Much of the 801 D5 in a slimmer cabinet, with the same head and tweeter.
The 802 D5 is designed for reference stereo listening and high-end home theatre rooms.
The pair of Bowers & Wilkins 802 D5 speakers takes from the flagship the Diamond dome in its Solid Body Tweeter-on-Top and the decoupled Turbine Head with the Continuum. Lower down, two Aerofoil units are fixed rigidly into the reverse-wrap cabinet for controlled, precise bass. Compared with the D4, the internal bracing and the upper part of the enclosure, now in aluminium, are renewed. There are four finishes, all new: Stealth Black, Warm White, Dark Walnut and Light Walnut, with Leather by Connolly trim.
Key features
- Three-way vented design: 25 mm Diamond tweeter, 150 mm Continuum FST midrange, two 200 mm Aerofoil bass drivers
- Frequency response 17 Hz-28 kHz (±3 dB), 14 Hz-35 kHz at -6 dB; sensitivity 90 dB
- Nominal impedance 8 ohms (3.3-ohm minimum); recommended amplifier 50-500 W
- Height 1218 mm with tweeter and plinth; width 345 mm (plinth 413 mm); depth 556 mm with grille and terminals (plinth 589 mm)
- Weight 91.4 kg per speaker; bi-wire terminals
The 801 D5, scaled
The tweeter is identical to that of the 801 D5 and moves its first break-up mode to 70 kHz; the midrange too works isolated from the box, with Biomimetic Suspension and an Anti-Resonance plug. What changes are the bass cones, smaller in diameter, and the width, now narrower. The reinforced Matrix, Space Frame and a sturdy spine work against resonance and reflections, while a Flowport tunes the volume. Drive units, crossover and wiring have also been revised.
Planning the room
Decide on the position before connecting the cables, as weight and height make the pair demanding to move. For floor space the base is what counts, wider than the cabinet; a rigid, level floor helps it carry the load properly. Leave room behind for the connections, especially when running double conductors.
The impedance minimum suggests a robust amplifier. In a multichannel system the HTM81 D5 completes the front, set below the screen. The grille is black on the dark finishes and grey on the light ones: worth bearing in mind if the speakers stay uncovered.
