Bowers & Wilkins to open new UK R&D centre

Steyning, West Sussex, has been the cradle of every Bowers & Wilkins innovation (including, but not restricted to, the Diamond tweeter, Zeppelin speaker, PX headphones and Nautilus loudspeaker) since it was established 37 years ago.

Now the company is moving to a larger (2750 sq m) facility in Southwater, West Sussex - so the SRE abbreviation will continue. Due to open later this year, the new premises will be home to multiple anechoic chambers, a suite of testing and engineering labs, listening rooms, and dedicated Automotive Audio and Headphone testing labs.

It will also feature an Experience Centre, designed to showcase product ranges to partners, press and visitors alike. And there will be a "near-recreation" of John Bowers' original listening room to make sure new Bowers & Wilkins products remain true to his audio principles.

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Simon Lucas is a freelance technology journalist and consultant, with particular emphasis on the audio/video aspects of home entertainment. Before embracing the carefree life of the freelancer, he was editor of What Hi-Fi? – since then, he's written for titles such as GQ, Metro, The Guardian and Stuff, among many others.