Bowers & Wilkins 801 D5 – Floorstanding Tower Speaker

Bowers & Wilkins 801 D5 – Reference Tower Loudspeaker

The 801 D5 is an icon refined, the pinnacle of Bowers & Wilkins performance. Engineered for recording studios and discerning listeners alike, it uses the brand’s most advanced technologies to deliver reference-quality sound. From its Diamond dome tweeter and optimised drive units to Space Frame Bracing and an upgraded plinth, its purposeful mix of evolution and innovation is housed in an elegantly crafted and beautifully finished cabinet, shaped by the science of sound. Available in Stealth Black, Warm White, Light Walnut or Dark Walnut, with matching Leather by Connolly trim, it is an icon of both performance and design. Born of a 60-year obsession with creating the perfect loudspeaker, the 801 D5 delivers Bowers & Wilkins’ most realistic and accurate listening experience yet.

• 1 x 25mm (1 in) Diamond dome tweeter (Solid Body Tweeter-on-Top)
• 1 x 150mm (6 in) Continuum™ cone FST™ midrange
• 2 x 250mm (10 in) Aerofoil™ bass drivers
• 3-way vented-box cabinet with Flowport™
• 8Ω nominal impedance (minimum 3.0Ω)
• 3-way crossover
• Frequency response: 15Hz – 28kHz (±3dB)
• Sensitivity: 90dB
• Made in United Kingdom
• 5 Year Warranty

Highlights & Key Technologies

Reference for the World’s Studios
Musicians record with it because they trust it, engineers mix with it because it tells the truth, and listeners keep it for life. For generations, the 800 Series has been the loudspeaker of choice in the world’s most revered recording studios, helping create some of the greatest music and scores ever heard.

Ultimate Drive Unit Technology
Pairing Bowers & Wilkins’ most advanced and innovative drive unit technology, the 801 D5 delivers its purest sound yet. The Diamond dome tweeter pushes break-up frequency to 70kHz, delivering exceptional clarity, precision and openness, while the Continuum™ cone FST™ midrange delivers voices and instruments with lifelike detail. The 801 D5 employs a 3-way vented-box system: a 25mm Diamond dome high-frequency unit, a 150mm Continuum cone FST midrange, and two 250mm Aerofoil™ bass cones, with Anti-Resonance plug, Biomimetic Suspension and Flowport™ technologies.

Optimised for Pure Performance
Every model in the new 800 Series Diamond range benefits from enhanced technology. An upgraded Matrix™ design reduces resonance and creates a more believable soundstage, while aluminium Space Frame Bracing and an all-new aluminium top section within the cabinet help deliver an even more spacious and immersive sound.

Crafted to Be Better by Design
The 800 Series Diamond looks this way for a reason: its shape is dictated by the science of sound. The cabinets are formed from a single continuous curve, locked in place by a solid aluminium spine, so cabinet reflections are reduced. Complemented by the Tweeter-on-Top and Turbine Head, musical performance is always as precise as possible.

Refined D5 Detailing
The 801 D5 introduces a new tweeter metal grille mesh design, first debuted on the 800 D4 Signature, which significantly improves acoustic performance, along with a new mid and bass cloth grille design with a subtler aesthetic and lighter weight. A refined top plate with smaller, more subtle edges (also derived from the 800 D4 Signature) further improves acoustic performance, while a new trim ring design moves the sight lines to the side of the pod. A new leg design with higher-value finishes and a new plinth design emphasise the contours of the cabinet, with stabilisers now accessed from underneath rather than via visible fixings. A new fluted spine softly curves to meet the cabinet and a newly curved top cap, and a new terminal tray with model and branding badges conceals more substantial spine fixings — significantly improving acoustic performance and removing the eight previously visible fixing holes from the spine.

Finishes & Craftsmanship
The 801 D5 is available in Stealth Black, Warm White, Light Walnut and Dark Walnut, each with matching Leather by Connolly trim. Grilles are finished in Black (Stealth Black and Dark Walnut) or Grey (Warm White and Light Walnut).

Details & Specifications

DESCRIPTION
3-way vented-box system

TECHNICAL FEATURES
Diamond dome tweeter
Solid Body Tweeter-on-Top
Continuum™ cone FST™ midrange
Anti-Resonance plug
Biomimetic Suspension
Turbine Head
Matrix™
Aerofoil™ bass cones
Flowport™

DRIVE UNITS
1 x ø25mm (1in) Diamond dome high-frequency
1 x ø150mm (6in) Continuum™ cone FST™ midrange
2 x ø250mm (10in) Aerofoil™ bass

FREQUENCY RANGE
-6dB: 13Hz – 35kHz

FREQUENCY RESPONSE
15Hz – 28kHz (±3dB from reference axis)

SENSITIVITY
90dB (on axis at 2.83Vrms at 1m)

HARMONIC DISTORTION
2nd and 3rd harmonics (90dB, 1m on axis)
<1% 30Hz – 20kHz
<0.3% 100Hz – 8kHz

NOMINAL IMPEDANCE
8Ω (minimum 3.0Ω)

RECOMMENDED AMPLIFIER POWER
50W – 1000W into 8Ω on unclipped programme

MAX. RECOMMENDED CABLE IMPEDANCE
0.1Ω

DIMENSIONS
Height: 1221mm (48.1 in) including tweeter and plinth
Width: 372mm (14.6 in) cabinet only; 447mm (17.6 in) including plinth
Depth: 556mm (21.9 in) including grille and terminals; 597mm (23.5 in) including plinth

NET WEIGHT
106.4kg (234.6lbs)

CABINET FINISHES
Stealth Black
Warm White
Light Walnut
Dark Walnut

GRILLE FINISHES
Black (Stealth Black and Dark Walnut)
Grey (Warm White and Light Walnut)

MANUFACTURING & WARRANTY
Country of manufacture: United Kingdom
Warranty: 5 Year Warranty