B&W: a British success story

[ellisdj]

LIve with a pair of 805 - you will love them. That cabinet curve is as sexy as you like

 

[pauln]

The B&W top sellers are manufactured in China, as are KEF, who only make the reference series locally. Monitor Audio, another British company, also manufacture off shore, as do Mordaunt Short, Creek, Quad and the rest of the IAG brands.

All British success stories are Linn, Naim and Rega.

And Harbeth, Sugden, Croft.

 

[DandyCobalt]

1000 800 series per month, and I'd have to move house to justify getting a pair (for room size). I love my CM8s...would be a big move to change them for anything else to be honest.

 

[MakkaPakka]

All British success stories are Linn, Naim and Rega.

Naim is 100% owned by Focal, which is French registered - it was called a merger though.

Cyrus appears to be 100% British owned - I think it's all still made in England.

Linn's turnover was about three times Rega's which I find a bit surprising. Naim's was high also. Must be all the markup on the 'high end' stuff. B&W miles ahead of all of them though.

These are limited companies so this info is freely available before anyone asks.

 

[John Duncan]

What about the look of these?

Mingin', IMO.

 

[MakkaPakka]

Talk Electronics / Edwards Audio also British owned/made I think.

 

[floyd droid]

There was some at the Bristol show - not playing just for display

Count yourself lucky then. I had the dis-pleasure of listening to a pair of 802s only last week at my mates shop. Driving them with Classe CA-M600 mono. Ruddy awful things,that tweeter should be killed with fire. Nice finish mind.

 

[audiodarkness]

Well done Murray... I mean B&W! hehe

 

[django34]

In 2011 the ipod dock and headphone side of B&W turned over about £35million with £97million for loud speakers. As a comparison the likes of Naim, Monitor Audio and Linn have a total turnover of around £20million and Pure Audio about £25million (although Pure is part of a much larger company) so as far as the british hi-fi industry is concerned B&W is something of a giant. Cyrus and Rega are very much smaller companies. Don't know about Arcam. B&W sales in the Asia/Pacific region alone were £20million in 2011. Hope that info helps.

 

[John Duncan]

In 2011 the ipod dock and headphone side of B&W turned over about £35million with £97million for loud speakers. As a comparison the likes of Naim, Monitor Audio and Linn have a total turnover of around £20million and Pure Audio about £25million (although Pure is part of a much larger company) so as far as the british hi-fi industry is concerned B&W is something of a giant. Cyrus and Rega are very much smaller companies. Don't know about Arcam. B&W sales in the Asia/Pacific region alone were £20million in 2011. Hope that info helps.

Interesting. Do you have figures for B&W for Europe and/or the UK?

 

[matt49]

In 2011 the ipod dock and headphone side of B&W turned over about £35million with £97million for loud speakers.

Thanks for that. £97m is a EDITED load of loudspeakers.

Whilst I'm aware that much of B&W's production is in the Far East, the point of the FT article still stands: viz. that global production of high-end speakers is dominated by UK manufacturing. If B&W makes up around 50% of world sales of speakers over $2000/pair, and then you add PMC, Proac, Harbeth, Spendor, Neat and others (OK, all pretty small by comparison), that's a big wodge of the sector that's made in the UK.

 

[django34]

In the year ending 2011 it was £55million turnover for Europe and just under £14million for the UK.

 

[John Duncan]

In the year ending 2011 it was £55million turnover for Europe and just under £14million for the UK.

Thanks. Hifi's not dead yet then.

I'm sure these numbers are in the public domain, but do you happen to be in the trade? If you are, can you update your signature to reflect it. If not, np.

 

[BigH]

The B&W top sellers are manufactured in China, as are KEF, who only make the reference series locally. Monitor Audio, another British company, also manufacture off shore, as do Mordaunt Short, Creek, Quad and the rest of the IAG brands.

All British success stories are Linn, Naim and Rega.

And Harbeth, Sugden, Croft.

PMC? ATC?

 

[django34]

Hi. Sorry not in the industry. All the info is at companies house where all larger businesses have to submit their annual accounts. I was downloading some for work last year (in another industry) and because i have an interest in hi-fi i had a look at a few british hi-fi companies. As you can see even the major domestic manufacturers are still small/medium sized companies so the level of innovation and product development particularly from the likes of Naim and Linn is very impressive.

 

[byakuya83]

In 2011 the ipod dock and headphone side of B&W turned over about £35million with £97million for loud speakers.

Thanks for that. £97m is a EDITED load of loudspeakers.

Whilst I'm aware that much of B&W's production is in the Far East, the point of the FT article still stands: viz. that global production of high-end speakers is dominated by UK manufacturing. If B&W makes up around 50% of world sales of speakers over $2000/pair, and then you add PMC, Proac, Harbeth, Spendor, Neat and others (OK, all pretty small by comparison), that's a big wodge of the sector that's made in the UK.

What's the difference between production and manufacture?

 

[John Duncan]

Hi. Sorry not in the industry. All the info is at companies house where all larger businesses have to submit their annual accounts. I was downloading some for work last year (in another industry) and because i have an interest in hi-fi i had a look at a few british hi-fi companies. As you can see even the major domestic manufacturers are still small/medium sized companies so the level of innovation and product development particularly from the likes of Naim and Linn is very impressive.

I thought we had a thumbs up smiley but we don't, so will make do with the Skype one - (Y)

 

[BigH]

Is it true the CM series is now made in China, with only the 800 series made in the UK?

 

[matt49]

And as we speak, a new model is announced: the CM10. Well, perhaps it's a bit less ugly than the 800 series ...

 

[ellisdj]

There was some at the Bristol show - not playing just for display

Count yourself lucky then. I had the dis-pleasure of listening to a pair of 802s only last week at my mates shop. Driving them with Classe CA-M600 mono. Ruddy awful things,that tweeter should be killed with fire. Nice finish mind.

must have been the room they were in - reviewed as cheap @ £18000

http://www.whathifi.com/review/bw-800-diamond

 

[John Duncan]

And as we speak, a new model is announced: the CM10. Well, perhaps it's a bit less ugly than the 800 series ...

Nope...

 

[BigH]

There was some at the Bristol show - not playing just for display

Count yourself lucky then. I had the dis-pleasure of listening to a pair of 802s only last week at my mates shop. Driving them with Classe CA-M600 mono. Ruddy awful things,that tweeter should be killed with fire. Nice finish mind.

must have been the room they were in - reviewed as cheap @ £18000

http://www.whathifi.com/review/bw-800-diamond

That is the 800 not the 802 which are cheaper.

 

[floyd droid]

They should be killed with fire anaw.

 

[altruistic.lemon]

Is it true the CM series is now made in China, with only the 800 series made in the UK?

That's a good question. Yes, they are made in China, but I have read that the drive units are made here.

Perhaps one of the eagle-eyed journos from WHF could help?