Bowers & Wilkins has unveiled its all-new soundbar, the Panorama 3, which follows the original Panorama, named in tribute to two iconic film technologies from the golden age of cinema — Panavision and Cinerama, which was introduced in 2009 and the Panorama 2, which was introduced in 2013.
The new Panorama 3 builds on the heritage of its two forebears. Its low profile, at just 2.5 inches in height, makes it easier to install and set up. Despite its slim proportions, Panorama 3 still features 13 individual drive units, including twin subwoofers built-in for deep, extended bass, plus 400 watts of amplification.
Panorama 3 is also the first Bowers & Wilkins soundbar to feature true Dolby Atmos upwards-firing drive units. Specifically engineered and carefully angled to deliver optimal immersion, they’re accompanied by a Dolby Atmos decoder and processor to deliver great sound from spatial audio soundtracks on TV, film, game, and music streams.
The Panorama 3’s low profile makes it easy to place on a piece of furniture in front of the TV without obstructing the bottom of the screen, with a metal wall bracket also included in the box if mounting the soundbar on the wall.
Connection is made by one HDMI cable. Once connected, the TV or satellite/cable box remote can be used to control the Panorama 3’s volume and power functions. The soundbar also includes capacitive-touch “hidden until lit” buttons on its top surface for instant control, and even features built-in Alexa.
The Panorama 3 includes both AirPlay 2 and aptX Adaptive Bluetooth, so both iOS and Android users can easily stream their favorite music to it from their mobile devices. Spotify fans can also enjoy the convenience of Spotify Connect.
For high-resolution listening, the new Panorama 3 also supports the Bowers & Wilkins Music App, giving listeners instant access to a host of streaming services, including Deezer, Last.fm, Qobuz, Soundcloud, TIDAL, and TuneIn.
The Panorama 3’s digital “brain” can be upgraded over time, with multi-room capability planned for introduction shortly after launch. That will make it compatible with both other Panoramas (or other Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin speakers) in a multiroom environment or, if you prefer, a multiroom system based on Bowers & Wilkins Formation products.
The Panorama 3 is available now for $999 USD from the Bowers & Wilkins website and select dealers.
For more information, visit www.bowerswilkins.com/new-panorama3.
This article originally ran on residentialsystems.com
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