Bowers & Wilkins Formation Audio Streaming Media Player - Black

Bring Your Music System Up to Date with Bowers & Wilkins Sound Quality

Bring your music system up to date with Bowers & Wilkins sound quality with the Formation Audio streaming media player. Stream 24-bit/96kHz hi-res audio to your hi-fi, include it in a multi-room set-up, and even stream analog sources like turntables to Formation wireless speakers.

For decades, a traditional Bowers & Wilkins sound system has been the ultimate definition of high-fidelity. Now, the uncompromising Bowers & Wilkins audio heritage is married with 21st-century streaming convenience with the new Formation Audio streaming media player. It finally enables high-quality wireless streaming to your existing system or from existing components – CD player, turntable, or other pieces – to wireless Formation speakers, anywhere in the home.

Generous Connectivity

Bowers & Wilkins' digital-to-analog converter ensures there are no lag or breaks in sound, even between rooms, while 96 kHz / 24-bit streaming maintains legendary Bowers & Wilkins sound resolution.

Generous connectivity allows you to easily integrate Formation Audio with your sound system. It has digital audio in (Toslink), analog audio in (2 x RCA), Digital audio out (1 x RCA), Analog audio out (2 x RCA), Network connectivity (RJ45 Ethernet or WiFi), plus Bluetooth® v4.1 (Class 2 aptX HD). It also has Apple AirPlay2 technology, Spotify® Connect, and Roon Ready

Overflowing with Capability

Formation Audio is a network connected, stereo preamplifier and streaming media player that enables conventional audio sources to be played both locally and over a Formation network, and audio streams to be played via wired active speakers or through a conventional hi-fi system.

Formation Audio is primarily intended to be controlled using the Bowers & Wilkins Home app. The app is available for both iOS and Android devices. Some commonly used control functions are also available via buttons on the Formation Audio front panel. It is only possible to install and configure Formation Audio using the Bowers & Wilkins Home app.

Formation Audio will enable you to listen to audio from streaming services like Spotify, Apple Music, and Roon, and listen to network stored audio files. You can also listen to audio over Bluetooth from appropriately enabled Bluetooth source devices, to audio from devices such as turntables (via a phono preamp) and CD players that are connected to a Bowers & Wilkins Formation Audio or other Formation devices (optional, sold separately), and to audio from Internet Radio, Apple AirPlay, or Bluetooth compatible services and apps. You can listen to audio playing anywhere in your home on any Formation device connected to your home network.

The New Wireless Revolution

Formation is the name of Bowers and Wilkins' exclusive wireless technology. Formation guarantees a flawless listening experience, no matter how extensive your system. Using a robust, independent network, Bowers & Wilkins' wireless speakers deliver perfect room-to-room synchronization and outstanding sound. Set-up and control is easy, too.

Complete Control is Yours

Control your entire Bowers & Wilkins wireless audio system using the company's Music app for iOS and Android. Organize your speakers into groups, integrate your favorite streaming services, and enjoy an unrivaled combination of high-resolution audio performance and absolute convenience.

The Bowers & Wilkins Home app enables you to select and play any available audio source or stream. In much the same way that conventional audio source playback requires initiation through a play command, Formation streams must be first initiated through their own gateway app: the Spotify app for example, or a music library app such as Roon. Each gateway or library app will list your Formation Audio space as an available playback device using Airplay, Bluetooth or in the case of Spotify, Spotify Connect.

Once audio streams are playing on the Formation network they can be selected via the Bowers & Wilkins Home app or via the Formation Audio front panel Form touch button. Touching the Form button will cycle though the available streams and sources.