Bowers & Wilkins cut by half the number of SKUs in its flagship 8...

Bowers & Wilkins cut by half the number of SKUs in its flagship 800 series of speakers as part of a streamlining effort in conventional speakers at the same time the company is expanding its automotive, headphone and multimedia speaker lines. B&W eliminated two models of surround and center- channel speakers from the 800 series to steer clear of duplication in its custom installation line, Vice President of Sales and Marketing Doug Henderson told us. “To avoid the GM model of expanding and not trimming back,” Henderson said, “you have to cull the number of products.” At CES, B&W introduced the 805 Diamond speaker, incorporating the company’s Diamond tweeter that’s said to improve efficiency and boost dynamic range at the top end. The 805 ships next month at a suggested retail price of $5,000 a pair. Cutting back on home theater speakers gives the company room to expand in other areas, Henderson said. The company recently launched its headphone line with the $299 P5 and will follow it later this year with a noise-cancelling model and in-ear phones. “We're about using the reference-quality performance of our freestanding loudspeakers and applying it to headphones,” Henderson said, “because for many people today, headphones are their speakers.” B&W also showed a Jaguar XJ Premium Sound System comprising 20 B&W speakers. The Jaguar XJ with B&W sound package will be available in March.