Bowers & Wilkins
Bowers & Wilkins 802 D4
Best floor-standing speakers for discerning audiophiles seeking reference-grade home audio.
Experience music as the artists intended with the Bowers & Wilkins 802 D4 Floor-Standing Loudspeakers. These British-made speakers deliver extraordinary transparency, detail, and range, making them ideal for both critical stereo listening and home-theater applications. Featuring an all-aluminum Turbine Head for the Continuum midrange cone, advanced Matrix bracing, and new Biomimetic Suspension, the 802 D4 minimizes unwanted resonances and coloration. The driver array includes a one-inch diamond-dome tweeter, a six-inch Continuum cone FST midrange, and two eight-inch Aerofoil woofers, producing an astounding frequency range. The reverse-wrap cabinet design and rear-mounted crossover further enhance performance and inertness, ensuring an immersive and accurate listening experience.
$11379.00
Owner Satisfaction
4.8
/ 5
Category Rank
20
/ 6627
#20 in Speakers
Price vs Category Average
+678%
Above average
Who it's for
- Design-conscious listeners valuing premium craftsmanship and iconic aesthetics
- Music lovers demanding precise, authoritative low-end performance
- Audiophiles seeking absolute sonic clarity and studio-grade detail
Who should skip it
- Apartment dwellers lacking space for large, heavy floor-standing speakers
- Budget-focused buyers looking for accessible high-end audio
- Minimalists avoiding complex, high-power amplifier requirements
Performance breakdown
Sonic Transparency
Diamond dome tweeters reveal microscopic details in every recording.
Bass Authority
Aerofoil woofers provide deep, controlled low-end impact without distortion.
Midrange Clarity
Continuum cone technology ensures vocals sound remarkably lifelike and present.
Cabinet Inertness
Advanced Matrix bracing eliminates unwanted vibrations for a cleaner sound.
Build Craftsmanship
British engineering meets premium Connolly leather for a stunning aesthetic.
Soundstage Immersion
The reverse-wrap design creates a massive, precise three-dimensional listening space.
Key Specs
3-way vented-box system
1x ø25mm Diamond dome tweeter
1x ø150mm Continuum cone FST midrange
2x ø200mm Aerofoil cone bass units
Frequency range
14Hz to 35kHz
Sensitivity
90dB
Nominal impedance
8Ω
Recommended amplifier power
50W – 500W
Features
- Exceptional transparency and detail
- Ideal for stereo and home theater
- Advanced midrange and tweeter technology
- Reinforced cabinet for reduced resonance
- Innovative suspension system
- Premium build and finish options
- Flagship-level audio performance
- Designed and manufactured in England
- Immersive home audio experience
- Powerful and detailed soundstage
What customers say
Customer sentiment overwhelmingly praises the Bowers & Wilkins 802 D4 for its exceptional sound quality and meticulous build. The core focus is on the speaker's transparency and detail retrieval, delivering an incredibly accurate and vast three-dimensional soundstage. Reviewers consistently highlight the lifelike presence of vocals and instruments, crediting the advanced tweeter and cabinet design for minimizing acoustic interference. While the engineering advancements are clear, particularly in bass control and mid-range clarity compared to older models, the significant financial investment remains a key consideration. Users view this loudspeaker as a serious commitment to uncompromising high fidelity, demanding equally capable amplification to unlock its full potential.
Know before you buy
The 802 D4 is versatile, with a recommended amplifier power range of 50W to 500W into 8 ohms. While they can run on lower power, pairing them with a high-quality, high-current amplifier will better reveal the speaker's full dynamic range and control.
While they are world-class for critical stereo listening, their transparency and detail make them excellent for high-end home theater systems. They are often used as the main front left and right channels in premium surround sound configurations.
Each speaker weighs over 194 pounds and stands quite tall, so you will need a dedicated listening room with enough floor space to allow them to breathe. For optimal performance, we recommend placing them away from side and rear walls to prevent unwanted bass reinforcement.
The diamond-dome tweeter is incredibly stiff and lightweight, which allows it to reproduce high frequencies with exceptional clarity and minimal distortion. This material choice ensures that the top end of your music remains clear and accurate even at high volumes.
Not at all. The 802 D4 features advanced Matrix bracing and an all-aluminum Turbine Head, which are specifically engineered to eliminate cabinet resonance. This design ensures that you hear the music, not the speaker enclosure.
The Biomimetic Suspension replaces the traditional fabric spider in the midrange driver with a minimalist design. This significantly reduces unwanted air pressure and coloration, resulting in a much cleaner and more transparent midrange performance.
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$11379