Short answer: the KEF Reference 1 Meta. It ranks #3 of 222 bookshelf speakers by sound quality, rated 4.8/5, at $9,999.98; the Bowers & Wilkins 805 D4 ranks #177, rated 3.2/5, and costs $10,000, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
What the Bowers & Wilkins 805 D4 does well: 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 KEF Reference 1 Meta is the better-sounding option. Extremely accurate bookshelf speakers, with a superb three dimensional soundstage, no harshness, and tightly matched pairs. The tradeoff: At roughly $10000/pair, nearly four times the cost of the similarly-sized KEF R3.
Buy the KEF Reference 1 Meta. 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.
About the ratings: the Bowers & Wilkins 805 D4’s rating is estimated from measured siblings and predecessors rather than its own measurements, with a likely range of 3.0 to 3.4, so this verdict could change once it is measured.
Still deciding? The full Passive Home rankings cover every ranked option.
Measured Differences
- Efficiency: the Bowers & Wilkins 805 D4 is rated at 88 dB sensitivity against 82.5 dB for the KEF Reference 1 Meta, so it plays as loud with roughly a third of the amplifier power.
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Specifications Side By Side
| Bowers & Wilkins 805 D4 | KEF Reference 1 Meta | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $10,000 per pair | $9999.98 per pair |
| Ranked | #177 of 222 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers Estimated | #3 of 222 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 42Hz (manufacturer specified) | 52Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Drivers | 1” (25mm) Diamond dome tweeter, 6.5” (165mm) Continuum cone mid/bass | 165 mm (6.5 in.) aluminium cone woofer, 125 mm (5 in.) aluminium cone midrange, 25 mm (1 in.) aluminium dome with MAT tweeter |
| Frequency Response | 42Hz - 28kHz ±3dB (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Sensitivity | 88dB (2.83V/1m, manufacturer specified) | 82.5dB (measured average, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Impedance | 8 ohms nominal (4.6 ohms minimum) | 4 ohms nominal, 2.9 ohms minimum (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Power Handling | 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) | 17.3”H x 8.1”W x 16.6”D (439.4 x 205.7 x 421.6 mm) |
| Weight | 34.3 lbs (15.55 kg) each | 40.1 lbs (18.2 kg) each |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 32Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | - | 6.48 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | - | 8.29 |
| DIY Kit | - | No |
Where the Ratings Come From
- Bowers & Wilkins 805 D4: manufacturer specifications and listening comparisons; no independent measurement has been published yet.
- KEF Reference 1 Meta: 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.
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