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Review Audio
Video August 2002
FOCUS/CD PLAYERS
Straight
and true
Bow Wizard
VERDICT
Stunning looks. A
statement in any sense. Oh, yes, sounds all right too.
It’s
not often I get to play with cool stuff. OK, I get lots of cool stuff. But I
mean stuff like this, is really, ultra far out mega hippy cool. Which is not a
great way to start off a review on a CD player costing almost more than my car.
But given time constraints this will have to do.
BOW is a
company based in Denmark and they set out to build a CD player that was
different, but performed at the price point to which it was pitched at. I think
that they’ve succeeded with the player simply named the Wizard.
As much as I don’t like to digress from the sonics of a unit, I think that in
this case and in that of its companion integrated amplifier, the Wazoo, I’m
going to make an exception.
This is
a brute of a unit. It’s heavy at 11 kg and it’s finished in brushed
aluminium and stainless steel bolts. To present its looks as anything less than
ultra modern would be to lie, blatantly. Since this magazine was founded and
continues to be based on honesty, I’ll have to follow in this fashion.
The
Wizard is one of these units that you’ll either love or hate. It’s ugly in
some respects and drop dead beautiful in others and it’s been a long time
since I’ve had as much comment on a component from visitors and friends as I
have had with the Wizard. All agree that the unit is impeccably finished, that
it exudes class and expense and that it draws significant attention to itself.
Some folk like it and others don’t. Either way, the Wizard looks the part and
function follows form beautifully as we’ll see a little further on.
Inside,
the Wizard boasts the use of the Philips CDM 12 Pro CD transport mechanism that
has been slightly modified in that every single capacitor in the signal path has
been removed. Bow have made use of what is known as the Inter IC Sound transfer
bus which results in an isolation of the audio data, word clock and bit clocks,
which is said to virtually eliminate the major source of filtering in CD
playback.
Then
there are seven independent power supplies that regulate power dissipation to
the various circuits in the player such as the transport, analogue and digital
circuitry. But the most obvious deviation from the norm is the transport
mechanism itself. It is of an ‘open well’ construction that is highly
unusual in that there is no tray mechanism for loading a CD. Instead, the laser
and the playback mechanics are exposed to fresh air. Output is achieved via
balanced XLR, singled ended RCA, and three digital outs via BNC, RCA and 100 ohm
balanced AES/EB.
A CD is
loaded by removing the disc stabiliser, which looks like a star shaped disc
(it’s precisely self centring), putting the CD onto the transport and then
placing the disc stabiliser on top of the CD where it is magnetically held in
place. From there playback is as usual with the CD and stabiliser spinning away
happily. The biggest obvious danger is that someone will stick a finger or a
tail into the affair, which could result in damage to the player and/or
finger/tail. But it looks brilliant when in operation.
The unit
does ship with a protective cover for the sub assembly of the transport.
However, the player is that good that I think the chances of a CD not being
loaded are remote. From the first track, once the mesmerising spinning disc got
going, the Wizard weaved magic around the listening room. I ran it in
conjunction with the Wazoo and listened with the expensive Xavian XN 185
bookshelf speakers. What was delivered was a transparency and effortlessly
detailed performance that extracts every last little digital bit of information
and converts it into the most subtle of reproductions.
The
soundstage has to be one of the best I’ve heard in ages. The dimensioning is
perfect and the precision of location of vocals and instruments is absolute. The
tonal range is weighted to perfection with a natural balance being exuded. There
is an uncompromising musicality to the Wizard that is addictive and using the
Wand, an optional remote control that has equally distinctive (I’ll leave it
at that!) looks, is unlikely to be a common occurrence.
The
Wizard engages the listener in a totally immersive experience. It’s a stunning
piece of engineering and an equally stunning producer of music, music and more
music. At the price it’s not for everyone, but then true distinction never
is…
William
Kelly