Bowers & Wilkins Panorama 3: Dolby Atmos For Your Living Room

The third generation of the Bowers & Wilkins Dolby Atmos Panorama Soundbar finally arrived last week. We want to introduce it and show what has changed compared to the last generation and what improvements it brings with it. 

Founded in 1966 in the UK, Bowers & Wilkins certainly needs no introduction. For over 50 years, they’ve been known in particular for their reference-class speakers, which are used both in the home and in cars, as well as in professional environments. For as long as we can remember, the British manufacturer has been one of our core brands, and for good reason.

Bowers & Wilkins’ quest for the best possible sound and an unsurpassed musical experience is not only evident in the development of the world’s most famous monitor speakers for recording studios, but is an integral part of the company’s ethos. Even items such as these, which in this case are certainly mislabeled as “lifestyle products,” employ technologies that set new standards in innovation and sound quality.

Bowers & Wilkins first soundbar came to market in 2009. Named after two legendary movie technologies of the golden age of cinema – Panavision and Cinerama – Panorama established a new concept in soundbar design. The goal of this was to enable the best possible sound from a single speaker – without an external subwoofer or other additional equipment. This endeavor proved successful and, in addition to even more powerful drivers, was further optimized in terms of ease of use in 2013 with the addition of HDMI inputs in the form of the Panorama 2. The new Panorama 3 takes its cue from its two predecessors and largely eliminates the need for external components. It features 13 individual drivers in a 3.1.2 configuration and is also the company’s first Dolby Atmos soundbar. The front-facing driver units, are two 50mm midrange drivers each on the left, center, and right, and an acoustically decoupled 19mm titanium dome tweeter. In addition to these, the Panorama 3 has two Dolby Atmos drivers radiating upwards, which are specially designed for spatial sound effects and thus enable an optimal all-round sound. Two 100 mm subwoofers with their own enclosure volume provide a powerful, deep foundation and make the connection of an external subwoofer unnecessary. The advanced Dolby Atmos decoder and processor turns audio playback of all media into an immersive experience. Whereby audio streams in Dolby Digital and Dolby TrueHD can also be reliably played back. Meanwhile, each tweeter, midrange pair, subwoofer, and Dolby Atmos speaker chassis delivers 40 watts of power. With a total output of 400 watts, the Panorama 3 is one of the most powerful soundbars in its class.

TITEL

The HDMI interface has also undergone an evolution and comes in a contemporary ARC/eARC design. When connected via HDMI cable, you can conveniently control the volume and other functions of the soundbar via the remote control of your TV set, satellite or cable TV receiver. With the capacitive control buttons located on the top, which are only visible when touched, the Panorama 3 can also be operated directly on the device. The soundbar can also be conveniently controlled via voice command thanks to the integrated Alexa function. The Panorama 3 can also be conveniently played via your smartphone using services such as AirPlay 2, aptX Adaptive Bluetooth and Spotify Connect. Bowers & Wilkins’ own Music Life app also provides direct access to a variety of streaming services, including Deezer, Last.fm, Qobuz, SoundCloud, TIDAL and TuneIn so far. Since the Klangbar enables streaming in hi-res quality, it makes it not only the optimal partner for enjoying video content, but moreover, for the auditory enjoyment of your favorite tracks.

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Due to its particularly flat design with a height of 65 mm, a depth of 140 mm, and a width of 1,210 mm, the soundbar is very easy to install and can easily be placed in front of your TV without covering the lower part of the screen. A metal wall mount is also included as an option. Furthermore, an optical digital input is also available for older TVs. Just like the Zeppelin, the Panorama 3 is also prepared for future expansions and new functions. With upcoming updates and services, the Panorama 3 can easily be upgraded at a later date. A multi-room function is planned shortly after the product launch. It will make it possible to connect the soundbar not only with other Panorama or Zeppelin devices, but can then presumably also be integrated with the Bowers & Wilkins Formation products in a multi-room system.

Final Thoughts
The Bowers & Wilkins Panorama 3 Dolby Atmos soundbar delivers powerful sound and sound effects, making it perfect for enjoying movies and TV shows as well as video games and music. So it’s a true all-rounder that doesn’t even take up much space and still delivers top-notch Bowers & Wilkins sound. The revised HDMI standard alone is reason enough to upgrade from the Panorama 2 but the implementation of Dolby Atmos sound certainly gives the final incentive to definitely add it to the list when purchasing a soundbar. But as always, it’s best to see for yourself and let us advise you on-site to make the best choice for you.



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