B&W Bows Dramatically Different, Colorful New Speaker

Multipurpose Mini-Monitor Well-Suited To Various Needs, Lifestyles, And Tastes B&W Loudspeakers has long been acknowledged as one of the world's foremost sources of fresh thinking in loudspeaker engineering and design, and the British manufacturer's latest creation underscores this status in no uncertain terms. The B&W LM 1 Leisure Monitor is a compact two-way design whose impressive sonic refinement is reflected, and, perhaps, even overshadowed, by its unusually contemporary, unique industrial design. According to B&W's Executive Vice President, Chris Browder, the LM 1 concept demonstrates the firm's commitment to audio's intriguing, multifaceted future. ""With the LM 1 we created a design that obviously looks forward, both via an appearance that's highly visible and yet subtle and unobtrusive, and with functionality that features designed-in readiness for the multichannel, multimedia era. But at the same time the LM 1 looks back to benefit from B&W's long history, by conceding not one iota of our firm's well-known commitment to rigorous sonic accuracy and musical refinement.""The LM 1 was conceived by award-winning designer Morten Warren, the same mind that created the outstanding B&W Nautilus 800 Series designs. The ultra compact two-way, which stands less than a foot in height on a footprint just 5.5 by 7.5 inches, is available in five high-tech color-schemes, including eye-catching two-tone treatments: black, pearl white, silver burgundy red and turquoise.Developed to coordinate with modern technology components and lifestyles, the LM 1's are a far cry from the traditional, woodgrain-and-black-knit scheme of countless conventional loudspeakers. The LM 1 is, in fact, astonishingly unobtrusive and artfully able to harmonize with decor ranging from contemporary to traditional with uncanny ease. The artful industrial design, in concert with its outstanding sonic qualities, make the LM 1 the ideal loudspeaker for a variety of applications. In home audio it is perfect for five-channel duty in matched surround systems as well as in discreet stereo installations; it is also an ideal ""desktop monitor"" in multimedia computer setups that demand top fidelity. (The LM I is fully magnetically shielded, eliminating any risk of magnetically induced color-shift in CRT o or computer monitors.) Of course, the diminutive new B&W is an outstanding high performance option for office, bedroom, and dorm systems, and other such traditionally ""small-stereo system"" installations. The LM 1 is equally adept in distributed-sound environments, both domestic and commercial, as whole-house music systems, restaurant and shop background-music systems, or wherever serious-quality sound and stunning visual design are held as equally important. One key to the LM 1's flexible nature is its highly adaptable integral mounting system. This elegant, smoothly contoured stand swivels to convert to a wall or even ceiling-mount bracket, or to function as a stable stand for table-top, shelf, or stand locations, yet it clamps down solid and tight (via a supplied Allen wrench) to ensure sonic purity and freedom from buzzing. Equally important, the carefully designed mounting system visually ""belongs"" to the LM 1 system, maintaining the collected, integrated look so central to its design. Also notable, the LM 1 drivers, enclosure, and electrical components are weather-resistant, making this littlest B&W a perfect choice for baths, pool or Jacuzzi areas. The newest and smallest B&W is meticulously engineered using the same advanced, computer-enhanced design methods, drive units, and crossover components as its larger siblings. The two-way LM 1 employs a long-throw/high-output five-inch bass/midrange driver that exploits its computer-modeled, fourth-order-aligned vented enclosure to achieve remarkable bass extension to 65 Hz. At the same time, this highly capable driver promotes detailed, musical midrange reproduction and a seamlessly cohesive transition to the LM l's l-inch dome Ferrofluid-cooled tweeter, a highly accurate unit that permits airy, detailed and unrestrained sound to fully 20 kHz. Equally important, the LM 1 incorporates B&W's signature, discrete-mount-tweeter ""pod"" design, which promotes smooth off-axis treble for more natural and spacious ambiance, and eliminates diffraction effects that smear transients and limit soundstage precision. And small though it is, the LM 1 is capable of surprising dynamic power. Despite its specified sensitivity of 91 dB SPL at 1 meter/l watt--unusually high for so compact a loudspeaker--it is rated for a full 100 watts of power handling, permitting it to fulfill the very wide dynamic demands of modern music and A-V sources. With loudspeakers this compact, enclosure performance--long a B&W engineering focus--becomes even more critical. The LM 1 has effectively zero internal parallel surfaces, and its injection-molded cabinet is reinforced by internal bracing. The result is an almost perfect acoustically inert box promoting clear, effortlessly defined sound normally associated with far more costly (and bulky) designs. The LM 1 will be available in October 1999, at a manufacturer's suggested price of $350 per pair.

For more information, contact Chris Browder at B&W Loudspeakers of America 978 664 2870.