What Hi-Fi? Verdict
A major success: high-quality sound with style, and only a few compromises
Pros
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Stunning looks and finish
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small, room-friendly design
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massive sound, with truly powerful bass
Cons
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Midrange can be a little too polite
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you can buy an even bigger sound for this cash
Why you can trust What Hi-Fi? Our expert team reviews products in dedicated test rooms, to help you make the best choice for your budget. Find out more about how we test.
Never judge a book by its cover, so they say. Y'know what? ‘They' are talking rubbish. You can blend great looks with real ability if you're thorough about your engineering – take the Aston Martin DB9, or Concorde. B&W's XT Series surround sound package makes an equally fine illustration: it looks the business, and it sounds it, too.
The B&W package uses the brilliant XT4 floorstanders as its front speakers. Offering a thrilling blend of looks and sonic prowess, we hailed them as the best-sounding style loudspeakers around when we first saw them back in 2006, and they remain highly competent performers.
And then there's the bass. For a comprehensive vibro-massage with action movies, B&W rounds off this system with a 500w PV1 active subwoofer. Since that barmy wee beastie provides (to quote us) ‘breathtaking' weight, you can imagine our sense of anticipation.
Staggeringly loud
And it's not misplaced. This is a fabulous home cinema system. It goes staggeringly loud without distress, yet is also beautifully full and cohesive. You simply won't get a bigger sound unless you're prepared to put up with much larger (and probably uglier) speakers.
If we have one criticism, it's that the B&Ws are almost too refined. The outright punch of larger speaker systems in this price class can be a little lacking here, especially in the midrange.
Yet we still love this package to bits. It isn't cheap, but it offers serious, full-sized sound with stunning, style-speaker looks. For some of you, that'll be irresistible.
