Bowers & Wilkins Unveils a New Proximity-Sensitive Soundbar

The new Panorama 2 only lights up its control panel when you're near it – otherwise it stays nice and dark.

One of the frustrating things about home theater components is a marked tendency towards bright lights. Being able to see the controls and read the panels is nice, but when you're not using the device and you're just trying to watch a movie, they can be distracting.

The newest soundbar from Bowers & Wilkins helps to solve that thanks to a proximity sensing panel that only turns on when you approach it. If you're not approaching the soundbar to adjust it, the lights stay off and your soundbar stays hidden.

There's more to the Panorama 2 than just a nice lighting feature though. The soundbar offers up nine drivers powered by six Class D amps. It also promises deeper bass than the previous version, thanks to new low frequency drivers.

The Panorama 2 will be available later this month at a price of $2,200.

Source: Electronic House