If you want quality wireless audio, AirPlay is the only way to go. There are plenty of AirPlay speaker systems to choose from, but on style alone the new Bowers and Wilkins A7’s handsome design has us sold. And they’re powerful too.
Of course, it’s a Bowers & Wilkins product, so there’s a very good chance it sounds excellent. The A7 has five speakers total: two one-inch tweeters, two three-inch mid-ranges and a six-inch sub all powered by 100-watts of booming power. It’s not the most portable AirPlay speaker we’ve ever seen at more than 5kg — expect to put this on a bookshelf and leave it there.
B&W also claims that the system uses an audiophile grade DAC capable of upscaling your audio to 96kHz/24bit. Because setting up AirPlay speakers can often be a total pain, Bowers has an iPhone and desktop apps that will guide you through configuration.
B&W is also releasing the A5, a smaller (and more affordable) AirPlay unit. This unit has no sub but slightly larger four-inch drivers that should help fill out the sound.
The A7 and A5 will be available next month for $US800 and $US500 respectively. [Bowers & Wilkins]