The B&W 805S ranks #114 out of 134 total Large Size Bookshelf Speakers for sound quality. See all Passive Home rankings for every top pick.
Brand: B&W
Prices on this page were last checked October 1, 2026 at 6:23 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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#114 B&W 805S: $2,500 per pair Discontinued eBay
Newer model: the B&W 805 D4. It’s likely to perform similarly, though we don’t have measurements to confirm that yet.
Pros: Bass and dynamic performance are strong for the cabinet size, playing very loud with well-controlled bass distortion. Horizontal beamwidth stays reasonably smooth through -6dB. Build quality has enough of a “quality feel” that the reviewer said it kept the speaker from the lowest possible rating. Measured bass extension of 46.9Hz (-3dB), with a measured sensitivity of 86.5dB.
Cons: CEA2034 spinorama shows directivity breaking down badly starting around 1kHz and staying poor to 3kHz: a wide crossover-region flaw the reviewer called “clearly flawed execution” that leaves vocals sounding recessed and masked without EQ correction. A high 4kHz crossover point appears to leave the tweeter’s small sub-enclosure resonating audibly during playback. Discontinued, superseded by the 805 Diamond/805 D4 series.
How it compares: Just above it: Triangle Borea BR03 - $2102 cheaper, 1Hz higher bass extension (-3dB). Just below it: HUMAN Speakers 81 DK - $1103 cheaper, 2.5Hz higher bass extension (-3dB).
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 35.6Hz (derived, log-interpolated between spinorama.org -9dB/-12dB points) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 46.9Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| DIY Kit | No |
| Dimensions | 16.5H x 9.4W x 13.8D in |
| Drivers | 1” aluminum dome tweeter, 6.5” woven Kevlar cone mid/bass |
| Frequency Response | 49Hz - 22kHz +/-3dB (-6dB at 42Hz and 50kHz) (Manufacturer specified) |
| Impedance | 8 ohms nominal (3.7 ohms minimum) |
| Power Handling | 50-120W |
| Sensitivity | 86.5dB (2.83V/1m, measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 4.12 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 6.07 |
| Weight | 25.4 lbs (11.5 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
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