Bowers & Wilkins 804 D5 Reference Floorstanding Speaker

Reference 800 Series Diamond Sound in a Room-Friendly Design

The Bowers & Wilkins 804 D5 delivers reference-quality 800 Series Diamond performance in a more conventional and compact floorstanding loudspeaker design. It is ideal for listeners who want exceptional clarity, imaging and bass control without the larger footprint of the flagship models.

Its three-way configuration combines a Diamond dome tweeter, dedicated Continuum™ cone FST™ midrange driver and dual 165 mm Aerofoil™ bass drivers. These advanced technologies work with a rigid reverse-wrap cabinet, upgraded Matrix™ bracing and a tuned plinth to produce spacious, detailed and highly controlled sound.

Diamond Dome Tweeter

The 804 D5 features Bowers & Wilkins’ renowned 25 mm Diamond dome tweeter, designed to reproduce high frequencies with exceptional openness, precision and clarity.

Diamond’s combination of low mass and high stiffness pushes the tweeter’s break-up frequency to approximately 70 kHz. By moving unwanted resonance far beyond the audible range, the tweeter can reveal subtle details within vocals, strings, percussion and recording ambience without sounding harsh or exaggerated.

Solid Body Tweeter-on-Top

Rather than mounting the tweeter inside the main cabinet, Bowers & Wilkins places it within a rigid Solid Body Tweeter-on-Top enclosure.

Separating the tweeter from the larger drive units helps reduce interference from cabinet vibration. The elongated housing is also shaped to minimise diffraction around the driver, supporting sharper stereo imaging and a more natural sense of space.

Continuum Cone FST Midrange Driver

A dedicated 130 mm Continuum cone FST midrange driver handles the critical frequencies occupied by vocals and most musical instruments.

The Continuum cone is designed to behave smoothly across its operating range, reducing the abrupt resonance characteristics associated with some traditional cone materials. This helps voices sound natural, instruments retain their correct tonal character and complex recordings remain clear and well organised.

Biomimetic Suspension

The 804 D5 incorporates Bowers & Wilkins’ advanced Biomimetic Suspension behind the midrange driver.

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

An Anti-Resonance plug further controls the driver’s behaviour for clearer and more consistent reproduction.

Aluminium Midrange Enclosure

The Continuum midrange driver is housed within a dedicated aluminium enclosure inside the cabinet.

This rigid internal structure helps isolate the midrange driver from pressure and vibration generated by the bass drivers. It also provides a stable mounting platform, allowing vocals and instruments to sound more focused, controlled and accurately positioned within the soundstage.

Dual 165 mm Aerofoil Bass Drivers

Two 165 mm Aerofoil bass drivers provide the 804 D5 with deep, responsive and well-defined low-frequency performance.

The Aerofoil cone profile is engineered to maintain rigidity as the driver moves, helping reduce distortion during demanding bass passages. Music retains its pace and definition, while orchestral recordings, electronic tracks and film soundtracks gain convincing weight and scale.

The 804 D5 offers a stated frequency response extending down to 19 Hz at ±3 dB, delivering impressive bass extension from its relatively slim cabinet.

Enhanced Matrix Cabinet Construction

Inside the enclosure, Bowers & Wilkins’ upgraded Matrix bracing system strengthens the cabinet and reduces unwanted resonance.

Interlocking internal panels limit cabinet movement that could otherwise colour the sound. Aluminium Space Frame Bracing, an aluminium top section and the dedicated aluminium midrange enclosure further improve rigidity, supporting clearer detail and a more believable soundstage.

Reverse-Wrap Cabinet Design

The 804 D5 cabinet is formed from a continuous curved structure rather than a conventional flat-fronted box.

This reverse-wrap design reduces reflections around the drive units and moves the cabinet join to the rear. A solid aluminium spine locks the structure in place, improving rigidity while contributing to the speaker’s distinctive, elegant appearance.

Flowport Bass Reflex Technology

Bowers & Wilkins’ Flowport™ bass-reflex system helps the 804 D5 reproduce low frequencies with greater control.

The port uses a carefully shaped, dimpled surface to reduce turbulence as air moves through the enclosure. This helps minimise unwanted port noise and compression, particularly during demanding music or high-volume playback.

Upgraded Plinth with Tuned-Mass Damping

The 804 D5 is supported by an upgraded plinth incorporating tuned-mass damping.

This stable foundation helps reduce unwanted vibration and improves the speaker’s mechanical connection to the floor. The result is tighter bass, clearer imaging and more consistent performance across a variety of listening environments.

Designed for High-Performance Amplification

The Bowers & Wilkins 804 D5 has a sensitivity of 89 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 is recommended to control the dual bass drivers and reveal the speaker’s full dynamic capability.

Ideal for Stereo and Home Theatre Systems

The 804 D5 is well suited to premium two-channel music systems where reference-level performance is required in a narrower cabinet.

It can also serve as a high-performance front left or right speaker in an 800 Series Diamond home theatre system. Its precise imaging, wide frequency response and controlled dynamics make it equally capable with music, films and television soundtracks.

Premium Cabinet Finishes

The Bowers & Wilkins 804 D5 is available in four premium finishes:

• Stealth Black

• Warm White

• Dark Walnut

• Light Walnut

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

Key Features

• Reference three-way floorstanding loudspeaker

• Compact 800 Series Diamond cabinet design

• 25 mm Diamond dome tweeter

• Solid Body Tweeter-on-Top enclosure

• 130 mm Continuum cone FST midrange driver

• Dedicated aluminium midrange enclosure

• Biomimetic Suspension

• Anti-Resonance midrange plug

• Dual 165 mm Aerofoil bass drivers

• Enhanced Matrix internal bracing

• Aluminium Space Frame Bracing

• Curved reverse-wrap cabinet

• Solid aluminium rear spine

• Flowport bass-reflex technology

• Upgraded plinth with tuned-mass damping

• Frequency response from 19 Hz to 24 kHz

• 89 dB sensitivity

• Recommended amplifier power from 50 to 1,000 watts

• Available in four premium finishes

Technical Specifications

Technical specifications are based on the official Bowers & Wilkins 804 D5 product information.