The technology behind the loudspeaker
Engineering a product that is trusted by the highly discerning engineers at Abbey Road Studios, but that also graces the homes of countless customers worldwide, is an endeavour that takes time – in the case of the Bowers & Wilkins 801 D4, almost 50 years of time.
The foundations of True Sound
In the case of the latest generation of 800 Series Diamond, our quest for improved performance began by looking in detail at the mechanical and acoustic form of the outgoing range in a bid to improve its performance wherever possible.
Reaching the performance targets we set cannot be achieved by simply buying or modifying existing components. Unlike many other loudspeaker manufacturers, the Bowers & Wilkins approach has always been to create and manufacture every component we need and develop all key technologies in house.
The revised cabinet form we introduced in 2015 was massively stiffer and quieter than the old model, as was the new cast aluminium Turbine Head that houses our midrange drive unit assembly. With the latest generation of 800 Series Diamond, introduced in 2021, the first significant change is that both 805 D4 and 804 D4 have adopted the same revised cabinet form as all of their larger siblings. The result is a giant leap forward in performance for the two entry-level models in the new range.
Every model in the range now features an aluminium top-plate. This either plays host to a Solid Body Tweeter-on-Top assembly (in 805 D4 and 804 D4) or an upgraded Turbine Head (803 D4, 802 D4 and 801 D4). This new metal section has a variety of benefits: it further stiffens up the top of the cabinet in a crucial area and, at the same time, it provides a superior location for the decoupling mechanism to locate into.
All models have upgraded Matrix assemblies – the internal bracing that supports their cabinets in multiple directions – with additional metal reinforcing sections, including both vertical and horizontal U-shaped aluminium braces that are glued and bolted into position. In the 801 D4, we have also introduced an aluminium bracing plate into the bottom of the cabinet around the Flowport, reflecting the added size of that aperture on our largest 800 Series Diamond model: this further quietens the cabinet in that crucial area.
The result is the ideal platform for our drive units to do their work.
The pinnacle of performance
The Solid Body Tweeter-on-Top has been revised in every new 800 Series Diamond loudspeaker, including models both with and without the Turbine Head. The new design is longer – approaching 30cm (12 in) long and this additional tube length has notable benefits for the resonant frequency (f/s) of the Diamond Dome tweeter, essentially meaning that the dome can now ‘breathe’ more easily than before. Alongside a revised two-point decoupling mechanism that ensures better-than-ever isolation of the sensitive assembly from its surrounding enclosure, the result is an even-more-believable sense of sounds floating in free space rather than being restricted to the confines of a loudspeaker cabinet.
Clarity beyond all others
We have aimed for the same benefits for our revised and upgraded Turbine Head midrange enclosures. As already mentioned, they enjoy that superior isolation from the top of the bass cabinet because of the aluminium top-plate that all stereo cabinets now use. In addition, we’ve revised the tuned-mass dampers that control resonance in each housing – with two dampers in 803 D4 and three in each of 802 D4 and 801 D4 – and added in resonance-damping material to the metal fins at the rear of the housing. We’ve also completely redesigned the decoupling for the midrange assembly itself.
Optimised enclosures for exceptional sound
Finally (at least regarding cabinets), we’ve revised and improved the way our loudspeakers connect with the floor in your room. The 805 D4 benefits from an upgraded stand with additional steel inserts in its base and massively thicker M12 floor spikes (replacing the older M6 designs). The 804 D4, meanwhile, uses a downward-firing port exiting onto an all-new aluminium plinth with constrained layer damping – exactly as per the 800 D3 in the older range with those same M12 spikes. And we’ve carried that constrained layer damping over to the 803 D4 and 802 D4 as well, with both models adopting an all-aluminium plinth (replacing the zinc aluminium alloy used previously) controlled by a damping layer held in place by a thin steel sheet.
A breakthrough in midrange transparency
The result of an eight-year research programme, the composite Continuum Cone – used for both midrange and mid/bass applications – is already famed for its open, transparent, and neutral performance. When used as a midrange drive unit in Bowers & Wilkins floorstanding loudspeakers, it is always combined with our Fixed Suspension Transducer (FSTTM) midrange technology, which carefully avoids the coloration that traditional cone surrounds can introduce. Now, Bowers & Wilkins has combined the twin benefits of Continuum and FST with an all-new advance that transforms the other key element of a drive unit’s normal operation: the fabric spider.
Developed by Bowers & Wilkins and making its debut in the 800 Series Diamond, the all-new composite Biomimetic Suspension replaces the conventional fabric spider with a minimalist composite suspension system. This revolutionises midrange cone performance by greatly reducing the unwanted air pressure – aka sound that a conventional fabric spider can generate. Every model in the new range bar the two-way 805 D4 adopts this new technology, delivering better-than-ever results in the crucial midrange area.
It should be clear that the latest generation of 800 Series Diamond are radically transformed loudspeakers that sound even more believable than ever.
That’s why they’re trusted by the world’s most discerning listeners.
Hear It in Vienna at High End Show
The 800 D4 Series will be presented at High End Vienna, 4th–7th June 2026. Visit us at Stand G1, Level -2, and experience one of the world’s most acclaimed loudspeaker ranges in a dedicated listening environment.
Our team will be on hand throughout the show.