Bowers & Wilkins Formation Audio

Features

Wireless Audio Hub: The Formation Audio is a wireless audio hub that brings Bowers & Wilkins Formation Wireless Audio Technology, as well as Spotify Connect, AirPlay 2, Roon, and Bluetooth to your existing home entertainment system. Your home stereo system must be equipped with a free analog stereo RCA or digital coaxial input. The Formation Audio can also be used to create a wireless stand alone audio system when linked with a pair B&W's Duo, Flex, and Wedge speakers (all sold separately); as well as one Formation Bass powered subwoofer (sold separately). The Formation Audio is equipped with a high performance analog-to-digital converter (ADC) and high performance digital-to-analog converter (DAC).

• Analog & Digital Inputs: The Formation Audio features an analog stereo RCA input and an optical (toslink) digital input for connection of an external analog device, as well as an external digital audio device. The analog stereo RCA input is line-level. If you want to connect a turntable, you will need an external phono preamp (sold separately - see Accessories Tab) or a turntable with a phono preamp built-in. The optical digital input supports 2ch PCM up to 24-bit/96kHz (not compatible with Dolby Digital/DTS).
• Analog & Digital Outputs: The B&W Formation Audio is outfitted with an analog stereo RCA output and coaxial digital output for connecting to your existing home entertainment system. The volume level of these outputs can be controlled from the The Bowers & Wilkins Home app on your compatible mobile device or from your connected home stereo system.

Wired & Wireless Network Connectivity: The Bowers & Wilkins Formation Audio supports a wired (Ethernet) or wireless (WiFi) network connection. The Formation Audio is equipped with an RJ-45 LAN jack for a wired connection to your network router. It also offers built-in WiFi (2.4GHz) for a wireless connection to your network router. By connecting the Formation Audio to your network, you gain access to Spotify Connect, Apple AirPlay 2, Roon, and B&W's proprietary Formation Wireless Multiroom Audio Eco-System.

Note: The Bowers & Wilkins Formation Music App (for Apple iOS 12.0+ and Android OS 5.0+) is required to connect your Formation Audio to your home network and also to establish connection with other Formation Series speakers in your home.

Music Bowers & Wilkins App: The Music Bowers & Wilkins App (for Apple iOS 12.0+ and Android OS 5.0+) provides simple setup and control from your compatible Apple iOS or Android mobile device. Use the Music Bowers & Wilkins app to connect the Formation Audio and other Formation Series speakers to your WiFi network. The app also lets you access select online music services, while also controling basic functions - such as Source Selection, Volume Up/Down, as well as Bass & Treble of the speaker. In addition, the app lets you create a wireless multiroom audio mesh network with other Bowers & Wilkins Formation speakers for a whole house audio experience. You'll be able to control each Formation Series speaker in your home through this one application on your compatible Apple iOS or Android OS device. Software and firmware updates are also enabled through the Music Bowers & Wilkins app.

Formation Wireless Multiroom Audio: The Formation Audio is part of Bowers & Wilkins Formation Series of products (sold separately - see Accessories Tab) that can be used together to create a wireless multiroom high-resolution audio system. B&W Formation Series products wirelessly connect together through a proprietary mesh network, independently from your WiFi network, to ensure 24-bit/96kHz high-resolution audio performance throughout your home. Each Formation Series product dynamically chooses the optimal path to route audio-data between products, in order to ensure a robust streaming experience with near perfect audio synchronization (1 microsecond sync between speakers).

• Number of Speaker Groups: You can have up to six Bowers & Wilkins Formation Series products on one wireless mesh network. You can group Formation speakers together and play the same audio source through each speaker or have different audio sources playing through each speaker.
• Compatible Sources: Tidal, Tune In, Qobuz, NTS, Soundcloud, Dash, Spotify Connect, and Bluetooth audio are supported by Formation wireless multiroom audio. Roon & AirPlay 2 are not compatible because they are independent and alternative multiroom audio platforms.

Notes: Click here for Bowers & Wilkins Formation Series support page.

Online Music Apps: Within the Music Bowers & Wilkins app (for Apple iOS 12.0+ and Android OS 5.0+) you can access select online music services; including Tidal, Tune In, Qobuz, NTS, Soundcloud, and Dash. You'll also have browsing and playback control, plus song/artist/album information (including album art) from the Music B&W app for the listed online music services. The Music Bowers & Wilkins app even gives you cross-service personalized track and playlist recommendations, plus exclusive access to curated Bowers & Wilkins content.

Alexa Voice Control Compatible: B&W has added support for voice-control via Amazon Alexa to their Formation Series. This new Formation Skill is a convenient way to wirelessly stream music and control the Formation product via an Alexa-enabled device (sold separately) using only your voice. You'll be able to use Alexa to access and control additional online music services such as Amazon Music, Pandora, SiriusXM, iHeartradio, and Tune In (Tidal, Qobuz, NTS, Soundcloud, and Dash are not supported by Alexa). In addition to an Alexa-enabled device (sold separately), you allso need to install the Alexaapp (for Apple iOS 11.0+ and Android OS 6.0+) on your compatible smartphone or tablet device.

• Volume Controls: You can ask Alexa to increase or decrease the volume (0-100) on a specific Formation Series product or in a particular room. You can also ask Alexa to mute or unmute your music.
• Playback Controls: You can ask Alexa to playback a compatible online music service, a specific artist, or music genre on a specific Formation Series product or in a particular room. Alexa can also be used to control basic playback functions such as Play/Stop, Pause/Resume, Previous/Next Track, and Fast Forward/Rewind. You can even ask Alexa "what's playing" to be told the song title and artist.

Notes:

• The B&W Formation does not feature its own built-in microphone and requires a separate Alexa-enabled device (such as the Echo; sold separately) to use voice control.
• Only music services that have been certified to work with the Formation Series are supported; other services may appear but will not be supported.
• Alexa playback control is music service dependent (the music service must support the same features). Click here for a full updated list of Amazon Alexa Formation Series Skills.

Spotify Connect: The integration of Spotify Connect will enable Spotify Premium users to instantly select and wirelessly stream music to the B&W Formation Audio from within the Spotify app (Apple iOS or Android). Spotify is a digital music service that gives you on-demand access to one of the largest music libraries in the world (over 15 million tracks and counting). Spotify makes it easier than ever to discover, manage, and share music with your friends. You can browse music by artist, album, track, or most popular; and create your own music library with customized playlists.

Apple AirPlay 2: AirPlay 2 is an advanced and easy-to-use wireless multiroom audio platform for iTunes, Apple Music, and other compatible Apple iOS apps. With AirPlay 2 you can play any sound from your Apple iOS device (running iOS 11.4 or later) or Mac computer (running OS X 10.13.2) on the B&W Formation Audio and other compatible AirPlay 2 components throughout your home. You will also be able to ask Siri-enabled devices (like your Apple iPhone, iPad, or Watch) to control playback of your Apple Music on the Formation Audio. You can choose to play audio in one room, play the same audio in grouped rooms, or play the same audio in every room (you can control and group directly from Apple's Music App and Home app on your Apple iOS device). If you are an Apple Music subscriber, you can even play different music in different rooms (you can control and group directly from Apple's Music App and Home app on your Apple iOS device). You can even watch videos and movies from YouTube and Netflix on your compatible Apple iOS device or Mac computer with perfectly synced audio on the Bowers & Wilkins Formation Audio.

Roon Ready: Roon is a feature rich music library and playback application that compiles all the music files available to your network and makes them easily available to play across all your B&W Formation Series products and any other Roon enabled audio devices. Roon manages digital music files (including FLAC, WAV, AIFF, ALAC, and DSD) collected on hard drives and networked storage. It can also watch your iTunes library, and optionally integrate with the Tidal and Qobuz music streaming services. Roon is available for mobile, laptop or desktop devices. When you open the Roon app, it will display your complete audio library together with its metadata and artwork along with all the available Formation and Roon enabled devices. Simply select the music you wish to play and the Formation or Roon device in which you want to hear it on.

Note: To use Roon you will need a Roon Core running on the same network as the Formation Audio and other Formation Series products. The Core is media server software that runs on your computer, NAS, or turnkey appliance (like Nucleus or ROCK - sold separately), located on the network within your home.

Bluetooth Audio w/ aptX HD: The Bowers & Wilkins Formation Audio features built-in Bluetooth 4.1 with support for wireless audio streaming (A2DP). You'll be able to wirelessly stream stored music, music apps, and other audio content from your Bluetooth-enabled source device (such as your smartphone, tablet, laptop, or desktop computer) to the Formation Audio. You'll continue to use your Bluetooth-enabled source device to control playback functions and view song/artist info (album art).

• Supported Codecs: In addition to support for Bluetooth's standard SBC audio codec, the Formation Audio supports AAC for higher quality playback from Apple iOS devices, as well as support of aptX HD for 24-bit/48kHz audio playback from compatible devices. aptX HD supports 48kHz/24-bit LPCM audio over a Bluetooth wireless connection for a "better-than-CD" listening experience.
• Multi-Device Pairing: Up to eight Bluetooth devices can be paired with the soundbar, but only one can be connected and used at a time. The Formation Audio does not support auto reconnection with previously paired Bluetooth devices.

Note: The Formation Audio will require a network connection and the Bowers & Wilkins Home app to complete to complete the pairing process of your Bluetooth-enabled source devices.

AC Power with Auto On/Off: The Formation Audio comes with a detachable 6.5' AC power cord that plugs into the back of the wireless hub and into an AC wall outlet or surge protector (sold separately - see Accessories Tab). The Formation Audio will automatically turn on when it senses a wired or wireless audio source signal. The wireless hub will automatically power off after twenty minutes of no audio signal and no operation.

Mounting Options: The Formation Audio wireless hub can be placed on a shelf, table or other piece of furniture. It is not rack or wall mountable.

Note: The Formation suite of products are not moisture resistant, as they are not designed to be used in high-humidity or moisture rich environments. Positioning a Formation product in a moisture rich environment such as a bathroom or sauna, could cause damage to the product that would not be covered under its manufacturing warranty