Bowers and Wilkins Formation Duo Speaker Review - Wireless HiFi
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- Опубликовано: 9 июл 2019
- 🎯 Formation Duo 🇺🇸 bit.ly/2GXyWkq • bit.ly/46OB59a 🇬🇧 bit.ly/3JQPZlB
👉 QUESTIONS? Click THANKS☝️to highlight your question & give thanks for the help you receive
👀 for something? Click the 🛍 on screen or open the description box below to see more!
► SHOP BOWERS & WILKINS FORMATION SPEAKERS
Formation Duo
🇺🇸 bit.ly/2GXyWkq • bit.ly/46OB59a
🇬🇧 bit.ly/3JQPZlB
Formation Bar bit.ly/3rF5gdP
Formation Wedge bit.ly/3rDsuRx
► TESTING THE FORMATION DUOS
TVS
Sony X950G UHD Smart TV: amzn.to/2XCis8K
Vizio P Series Quantum (2019): amzn.to/30p5gRm
RECORD PLAYER
U-Turn Audio Orbit Plus Turntable: amzn.to/2G3KTRS
MUSIC
Amazon Music: amzn.to/2LG8b46
Spotify: amzn.to/2XEIk3B
► COMPARABLE POWERED SPEAKERS
KEF LS50 Wireless:bit.ly/37HOx27, amzn.to/32moR94
Devialet Phantom ii: bit.ly/3GY4AsJ
ELAC ARB51-GE: amzn.to/38YIwgt
Klipsch The Nines bit.ly/3If76wP
► FORMATION DUO REVIEW - Wireless HiFi
► MY REFERENCE AUDIO AND HOME THEATER SYSTEM
POWER
Naim Uniti Atom All In One Music System: bit.ly/NaimAtom
Musical Fidelity Integrated Amp: bit.ly/M5si
LOUDSPEAKERS
Q Acoustic Concept 300: bit.ly/3QBqOW2
Klipsch Heresy IV: bit.ly/heresyiv
Jamo S809: amzn.to/356tnK5
SPEAKER STANDS
Kanto Bookshelf Speaker Stands (budget): bit.ly/Kanto26
SolidSteel Speaker Stands (best): bit.ly/2VOs7p3
TURNTABLES/CARTRIDGES
Audio Technica LP140XP: amzn.to/33OfgXO
Cambridge Audio Direct Drive Turntable: bit.ly/AlvaCA
Ortofon 2M Black: bit.ly/Ort2MB
HEADPHONES
Sony WH-1000XM4: bit.ly/WH1000xm4
SOUNDBARS
SENNHEISER AMBEO: bit.ly/35yLQO1
TVs
LG 8K TV: bit.ly/LG8K99TV
Hisense H9G: bit.ly/H9GTV
TCL 6 Series: amzn.to/35Vn9NO
BLUETOOTH / DESKTOP SPEAKERS
Naim Mu-so V2: amzn.to/33ASZxI
Klipsch The Fives: bit.ly/fivesUS
► SHOP OUR LIVING ROOM
ARTICLE LEATHER CHAIR: bit.ly/NirvanaChr
ARTICLE SOFA: bit.ly/2HI6cMH
ART: bit.ly/howfaryt
TV / MEDIA CABINET: bit.ly/BDIMEDIA
EVERYTHING ELSE: bit.ly/ARdecor
► STAY CONNECTED
SUBSCRIBE & RING THE 🔔 bit.ly/RobinsonYT
JOIN THE CREW: bit.ly/ARobMbr
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BUSINESS INQUIRIES: bit.ly/andrewbiz
FTC: This video is not sponsored. Some links above are affiliate, meaning we make a small percentage if you buy through the link but it won't change the price for you! Thank you for helping to support the channel.
#BW #bowersandwilkins #homeaudio 
Наука
🎯 Formation Duo 🇺🇸 bit.ly/2GXyWkq • bit.ly/46OB59a 🇬🇧 bit.ly/3JQPZlB
👉 QUESTIONS? Click THANKS☝️to highlight your question & give thanks for the help you receive!
👀 for something? Click the 🛍 on screen or open the description box below to see more!
I don’t like using my phone as a remote control, does this system come with its own remote control ???
Coming back to this review in 2024, I own 3 pairs of Duos in different rooms. I like them because of the way they make classical piano music sound, like you are in the room with the pianist. I own a Bluthner grand piano so I know how the instrument should sound, and these are magical. I was planning to buy a high end Naim system, but after hearing these I didn’t bother.
I’ve heard your review and I enjoyed it so much that I went to listen to them. And they sound so lively and it does not tired you down. I bought it and brought it home and compare it against my 804 nautilus with over 6k worth of amp and 2 k pre amp. This Formation speakers blew that way easily. Just want to say thank you for taking your time and explained these speakers. It convinced me. I bought it and now looking to sell my system and buy another set for my other room. Thank you, thank you.
Thank you for sharing! Happy listening!
is that a fair comparison tho? Those speakers are really old
@@oscillatingdailyaudio And...? :)
Revisiting this “vintage Andrew” video it’s interesting to note how he and Kristy improved the quality of their productions, which, btw, were already very good.
Great work!
So refreshing to watch someone that doesn't require 500 cuts in editing to make a video watchable. You sir are a reviewing God.
I wouldn't have considered myself as "into" powered loud speakers simply because I enjoyed all the other "gear" that is needed to run passive speakers, it was just fun to me to have all this extra "stuff" to run speakers and make them sound great..... until I hooked up my new Klipsch The Fives - it completely changed the way I look at my audio system and components. I used to have the B&W 802s as my bucket list speaker to someday have, and now I find myself looking more at something like this as a replacement for the 802s on my bucket list??? I still love the way the 802s look, but I have had a major change in mindset since hooking up The Fives (which I'm sure aren't even close to these, yet I still find them amazing -to me) and seeing what can be done with a powered loudspeaker. Thanks for the awesome review, I can't believe I hadn't seen this one until now! As always, keep up the great work the two of you do... and Thank You!
thank you for the review. I've been trying to figure out a new home audio only design and after watching this I bit the bullet and went and bought the Formation Duos, the Formation Audio and the Formation wedge to go along with it. product wasn't in stock so i wont take delivery for two weeks but they let me crank the store models to 11, the whole store was happy, they are flipping amazing.
After watching this video, I ordered a pair of these without even seeing (let alone listening to) them prior to the purchase.
I am very grateful and would like to Thank you wholeheartedly for your review.
great review andrew - i've auditioned about 60 loudspeakers since the beginning of the year across MANY brands for my 2 channel / HT build and my favorite has been the 800 D3 thus far - after hearing this, i will definitely check these out for another application in my house - keep the content coming !
i worked at a b&w / nakamichi repair shop in the early '80's. one of the techs built a custom pair of active 2 way speakers using 801 mids and tweeters powered by nakamichi 420 power amps. (55 w per channel class a ). it all sounded very good. hard to believe it's taken 40 years for b&w to see the light.
Thanks for the good quality production. Excellent for mentioning you don’t need a sub with these as that I was quite worried about. I‘m definitely planning a listening session at the local Hi-Fi hub.
I literally bought these speakers (whole hog; a full B&W formation integration across our house) off the back of this review.
...naturally following a solid demo. But couldn’t agree more with you on performance and ‘infectiousness’
Definitely one of your most convincing videos. and about liking a speaker. I just realized it is from July 2019. Do you still stand by the Formation Duo? I recently decided to upgrade from my cheap Yamaha speakers and Mini Rigs and bought a PS Audio Sprout 2 to get started. Intended to buy speakers in the 2-$4k range. Should I send the Sprout back or have you uncovered a passive Formation Duo-like alternative?
This is why I hate your reviews. I want to sell my car and buy these speakers. You are are so passionate and your reviews are so compelling. Thank you.
Not going to lie, you had me in the first half.
So this is the 2nd pair of speakers that I have purchased Solely on your reviews!! Yikes ! These maybe my end game .. again your review is spot on the question is what do I do with the Denton 85s that I love so much but these bw duos are .. uhm .. awesome thank you for all you do and love your reviews
I am glad to see this review. I heard these tucked away in a corner at Best Buy and in that poor acoustic setting, I stopped in my tracks and sat and stared at them. I have owned many Paradigm, B&W, Wharfedale, Dynaudio, and KEF speakers. The B&W Duo's are shockingly good.
Nice review but won’t leave my Nautilus 805’s with my McIntosh Amp. They sound good for the last 15 years and no need to firmware upgrade. Timeless like an automatic watch. Maybe I can use this in my office.
I was VERY surprised when I looked at the Formation Audio to pair with these and add some functionality, that it didn't have HDMI eARC. If you're looking at changing an ecosystem and way of thinking, in MY opinion, that would have been something almost necessary on the Formation Audio? Hopefully that is coming in the future for these from B&W. I was able to listen to the Duos and was amazed..... but also, equally amazed at the lack of the eARC on the Formation audio. I'm sure I'm missing something here, but to me, it seems like that would have been a no brainer for them on the Audio.
Im all in!! I just purchased a used pair solely based on your review as well as “whathifi”s review. Can’t wait to get them in my system and room. If for some reason I don’t like them I will simply flip them for close to the same money. I’m excited!!
Did you like them...?
Loved this review. I trust your judgment on audio quality products 100%. For few weeks I was planning on the Foundation Bar, Bass and 2 Flex as rears.
I have since decided that 2 Duo's will be the better choice! I was wondering what color you prefer? I really like how the silver on the white speaker goes with the stands. Wondering if there is a downside to a white speaker? TY for this review. Thoughts on speaker color would be appreciated. I am getting the B&W stands. Here in Canada, Duo's and B&W stands $6700+tx
Thank you lovely review Andrew. I bought the formation bar & bass and it's as musical as a that format can achieve. I am looking to replace maybe with the duo as I live in a condo and cant have 2 diff systems. I have had parasound JC1, Pass labs Int, Bryston 4BST, Modwright Integrate, Devialet 200, Cary Audio and with all the speakers and pre amps and audio sources, sacd players including the sony SCD-1 I have lost count how many systems I have been through. So 8 years ago I sold off everything I realized I was spending more time changing amps & speakers and tweaking my power cords than listening to music... it's a terrible hobby :) 2 years ago I bought a Sony ta-a1es, Sony hap-z1es and KEF LS50 the sound was truly superb for the money, but it just sat there. I am now looking to sell all 3 of them and get better stuff or sell them and get the Formation Duo. Our mind thinks we need many boxes for audio to sound good and on the other hand I think the duo's will be perfect and the future. BTW the main reason I am listening to so much music now is due to Roon and Tidal it's absolutely fantastic to listen to new music and not just your old flac files. The only people who will bash the duo's are the old folks I got the same treatment when I bought my Devialet but it was one of the best sound I ever had in my system!
Hi Andrew, have you compared it with a LS50 wireless ii? Do share your point of view, thanks a lot
These are the best speakers I've ever heard - okay, besides this crazy expensive set up (12k+/pair) we heard at Whetstone Audio one time. That said - these B&W's are definitely my favorite of all the ones Andrew's had in house for review. They really are THAT GOOD. He just plugged them back in after a couple of weeks listening to another pair and I knew INSTANTLY they were back, while in another room. They are sooooo good I happy danced when I realized they were back.
I was going to get the kef LS 50s Metas but I went with these something about these just drew me in
God they ugly as hell tho
They look like a 1960s robot from space
Futurama …day the earth stood still …like a speaker that Kong shat out…hideous
Is that a karaoke machine with detachable microphone???…ok I’ll stop…
Hello Andrew. I'm curious. Here you sound incredibly impressed about the Duos', comparing them to Wilson and Magico but I saw your review of the Beolab 28 and said that it was far better than this. In which way(s) is the Formation Duo inferior to the Beolab? Thanks.
Thanks for this great review Andrew! Your enthousiam is contagious :-) I'm looking for an upgrade for my Dynaudio Xeo 20's. I've tried the floorstander Xeo 30, but the dynamics and soundstage is not what I'm looking for. I'm using a NAD C658 pre-amp with Dirac room correction, as my room acoustics are horrible. The NAD however only has an analogue out (RCA). Would you recommend the Formation Duo as an upgrade over the Dynaudio Focus XD (20 or 30)? And would the Duo's be usable with the NAD C658 and Dirac? My music is all digital, I stream from Roon, Tidal, Spotify and my NAS.
Thanks for great vid Andrew! I am currently planning a speaker upgrade, but I have not considered powered speakers until now. The Formation duo seems like a tempting alternative. I would have to add the Formation Audio for my turntable setup. The biggest con about the Formation duo is, as I see it, the app. I currently use Tidal hifi and cannot understand why they have not integrated this in the formation app, or direct play trough the TIdal app. Even if Roon solves the problem, it is still both pricy and inconvenient to have to use multiple apps. Do you have any info or thoughts about how soon B&W will include Tidal Hifi in the app, and maybe even locally stored music files? Thanks again, Kristoffer.
Not sure if you would know this. But do I need the formation audio to connect duos to my Sony A9F? Also do you think it’s valid to have this (expensive) hifi 2.0 setup in a TV audio world that has stuff like Atmos
Any thoughts for this combination: Naim Unity Atom and the following: Klipsch RPM 600M ; or Bowers and Wilkins 705 S2; New Meta KEFs ( wireless or wired) ;
Thanks
can i properly connect it with my laptop or desktop ? with bluetooth dongle ? and which dongle is recommended?
Would be great to hear your comparison og these to the Burchardt A500?…
I am very intrigued. I am a big fan of most B&W offerings. These skyrocketed to the top of my buy list!
Definitely give them a listen for yourself. The eco-system may be the thing that drives some away, but if you're willing to adapt to their needs, they will reward you with truly remarkable sound!
How would you compare them to the devialet phantom gold stereo?
Hi Andrew can you please help me with some advice.
I am trying to find for a good friend a “match “ for wired or wireless speakers.
Can you please tell me in your opinion with is the perfect match for Naim Uniti Atom ? ( what wired or wireless speakers do you think will sound best for majority music genres )
Thanks a lot
Bogdan
PS : myself I am already a Formation Duo fan....
@Andrew Robinson, I am so grateful for finding you in my hour of need. Gearing up for a milestone birthday gift to myself. I am considering my options and there are many. If I may, I have a two-part question. Are the B&W Formation Duo Loudspeakers too much for a 156 square ft. listening space... and is the Cambridge Audio Alva TT Turntable compatible without additional components? Thank you.
Hi, would you choose the B&W formation duos & hub vs the Q acoustics concept 500 with the Naim Uniti Atom? You praise both :) I have the voice to get both at the same price . Thanks
Hi Andrew, first of all your content is second to none. The quality, depth, and unbiased perspective has me recommending your channel to everyone I talk to. I recently purchased a set of BW Formation Duo after watching your reviews, and I'm beyond happy with the decision. I do have one questions--what am I missing? I used to have a definitive technology system and switch to this set up for simplicity. After trying a few movies, I was also please with the sound quality (bluetooth and airplay), but I'm wondering if I'm missing something by not using the toslink with the Formation Audio. Is it worth spending the extra $600 or do you think the difference is nearly undetectable. I ask because you switched from an LG tv to a TCL that did not have the adequate bluetooth options. Thank you in advance, Frank
I had both the kef ls50 wireless 2 s and the formation duos. And i was switching back and forth from the kefs to the duos using Spotify connect and to me the duos are much better. Way more crisp sound and not fatiguing at all. The bass sounds superb. Similar to a subwoofer. Im sending the kefs back. The duos are more than worth it atleast to me.
I hope you’re still enjoying the Duos. I am thinking of making the move myself. Quick question. Can you connect the Duos via Bluetooth with a Bluetooth turntable or purchasing the Formation audio device is unavoidable?
Thanks
If you get the duos just make sure to get the stands and they will stay cool or warm to the touch at the base. You could possibly lift them from the surface where ever you have them. But if you have them on a table or console they will get really hot to the touch.
They connect through Bluetooth. I use them for surround sound my LG tv connect to them. There's no lag in the dialogue. Movies sound great. I like them. I use Spotify connect. And I have the formation bass and it's a good musical bass.
@@Ramon-lp8fp I am thinking of connecting them to my laptop via Bluetooth (hope no latency there). I watch movies and listen to music through my computer anyway which is connected on a big screen.
My only fear is support as. Company’s faith on the product given its poor sales performance . I live in London I must have called literally over 20 B&W stores and no one stocks them. A few also told me they used to but not anymore as they were hard to sell. I guess it’s a failed product which is awkward given how great some of the reviews are. I hope its future is not short lived.
@@gpapa31 maybe just wait they might release a formation duos second gen or somethin . I know kef launched there wireless standing speakers. It seems that more companies will probably launch more similar style speakers. In the United States they launched the duos @ 3999$ then raised the price to 4999$ maybe sales were better here. Cause it wouldnt make sense to raise the price on a product that is selling poorly as that would seem to slow sales even more.
@@Ramon-lp8fp I know purists will hate me for saying this but IMHO wireless active is the future of HiFi. It will only get better and gradually, through generations, will put aside the traditional amp + preamp + DAC + passive speakers + wires everywhere. I am not saying it will completely replace the philosophy but it will become like vinyl and CD is to streaming in terms of sound quality and efficiency triggering endless debates on forums and blogs about which one sounds better.
One of The most amazing speaker I have heard in many many years. 🔉🔉💪💪🙌
Cool, so glad to hear someone else has had the same experience I have had.
No idea. I don't watch other RUclips reviews of AV equipment. I'm sure his findings were justified to his tastes and experience, just as mine were to my own. But I try not to compare and contrast what I said against someone else's opinion of the same product.
Any tips for setting TV vs Duo volume when using the formation audio? Appears they are independently adjustable and not sure what makes for optimal audio quality
Personally, I'd configure the TV to max and use the Duo's volume. Same as if it were connected to a receiver.
Great review! Hopefully I can demo these soon. You had some very strong words so they must be pretty special. Keep up the great work
Just ordered a pair of Kef LS50 wireless after months of research. Thanks for making me question my decision. :)
I wouldn't. Enjoy your KEF speakers!
Can it play music from a PC via bluetooth.
How good are they against the Cabasse Pearl? Is the Pearl only better at bass? Is the Formation duo with Formation Bass at the same level or better than the Cabasse pearl?
I've got a formation sound bar and sub. How will they pair with the duo? will it be better than just having the duo?
Recently bought these. This is the most I have ever spent on audio gear by a mile and really hoping I would blown away, and hoping I can connect my tv via Bluetooth for occasional music video playback. I muat have watched this and kef ls50 wireless 2 videos so many times but this design was just aspirational for me. Will provide an update after testing.
Hi, Anish.
Do you have any updates? Did you manage to connect them with your TV?
Here for the update.
me tooo 👀
me tooo 👀
Any update?
Do you think the duo formation is perfect first pair of speakers for the living room? Or should I stick to the old classic loudspeakers? My dad currently is still using the DM602, and it’s still amazing!
Kef wireless 50 first
Great content, and great quality of video...
Great review! Is it possible to feed the Formation Duo lossless & high-res sources without the Formation Audio add-on? Via the Tidal app perhaps?
Yes,. Formation Audio is not needed. Tidal HiFI sounds fantastic on the Duos. I use the B&W Music App, which integrates Tidal.
This was the review I was waiting for!
Andrew, quick challenge question. I am looking to get a new system (i will most likely stream). That said I love the look of the Technics SU-G700 and I am thinking of pairing them with Buchardt S400 with a Bluesound 2i as the streamer (the SL-G700 break the bank). Then I saw your review of these speakers. I know this is subjective but would love your thoughts on pro and cons on which one your would prefer. I don't blast music and live in mid size apt. If you find the time would appreciate your thoughts. I am stuck at home and I am obsessing about this:)
Great Andrew, your vids are the best.
Thank you so much, I do my best! Appreciate you watching!
It would be good to have a bit of context to what you mean by better than the 800 series. I've heard 803's and 802's and they beat the duo's quite easily in my opinion. If you're talking about the stand mounts, fair enough. Not tried them and I'll take your word for it. As I mentioned in another comment on here I ended up getting the 702's over these. For the size of my room and the amplification I have they sound better to me. The duo's sounded better in store though so I'm glad I did a home demo.
Andrew, thank your postings and reviews. I just recently discovered you & them, as such, and I find them informative and I enjoy your perspective. Specifically about these B&W Duos, I am intrigued & also more unsure about my upgrade plans. I was in the market for B&W 700 series floor standers & was zeroing in on the 702, 703, or 704 s2. My goal is to elevate my existing 5.1 system, which is currently an all B&W bottom of the line from many years ago book self system- four M-1s, center channel, and sub, now driven by a Sony STR-ZA1000ES. I want to upgrade the two front to a fuller, higher quality, more decidedly audiophile B&W experience for two channel enjoyment yet also integrate into my 5.1 setup. This review has thrown me for a loop.. The big question is would it be ridiculous to try to integrate the formation duos into a more traditional passive speaker a/v situation?
Wow, what a review! Thanks!
Hello, Andrew
Great review.
You said that you were able to connect the Duo's with Sony TV via Bluetooth. Were you able to control the volume with a TV remote?
I have oled C1 it controls volume with tv remote. As well as the app and physical button on each speaker.
@Andrew Robinson - maybe have a look at the Buchardt A500s and A700s. I think they kick the B&Ws a bit... Warranty is longer; multiple audio frequency profiles; compatible with multiple transmitters.
A500s similarly priced to the B&Ws, A500s much more powerful by means of Amp and processor power.
...For sure the Buchardts kick the B&Ws.
Very interesting. Let's say I could stretch my budget to purchase something in this price range, and assume that I fall in love with the sound (still looking for a local place to audition), do these make sense as a stretch-the-budget-and-keep-them-for-a-decade kind of thing?
Can i ask how you listened to tidal masters on these im about to pull the trigger on some but ive read they dont unpack MQA you have to listen to 24/96 flac files..great channel been watching for years but only subscribed today because this review...
It's amazing how long actives have existed and finally, major makers are producing them. "On paper" they're superior to passive speakers for obvious reasons. Now adding other connectivity and such, and that's win win win. The B&W Formation Duo should be an active 805 for that kinds $, but I have no doubt they sound great.
Had not the chance to audition these speakers locally and decided to buy them based on reviews like this. Got a pair, defective tweeter, airplay connection unstable to say the least, app is a joke. Got them replaced and in the meantime the app got some updates. If you want them to work properly you need to use their app. Forget about airplay, there’s pops and glitches all the time, no matter the wifi access point one uses. Bluetooth works better but forget about multiroom. First and last B&W product I buy.
Will these work and sound good with Marantz 40n, and are the stands sold separately? How does it sound when played at low volume? Not using a tube amp, does these have that soft sweet sound? I have moderate hearing lost and trying to hang on to that music sound pleasure of my youth. In your opinion does these have the clarity of the same sound as the Lii Song S10? Thanks so much for your opinion! 👍
Perhaps listen to the whole review Marantz would be totally superfluous ..😊
But through what protocol can you stream that quality ? At least airplay 2 I don’t think goes as high in quality…
wifi. You can get something like Roon along with Tidal masters or your own hi res uploaded tracks
Thank you Andrew for your detail review on B&W Formation Duo speakers... for similar price range, how would you compare these with a pair of Devialet Phantom I 103dB speakers? i'm very curious...
Is it possible to use these speakers in a surround system, so 7 of these formation duo speakers in a 7.1 system?
Should be able to. Check the Formation Suite…Definitely 5.1
well they are probably using a Hypex Ncore or ICE amplifier inside, I would like to see how they sound compare to the LS50W, Great review thanks brother
Does pairing the Formation Bar with the Formation Duo require the Formation Amp to be connected? Also do the Formation speakers work without the Formation Amp in-case using for MultiRoom application with all Formation speakers?
yes! I have the Bar, Duos, and Bass all in one big media room. and you don't need to formation Audio to play them all together in perfect sync. However you can't connect the duos to a TV even if your formation bar is connect via optical. and you also cant use the formation duo as rears. basically the app will consider the duos apart from the bar and bass, however there is a feature that can stream all speakers and it works great that way. and you can even adjust the volumn seperately between the systems. Still consider the formation audio for analog and optical inputs though
It’s sad we can’t use the duo in front speakers with the bar as a central speakers. The lack of lossless 5.1 or Atmos is also a deal breaker to me. I would love B&W to find a solution to use all their Formation Speakers as we want in 5.2.4 for example as long as the customer wants it. I could agree to spend this money on duos if I can also use them in my 5.1.2 configuration. I can’t afford having a movie speaker configuration and a music speaker configuration. And I think I’m not Aline, cause the Formation doesn’t have a great success even with their speakers quality. They have to think to a better integration..?
Wow... loved your review... I love your passion as well. I have a home theater system but I have been looking into getting a two channel system possibly at 2.1. And the Kef LS 50 wireless are on my radar. Also on my radar are the 700 series B&W, and the Kef R3, or the older R300. Although you say the bass is incredible, does the formation duo have a sub rca out? I don’t know man, this could be a dealbreaker. Thanks again.
It doesn’t have a sub out (RCA) BUT can connect wirelessly to the Formation Sub (2 I think). Look into the Formation Audio too in order to add output options.
I wonder how these would do compared to some genuine recording studio speakers like the HEDD Type 20's ?
Hey, Andrew, I'm currently looking at 2 turntables right now, the House of Marley Stir it Up turntable, and the U-Turn Orbit custom, the only upgrade being the Ortofon om5e cartridge, I personally don't care for the acrylic platter. Which one would you recommend? Thanks.
Can only recommend the U-Turn Audio Orbit table as I have not listened to the Marley myself.
I’m not an audiophile per say and have been very pleased with my Zeppelin Wireless. I was thinking as an (expensive) upgrade to go more the formation bar / formation bass route for my TV.
Sounds like this duo is getting your highest praise possible, but what do you think of the duo vs formation bar+bass.
I haven’t heard the Formation Bar plus Formation Sub, but my good friend bought that exact combo for his living room and is very pleased.
@@andrewrobinsonreviews can we use duo for Movie via formation audio?
Great review Andrew, loved it!
I wonder how the new KEF LS50W 2 ($1500 cheaper) stack up against these? Is the jump in price really worth it?
I auditioned the kef ls50w 2. The duos has much better sound stage and deeper lingering bass
Hey I was currently doing some research on a bunch of loudspeakers - most of them being active since I am one of those firm believers that technology and DSP is good enough today that you can still achieve astonishing results without so much fuss....In any case - do you have something in a similar price range that is worth looking into you could suggest?? Prior on discovering this I thought (even tho completely different) klipsch (forte iii e.g.) may be a good starting point for HQ - Audiophile systems....(a friend is really satisfied and suggested it - aside from the amp etc. jazz) - atm I do enjoy listening to Genelec/ Adam audio 5/ 7 inch active monitors at my workplace - maybe that helps a bit as a reference point) Thank you very much for any advice in advance!! Keep up the good work ;) Love ur videos!!
Great review Andrew! I recently auditioned the formation suite of speakers after your review, very impressed. So impressed, I bought the whole line.The only thing I was not able to sample, was a turntable being played through the duo speakers, how does it sound with a turntable?? Again, great review, appreciate the detail. Keep up the great work!
Scott Welch Hi Scott, as a new owner of the Duos, what is your opinion? Any regrets or are you loving them?
Hi Steve, after a couple months of use, I am really enjoying the duos. No regrets.
Great, happy listening! 👌
Love your passion!
THANK YOU!
Hi Andrew. I am considering buying these. But I am also considering the Dynaudio Focus 20 XD monitors, the Dali Calisto 2cs, and the Marten Oscar Duos. Have you heard those? And if so, what are your thoughts?
I have not heard the other speakers you've referenced, so I cannot tell you good or bad how they'll compare to the Formation Duos. Sorry.
amazing channel, learned a lot, is it possible for you to review the B&W formation bar, with formation bass and flex it could be interesting to ese if they are an amazing wireless sorround system, thnaks
Hi Andrew. How do you feed Tidal MQA music to the Duos? I've been looking at a way ti do it, but I can't see anything in the instructions - e.g. native streaming as with the Kef Wireless speakers. I can only see lower protocols like Airplay and Bluetooth
I too have this question
roon
Can the sound bar function as a centre speaker only when used in unison with the duo and sub?
I've been told it can, but I cannot confirm it firsthand as I was not sent the Formation soundbar to test. So take my statement with a grain of salt.
Great review. A few quick points: 1) I'm a long-time B&W user, over 25 years, and have owned 4 pair--currently use 2 different pair, including 803s. If these Duos (? Formations? FDs?) are as good as you describe (as it relates to current and legacy 800 series) they're very, very good indeed. 2) I'm glad you did the "bargain" math towards the end of your review. $5,000 isn't 'cheap,' but it's merely the bottom tier of where good systems come in (yeah, yeah, one can put together a really fine system for around $2,000, I know. Different discussion.) If I were to build a 'system' today, I'd audition the hell out of these and if they come anywhere close to a good integrated amp with a decent streamer/DAC and the 805s (let alone the 800s) , I'd be all over them for $5k. Done! 3) There is absolutely nothing wrong with the HiFi streaming services today. You touch on some audiophile snobbery wrt them in your first couple minutes, but I sure don't see much of it out there anymore. Anyone that, has a problem with Tidal HiFi or Masters (for example) well, there's something else going on. Thanks, nice job.
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! You have a great perspective that I find very refreshing!
Hi Andrew, have you ever reviewed B&W 700 series 2 (or any 700s at all)? I’m seriously considering buying them but I do wanna learn more about them first
It has been a while since I've sat down with the 700 Series, so I cannot make direct comparisons between the Duos and the 700 Series, suffice to say the last time I did listen to a 700 Series speaker I remember being generally impressed.
I have a pair of the B&W Formation Duo's and every time I turn them on they say "Exterminate! Exterminate!" and sometimes "You will obey!". Weird, huh?
I'm buying these because of this review! With the sub added.
So let us know how they are?
@@pvtcmyers87 Definitely! I'm getting the sound bar first for my TV, then these for music later!
@jez, doe the sub really add spice to the duo?
I'd love to hear and see off between the B&W Formation and the KEF LS 50 II, or maybe even LS 60 ? any chance you can make that happen?
Can this integrate with my other B&W speakers? I have some 700 series and some 800 speakers.
Unfortunately, no.
I hv been using the Bowers 804 D2 for years. Auditioned the duo recently, the duo's clarity cannot beat 804's diamond tweeters that produce extreme high clarify... Also, the 804D has more layer/depth significantly. Having said so, the duo's mid and low can be roaring!
Recently got a pair of Kanto YU6, with a solid cable and DAC, I feel it's very near refined speakers for portable travel use, active speakers getting more and more popular, perhaps amp and preamp will disappear slowly...
Amazing review. I loved your detailed explanation.
Elac navis arb-51? Better?
Can the stands be filled?
I have these. They look better in white. They are everything as good as Andrew says. Stunning sound. So simple. Rock solid. 10 stars.
In some of the hi-fi forums many people complain about the formation duo having constant drop outs because of the app. And at that price tag this is really unacceptable. Are you having these problems too?
Still have them? Thoughts Jon?
Hi great review. How do they compare against devialet phantoms?
Cheers Jens
Unfortunately that I do not or would not know as I didn’t have a pair of the Phantoms to test alongside the Formation speakers, sorry. Thank you for watching though and be well!
Just make sure to buy stands as well or speakers will heat up. Because the vents are on the bottom.
How is it possible for internal, most likely class D amps to sound as good as a quality, external $2k amp? Agree that DSP, tuning,etc can be great. However class D, switching amps generally don’t sound the same. Your review has me curious and appreciate the overall, personal sound perspective that you included along with comparison thoughts. Nicely done review.
Sounds like DSP made this speaker full range. Great review
I'd love to see some reviews of powered speakers priced between this and The Fives. Maybe around the $2k mark.
Good review, but I think another advantage not directly spelled out is, not only discrete amps as bi amps, but these are also like monoblocks? So discrete amps for each channel, correct? So like 4 amps. I would finally also say, it's still relative to what you get for the price. How about a pair of JBL Studio 590 or Buchardt S400 paired with a good ~$2k integrated amp like the NAD M10. That's around $4k or less. Would love to then compare against this pair. Would love your thoughts / comparison on this.
Yes, the speakers essentially have a separate amplifier directly powering each driver. So the tweeter has its own amp, the bass/midrange driver has its own amp. Monoblocks for each driver. Couple that with DSP and you get a sound signature that is different than traditional or passive (non-powered) speakers that is hard to beat!
How does it compare to my floor-stand B&W603S3 in terms of sound quality? I'd like to upgrade but not much sure...
He pretty much said they are at the level of the floor standing 800 series so I think that means formation Duo.
he said they were maybe the finest speakers and your asking about the entry level series....shouldn't be hard to answer your own question with a bit of listening..lol
I’d love to hear your thoughts on the Syng Cell Alpha.
Would love to hear your thoughts on Klipsch the sixes. While not 4 thousand dollars they seem to be very nice at their price
Listen to it today if you like hip hop pop with bass it’s fine. But for vocal 707 beat it to dust. I wonder how far you can adjust this Formation.
The Duos absolutely outclass even the 705S2s in my auditions.