iLounge

Bowers & Wilkins MM-1 Computer Speakers

By Jeremy Horwitz

Editor-in-Chief, iLounge
Published: Monday, September 20, 2010
Category: Speakers - Multi-Component/Stationary

Difficult to do justice in photos, Bowers & Wilkins' MM-1 Speakers ($500) continue the design trend started with the company's high-end Zeppelin speaker systems for iPods, and P5 headset for iPhones, employing an attractive mix of brushed and spun metals, fabric grilles, and plastic enclosures for two separate desktop speakers. Nearly 7" tall with gently rounded 3.9" square bodies, each speaker contains one dedicated 1" treble driver and one 3" midrange/bass driver, with the right speaker handling Infrared remote input, volume controls, and a power indicator light. A single cable connects both speakers, while another wire connects to the external power supply, and another connects to an audio source; two optional ports handle a direct USB connection to a computer (for software upgrades and streaming) and headphone output from the speakers. Pricey considering that they provide only a four-driver solution with no dedicated subwoofer hardware, MM-1 is nonetheless very stylish in keeping with B&W's other products, does a fair job of cable management through the rubber bottoms of its speakers, and provides nice sound, which we'll discuss in an update to this preview in the near future. A glossy, egg-shaped remote control is included with functionality similar to the Zeppelin and Zeppelin Mini's.