126 MacDirectory
FEATURE
Bowers & Wilkins—designers
and manufacturers of
some of our favorite
personal headphones and
Bluetooth speakers here at
MacDirectory—are opening
up a brand new R&D facility
to continue innovating in the
audio industry. The new
facility is dubbed Southwater
Research & Engineering in a
testament to its predecessor,
the Steyning Research
Establishment.
Lovingly referred to as
the University of Sound,
the Steyning Research
Establishment was the
birthplace of many Bowers
& Wilkins ground-breaking
products such as their hand
engineered Nautilus speakers,
the Diamond Tweeter, and
more accessible products like
the Zeppelin speaker and the
recent noise cancelling PX
headphones.
In order to retain the same
signature sound that
permeates all B&W products,
from their reference speakers
to their headphones to their
car stereos, Bowers & Wilkins
is recreating the original
listening room established by
John Bowers in their Steyning
facility. They are even moving
the same couch to the new
facility for the ultimate effort to
maintain authenticity.
However, the new facility
isn't just about recreating
the old. It will also provide
B&W engineers with more
space and more resources to
develop the next generation of
audio products. It's not that
the previous facility lacked
resources or technology,
but the new facility will offer
more. More anechoic testing
chambers. More listening
rooms. And more engineering
labs. As Chief Revenue
Officer Richard Campbell put
it, "we don't have to make
compromises" anymore in the
new facility.
Specifically, Bowers & Wilkins
is looking to expand its
investment in Headphones
and Automotive audio. Auto
is a renewed focus and "a
natural evolution" for the
brand, while Bowers & Wilkins
line of personal headphones
has been making waves in the
already competitive market—
especially the PX noise
cancelling headphones that
launched late last year to both
critical and customer acclaim.
To staff the increased space
and facilities, Bowers &
Wilkins has already expanded
its R&D team by 40% in the
last few years.
This move to Southwater
represents the single largest
investment from the brand
in the last 15 years, and
is a promising sign for the
company. Part of the B&W
ethos has always been to
reinvest in the brand, and
anyone who worried about
the company's future after
its recent acquisition by EVA
Automation should be at ease.
The Southwater Research &
Engineering facility will join
the University of Sound, 13
offices around the world, and
a market presence in over
60 countries. Things are
looking good for Bowers &
Wilkins, and we're excited to
see what new innovations,
product evolutions, and
groundbreaking new designs
emerge from the fertile soil of
Southwater.
For the latest news, visit:
www.bowers-wilkins.com
Bowers & Wilkins
Relocates Its University of Sound
BY THOMAS BENDER
