EXPIRED For Sale Bowers & Wilkins DM1 Bookshelf Loudspeakers

Further Information

B&W’s Domestic Monitor 1 was manufactured from 1968 to 1971, at a time when most speakers had been developed for professional studio monitoring. The idea of transplanting such technology into the home was a relatively new concept but it isn’t hard to see why making inroads into such a vast consumer market was worth the effort. In this case, B&W’s first effort was very, very good; so good in fact, that it led to a long and distinguished line of DM-designated loudspeakers, including the famous DM6 ‘Pregnant Penguin’ and the futuristic DM7.

Weighing 7kg and sitting 42cm tall, the DM1 is a compact, sealed enclosure, three-way bookshelf speaker, featuring the Celestion HF-1300 MKII midrange driver and Coles 4001g super tweeter, a combination that went on to be featured in the DM2, DM2a, DM3 and DM4.

As good as these drivers are, the plaudits really must go to the incredible 10” x 6" elliptical EMI bass driver. The middle of the cone of this driver is made from a piece of thin aluminium with a paper and glass fibre cone fitted around it, upon which four 1g foam squares are adhered to lower its resonance. The double roll surround is made of a material that does not degrade with age, meaning that these drivers are reliably operating 55 years after manufacture! The quality of engineering and construction of this driver is evident not just in its form and mechanics, but in the gorgeous sound it produces.

Both super tweeters were open circuit and not salvageable, so official replacements were ordered from the UK.

The original baffles were finished in raw plywood and featured velcro pads for affixing the grills (see photo unrestored). I removed the velcro and staples, filled the baffle’s grain to create a sheer surface and finished it in satin black.

The original cloth was removed and cleaned. The grill frame was widened slightly to ensure a tight fit and a gold ribbon was attached to the top of the grill frame to enable the owner to easily remove it. The original badges were repainted.

The outstanding bookmatched teak veneer, which, unusually, also covers the rear panel, was stripped, sanded and French polished.

B&W were ahead of the game in selecting polyester capacitors instead of electrolytic capacitors for the DM1 crossover, along with air core inductors. I checked the capacitors and found them to be in fine condition and still within tolerance, which meant he could leave them in place, preserving the original sound.

These speakers are one of my all time personal favourites, and not just because of their aesthetic beauty. When listening to these speakers with my eyes closed, it is incredible to imagine I am listening to speakers that are over half a century old, their sound is so… complete.

You will not find a better pair anywhere in the world.