Bower and Wilkins Formation Duo User Manual
Welcome to Bowers & Wilkins and Formation Duo.
Thank you for choosing Formation. When John Bowers first established Bowers & Wilkins he did so in the belief that imaginative design, innovative engineering, and advanced technology were keys that could unlock the enjoyment of audio in the home. That belief continues to inspire every product we design and in Formation has found its most advanced expression yet. Formation Duo is a network-connected, wireless stereo active network speaker system that provides extremely high-performance reproduction of Formation audio streams.
Formation Duo are primarily intended to be configured and controlled using the Bowers & Wilkins Home app. The app is available for both iOS and Android devices. Some commonly used control functions are also available via touch buttons on the Formation Duo front panels. It is only possible to install and configure Formation Duo using the Bowers & Wilkins Home app. Formation Duo will enable you to:
- Listen to audio from streaming services like Spotify, Apple Music, and Roon.
- Listen to network-stored audio files.
- Listen to audio over Bluetooth from appropriately enabled Bluetooth source devices.
- Listen to audio playing anywhere in your home on any Formation device connected to your home network.
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The Bowers & Wilkins Home app is required to connect your Formation Duo to your home network and also to establish a connection with other Formation products in your home. The Bowers & Wilkins Home app also provides some control and configuration functions during use. Before you begin your Formation Duo installation please download and install the Bowers & Wilkins Home app on your iOS or Android device. The Bowers & Wilkins Home app requires iOS V11.4 or later, or Android V8.1 or later. Bluetooth and WiFi services must be enabled on your iOS or Android device.
You will also need to know your WiFi network password. Note: Location Services must be enabled on Android devices during the Formation setup process. This is because Formation products use a low-power form of Bluetooth (BT-LE) for service communication which on Android devices is only switched on when Location Services are enabled. Bowers & Wilkins do not use any location services data for marketing purposes.
Formation Duo Carton Contents
2x Formation Duo Mains power cable set appropriate for your territory Document pack
Installing Your Formation Duo
Your Formation Duo speakers each require a mains power supply to operate so must be located within reach of mains sockets. You may wish to install suitable main sockets once you have decided on the locations of your Formation Duo in your listening room. If your Formation Duo are to use a wired connection to your network router one of them will need to be located within reach of an appropriate network cable. Formation Duo are primarily intended to be used on Formation FS Duo stands but can also be placed on shelves, wall brackets, or furniture units. Formation FS Duo stands will however provide both the best performance and enable the greatest flexibility in positioning. The stands will also place your Formation Duo at the correct height – approximately head height when listening.
If you still however prefer to install your Formation Duo on shelves, brackets, or furniture units please ensure that:
- both speakers are located at approximately the same height.
- the shelves, brackets, and furniture are easily able to support the weight of the speakers and are rigid and non-resonant.
Note:
If your Formation Duo is to be mounted on Formation FS Duo stands, please assemble the stands and secure the speakers to them before you set up the speakers. Remember that the Formation Duo mains cables and network cable (if required) should run through the legs of the speaker stands. The Formation FS Duo stands are supplied with rubber and spike foot options. The spike foot option should be used when the stands are to be placed on a carpeted floor. The spikes pierce the carpet to rest on the surface underneath. Adjust the spike to ensure that the stands are vertical and don’t rock. Use the rubber foot option the stands are to be placed on tiled or wooden floors.
Stud work and plasterboard walls are unlikely to provide adequate strength or rigidity to support Formation Duo. If you are unsure of the suitability of a wall, or of your ability to install shelf or bracket hardware, you should seek professional help. In the majority of listening rooms, your Formation Duo should be between 2.0m and 4.0m (6.5ft and 13ft) apart and a similar distance from the listening area. If the speakers are positioned too close together, the stereo reproduction may lack scale; if they are too far apart, the stereo focus may be weak. There is no need to angle your Formation Duo inwards towards the listening area however doing so may tighten the stereo focus. Diagram 1 illustrates basic speaker positioning.
Connections
Only one speaker of a Formation Duo pair requires a router connection.
Note:
The USB socket located on the Formation Duo rear panel is intended for service and diagnostic use only. It cannot be used for any other purpose.
Switch On and Off
With all connections made, and the Bowers & Wilkins Home app installed on your mobile device, your Formation Duo is ready to be set up.
When Formation Duos, that have not been previously used, are first switched on they will automatically enter setup mode to enable their connection to your home network and to any other available Formation devices. Setup mode is indicated by a slow amber pulse illumination of the speaker’s Form buttons
. Formation Duo will also appear in the Bowers & Wilkins Home app as available for setup, either on the initial app page or after selecting ‘Add Formation product’ from the app Settings page.
Your Formation Duo manages its operational state and power consumption entirely automatically and will switch to a power-saving mode after twenty minutes of inactivity.
If you wish to reset your Formation Duo to its default settings, press and hold each reset button for five seconds. On restart, your Formation Duo will enter setup mode. Network Setup
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- With your Formation Duo in setup mode, with their Form button
illumination pulsing slowly amber, launch the Bowers & Wilkins Home app on your iOS or Android device. The app will guide you with prompts through the setup process. - The Bowers & Wilkins Home app will first search for Formation products in setup mode and display a screen inviting the selection of one. Tap to select your Formation Duo. If you have already set up a Formation product and are adding an additional one, select ‘Add Formation product’ from the app Settings menu.
- If a wireless network connection for your Formation Duo is to be used, the next setup stage will connect your Formation Duo to your home WiFi network. The app will ask you to confirm the correct WiFi network and ask you to input its password. Alternatively, if your Formation Duo is connected to your network router using an Ethernet cable, this stage of the setup process will be bypassed.
- With WiFi network configuration, and space selection complete, your Formation Duo is ready for use. Your Formation Duo will play an audio prompt to confirm a successful setup.
Bluetooth Setup
You can connect your Formation Duo to a Bluetooth-enabled audio source device, such as a smartphone, to play audio over Bluetooth. Your Formation Duo must first be “paired” with the Bluetooth audio source device. Once you have completed the Formation Duo network setup, open the Bowers & Wilkins Home app Settings page, and select the Formation Space that you wish to pair a Bluetooth device with. Next, select ‘+ Pair a new device’ from the Bluetooth menu and follow the app instructions to complete pairing.
Using Your Formation Duo
Spaces
Spaces are a core concept of the Formation product family. A Formation “Space” is a room or a specific area in your home in which you listen to music. Each space can include different combinations of Formation products. The possible configurations are displayed in Diagram 4.
The Bowers & Wilkins Home App
With your Formation Duo configured and connected to your network, the Bowers & Wilkins Home app will open to its Home screen where the Formation Duo space and any other available Formation spaces will be listed. Tap on a Formation space to select from any available streams or inputs.
The Bowers & Wilkins Home app Home page has a Settings icon in the top right corner. Tap the icon to open the app Settings menu. The Settings menu provides options to configure and reset your Formation devices and re-name your Formation spaces.
Finding Your Way Around the Bowers & Wilkins Home App
Beneath each space, the app will display its current activity. Tapping on an active space will open a “now playing” screen that enables volume and play/pause control.
The ‘Available Spaces’ screen also provides the opportunity to control volume, both globally across all spaces or in individual spaces. The Bowers & Wilkins Home app Settings page is opened by tapping on the settings icon. The initial Settings menu lists each space and the number of Formation devices present in each one. Tapping on a space listed in the Settings menu provides access to its Space and Formation device settings. Tap the Space name to access the space settings and tap the device name to access the device settings. The device settings available will depend on the device in question.
Formation Music Streams and Sources
Using Spotify
Use your phone, tablet, or computer as a remote control for Spotify. Go to spotify.com/connect to learn how. The Spotify Software is subject to third-party licenses found here: https://www.spotify.com/connect/thirdparty-licenses.
Using Airplay
Airplay-enabled apps will display the Airplay icon. To use Airplay, open the audio app you wish to use and select the music you wish to play. Tap on the Airplay icon to display a list of available devices followed by the Formation Space you wish to use.
Cleaning
Test a small area first, as some cleaning products may damage some of the surfaces. Avoid products that are abrasive, or contain acid, alkali, or antibacterial agents.
Using Bluetooth
To use Bluetooth, ensure that the required Formation Space is selected in your device Bluetooth settings menu, open the audio app you wish to use, and select the music you wish to play. Tap on the playback devices icon to display a list of those available followed by Formation Space you wish to use.
Support
Should you require further help or advice regarding your Px8, please visit the Bowers & Wilkins support site: www.bowerswilkins.com/support.
Environmental Information
This product complies with international directives, including but not limited to the Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) in electrical and electronic equipment, the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation, and restriction of Chemicals (REACH), and the disposal of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE). Consult your local waste disposal authority for guidance on how properly to recycle or dispose of this product.
REFERENCE LINK
https://www.bowerswilkins.com/en-us/product/wireless-speakers/formation-duo
