When you are looking for quality speakers, Bowers and Wilkins are in a class of their own. Abbey Road recording studio has made use of B&W Speakers since 1988, and for good reason, the range and clarity of sound are as good as it gets. The Bowers and Wilkins A7 is quite possibly the Rolls-Royce of home airplay speakers, which of course means they come at a price. However, before worrying about the cost lets take a look at the reasons why A7’s are possibly the finest quality Wireless Airplay Speakers available.
The Design
The B&W A7 is designed to blend into your surroundings. A simplistic rounded box shape, covered in a fine black mesh, broken by a brushed stainless band with Bower & Wilkins etched on the side. To me the subtle style is spot on, there is no plastic looking iPhone dock, just an unobtrusive LED light that changes colour when an input has been selected.
The Technology
B&W A7 speakers are optimised to handle the broadest range of frequencies. The 6 Inch subwoofer delivers a thundering deep bass that you would only expect for a much larger sound system. The high range comes from two 1 inch Nautilus tube aluminium
tweeters that you really have to hear to fully appreciate. With two 3 inch midrange speakers inside, the A7’s has a total of 5 speakers, combining to produce a truly cutting-edge sound quality even when positioned close to a wall surface.
The Set-up
A7 speakers require no computer setup, you basically just pair it with any Airplay device such as a phone, tablet, laptop or PC. Using a simple app called “AirPlay setup” the B&W will instantly create it’s own Wireless Network connection, the app will then automatically request a connection, you accept and that’s it – You’re done!
The Price
Bowers & Wilkins A7 speakers are high-end and priced at £699.00, which may sound like a lot of cash, but I personally think it’s money well spent. After all, this will basically replace a sound system while looking and sounding far superior to most.
If the A7’s price tag is a little over your budget, Bower and Wilkins do offer a little brother to the A7 – the more affordable A5 at just £399.00
