Bowers & Wilkins has unveiled the CI300 series, an entry-level priced range of speakers designed for installations where budgets are a consideration.
The CCM362 entry-level speaker.
“Our high-value, high-performance in-wall and in-ceiling CI 300 speakers are entry-level in price only,” said Doug Henderson, VP of sales and marketing. “The same acoustic and industrial design teams that created the higher-end ranges, led by Dr. John Dibb, developed the CI 300 models. From sound quality to installation mechanics, the CI 300s are extremely well-executed designs that have no peers at their price points.”
There are three models in the CI 300 series: the CWM362, CCM362, and CCM382. The CCM362 ($300/pr) is an in-ceiling model with a 6-inch polypropylene cone bass/midrange driver and a 1-inch soft-dome tweeter. The CCM382 ($400/pr) is a larger in-ceiling speaker with the same 1-inch soft dome tweeter but with an 8-inch bass/midrange driver to provide deeper bass and higher sensitivity. The CWM362 ($400/pr) is a two-way, in-wall speaker based on the CCM362’s driver set.
The CI300 models feature the same thin bezeled frame as the CI600 models. They share the same cutout sizes, so PMKs and backboxes can be used interchangeably. The CI300 models have been designed with high moisture resistance for use in bathrooms, indoor pool areas, and more. Shallow in depth, the CCM362 is only 3.2-inches deep, and the CWM362 is 3-inches deep, to fit in 3-inch stud bays.
“While the new 300 Series has been designed for budget applications, the performance is clearly first rate,” Henderson said. “All drivers, crossovers components, and construction materials have been specified and evaluated by the best ears in the business. The sound is unmistakably B&W.”
The ISW-3 subwoofer features a forward-facing vent with a slotted grille that allows for installation into millwork and kitchen cabinets.
The ISW-3 subwoofer was designed to achieve a “zero visual footprint.” The ISW-3 features a unique forward-facing vent with a slotted grille that allows for installation into millwork and kitchen cabinets while venting through the base or toe kick, or it can be installed in walls, floors, or ceilings. The subwoofer’s two 6.5-inch long-throw drivers vent through a 2 x 12-inch HVAC-type slot.
The ISW-3 can vent directly through its slot facing forward, at which point it is only 9.25-inches deep (by 18.5-inches tall), or it can used with a unique right angle adaptor for placement on its face, taking up minimal height inside a cabinet. Placement choice is optional depending on the installation requirement. It is only 13-inches wide, designed to fit within many truss-style joists.
The ISW-3 is powered by a MkII version of the existing SA-250 rack mount amplifier. The SA-250MkII offers an external EQ switch setting for either the ISW-3 or ISW-4 in-wall subwoofer, plus a stereo summing input for distributed audio applications. A single SA-250MkII can power two ISW-3 or two ISW-4.
The ISW-3 and SA-250MkII will retail for USD $1,000 each.
