Short answer: the Audio First Cadentia 3. It ranks #7 of 222 bookshelf speakers by sound quality, rated 4.7/5, at $7,199; the Bowers & Wilkins 805 D4 ranks #177, rated 3.2/5, and costs $10,000, which makes this an easy call rather than a real tradeoff.
The case for the Bowers & Wilkins 805 D4: A luxury B&W stand mount with a diamond dome tweeter in a separate housing, a Continuum cone woofer and four finishes. The catch: No independent measurements yet, so its tonal balance and directivity can’t be compared with ranked speakers.
The Audio First Cadentia 3 is the better-sounding choice. A large three way bookshelf speaker with near textbook accuracy, a big enveloping soundstage, and deep, punchy bass that stays clean when loud. The tradeoff: A mild scoop through the upper midrange/lower treble slightly softens the attack of snares, hand claps, and sibilants: fixable with a single-band EQ (2.5kHz, +1dB, Q~1).
Buy the Audio First Cadentia 3. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Bowers & Wilkins 805 D4 and costs less, which makes it the one to get unless you need something the other one does better.
Worth knowing: the Bowers & Wilkins 805 D4 has not been measured yet. Its rating is estimated from related models, with a likely range of 3.0 to 3.4, so treat this verdict as provisional.
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Specifications Side By Side
| Bowers & Wilkins 805 D4 | Audio First Cadentia 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $10,000 per pair | $7199 per pair |
| Ranked | #177 of 222 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers Estimated | #7 of 222 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 42Hz (manufacturer specified) | 43Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Drivers | 1” (25mm) Diamond dome tweeter, 6.5” (165mm) Continuum cone mid/bass | 1.1” tweeter, 4.5” midrange, 9” woofer |
| Frequency Response | 42Hz - 28kHz ±3dB (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Sensitivity | 88dB (2.83V/1m, manufacturer specified) | 86.4dB (2.83V/1m, measured by Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Impedance | 8 ohms nominal (4.6 ohms minimum) | 4 ohms nominal (3.1 ohms minimum, measured by Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Power Handling | 50-120W | - |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported | 3-way, bass reflex |
| Dimensions | 17.3”H x 9.4”W x 14.7”D (440 x 240 x 373 mm) | 23.2” x 11.8” x 17” (590 x 300 x 433 mm) |
| Weight | 34.3 lbs (15.55 kg) each | 45.9 lbs (20.8 kg) each |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 26Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Country | - | United Kingdom (Cambridge) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | - | 7.55 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | - | 8.91 |
| DIY Kit | - | No |
Where the Ratings Come From
- Bowers & Wilkins 805 D4: manufacturer specifications and listening comparisons; no independent measurement has been published yet.
- Audio First Cadentia 3: Spinorama.org measurements and reviews by Erin’s Audio Corner.
This comparison is generated from the ratings, specifications and measurements on each product’s own page, and it updates when that data changes. How we rank explains how each rating is decided.
Related Speaker Comparisons
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