Bowers & Wilkins Formation Flex
Wireless SpeakerProduct Gallery
Product Overview
Bowers & Wilkins Formation Flex is a small wireless speaker in B&W's new Formation series. With a single 1" tweeter and a 4" mid-woofer, the Formation Flex can be used alone, in pairs, or as the surround channels of a wireless home theatre system.
The Formation Flex shares the same wave design across the Formation range. It can be connected wirelessly via Bluetooth or WiFi or wired via LAN.
The Formation Flex supports B&W's proprietary WiFi mesh system that uses 2.4GHz for streaming from the source and 5GHz among Formation devices: this allows for ultra-low latency when paired with other speakers or the Audio streamer in the Formation range.
It should be noted that the Formation Flex is not a portable speaker, despite its size, as it does not come with an internal battery.
Other models in the Formation series include the Duo (stereo speakers), Wedge (stand-alone speaker), Bar (soundbar), Bass (subwoofer), and Audio (wireless streamer).
Ratings
What we found
Pros
- Powerful audio performance with rich bass depth and crisp highs
- Supports AirPlay 2, Bluetooth, and Spotify Connect
- Works with Alexa and Google Assistant
Cons
- Pricey for a mono speaker
What external reviewers found
External score 64%
Pros
- Superb multi-room audio performance
- Excellent wireless sound signature
- Robust Mesh Network
- Supports Alexa and Google Assistant voice commands
- Clear, precise sound
- Powerful bass frequencies
Cons
- Lacks bass depth at high volume
- Expensive for what it offers
- Software needs work
- High price for a mono speaker
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Price Comparison
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Specifications
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External Reviews
pcmag[1]
Reviewer score 55% (normalized by Neofiliac)The Bowers & Wilkins Formation Flex can be used as a standalone mono speaker, included in a multi-room setup, or as a stereo pair. The app, which is also essential for installing updates to the speaker's firmware, can use some refining. On tracks with intense sub-bass content, like The Knife's "Silent Shout," the Formation Flex delivers full-sounding low-frequency response.
Pros
- Excellent wireless sound signature
- Easy-to-use app
- Supports Alexa and Google Assistant voice commands
Cons
- High price for a mono speaker
- Lacks bass depth at high volume
techradar[2]
Reviewer score 85% (normalized by Neofiliac)Bowers & Wilkins Formation Flex will be available from the end of September. It will cost £399 - we're still waiting on global pricing, but that works out at around $495 / AU$720. The Formation runs on the brand's Robust Mesh Network, which works alongside your home's Wi-Fi. This means you can have a multi-room setup, with speakers streaming music.
Pros
- Powerful bass frequencies
- Superb multi-room audio performance
- Robust Mesh Network
Cons
- Expensive for what it offers
whathifi[3]
Reviewer score 51% (normalized by Neofiliac)B&W Formation Duo speakers cost £3500. You don't have to have Roon to use Flex, but you simply won't get an optimal experience without it. Bass is tight and it's clean, but to maximise authority, we position the Flex closer to the wall than we might ordinarily. Out in the open, the Flex has quite a clinical performance.
Pros
- Clear, precise sound
- Easy to set up
Cons
- Software needs work
- Software needs improvement
References
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