Bowers & Wilkins CM1: Limited Warranty

Moving the speakers further from the walls will

sound may at first appear too “up front” and perhaps

generally reduce the volume of bass. Space behind

a little hard. After an extended period of time the

the speakers will also help to create an aural

sound will seem to mellow, but without losing clarity

impression of depth. Conversely, moving the speakers

and detail.

closer to the walls will increase the volume of bass. If

Aftercare

you want to reduce the volume of bass without

moving the speakers further from the wall, fit the foam

The cabinet surfaces usually only require dusting. If

plugs or, for less severe bass reduction, the foam rings

you wish to use an aerosol or other cleaner, remove

in the port tubes. Fitting a foam plug or ring in a port

the grille first by gently pulling it away from the

tube is illustrated in Figure 3.

cabinet. Spray aerosols onto the cleaning cloth, not

directly onto the product. Test a small area first, as

If the bass seems uneven with frequency this will most

some cleaning products may damage some of the

probably be due to resonance modes in the listening

surfaces. Avoid products that are abrasive, or contain

room. Even small changes in the position of the

acid, alkali or anti-bacterial agents. Do not use

speakers or the listening position can have a profound

cleaning agents on the drive units. The grille fabric

effect on how these resonances affect the sound. Try

may be cleaned with a normal clothes brush whilst the

moving the listening position or locating the speakers

grille is detached from the cabinet. Avoid touching the

along a different wall. The presence and position of

drive units, especially the tweeter, as damage may

large pieces of furniture can also influence resonance

result.

modes.

In order to avoid the risk of the surface finish cracking,

If the central image lacks focus, try moving the

keep the product away from sources of direct heat

speakers closer together or angling them inward so

such as radiators and warm air vents. Whenever

that they point at a location just in front of the listening

Bowers & Wilkins speakers are finished in real wood,

position. Figure 1b illustrates speakers angled inwards.

the finest veneers are selected and treated with an

If the sound is too bright, increasing the amount of

ultra-violet resistant lacquer to minimise changes in

soft furnishing in the room (heavier curtains for

colour over time. Nevertheless, like all natural

example) may help balance the sound. Conversely,

materials, the veneer will respond to its environment

reducing the amount of soft furnishing may help

and a degree of colour change is to be expected. The

brighten a dull sound.

effect may be particularly noticeable where the area

covered by the grille, or areas kept in shadow, change

Some rooms suffer from “flutter echoes” – echoes that

more slowly than other areas. Colour differences may

“bounce” between parallel room boundaries. Flutter

be rectified by exposing all the veneer surfaces equally

echoes can colour the sound of the speakers in the

and evenly to sunlight until the colour is uniform. This

room. Test for flutter echoes by standing in the middle

process can take several days or even weeks, but

of the room and clapping your hands. Flutter echoes

may be accelerated by careful use of an ultra-violet

can be reduced by placing irregular shaped items or

lamp.

non-reflective surfaces, bookshelves, rugs or pictures

for example, on one of the offending walls or floor.

Ensure that the speaker stands are upright and firm on

the floor. Use carpet piercing spikes if appropriate and

Limited Warranty

adjust them to take up any unevenness.

This product has been designed and manufactured to

Running-in Period

the highest quality standards. However, if something

The performance of the speaker will change subtly

does go wrong with this product, B&W Group Ltd. and

during the initial listening period. If the speaker has

its national distributors warrant free of charge labour

been stored in a cold environment, the damping

(exclusion may apply) and replacement parts in any

compounds and suspension materials of the drive

country served by an official B&W distributor.

units will take some time to recover their correct

This limited warranty is valid for a period of five years

mechanical properties. The drive unit suspensions will

from the date of purchase or two years for electronics

also loosen up during the first hours of use. The time

including amplified loudspeakers.

taken for the speaker to achieve its intended

performance will vary depending on previous storage

Terms and Conditions

conditions and how it is used. As a guide, allow up to

1 The warranty is limited to the repair of the

a week for the temperature effects to stabilise and

equipment. Neither transportation, nor any other

15 hours of average use for the mechanical parts to

costs, nor any risk for removal, transportation and

attain their intended design characteristics.

installation of products is covered by this warranty.

However, longer run-in periods (as long as a month)

2 This warranty is only valid for the original owner. It

have been reported and there is evidence to suggest

is not transferable.

that this has little to do with the speaker changing and

3 This warranty will not be applicable in cases other

more to do with the listener getting used to the new

than defects in materials and/or workmanship at

sound. This is especially so with highly revealing

the time of purchase and will not be applicable:

speakers such as these where there may be a

significant increase in the amount of detail compared

with what the listener has previously been used to; the

3