Sonos Connect Amp + Bowers & Wilkins AM-1 Package

Sonos Connect Amp

This little box of 21st-century wireless streaming technology has revolutionized our enjoyment and access to music at home. So, how does it work? Hook up your unit to your router using a RJ45 patch cable, or if this is not convenient buy the optional Sonos Bridge (formerly BR100 zone bridge), connect a pair of speakers, download the free control app to your iPhone/iPad/Android/PC/Mac or whiz the CD-ROM containing the setup software in your PC or Mac and then start to enjoy your music anywhere in the home you choose to place your unit and speakers.

If one of your rooms already has an audio system, you can save money by purchasing the Sonos Connect (formerly ZP90) instead, which has the same functionality but without the power amplifiers of this unit. The onboard 55W class D amplifiers have plenty of power to match whatever speakers you care to connect, and the sound quality is superb.

There are inputs available to connect sources, not on your networks such as a TV, or your PC headphone output, or even a CD or DVD player. Radio streaming is one of the best features, allowing you to listen to BBC2 or any station in the UK or around the world - you can store your favourite stations at the touch of a button of course. Music streaming from Spotify, Napster (paid subscription of £10 per month) Deezer, last.fm are all available, so virtually any tune on the planet can be accessed.

You can add up to 32 zones in a single installation, making it suitable for the largest of properties, but if you have a more modest home, a single zone will convince you of the system's ability, and you will find yourself adding additional zones before too long!

Over the summer I added a zone in the garden with weatherproof speakers, it has proved to be a great way of relaxing outside and at parties. The Sonos CR200 is a great way to control your unit and for those with an iPhone/iPad/iTouch or Andriod device, you can download a free app from the iTunes/marketplace to offer identical control functionality via your beloved Apple/Android. A must for music lovers with their music collections stored on their PC, Mac or NAS drive and a fantastic way to share your music with the rest of the family. It is highly recommended.

Bowers and Wilkins AM-1

The new B&W AM1 Architectural Monitor offers a unique combination of high-quality sound and supreme flexibility. Suitable for installation in a wide range of outdoor and indoor applications, it’s the most durable loudspeaker Bowers & Wilkins has ever made, capable of withstanding all weather types, as well as steam. 

The sound quality that the AM-1 is capable of greatly reflects the sophistication and quality of its design. The midrange/bass driver is 5 inches in size and is constructed from a glass-fibre. This driver is supported by an innovative bass enhancing technology called ABR, which stands for Auxiliary Bass Radiator. The ABR is used in place of a bass reflect port, allowing the AM-1 to deliver great depths of bass sound while retaining a level of control not normally found with a speaker of its stature. Unlike a bass port, the ABR also provides a weatherproof seal for the AM-1's cabinet. 

The 25mm aluminium dome tweeter is mounted beneath the mid/bass driver, ensuring the best possible sound dispersion and in turn, resulting in a superior stereo-field when mounted high up on a wall. These drivers sit beneath a rust-proof aluminium grille, attached to a rigid cabinet composed of glass-filled plastics. This ensures an unrivalled resistance to the elements, whether they be extreme amounts of dust, moisture or UB. 

Rigorous and unrelenting tests and assessments in an accelerated salt-spray chamber and outdoor UV exposure proves that the AM-1's parts and pieces don't fade or discolour. The AM-1 can be positioned in either a landscape or portrait mode and includes a cast aluminium wall bracket with a one-plug mounting system. Speaker cables don't link directly to the AM-1, but rather to this bracket instead for a stronger and safe signal connection and an easier installation process.