Yes that’s true but never mind that, I’m writing about something far more important and that is the fact that I had my Bowers And Wilkins A7 Speaker system delivered yesterday morning and what a fine looking and sounding beast it is too sitting on the shelf here in the den though I could easily use it anywhere.
I’ve had a number of different Bowers and Wilkins speaker systems in my time ranging from the very affordable and nice sounding Z2 iPod dock/Airplay speaker to the little brother of the A7, the A5. What’s the difference then between the A5 and A7 systems? Well there are 2 main differences and they are power and connectivity. The A7 not only supports AirPlay but also can be connected to analogue/digital sources such as the digital output of a CD player or TV. The user also has the option of connecting the A7 to a Windows PC or Mac in the same way one would connect an external sound card. The DSP in this speaker system does a superb job at separating the channels and projecting the sound, even more amazing when you consider the size of the A7, about the size of a large loaf of bread. Total power output of the A7 is 100 watts RMS, - 25 each for the 2 stereo channels and 50 for the sub-woofer - and all controlled by separate Class D digital amplifiers for the channels and sub-woofer so this is a true powerhouse and party animal type device projecting wonderful clear bass, mid range and crisp highs around the room though at my place I think the description of around the room needs to be modified somewhat so let’s say around the house? I can hear the clarity of the A7 down the other end of my house from where the A7 is sitting and not all speaker systems I have can do that. The Bowers And Wilkins doesn’t come cheap but in my view the penny’s I saved to buy one and the time it took to scrape them together was well worth it. Luckily I bought mine on sale, a third of the regular Australian price of $1299 so people in the U.S. might like to check with their local Bowers And Wilkins dealer or agent to see what they can get it for in their region and I’ve no doubt that the price will be more competitive than it is in Australia. And a final note, I sold my Bowers And Wilkins A5 some time ago with the idea of getting the A7 as quickly as possible though as is often said, “The best laid plans are the one’s planned to fail”, so I was without the A5 for a lot longer than I’d anticipated and had to use my Denon Cocoon Home in its place, the sound of the Cocoon is very good though it still doesn’t match the sound or the power of the Bowers And Wilkins A5/A7 but a good and cheaper alternative. Anyway once I had the A7 installed and working I could easily recall the great sound Bowers And Wilkins offers through its speaker systems which had been quickly forgotten once I had to use the Denon Cocoon which I’ll write about another time. ********** Those of a positive and enquiring frame of mind will leave the rest of the halfwits in this world behind.
