Bowers & Wilkins A7 Review | 130 Data compared

The Bowers & Wilkins A7 wireless AirPlay speaker offers exceptional audio performance, characterized by an expansive soundstage and deep, powerful bass driven by a 15cm Kevlar-reinforced subwoofer and dedicated amplification. While praised for its superior sound quality, the A7 is noted for a high premium price point, lack of portability, and a setup process that could be more intuitive.

The Sound & Vision review of the Bowers & Wilkins A7 AirPlay speaker highlights its powerful, minimalist design featuring five active drivers, including Nautilus-tube aluminum tweeters and a dedicated 6-inch subwoofer, designed for high-end, room-filling sound. While praised for exceptional audio performance with clean, articulate bass and a sleek matte-black design, the A7 is criticized for a limited, frustrating remote control that fails to manage track navigation when streaming.

The PCMag UK review highlights the Bowers & Wilkins A7 as a high-end, 150-watt Apple AirPlay speaker featuring an attractive, minimalist design. It is lauded for producing robust, crystal-clear audio with rich bass and offering a simple wireless setup. Key drawbacks include distortion on deep bass tracks at maximum volume, an awkward remote control, and a high price point.

The PCMag Australia review highlights the Bowers & Wilkins A7 as a top-notch, flagship wireless speaker that balances an attractive, minimalist design with powerful audio capabilities. The system delivers robust, crisp audio over AirPlay, easy app-based setup, and substantial deep bass, though it is considered pricey, features an awkward remote, and experiences audio distortion on intense sub-bass tracks at maximum volume.

The Trusted Reviews assessment declares the Bowers & Wilkins A7 the premier compact AirPlay speaker, praising its sleek, brushed aluminum design, immense power, and crisp, room-filling audio. Despite its sonic performance, the review cites the high £700 price point, limited physical connectivity, and a sound profile that still resembles a compact system rather than a true wide-stage hi-fi setup as significant drawbacks.

The Bowers & Wilkins A7 is a premium, top-notch wireless audio system featuring easy app-based setup, a 150-watt driver array, and a 3.5mm input. It delivers crystal-clear sound with rich bass, though it faces cons such as a high price, potential digital signal processing issues for purists, and audio distortion at maximum volume. Additionally, the unit features an awkward, hard-to-use remote control.

The Expert Reviews assessment of the Bowers & Wilkins A7 highlights it as a premium, high-end wireless audio system featuring a robust, glass-reinforced ABS speaker enclosure with fantastic aesthetics. While the unit delivers an excellent, fully fleshed-out sound with delicate mid and treble tones, the review notes as cons that the bass can be overpowering on specific tracks and individual instruments are not as easily picked out as on the cheaper B&W A5, all at an exceptionally high price.

The B&W A7 wireless AirPlay speaker delivers exceptional, room-filling audio with deep, punchy bass and detailed dynamics, earning a 5/5 score from Stuff. While praised for its 150W performance and straightforward setup app, the speaker is constrained by a high price point, a lack of battery portability, and an app that is slightly less intuitive than some competitors.

The iLounge review describes the Bowers & Wilkins A7 as a premium, 14.2-inch wide, AirPlay-enabled speaker featuring a sleek, black fabric design with a brushed aluminum band. Pros include exceptional, room-filling sound with a dedicated subwoofer and two Nautilus tube tweeters, alongside streamlined AirPlay setup and useful rear USB/Ethernet ports. Key cons are the high $800 price point, a conspicuous plastic port vent on the back, lack of Bluetooth, and a clunky included remote.

The Gizmodo review praises the $800 Bowers & Wilkins A7 as a premium wireless AirPlay speaker with a "starship chic" design that delivers immense power, immaculate clarity, and impressive room-filling sound. While highlighted for its extreme simplicity and high-quality audio, the review identifies its "tragic flaw" as the steep price tag, which makes it far too expensive for most consumers.

The Macworld review concludes that the Bowers & Wilkins A7 is an exceptional, premium AirPlay speaker offering outstanding, crystal-clear audio with powerful, controlled bass and a sharp, understated design. While noted for its ease of setup and intuitive, versatile connectivity options, the A7 is criticized for its high price, a confusing color-coded status LED system, and an awkward, limited remote control.