Bowers & Wilkins latest floor-standing speakers don’t just represent the best in home audio—they’re the latest in a line of professional grade monitors preferred by one of the world’s most legendary recording studios.
Since opening its doors in 1931, Abbey Road Studios has hosted recording sessions for classic rock albums including Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon, Radiohead’s The Bends, Oasis’s Be Here Now, and of course, The Beatles’ Abbey Road. Along the way, the sonic haven debuted and innovated several groundbreaking technologies, including stereo audio and Artificial Double Tracking (ADT). And since John Bowers visited Abbey Road Studios in 1980 to demonstrate the 801—what he described as “a new generation of loudspeakers designed for both the professional and the exceptionally critical listener”—Abbey Roads has equipped their control rooms with six generations of Bowers & Wilkins’ 800 Series speakers.
The 801 Abbey Road Limited Edition seen here is a celebration of this 45-year relationship. It takes the flagship Bowers & Wilkins, the flagship 801 D4 Signature, and elevates it with homages to Abbey Road. A carefully crafted Vintage Walnut cabinet is inspired by the studios’ iconic interiors and the countless iconic musical instruments that have enriched recordings at Abbey Road over the decades. Complementing this unique wooden finish is a bespoke red Leather by Connolly trim that references both the aesthetic of the control room in Studio Two, arguably the world’s most famous individual studio space, and the red leather chairs used by generations of performers.
Commenting on the launch, Bowers & Wilkins marketing exec Giles Pocock said, “I couldn’t be more thrilled to bring this story to the market. We’re immensely proud of our partnership with our friends at Abbey Road, and we think the 801 Abbey Road Limited Edition is the perfect way to celebrate that.”
Jeremy Huffelmann, general manager for Abbey Road, added, “Abbey Road’s relationship with Bowers & Wilkins is a decades-long celebration of sound and technology. I’m delighted we have collaborated to create the 801 Abbey Road Limited Edition together, honoring our shared history with an outstanding representation of the values, heritage and credibility of both our brands.”
Available to order now for $70,000, the 801 Abbey Road Limited Edition is limited to just 140 pairs.
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