Bowers & Wilkins 803 D5 Reference Floorstanding Speaker

Reference 800 Series Diamond Performance in a More Compact Design

The Bowers & Wilkins 803 D5 is a reference-grade floorstanding loudspeaker designed to deliver the precision, scale and musical realism of the 800 Series Diamond range in a more room-friendly form.

As the most compact model in the series to feature Bowers & Wilkins’ distinctive Turbine Head, the 803 D5 combines a Diamond dome tweeter, dedicated Continuum™ cone midrange driver and dual Aerofoil™ bass drivers. The result is an expansive soundstage, lifelike vocals and deep, controlled bass suited to premium stereo systems and high-performance home theatres.

Diamond Dome Tweeter

The 803 D5 features a 25 mm Diamond dome tweeter engineered for exceptional high-frequency clarity and accuracy.

Diamond’s combination of low mass and outstanding stiffness pushes the tweeter’s break-up frequency to approximately 70 kHz. By moving unwanted resonance well beyond the audible range, the 803 D5 can reproduce high-frequency detail with impressive openness, precision and natural tonal balance.

Solid Body Tweeter-on-Top

The Diamond dome is housed within Bowers & Wilkins’ rigid Solid Body Tweeter-on-Top enclosure.

Separating the tweeter from the main cabinet helps isolate it from vibration generated by the larger midrange and bass drivers. The elongated enclosure also reduces diffraction around the tweeter, supporting more accurate imaging and a clearer sense of space around voices and instruments.

Continuum Cone FST Midrange Driver

A dedicated 130 mm Continuum cone FST™ midrange driver handles the frequencies most important to vocals and instruments.

The Continuum cone is engineered to provide smooth, controlled behaviour across its operating range. This helps reduce unwanted colouration and allows voices, strings, guitars and other midrange details to sound more natural and precisely defined.

Biomimetic Suspension

The 803 D5 incorporates Bowers & Wilkins’ advanced Biomimetic Suspension system behind the midrange cone.

This open suspension structure replaces the conventional fabric spider found in many loudspeaker drivers. By reducing unwanted air pressure and mechanical noise behind the cone, Biomimetic Suspension helps reveal finer details and improves transparency throughout the midrange.

An Anti-Resonance plug provides additional control over the driver’s movement, supporting cleaner and more consistent reproduction.

Acoustically Optimised Turbine Head

The midrange driver is housed within Bowers & Wilkins’ distinctive Turbine Head, physically separated from the main bass enclosure.

Its curved and highly rigid structure provides a stable platform for the Continuum cone while reducing internal resonance. This helps the 803 D5 produce focused vocals, precise instrument placement and a more believable three-dimensional soundstage.

The 803 D5 is the smallest 800 Series Diamond floorstanding speaker to include this advanced Turbine Head configuration.

Dual 180 mm Aerofoil Bass Drivers

Two 180 mm Aerofoil bass drivers provide the 803 D5 with deep, controlled low-frequency performance.

The Aerofoil cone profile is designed to remain rigid as the drivers move, reducing distortion and improving definition during demanding bass passages. This gives orchestral music, electronic recordings and film soundtracks substantial weight without sacrificing speed or accuracy.

The 803 D5 offers a frequency response extending down to 19 Hz at ±3 dB, delivering impressive bass extension from its comparatively compact cabinet.

Enhanced Matrix Cabinet Construction

Inside the cabinet, Bowers & Wilkins’ upgraded Matrix™ bracing system reinforces the enclosure and reduces unwanted vibration.

Interlocking internal panels create a rigid structure that prevents the cabinet from adding audible colouration to the music. Aluminium Space Frame Bracing and a reinforced aluminium top section provide further stability, helping create a quieter acoustic foundation and a more spacious, immersive presentation.

Curved Reverse-Wrap Cabinet

The 803 D5 cabinet is formed from a continuous curve and secured by a solid aluminium spine.

This reverse-wrap construction reduces the number of flat surfaces around the drive units, helping minimise cabinet reflections and diffraction. The curved design also improves structural rigidity while giving the speaker its distinctive and elegant appearance.

Flowport Bass Reflex Technology

Bowers & Wilkins’ Flowport™ bass-reflex system helps the 803 D5 produce cleaner and more controlled low frequencies.

The port uses a carefully shaped, dimpled surface to reduce turbulence as air moves through the enclosure. This minimises unwanted noise and compression, particularly when the speaker is reproducing demanding bass at higher listening levels.

Designed for High-Performance Amplifiers

The Bowers & Wilkins 803 D5 has a sensitivity of 90 dB, a nominal impedance of 8 ohms and a minimum impedance of 3.0 ohms.

Bowers & Wilkins recommends amplifier power between 50 and 1,000 watts into 8 ohms on unclipped programme material. A high-quality amplifier with stable current delivery will help control the dual Aerofoil bass drivers and reveal the speaker’s full dynamic and low-frequency capability.

Ideal for Premium Stereo and Home Theatre Systems

The 803 D5 is an excellent choice for dedicated two-channel listening rooms where reference performance is required without the physical scale of the larger 801 D5 or 802 D5.

It can also serve as a premium front left and right speaker in an 800 Series Diamond home theatre system, delivering the dynamics, clarity and tonal consistency required for immersive film and music playback.

Premium Cabinet Finishes

The Bowers & Wilkins 803 D5 is available in four premium finishes:

• Stealth Black

• Warm White

• Dark Walnut

• Light Walnut

Stealth Black and Dark Walnut models include black grilles, while Warm White and Light Walnut versions are paired with grey grilles. Each finish is complemented by matching Leather by Connolly trim.

Key Features

• Reference three-way floorstanding loudspeaker

• Most compact 800 Series Diamond model with Turbine Head

• 25 mm Diamond dome tweeter

• Solid Body Tweeter-on-Top enclosure

• 130 mm Continuum cone FST midrange driver

• Biomimetic Suspension system

• Anti-Resonance midrange plug

• Acoustically isolated Turbine Head

• Dual 180 mm Aerofoil bass drivers

• Enhanced Matrix internal bracing

• Aluminium Space Frame Bracing

• Curved reverse-wrap cabinet

• Solid aluminium rear spine

• Flowport bass-reflex technology

• Frequency response extending from 19 Hz to 28 kHz

• 90 dB sensitivity

• Recommended amplifier power from 50 to 1,000 watts

• Four premium cabinet finishes

Technical Specifications

Technical specifications are based on Bowers & Wilkins’ official published product information.