1960s: Humble beginnings

The sleepy coastal town of Worthing in South England might not look like a hotbed of 1960s freewheeling experimentation, but for audio fans it’s a place that’s synonymous with innovation. Thanks to the first Bowers & Wilkins speakers built here in the early years of the company, music lovers could experience albums such as Sgt. Pepper and Pet Sounds in new, mind-expanding depth and clarity.

1970s: A decade of milestones

With the company established and growing fast, Bowers & Wilkins developed its reputation for innovative design backed up by world-leading R&D. We introduced new forms and design concepts including Tweeter-on-Top, new cone materials such as Aramid fibre, and it all culminated in the launch of the iconic 801, soon to become the reference speaker of choice for many of the world’s leading recording studios.

1980s: The application of science

Extensive investment in research led to the establishment of the company’s dedicated R&D facility in Steyning. The era of MTV pop superstardom and bombastic stadium rock also saw Bowers & Wilkins buck the trend and introduce something small and unobtrusive: the “compact monitor”, or CM1.

1990s: Rewriting the rulebook

The 1990s saw the pioneering work of the Steyning research team realised in spectacular fashion with the launch of Nautilus™, a speaker that rewrote preconceived notions of speaker design. It also saw major product launches at both ends of the spectrum, with the unveiling of the highly regarded entry-level 600 Series and the flagship Nautilus 800 Series.

2000s: Expansion in to new categories

The decade that brought us iPods and smartphones saw us embrace the new world with the launch of the iconic Zeppelin. We also expanded into the car audio category and transformed the performance of our 800 Series with the development of the Diamond-dome tweeter.

The 2010s: Innovation overdrive

Monumental technological change seemed to be everywhere in the 2010s, and Bowers & Wilkins was no exception.

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