Bowers & Wilkins 805 D4, searching for the limits

Not long ago I had the B&W 705 S3 model at home, we could say, its lower version in price and performance than the one that is currently the subject of this article, the magnificent B&W 805 D4. But before I start talking about them, I'd like to tell you a little bit of history. This will be the first of three. Three products that have been in my living room simultaneously and each of which will have its own product analysis, like this one, individually, but which have coincided in time in my house. From Marantz, the PM-10 integrated amplifier and the SA-10 SACD player; Bowers & Wilkins, the 805 D4 bookshelf model; and all of it wired with Wires4Music. What more could you ask for at Easter? First-rate audiophilia.

Memory has played so many tricks on me in my life that I try not to rely on it too much. The commercial success of a product always depends on its ability to fix its presence in the minds of its fans. When I saw the speakers they immediately reminded me of the Formation Duo, I was convinced that they had the same aesthetic until I checked and saw that they were very similar, although not the same. And I was curious and visualized many previous models until I discovered something that clearly surprised me, although we have the idea that Bowers & Wilkins models are very similar, or identical, the absolute truth is not this. They change, and change a lot if we take a sufficiently long sequence of years as a measure. To the point that we might think we are not talking about the same company, and this is where the magic of it all begins. Their aesthetic and sound changes are very slight between consecutive versions and much more evident if we skip 2 or 3 versions. And their models are still recognized as a reference within the sector, the real ones and... the imitations, of which there are many.

Doing a little research, I found an interesting fact that I'd like to share with you. The previous series, that is, the D3, had an interior structure reinforced with aluminum and noise elimination by movement of transducers, which evacuated it to the back of the structure; and this could not be implemented in the 804 and 805 D3 models. This small historical injustice has been reversed and currently the entire D4 series has identical technological advances, with the exception of the flagship model B&W 801 D4, which due to its own needs and philosophy, has many more improvements that will possibly be disseminated to the other members of the series in subsequent releases.

If you want to see the exact description click here, although I emphasize that we are talking about a two-way speaker, with a 1-inch tweeter inside its special encapsulation and a 6.5-inch cone that does the mid and bass functions. It has a frequency range of 34Hz to 35kHz, a sensitivity of 88 dB (keep in mind with the amplifier I want to use). The impedance is 8 Ω and the associated amplifier has to be able to deliver 50W - 120W. It weighs about 16 kilos per box.

With this data in hand, we can say that tube amplifiers with these may have somewhat poor performance, unless they are hybrid models.

The product finish, in this case, glossy black, is what we can expect for the price. All the details are carefully crafted and I can't see anything I don't like about them. In addition, they can be bi-amplified, which is a little extra that is worth it for those who can afford it. At this point, being able to play with different qualities of cables and amplifiers would be something that could block my time for weeks. It's a pending dream.

Among the elements that most catch my attention is the aluminum that gives shape to the whole enclosure. At the back it is shaped like a radiator. Honestly, I don't know if it serves to radiate the heat produced by the huge divider filter on the other (inner) side or if it is to reinforce the structure of the enclosure even more.

Equipment used in the tests

»Sound source:
» Marantz SACD SA-10
» Roon Labs on dedicated PC
»Power amplification:
»Marantz PM-10
»Speakers:
»Bowers & Wilkins 805 D4
»Cables:
» Wires4Music in cabling:
    » Horus Hybrid RCA interconnection
    » Evolution in speakers and mains power
» Customized rack

The features that I am going to mention in the next part of the article would not make any sense if we ignore the electronics that power these speakers. Therefore, it should be borne in mind that what is described is thanks, in part, to the rest of the components used, including the cables, a source of controversy that makes no sense at all to the enthusiast.

Her ability to reproduce Jacqueline du Pré's cello so exquisitely kept me hours and hours enjoying a recording that is older than I am. I was transfixed, absorbed, lost, for a few days, not wanting to try anything other than the strings and winds of classical music. The clarity of the instruments at the top end, with the naturalness of the woodwinds and the small "notches" in the sound that were perceived in a diaphanous way made me have stage fright at the thought of changing musical genre.

You absolutely must listen to Camille Saint Saëns' Concerto No. 1. You are caught up in its atmosphere, unable to escape it (nor do you want to). The energy with which she performs this piece is above and beyond what we can consider a routine performance. She knew that her illness would end her career in a few years, and she had to make the most of every recording, every concert. Living life to the full and at full throttle with a cello, because time was running out. At the age of 28, he had to abandon his career.

Therefore, this piece is monumental in order to enjoy the sound of the strings when they are gently plucked, or when they are attacked with the full force of the bow. The vibration of the strings and the wood of the Davidov Stradivarius breaks you down from the inside. As an aside, this cello is currently used by Yo-Yo Ma. I think it's now easier to understand why, when something is capable of making this sound, you don't want to leave this recording.

This speaker is surprisingly capable of musical expression at high volume without flinching. It suffers from the acoustics of the room while the structure of the BW 805 D4 continues to show no vibrations. It's not magic, it's a really reinforced interior and a vibration-damping system that is simply brilliant.
This is why it can replace larger models without losing any of its power. The ability to move air smoothly and dynamically, together with a medium size for bookshelf monitors, make it very appealing for domestic environments, where its presence is vital.

It is versatile with musical styles, not being classifiable in any of them, since it is multi-purpose, and can reproduce with complete accuracy a string quartet, rock or pop music. It only shows its limitations in home cinema (where it needs more accompaniment) and, for the most purist and demanding, in the voices of tenors and sopranos. The lack of a dedicated media cone is always a difficulty for these music enthusiasts, who can remedy this with the BW 804 D4 model.