B&W Panorama 2 sound bar

Description

The Bowers & Wilkins Panorama 2 Soundbar is a premium integrated home-theater soundbar designed by Bowers & Wilkins, the British audio manufacturer renowned for its high-end loudspeakers. Introduced in 2012 as the successor to the original Panorama soundbar, the Panorama 2 was engineered to deliver powerful, room-filling sound from a single enclosure while maintaining the acoustic sophistication the brand is known for.

Unlike many compact soundbars designed primarily for convenience, the Panorama 2 was built with a strong focus on audiophile-grade sound quality. Its sleek curved cabinet houses nine carefully designed drivers and six built-in Class-D amplifiers, producing a total output of roughly 175 watts. The system was designed to create a large, immersive soundstage capable of replacing a conventional multi-speaker home-theater setup in many living rooms.

Inside the soundbar, the Panorama 2 employs a sophisticated driver configuration that includes two internal subwoofers, multiple midrange drivers, and a Nautilus tube-loaded aluminum dome tweeter—a technology borrowed from the company’s high-end speaker lines. This tweeter design helps absorb unwanted rear radiation from the dome, reducing distortion and improving clarity. The result is a soundbar that produces detailed highs, natural midrange reproduction, and surprisingly deep bass from a relatively slim enclosure.

The Panorama 2 also introduced significant improvements over the original model, particularly in connectivity and bass performance. The new version added three HDMI inputs and an HDMI output with Audio Return Channel (ARC), allowing the soundbar to function as a switching hub for TVs and media devices. Internally redesigned low-frequency drivers provide stronger bass extension and lower resonance, helping the soundbar deliver cinematic impact without requiring an external subwoofer.

Another highlight is the system’s wide sound dispersion, achieved through carefully positioned drivers and digital signal processing (DSP). This design creates a broader listening “sweet spot” than many traditional speaker setups, allowing multiple listeners in a room to enjoy consistent audio quality.

Visually, the Panorama 2 reflects Bowers & Wilkins’ elegant industrial design philosophy. The enclosure is finished in mirror-black stainless steel with a black mesh grille, giving it a premium appearance that complements modern televisions. At over 30 pounds, it is significantly heavier and more robust than many competing soundbars, reflecting its substantial internal components.

Although later models introduced features such as Dolby Atmos and wireless streaming, the Panorama 2 remains appreciated for its excellent build quality, powerful output, and refined sound signature. For many home-theater enthusiasts, it represents one of the earliest soundbars that successfully combined high-end hi-fi engineering with convenient all-in-one design.

Review Quotes

“Design and build quality are pretty much faultless.”

“All-new drive units offer dramatically improved acoustic performance.”

“A single speaker system delivering immersive movie and music sound.”

These observations highlight the Panorama 2’s reputation for premium construction, powerful sound output, and high-fidelity performance compared with typical soundbars.

Product Specifications

General

• Product type: Integrated A/V soundbar system

• Manufacturer: Bowers & Wilkins

• Release year: 2012

• Original retail price: about $2,200 (USD)

Driver Configuration

• 1 × 1 in aluminum dome tweeter

• 6 × 3 in midrange / surround drivers

• 2 × 3.5 in internal subwoofers

Amplification

• 5 × 25 W amplifiers (center and surround channels)

• 1 × 50 W amplifier (subwoofers)

• Total amplifier power: ~175 W

Audio Processing

• Dolby Digital

• Dolby Pro Logic II

• DTS

• Stereo playback modes

Frequency Response

• 35 Hz – 50 kHz (-6 dB)

Connections

• 3 × HDMI inputs

• 1 × HDMI output with ARC

• 3.5 mm analog / digital combo input

• RCA subwoofer pre-out

• RS-232 service connector

Physical Specifications

• Dimensions: 44 × 5 × 7.24 in (1100 × 125 × 181 mm)

• Weight: 31.1 lb (14.1 kg)

• Finish: Mirror-black stainless steel with black mesh grille