BUENA VISTA - Bowers & Wilkins Panorama 3

The Bowers & Wilkins Panorama 3 finally delivers the impressive Dolby Atmos sound the hi-fi legend has always promised - and it's ideal for music fans, too

- Josh Russell

SPECIFICATIONS

Drivers 13 (3 x 0.75-inch tweeter, 6 x 2-inch bass / midrange, 2 x 2-inch Atmos drive unit, 2 x 4-inch bass unit) Frequency range 43Hz - 48kHz Connectivity HDMI eARC, Digital Audio In, Ethernet, USB-C, Bluetooth 5.2, AirPlay 2 Dimensions 65x1210x140mm Weight 6.5kg

£899 bowerswilkins.com

Where wireless speakers, headphones and traditional loudspeakers are concerned, Bowers & Wilkins' reputation is basically unimpeachable - but where soundbars are concerned it's tended to fall a little short. Well, the Panorama 3 changes all that, with an impressive Dolby Atmos speaker array, built-in sub and wireless audio credentials.

The Dolby Atmos-enabled soundbar is nothing new, of course - but it's new to Bowers & Wilkins. And given that you only get one chance to make a first impression, the company hasn't held back on features and specifications.

Rather than relying on digital sound processing to achieve a Dolby Atmos-style sonic height, the Panorama 3 is fitted with a pair of up-firing 50mm Elevation drivers designed to reflect sound off the ceiling. Also (just about) visible through the perforations on the top of the soundbar are a couple of 100mm subwoofers - they bring all the low-end presence your average Hollywood soundtrack relies heavily on to sound convincing. The left, right and centre channels are arranged across the front of the soundbar, behind some nicely applied wraparound acoustic material.