The Bowers & Wilkins DM6—a.k.a. the "Pregnant Penguin"—is one of the quirkiest, most loveably weird loudspeakers to ever come out of the 1970s. B&W was on a mission to redefine hi-fi, and while the DM6 looked like a science experiment gone rogue, the sound that came out of these things was shockingly good—if you had the right amp and a bit of patience. Let’s address the elephant (or should I say, penguin) in the room: the DM6 is not a normal-looking speaker. Instead of the usual boxy shape, it has a stepped baffle, giving it a unique slanted appearance. Was this a mistake? Nope. This was B&W flexing their early engineering chops, trying to achieve perfect phase alignment between drivers—a concept way ahead of its time.
*Sorry, stands NOT included
- Production
- 1972
- Condition
- 9/10
- Serial No.
- 12145 / 12146
- Restoration
- Cabinets Refinished
- Grilles Reclothed in Dark Grey
- Factory Specs
Type 3 way, 3 driver loudspeaker system
Frequency Response 50Hz to 20kHz
Recommended Amplifier 25 to 350W
Crossover Frequency 500, 6000Hz
Impedance 8Ω
Sensitivity 95dB
Bass 1 x DW250
Midrange 1 x MR150
Tweeter 1 x 19mm TW20
Dimensions 931 x 410 x 380mm
- The History of Bowers & Wilkins
- In 1966 following a bequest from an elderly lady called Miss Knight, John Bowers founds B&W Electronics Ltd. Because she was so impressed with John Bowers’ knowledge of classical music, and so pleased with the loudspeakers that he had made for her (as a hobby), Miss Knight left him £10,000 in her will to develop a...
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- Liner Notes
The DM-6 is an expensively made product using three drivers specially designed for it. The woofer cone is of Bextrene plastic, common in England but rare in the US. The midrange unit is a 6″ cone of DuPont aromatic polyamide, ″Kevlar,″ which is claimed to have extremely high internal damping. (This is the first acoustical use of this material that we know of.) The tweeter is a ¾″ dome. The cabinet is of complex construction, heavily braced and lined with bituminous felt, which can significantly reduce cabinet resonances.
-Stereophile.com
- Shipping
- To ensure safe arrival, we often use private couriers. These are transporters in Sprinter Vans or pulling covered trailers often moving art and antiques across the country. Absolutely the safest way to ship short of you picking it up yourself. This piece ships to the contiguous United States for a flat rate of $380, which includes our packaging and our insurance. Of course, we'll ship anywhere in the world, just drop us a line and we'll give you an estimate – even if you're just curious.
- Stock No.
- 8925828677853
The Bowers & Wilkins DM6—a.k.a. the "Pregnant Penguin"—is one of the quirkiest, most loveably weird loudspeakers to ever come out of the 1970s. B&W was on a mission to redefine hi-fi, and while the DM6 looked like a science experiment gone rogue, the sound that came out of these things was shockingly good—if you had the right amp and a bit of patience. Let’s address the elephant (or should I say, penguin) in the room: the DM6 is not a normal-looking speaker. Instead of the usual boxy shape, it has a stepped baffle, giving it a unique slanted appearance. Was this a mistake? Nope. This was B&W flexing their early engineering chops, trying to achieve perfect phase alignment between drivers—a concept way ahead of its time.
*Sorry, stands NOT included
