Short answer: the Bowers & Wilkins 805 D4. It ranks #177 of 222 bookshelf speakers by sound quality (rated 3.2/5) at $10,000 and is still sold new; the Bowers & Wilkins 805S ranks #199 (rated 2.8/5) and is discontinued, so it is only an option used. The Bowers & Wilkins 805S’s replacement, the Bowers & Wilkins 805 D5, is rated 3.3/5 at $15,000.
The Bowers & Wilkins 805 D4 is the better-sounding option. A luxury B&W stand mount with a diamond dome tweeter in a separate housing, a Continuum cone woofer and four finishes. Watch for: No independent measurements yet, so its tonal balance and directivity can’t be compared with ranked speakers.
What the Bowers & Wilkins 805S does well: A discontinued B&W stand mount that plays very loud with clean, strong bass for its size and a quality feel. The tradeoff: CEA2034 spinorama shows directivity breaking down badly starting around 1kHz and staying poor to 3kHz: a wide crossover-region flaw that leaves vocals sounding recessed and masked without EQ correction.
Buy the Bowers & Wilkins 805 D4. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the Bowers & Wilkins 805S is discontinued, so it is only available used.
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 | Bowers & Wilkins 805S | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $10,000 per pair | $2,500 per pair Discontinued |
| Ranked | #177 of 222 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers Estimated | #199 of 222 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 42Hz (manufacturer specified) | 46.9Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Drivers | 1” (25mm) Diamond dome tweeter, 6.5” (165mm) Continuum cone mid/bass | 1” aluminum dome tweeter, 6.5” woven Kevlar cone mid/bass |
| Frequency Response | 42Hz - 28kHz ±3dB (Manufacturer specified) | 49Hz - 22kHz +/-3dB (-6dB at 42Hz and 50kHz) (Manufacturer specified) |
| Sensitivity | 88dB (2.83V/1m, manufacturer specified) | 86.5dB (2.83V/1m, measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Impedance | 8 ohms nominal (4.6 ohms minimum) | 8 ohms nominal (3.7 ohms minimum) |
| Power Handling | 50-120W | 50-120W |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported | ported, rear |
| Dimensions | 17.3”H x 9.4”W x 14.7”D (440 x 240 x 373 mm) | 16.5H x 9.4W x 13.8D in |
| Weight | 34.3 lbs (15.55 kg) each | 25.4 lbs (11.5 kg) each |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 35.6Hz (derived, log-interpolated between spinorama.org -9dB/-12dB points) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | - | 4.12 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | - | 6.07 |
| DIY Kit | - | No |
Where the Ratings Come From
- Bowers & Wilkins 805 D4: manufacturer specifications and listening comparisons; no independent measurement has been published yet.
- Bowers & Wilkins 805S: Spinorama.org measurements and reviews by Audio Science Review.
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.
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