Bowers And Wilkins - 801 D5 Floor-Standing Speakers (Pair)

The Floor-Standing Loudspeakers Used by World-Class Recording Studios: Bowers & Wilkins 801 D5 Personify the Pursuit of Perfection, Feature Space Frame Bracing and Signature Diamond Dome Tweeter to Play with Wondrous Purity

The Bowers & Wilkins 801 D5 is the best-sounding, highest-performing floor-standing loudspeaker the British company has created in its illustrious six-decade existence. A marvel of engineering, aesthetics, and science, it's a component and the latest model in a series many recording studios, producers, and musicians would claim is the finest speaker available on the market. With the visually arresting 801 D5, often-diluted terms such as "reference," "standard," and "excellence" reassert their meaning. This in-house-built speaker takes music reproduction to uncharted realms and invites listeners to experience their favorite recordings with the same perspective, fidelity, resolution, power, and transparency the artists enjoyed in the studio. In every regard, 801 D5 is Bowers & Wilkins' pinnacle expression of what the company deems "True Sound."

Literally and figuratively standing as the Bowers & Wilkins flagship, and culmination of company founder John Bowers' quest to produce a speaker as close to perfection as current technologies and expertise allow, 801 D5 exemplifies tradition and personifies the tireless dedication to getting everything exactly right. Everything down to the type of screws used on the plinth and kind of wood employed in the aluminum Space Frame Bracing. Like all the models in the 800 Series Diamond, 801 D5 adheres to a school of thought wherein Bowers & Wilkins engineers fiercely believe everything involved with the speaker's construction can impact the end result. That obsessive devotion explains why 801 D5 is made entirely in Bowers & Wilkins' state-of-the-art factory in England — and why all of its components went through years of testing and analysis before they were approved.

To say that the three-way 801 D5 represents the upper echelon of audio performance is to state the obvious. Each significant aspect of this 48.1 x 17.6 x 23.5-inch (HWD) beauty claims a history that doubles as a deep dive into acoustic fundamentals, mechanical properties, and form-follows-function thinking. All of the leading-edge technological innovations— the all-aluminum Turbine Head that houses the Continuum midrange cone; upgraded Matrix bracing with interlocking panels for superb reinforcement; all-new Biomimetic Suspension that dramatically reduces unwanted air pressure and coloration; reverse-wrap cabinet for unprecedented inertness — that Bowers & Wilkins has developed over the past decade harmonize in 801 D5. And of course, this 234.6-pound marvel comes loaded with a driver array prepared to handle any kind of music with extraordinary accuracy, depth, dynamics, punch, openness, air, and realism.

Capable of providing breathtaking extension and recreating tremendous soundstages, Bowers & Wilkins' one-inch diamond-dome tweeter and famous solid-body Tweeter-on-Top housing — milled from a single block of aluminum and sculpted into an elongated form with a long tube-loading system that lessens rear diffraction — accompany a six-inch Continuum cone FST midrange and two massive 10-inch Aerofoil woofers. They're among the reasons 801 D5 touts a mind-boggling 13Hz-35kHz range and claims a practically infinitesimal total-harmonic distortion ratio. Yet what might startle you most is how utterly transparent to the source 801 D5 remains in both the analog and digital domains. This speaker's unique architecture also means reflections and colorations might not as well exist; also note that the tweeter housing is decoupled, as is the housing for the midrange Turbine Head. On paper, these engineering feats impress. In practice, they help make music sound as if it is being made in your room in real time by real artists.

Aesthetically, one glance at 801 D5 tells you everything you need to know. These speakers have the kind of lines, finishes, materials, and stop-dead-in-your-tracks curves modeled by the world's most desirable supercars. Just look at the choice of four different hand-applied colors or rear-mounted crossover mounted on stiff aluminum spines — a touch that isolates the sensitive capacitors and acts as a strategic heatsink. Just as importantly, Bowers & Wilkins didn't forget about practicality.

To facilitate setup and placement, 801 D5 is supplied on wheels to help with positioning. Once you get the speaker where you want in your room, in-built spikes and corresponding floor cups are at the ready. A set of stabilizers provide extra security and assist in holding the speakers in place. Bowers & Wilkins didn't overlook a single detail. For extra peace of mind, 801 D5 includes a five-year manufacturer warranty.

We can state without reservation that there's nothing like experiencing music with a pair of 801 D5 towers. We'd love to talk more with you about these truly special components. To learn more, and arrange for a risk-free in-home audition, please call one of our audio consultants today.

Distinctive by Design
The 800 Series Diamond looks this way for a reason. Its shape is dictated by the science of sound. Cabinets are formed from a single continuous curve, locked in place by a solid aluminum spine, so cabinet reflections are reduced. They're complemented by the tweeter-on-top and turbine head.

Ultimate Drive Unit Technology
Pairing B&W's most advanced and innovative drive unit technology, 801 D5 delivers our purest sound ever. The Diamond dome tweeter pushes break-up frequency to 70kHz, delivering exceptional clarity, precision, and openness, and the Continuum cone delivers voices and instruments with lifelike detail.

Optimized for Purity
Every model in the 800 Series Diamond range benefits from enhanced technology. An upgraded Matrix design reduces resonance and creates an incredibly believable soundstage, while aluminum Space Frame Bracing and an all-new aluminum top section within the cabinet help deliver spacious and immersive sound.