judging by the audience feedback, the new diamond tweeter (the ‘D’ in 802D) significantly further improved the clarity and stability of the sound stage. It is gratifying that this sort of difference could be perceived in the unhelpful acoustics of the Bishop’s Suite at the Palace Hotel.

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Bowers & Wilkins -
The Company

After the Second World War, John Bowers and Roy Wilkins opened a store in Worthing, Sussex, selling and servicing audio products. John’s quest for perfection led to designing the equipment himself and he began producing his own loudspeakers at the back of the store.  Business continued to prosper and, in 1966, John formed B&W Electronics Ltd with Peter Hayward and the design and production of loudspeakers was moved to Meadow Road, Worthing.
During those 40+ years, B&W has expanded many times over and is now a truly global company with distribution in over 70 countries. John Bowers understood that in order to make a brand truly successful, you must develop a strong export business, marketing quality products. Improved and modernised manufacturing expertise, and investment in state-of-the-art industrial design and tooling, has meant that the products are now reaching a wider, indeed global, audience of consumers.
By 2002, B&W had expanded to the extent that they were using 5 different sites in Worthing. In that year, the new purpose-built Dale Road facility was opened.  This site incorporates the manufacturing of all drive units (500,000 mid/bass units and 300,000 tweeters a year!) and final assembly of the ‘real wood’ products.  It also houses the international offices along with the UK Sales division.  2002 also saw B&W open another, bigger site in Bradford, Yorkshire where it produces the vinyl finished entry-level products.  Combined with its R&D facility in the Sussex village of Steyning, B&W is committed to the UK design and manufacturing of its products – an unusual step within the present economic climate but one which shows faith in the 500 plus skilled UK-based work force.
B&W is still a privately owned company.  The owner, Joe Atkins, feels very strongly that the company that John started and steered should continue with the same philosophy and vision. To this end, B&W will continue to develop and manufacture the very best loudspeakers whilst incorporating these designs into products that fit into today’s contemporary style of living.
B&W also distribute the range of electronics from Classé Audio and Rotel, offering a choice of suitable equipment to drive the entire B&W range.
B&W - Bowers & Wilkins
Loudspeakers from £180 to £44,000
Listen and you’ll see
www.bowers-wilkins.co.uk
SOUND 2010

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We are again fortunate to have the immense help from Bowers and Wilkins which has become a feature of these weekends and are, as ever, very greatly indebted to the Company and to Karen Watts (UK Marketing Manager) for making the equipment available to us, once more showing their commitment to music and to music- lovers.

A pair of 802Ds will be delivered (as in the last 5 years) with amplification by Classé, a wholly owned B&W subsidiary company based in Montréal, Canada, known for the sound quality and attention to detail of their products - a true high-end brand of electronics.

 

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The Friends have invested in a new, modern mixing desk, a fresh set of microphone cables and last year, wireless lapel microphones.

These help John Walker (Mr. Microphone) in his quest for device reliability and his own invisibility.

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TORBAY MUSICAL WEEKEND

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