Bowers & Wilkins Formation Flex uncertified

Hi I picked up a formation flex speaker yesterday but as you can see on the WiFi it’s showing uncertified device pics as you can see airplay is good.

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Because they are uncertified?

Hi @Mark_Mcelroy,

The Bowers & Wilkins Flex is not currently a Roon Ready certified device. Since it is not certified at this time, this is why you are seeing the uncertified message.

Well well well ! Ill have to take it up with the they are selling as a roon ready device heads will roll
Thank you

Just out of curiosity: What about the Formation Bass? Is he certified (because he’s listed on the web site) or not (because he’s not listed in the Partner Devices Matrix)?

HI Blackjack
im amazed as you can see i got the flex on the grounds it was roon ready, Misleading advertising on Bowers& Wilkins behalf and i will be taking it up with then first tomorrow.
This is the picture from there website for both Formation Bass & Flex

Yes I saw this too. But “Compatible with” is not the same as “Roon Ready” certified and as your example shows, the Flex, even if not (yet) certified, show up as Roon Ready and AirPlay device in Roon and thus might be rightfully entitled compatible.

Hi @Mark_Mcelroy,
To clarify, the Flex is currently undergoing the certification process. We don’t comment on timelines for the certification process, but once the device has completed the process this will update so that it’s no longer “uncertified”.

Thank you for the update but as you have no time frame should bowers and Wilkins be allowed to advertise Roon for the formation flex on packaging and on the website this is totally misleading. This is clearly not a Roon ready device.

Roon ready is a separate logo, as below, compatible with is just marketing blurb from the manufacturer.

Yep I understand but should it be allowed it’s clearly not Roon ready or certified should the Roon logo even be there…

My google nest is airplay 2 and comes up In Roon but airplay is apple and has lit at limitations over the air doesn’t make it Roon ready and not advertised as a Roon device…
The flex has 24/96 I believe within Roon

Continuing the discussion from Bowers & Wilkins Formation Flex uncertified:

hi @dylan so is it still undergoing certification process, only because half a year later its still listed as uncertified. how long does it take usually? thanks for an update!

Not taking sides here, but I think you’ll get a ‘better’ answer from B&W.
If everything worked out perfectly, it would be certified by now. There are likely some issues that have been identified, and as I understand the process, B&W engineers will need to work those out.
B&W knows that the problems are, and they know how much resource they are putting into it.
Roon may know the problems, but they don’t control how B&W will respond. Also, they never talk about the specific issue(s) and probably aren’t going to throw shade on a certifying partner.
Maybe more importantly, pressure from B&W customers may influence how hard B&W resource the problem.

Yes 6-7 Months later still undergoing certification VERY disappointed with both B&W & roon for misleading information regarding roon ready on the B&W Flex, One of the main reasons i got one was roon integration, Roon & B&W mislead us knowingly. I Think well have a Flex 2 before this is certified…
Very unhappy with both companys… I dont have money to throw away with false advertising & this is what is was and still is…

Well i have to agree that the information is a bit misleading unless you know what to look for. But since it still works very well I have no issue with it, I just was interested. If have a NAD C388 which is listed as Roon Ready, with a BluOS Card and a Flex and a Wedge, from those 3 the certified BluOS Card in the NAD is by far the worst, requiring a BluOS reboot every few days. While the B & W devices have very rarely an issue.

Just got an email from Roon to say Flex is now certified and we just need to do a firmware update but there is no firmware update for Flex on B&W website (or in the app). So confusing…

Got mail yesterday just restart roon and its certified we also get the official flex icon, Think what they mean is make sure your firmware is un to date the latest for flex is still 1.7… So there is no new update its been 1.7 since February i think…

A general question, but how can a device suddenly become certified without a firmware update to make it so?

As far as i am aware all formation range use firmware 1.7 and have done since february i think, So it could have been a small issue with the flex to get it certified. As far as i am aware all other Formation products are certified with roon…