Short answer: the Bowers & Wilkins 805 D4. It ranks #172 of 216 bookshelf speakers by sound quality, rated 3.2/5, at $10,000. The Harbeth Super HL5plus XD2 ranks #179, rated 3.1/5, at $7,990, $2,010 cheaper, not enough of a saving to outweigh the sound-quality gap.
What the Bowers & Wilkins 805 D4 does well: Two-way stand mount with a 25mm Diamond dome tweeter in a separate solid body housing and a 165mm Continuum cone mid/bass. The tradeoff: No independent measurements yet, so its tonal balance and directivity can’t be compared with ranked speakers.
Why pick the Harbeth Super HL5plus XD2: A large three way stand mount with an 8 inch RADIAL4 mid/bass and a separate super tweeter, rated to 40Hz; Stereophile measured the previous XD version with an impressively even 30 degree listening window and a port tuned to 29Hz for deep bass extension. The catch: Expensive at about $7,990 a pair, and at 86dB sensitivity with equivalent load dips to about 2.5 ohms it wants a capable amplifier.
Buy the Bowers & Wilkins 805 D4. It is rated higher for sound quality, and saving $2,010 with the Harbeth Super HL5plus XD2 does not make up for the sound-quality gap.
About the ratings: neither speaker has been measured yet, so both ratings are estimated from measured siblings and predecessors (likely ranges: Bowers & Wilkins 805 D4 3.0 to 3.4; Harbeth Super HL5plus XD2 2.8 to 3.4). Treat this verdict as provisional.
Still deciding? The full Passive Home rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| Bowers & Wilkins 805 D4 | Harbeth Super HL5plus XD2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $10,000 per pair | $7,990 per pair |
| Ranked | #172 of 216 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers Estimated | #179 of 216 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers Estimated |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 42Hz (manufacturer specified) | - |
| Drivers | 1” (25mm) Diamond dome tweeter, 6.5” (165mm) Continuum cone mid/bass | 200mm RADIAL4 mid/bass + 25mm ferrofluid cooled tweeter + 20mm dome super tweeter (each), 3-way |
| Frequency Response | 42Hz - 28kHz ±3dB (Manufacturer specified) | 40Hz - 20kHz (+/-3dB free space, grille on) (Manufacturer specified) |
| Sensitivity | 88dB (2.83V/1m, manufacturer specified) | 86dB (2.83V/1m) (Manufacturer specified) |
| Impedance | 8 ohms nominal (4.6 ohms minimum) | 6 ohms (Manufacturer specified) |
| Power Handling | 50-120W | - |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported | - |
| Dimensions | 17.3”H x 9.4”W x 14.7”D (440 x 240 x 373 mm) | 12.7”W x 25”H x 11.8”D (322 x 635 x 300 mm) |
| Weight | 34.3 lbs (15.55 kg) each | 34.8 lbs (15.8 kg) (each) |
Related Speaker Comparisons
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- Bowers & Wilkins 805 D5 vs Bowers & Wilkins 805 D4
- Bowers & Wilkins 805 D4 vs Bowers & Wilkins 805S
Prices on this page were last checked October 11, 2026 at 4:59 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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The Two Speakers In Full
Bowers & Wilkins 805 D4: $10,000 per pair Estimated Bowers & Wilkins $10,000 eBay
Newer model: the Bowers & Wilkins 805 D5, ranked higher, estimated 3.3/5, released Jun 2026.
Older models: the Bowers & Wilkins 805 Diamond (ranked lower, estimated 2.9/5) and the Bowers & Wilkins 805S (ranked lower, rated 2.8/5). See every Bowers & Wilkins 800 Series generation.
Same family: the Bowers & Wilkins 804 D4 (smallest floorstanding, estimated 3.4/5), the Bowers & Wilkins 803 D4 (floorstanding, estimated 3.5/5), the Bowers & Wilkins 802 D4 (floorstanding, estimated 3.6/5), the Bowers & Wilkins 801 D4 (largest floorstanding, estimated 3.7/5) and the Bowers & Wilkins HTM81 D4 (center, rated 3.3/5).
Pros: Two-way stand mount with a 25mm Diamond dome tweeter in a separate solid body housing and a 165mm Continuum cone mid/bass. B&W rates it at 42Hz to 28kHz (±3dB) and 88dB sensitivity with an 8 ohm nominal load. Four finishes.
Cons: No independent measurements yet, so its tonal balance and directivity can’t be compared with ranked speakers. At about four times the price of the Bowers & Wilkins 805S it replaces, it is a very expensive stand mount, and bass below 42Hz still calls for a subwoofer.
Full Bowers & Wilkins 805 D4 review and specifications →
| Released | Sep 2021 (5 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 42Hz (manufacturer specified) |
| Dimensions | 17.3”H x 9.4”W x 14.7”D (440 x 240 x 373 mm) |
| Drivers | 1” (25mm) Diamond dome tweeter, 6.5” (165mm) Continuum cone mid/bass |
| Frequency Response | 42Hz - 28kHz ±3dB (Manufacturer specified) |
| Impedance | 8 ohms nominal (4.6 ohms minimum) |
| Power Handling | 50-120W |
| Sensitivity | 88dB (2.83V/1m, manufacturer specified) |
| Weight | 34.3 lbs (15.55 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- No independent measurement review is linked for this model; it is ranked from hands-on listening and comparison against similarly priced speakers.
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Harbeth Super HL5plus XD2: $7,990 per pair Estimated Music Direct $7,990 eBay
Pros: A large three way stand mount with an 8 inch RADIAL4 mid/bass and a separate super tweeter, rated to 40Hz; Stereophile measured the previous XD version with an impressively even 30 degree listening window and a port tuned to 29Hz for deep bass extension. The cabinet showed only low level resonances, and the 6 ohm load is benign in magnitude.
Cons: Expensive at about $7,990 a pair, and at 86dB sensitivity with equivalent load dips to about 2.5 ohms it wants a capable amplifier. Measurements of the previous version showed presence region energy falling away off axis and narrowing treble above 7kHz, so the reflected sound is less even than the direct sound; the XD2 itself has not been independently measured.
Full Harbeth Super HL5plus XD2 review and specifications →
| Released | 2025 (1 year ago) |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 12.7”W x 25”H x 11.8”D (322 x 635 x 300 mm) |
| Drivers | 200mm RADIAL4 mid/bass + 25mm ferrofluid cooled tweeter + 20mm dome super tweeter (each), 3-way |
| Frequency Response | 40Hz - 20kHz (+/-3dB free space, grille on) (Manufacturer specified) |
| Impedance | 6 ohms (Manufacturer specified) |
| Sensitivity | 86dB (2.83V/1m) (Manufacturer specified) |
| Weight | 34.8 lbs (15.8 kg) (each) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons