There was a time when listening to music meant sitting in front of a stereo and popping in your favorite CD--or maybe even an actual vinyl record. But these days, we do most of our listening via iPods or from our Mac at our desk. Which is fine, except for the fact that most computer speakers suck. But these speakers from Bowers & Wilkins are so good, you should just stop reading this review now and start earning some of the 500 bucks you’ll need to pay for them.
Photography by Samantha Berg
The MM-1 speakers are designed specifically to work with your computer, although they’re flexible enough to be used with other audio sources. They connect to your Mac via USB, and they’re instantly recognized as an output device in the Sound preference pane. You’ll also need to plug them into AC power and connect the two speakers together via a proprietary 3.75-foot cable permanently attached to the left speaker. The included remote adjusts the volume on your Mac and advances tracks forward and back. Smartly, Bowers & Wilkins also included hard volume buttons on the right speaker, as well as a headphone out and a 3.5mm AUX input for connecting another audio source.
At 3.9x3.9 inches, a pair of MM-1s takes up a pretty minimal footprint on your desktop. But the sound coming from these small pillars is anything but minimal. Bowers & Wilkins built a 3-inch woofer and a 1-inch tweeter into each channel, but those stats don’t do justice to the gorgeous sound. We tested the MM-1 with everything from WNYC’s Radiolab podcast to Black Sabbath, Bach, and everything in between. In all cases, we were amazed at the clarity and level of detail Bowers & Wilkins has managed to eke out of such small speakers. Bass is taut and deep, maintaining its character even at high volumes. Treble is crisp, and the overall sound quality is the best we’ve heard from a pair of desktop speakers. And for 500 bucks, we expect nothing less.
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Bowers & Wilkins’ MM-1 are solidly built and sound spectacular. They’re intended for the desktop, but they’re powerful enough to pump music to a decent-sized room as well.
MM-1
COMPANY: Bowers & Wilkins
CONTACT: www.bowers-wilkins.com
PRICE: $499.95
REQUIREMENTS: USB port, AC outlet
Excellent volume and clarity. Compact size. No need for a subwoofer. Beautifully designed.
Non-standard interconnect between speakers. Expensive.
bradleydad
August 10, 2010 at 8:25pm
These won't work with airtunes and iTunes with an airport express, so their use is very limited.
There are lots of great speakers out there that perhaps even sound better for a lot less money.
