The Beatles stopped touring America and elsewhere in 1966, however the Bowers & Wilkins 801 audio system, which had been developed by B&W co-founder John Bowers in 1979, and adopted by Abbey Street Studios, the place the band recorded all of their studio albums correct, are at present touring the US, with representatives from the corporate making stops in a number of cities to current a brand new restricted version of the flagship speaker.
Solely 144 pairs of that speaker, the Bowers & Wilkins 801 Abbey Street Restricted Version, have been produced, and so they’re priced at $70,000 / £55,000 a pair. Clearly, The Beatles are solely part of Abbey Street Studios’ storied historical past, however it’s laborious to think about any music fan not eager to personal a pair of those beautiful full-range tower audio system.
The Abbey Street connection within the new 801 Restricted Version is bolstered by a classic darkish walnut end that fastidiously matches the end of the piano in Studio Three that Paul McCartney used for Woman Madonna. The speaker’s pink leather-based high floor additionally matches the hue of the console used for Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin recordings, in addition to the studio’s management room seating.
That’s quite a lot of historical past to attach with, and music fanatics may also respect the restricted version hardcover ebook detailing the studio’s historical past that comes with every speaker pair.
Even better, Bowers & Wilkins is planning an Abbey Road Studios insider tour for 801 Abbey Road Limited Edition owners. The dates for that are yet to be determined, but Abbey Road Studios is not accessible to the general public, so it should be a unique opportunity. (Owners will be notified about the event directly by Bowers & Wilkins.)
The sound of Abbey Road
As a special edition version of the Bowers & Wilkins 801 D4, the 801 Abbey Road Limited Edition offers sound-improving upgrades on the regular version, mostly tweaks to the crossover and cabinet construction. Otherwise, the 801 Abbey Road Limited Edition has the same 3-way tower design, with a 1-inch diamond dome tweeter, 6-inch Continuum cone mid-range, and dual 10-inch bass drivers.
At the company’s listening demo at Audio Advice Live 25, which took place in Raleigh, North Carolina, from August 1-3, the 801 Abbey Road Limited Edition was driven by an electronics stack from sister-brand Marantz consisting of a Link 10N preamp and two Model 10 integrated units, each used as a mono amp.
The demo started with the main theme from the Raiders of the Lost Ark soundtrack, which was recorded at the famous studio. The brass on this 1981 recording sounded crisp and airy, and the speakers’ prodigious bass capabilities easily handled the full-sounding kettle drums and percussion.
A Sam Smith track played next showcased the 801 Abbey Road Limited Edition’s smooth and effortless manner with vocals, but it was Imaginary Friends by Deadmau5 that brought the house down during the demo, with the swirling synths and electronic beats creating a deep, vividly detailed sonic landscape.
Audio Advice Live 25 may be over, but you can still experience the Bowers & Wilkins 801 Abbey Road Limited Edition speakers during one of the remaining US tour stops. They honestly rank among the many best stereo speakers I’ve ever heard, and in case you like them as a lot as I do, they may very well be your golden ticket to Abbey Street.
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