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Bowers & Wilkins 805 D4
The 800 Series is the long-standing jewel within the Bowers & Wilkins crown. The passive loudspeaker vary will get an everyday refresh about each seven or eight years and it constantly improves upon the final iteration. The downside for a lot of, nevertheless, is that the earlier model of the 800 Series was already excellent. Just how significantly better can they get? It was to handle this very query that we ordered a pair of 805 D3 and 805 D4 from Bowers & Wilkins to check.
A fast recap is so as; in contrast to different corporations numbering methods, the numbers run backwards for Bowers & Wilkins 800 Series. The 805, being the smallest within the line, is the one stand-mount loudspeaker to hold an 800 Series badge. Like its greater siblings, the 805 D4 is hand-built in Bowers & Wilkins’ head workplace manufacturing facility advanced in Worthing, on the South Coast of England. The 800 Series can be the cornerstone of the Bowers & Wilkins line; sometimes, the primary to make use of applied sciences developed by the corporate’s R&D workforce.
The Hard Science Club
That phrase ‘R&D workforce’ is regularly chronically overstated in loudspeaker design, as it could actually imply one swivel-eyed man with wild hair, a loudspeaker cookbook, and (possibly) a measuring microphone. However, within the case of Bowers & Wilkins, there’s a workforce of engineers, acousticians, and technologists who do the arduous science elements that assist type the following era of loudspeakers; that ‘subsequent era’ normally begins with the 800 Series and filters down by means of the remainder of the Bowers & Wilkins vary, after which – sometimes when out of patent – to the remainder of the loudspeaker making neighborhood.
The loudspeaker’s headline change is its cupboard, and in some respects, that is the 805 D4 taking part in ‘catch up’ with the developments put into the D3-era floorstanders. Bowers & Wilkins describe this as a ‘reverse wrap’ cupboard; the place the entrance baffle of the D3 was comparatively flat and the cupboard was designed to curve round that baffle, the 805 D4 begins from a strong aluminium backbone and the entire cupboard is curved from there. Not solely does this give the loudspeaker a extra fashionable, elegant, and gently curved entrance, it reduces the profile of the entrance baffle, there by lowering baffle-step issues and enhancing the dispersion properties of the drivers. It additionally considerably will increase the rigidity of the loudspeaker itself.
This new cupboard design additionally means the 805 advantages extra from Bowers & Wilkins enormous presses in its Worthing manufacturing facility. The earlier MDF-braced pressed ply cupboard now a completely layered, glued and fashioned plywood enclosure and bracing system. This permits the 805 D4 to make use of improved inner chambering, each on the rear of the mid-bass unit and for the crossover itself, and Bowers & Wilkins’ aforementioned R&D workforce (I desire ‘Band of Boffins’) have rubbed their accelerometers over each floor of that cupboard to optimise inner quantity and management air strain throughout the front-firing ported stand-mount.
Into the Continuum
Larger fashions in Bowers & Wilkins’ newest 800 Series use the brand new Biomimetic Suspension drivers, the place a composite suspension system replaces the normal cone spider. However, the 805 D4 retains a model the 165mm ‘Continuum Cone’ mid-bass driver from its D3 predecessor. It’s not merely final era’s cone, nevertheless, because it has a brand new voice coil and former. It can be now mounted on an aluminium plate on the rear of the cupboard.
The purpose for not utilizing a Biomimetic Suspension driver is easy; these new items lack the cone tour of Fixed Suspension Transducer/Continuum Cone designs. In bigger, a number of bass cone methods that want for further tour goes away, however in a two-way stand-mount, utilizing Biomimetic Suspension drivers would spell lighter bass.
Spider apart, the supplies utilized in each ‘Biomimetic Suspension’ and ‘Continuum Cone’ drivers stay equivalent… and a closely-guarded commerce secret. Bowers & Wilkins holds the key in the identical secure the place the recipes for KFC and Coca-Cola and the method for Krabby Patty burgers are stored. This secrecy is comprehensible; the corporate’s iconic woven yellow Kevlar cone turned the topic of in depth rip-offs and clones and that’s a destiny to not be repeated with subsequent drivers.
All we are able to say is it’s not yellow, it took years to develop, the cone materials manages to be stiff in all the appropriate locations and but versatile when required, which means cone break-up modes are without delay much less abrupt and pushed additional out of band. Bowers & Wilkins used Kevlar for years with good purpose; however this silvery-white wanting woven materials that changed it brings all the advantages of Kevlar to the desk, and provides numerous advantages of its personal, making it a tough act to comply with for Bowers & Wilkins rivals.
Similarly, the 25mm diamond dome tweeter is much like the items that has been put in in 800 Series fashions for the final 15 years, with Bowers & Wilkins taking a realistic ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t repair it’ method. However, the 805 D4’s tweeter has two stronger magnets as a substitute of the three within the D3, giving it extra room to breathe. This offers the 805 D4 a frequency response as much as a bat-eared 35kHz.
However, as soon as once more it’s the housing that’s modified… and adjusted for the higher. The strong tweeter pod that the motive force sits in is an extended, machined from strong aluminium, tapered tube. The 30cm lengthy tube sits virtually completely decoupled on a Connolly leather-clad solid aluminium prime plate, as distinct from the picket prime panel of its predecessor.
Hits the spot
Sonically, this loudspeaker hits the spot quick. The most rapid factor that pulls you in is the bass; for a small loudspeaker supposed for small to medium rooms, there’s a wholesome quantity of gut-pounding, quick, deep, chunky bass firing at you.
Depending in your musical tastes, one of many first tracks you’ll play by means of these loudspeakers will mirror that bottom-end gruntiliciousness. I went with the title monitor from Infected Mushroom’s 2005 I’m The Supervisor [Resist], however it might simply as simply been a monitor by Rammstein, The Prodigy, Orbital, The Chemical Brothers or Leftfield. I performed it loud and highly effective by means of a Burmester 911 Mk 3 energy amp and it didn’t disappoint. Those bass notes come thick and quick right here, they usually might pose a near-existential risk to a ported two-way; on the very least, they arrive quick sufficient to choke up the port, turning exact deep beats right into a extra damaged virtually flatulent sound. The 805 D4, nevertheless, takes this in its stride, sounding each inch the larger loudspeaker. Close your eyes and there’s a bigger floorstander bringing the ruckus, within the course of producing a transparent and detailed presentation of what passes for delicate bass textures within the techno onslaught.
Bowers & Wilkins is just not undermining the legal guidelines of physics right here, and it isn’t dishonest with the 805 D4. There are pure limits to the bass of a two-way stand-mount loudspeaker, however what the 805 D4 does so properly is push these limits with out sacrificing efficiency. It’s not that it makes artificially deep bass, it’s that so many equally specified loudspeakers pull their punches on the backside finish; both going for a mid-bass ‘elevate’ at round 80Hz or simply sounding bass gentle. The 805 D4 has adequate bass vitality to ship clear and highly effective bass down into the sub-40Hz area, and that’s spectacular in its personal proper.
Once you relax and start to play much less hyperactive music, the standard of this loudspeaker shines by means of. It’s not merely a bass machine, however what drew you to the spectacular bass holds elsewhere. The soundstage is large and deep and terribly strong, particularly when you think about it is a stand-mount. This appears to carry even when the music will get advanced and orchestral; it’s comparatively simple to have three or 4 jazz musicians [Cannonball Adderley, Somethin’ Else, Blue Note] sound rooted in area, however this will get so much tougher to do when coping with entire string sections [Solti/LSO, Mahler’s Eighth Symphony, Decca]. However, the 805 D4 presents a strong, giant, and open soundstage irrespective of the music. I suppose the cupboard is making this comparatively giant stand-mount act like a small point-source.
Honest to the restrict
We’ve come to count on Bowers & Wilkins loudspeakers to be sincere transducers, with loads of element and never a lot in the best way of unevenness within the frequency response, however the 805 D4 takes these ideas to their current limits; and throws in a cupboard with a few of the lowest coloration I’ve (not) heard and an absence of driver distortion that makes it sound extra like you’re direct injecting music into your ears with no middleman. Honesty with out sounding ‘stark’ is all the time good to search out and the 805 D4 does it with such allure many might be gained over. You hear this most clearly with feminine vocals [‘Heart Like a Wheel’ from Kate and Anna McGarrigle, Warner] and solo pianos [Schiff, Beethoven Piano Sonatas, ECM]; the purity of tone from each will be masked by cupboard and driver alike however right here it will get near electrostatic ranges of readability. This is doubly intelligent in a two-way design as there isn’t any midrange driver to assist ship that sonic readability.
Perhaps most significantly, the 805 D4 has a way of enjoyable to its sound. Not comedy or clowning round… simply music is meant to be pleasant and it definitely is thru these loudspeakers. There’s a continuum (cone-related pun not supposed) in speaker efficiency, with ‘worthy, however boring’ at one finish and ‘excitable to the purpose of being unhinged’ on the different. Traditionally, Bowers & Wilkins 800 Series fashions tended towards the previous as a result of honesty ought to reign supreme. The 805 D4 loses nothing within the honesty stakes, however positive factors some enjoyable and pleasure alongside the best way.
There are some observations to be made right here. First, issue these stands into the equation; sure, different stands can be found however Bowers & Wilkins personal make a helpful contribution to the sonic efficiency of the 805 D4. Next is the ability difficulty; though the 805 D4 is much less power-hungry than its predecessor, it’s nonetheless a loudspeaker that wants some high quality and amount behind it. The benefit to the present model of the 805 is if you happen to short-change it within the amplifier stakes, it can have a tendency towards mushy and straightforward on the ear; examine this to the earlier model that goes within the different course and sounds arduous and edgy when underwhelmingly partnered. This does imply a loudspeaker with one thing like a ‘energy band’; whereas it’s good at whisper quiet and ear-punishing alike, it actually shines in that candy spot the place listening is ‘comfortably loud’.
Climbing off the fence
Normally, I have a tendency to take a seat on the fence in terms of modifications from one model to a different; there may be typically an enchancment with every iteration, however it’s normally not so massive as to make the earlier version sound unhealthy. There are a couple of exceptions, nevertheless, and the 805 D4 is likely one of the greatest. The 805 D3 is a superb loudspeaker, and you may see and listen to why it was so standard… proper up till the second you hook up a pair of 805 D4. It takes all of the issues the 805 D3 does proper and makes them so much higher.
The change is just not clichéd veil lifting, however what occurs within the run-up to visiting the optician for a check-up; you spend a couple of months with almost the appropriate optical prescription after which are wowed as you get fitted with lenses good for you. That second of sonic readability and focus you get from the D4 within the wake of the D3 is putting. It’s value restating that the 805 D3 is an especially competent and good sounding loudspeaker, however it’s totally outclassed by its progeny.
Sometimes a change is little greater than a step, however within the Bowers & Wilkins 805 D4 it’s a large leap. Whether or not you comply with the fortunes of the little reference speaker from the model, the Bowers & Wilkins 805 D4 has entered the race as among the finest stand-mount loudspeakers in audio proper now.
Technical specs
- Type two-way bass reflex stand-mount loudspeaker
- Drivers 25mm diamond-dome tweeter; 165mm Continuum mid/bass woofer
- Frequency Response 42Hz to 28kHz (+/-3dB from reference axis)
- Impedance 8-ohm nominal; 4.6-ohm minimal
- Sensitivity 88dB (2.83V/1m)
- Finishes Gloss Black, White, Satin Rosenut, Satin Walnut
- Dimensions (H×W×D) 44 × 24 × 37.3cm
- Weight 15.5kg
- Price £7,000 per pair (FS 805 D4 stands £1,250 per pair
Manufacturer
Bowers & Wilkins
+44(0)800 232 1513
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