It’s been a while since we’ve gotten an update to B and W’s Panorama soundbar,
but it looks like they’ve just been taking their time to really make sure this one was
worth the upgrade and thankfully, it is. Hi, I’m Carl from Abt and in this video,
I’ll be giving you a closer look at the Bowers and Wilkins Panorama 3 and talking about why
this 3 point 1 point 2 channel Atmos soundbar is a model to ABSOLUTELY consider for YOUR home
theater. If you’re watching this on YouTube, these ARE available on Abt.com so if you want to see our
current pricing you can always check it out at the link down in the description after the video, and
don’t forget to like, subscribe and hit that bell so you get updates whenever we post new content.
The 2nd generation of the Panorama was, and really still IS, a great looking soundbar given that it
came out in 2013, but by today’s standards it would likely be considered on the bulkier side.
The 3 has a much lower-profile design at only 2 and a half inches high and just over 47 and a
half inches wide. So, while it’s a little wider than the 2, the height is HALF of what it was,
which makes it far less likely to block your TVs picture if you’re installing this on a stand. Or,
you do ALSO have the option to mount this to the wall with the included bracket if you choose.
The top and sides are covered with a black cloth material and the top is perforated aluminum,
so it’s not necessarily as eye-catching as the 2, but it still looks great with it’s angular shape,
AND it blends in a little more so your focus is on the sound it produces,
rather than how it looks. And in the middle on the top are the onboard controls which stay hidden
until you activate the proximity sensor. As you move to the back you’ll see all
the inputs. There’s an optical input, a USB-C that’s used for service only,
an ethernet port, bluetooth 5.0, wifi, and a single HDMI connection with an enhanced audio
return channel. A couple things you may notice here if you’re familiar with the 2 are that, one,
the second generation had 3 HDMI inputs, which was nice if your TV didn’t have enough, and two,
it also had a subwoofer pre-out which gave you the option to attach your own separate subwoofer for,
potentially, a lot more bass. With all that said though, the HDMI issue is easily remedied
by adding an HDMI switcher, if you even NEED the extra inputs, and as far as the subwoofer goes,
the low end provided by the 2 built in bass drivers is actually really impressive, so you’re
unlikely to find yourself even needing more. And on the topic of drivers, this has
3 one quarter inch titanium dome tweeters, 8 two inch woven glass fiber cone drivers,
6 for the fronts and two for the upward firing atmos effects, and those two 4 inch
bass drivers I mentioned a moment ago, for a total of 13 drivers altogether, all driven by
400 watts of power from the built in amp. So what about the sound? Well, B and W has
a long history of producing speakers that provide great audio quality, and the Panorama 3 absolutely
continues that tradition. Its left and right channels do a terrific job with separation,
creating a nice wide soundstage, and the center channel provides crystal clear dialog.
The Atmos speakers on the top project your height channels effectively, giving you a
true sense of 3D audio, at least as true as you can get without any additional rear speakers,
and the built in subs are more powerful than you might be thinking. They match up with the
rest of the audio extremely well, and don’t leave you feeling like you need a whole lot more bass.
It really is as encompassing an experience as you can get from a 3 point 1 point 2 channel soundbar.
And as a bonus, you get some handy smart features. It’s compatible with Apple’s AirPlay 2, Alexa,
Spotify Connect, and although it doesn’t come with its own remote, it IS compatible
with the B and W Music App for control. When you compare the Panorama 3 to other
similar products like the Bose Soundbar 900 or the Sonos Arc on paper, it may not look like
you’re getting as much. And yes, you do maybe pay a tiny bit of a premium for the B and W
name, but sound quality wise, you are absolutely getting your money’s worth.
If you have any questions on the Panorama 3, be sure to contact our experts at the link below.
We’re always happy to help. Thanks as always for watching and we’ll see you in the next one.