Bowers & Wilkins CM9: Limited Warranty

the speakers will also help to create an aural

Aftercare

impression of depth. Conversely, moving the speakers

The cabinet surfaces usually only require dusting. If

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

you wish to use an aerosol or other cleaner, remove

you want to reduce the volume of bass without

the grille first by gently pulling it away from the

moving the speakers further from the wall, fit the foam

cabinet. Spray aerosols onto the cleaning cloth, not

plugs in the port tubes as illustrated in Figure 3.

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.

We have chosen the finest wood veneers for the

If the central image lacks focus, try moving the

surface of the cabinet, but please be aware that, like

speakers closer together or angling them inward so

all natural materials, the veneer will respond to its

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

environment. Keep the product away from sources of

position. Figure 1b illustrates speakers angled inwards.

direct heat such as radiators and warm air vents to

avoid the risk of cracking. The wood is 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, but a degree of change is to be

example) may help balance the sound. Conversely,

expected. This effect may be particularly noticeable

reducing the amount of soft furnishing may help

where the area covered by the grille, or areas kept in

brighten a dull sound.

shadow, change more slowly than other areas. Colour

Some rooms suffer from “flutter echoes” – echoes that

differences may be rectified by exposing all the veneer

“bounce” between parallel room boundaries. Flutter

surfaces equally and evenly to sunlight until the colour

echoes can colour the sound of the speakers in the

is uniform. This process can take several days or even

room. Test for flutter echoes by standing in the middle

weeks, but may be accelerated by careful use of an

of the room and clapping your hands. Flutter echoes

ultra-violet lamp.

can be reduced by placing irregular shaped items or

non-reflective surfaces, bookshelves, rugs or pictures

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

Limited Warranty

Ensure that the speaker stands firmly on the floor. Use

carpet piercing spikes if appropriate and adjust them

This product has been designed and manufactured to

to take up any unevenness.

the highest quality standards. However, if something

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

Running-in Period

its national distributors warrant free of charge labour

The performance of the speaker will change subtly

(exclusion may apply) and replacement parts in any

during the initial listening period. If the speaker has

country served by an official B&W distributor.

been stored in a cold environment, the damping

compounds and suspension materials of the drive

This limited warranty is valid for a period of five years

units will take some time to recover their correct

from the date of purchase or two years for electronics

mechanical properties. The drive unit suspensions will

including amplified loudspeakers.

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

Terms and Conditions

taken for the speaker to achieve its intended

1 The warranty is limited to the repair of the

performance will vary depending on previous storage

equipment. Neither transportation, nor any other

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

costs, nor any risk for removal, transportation and

a week for the temperature effects to stabilise and

installation of products is covered by this warranty.

15 hours of average use for the mechanical parts to

attain their intended design characteristics.

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

is not transferable.

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

have been reported and there is evidence to suggest

3 This warranty will not be applicable in cases other

that this has little to do with the speaker changing and

than defects in materials and/or workmanship at

more to do with the listener getting used to the new

the time of purchase and will not be applicable:

sound. This is especially so with highly revealing

a. for damages caused by incorrect installation,

speakers such as these, where there may be a

connection or packing,

significant increase in the amount of detail compared

with what the listener has previously been used to; the

b. for damages caused by any use other than correct

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

use described in the user manual, negligence,

a little hard. After an extended period of time, the

modifications, or use of parts that are not made or

sound will seem to mellow, but without losing clarity

authorised by B&W,

and detail.

3