The New Bowers & Wilkins 800 Series Diamond D5 Has Arrived
"What stands in the way of the music?" It's the question Bowers & Wilkins say they ask at the start of every new 800 Series generation. After sixty years of asking it, the answer has become the 800 Series Diamond D5 — and it is, by any measure, a serious statement.
We now stock the full D5 range at Martins Hi-Fi, and having spent time with these speakers, we think the question has been answered rather well.
Sixty Years in the Making
The 800 Series has been the reference point for recording studios and serious domestic listeners for decades. The D5 generation doesn't abandon that heritage — it refines it, with new materials, revised engineering, and technologies that B&W have developed over that entire sixty-year span. The goal, as ever, is sound that doesn't remind you you're listening to a speaker.
Whether that goal is achieved is something you should hear for yourself. We'd encourage you to book a dem.
The Flagship: 801 D5 and 802 D5
At the top of the range sits the Bowers & Wilkins 801 D5 at £43,000 — the reference floor-standing loudspeaker, engineered for recording studios and the most demanding domestic listeners. B&W describe it as their most realistic and accurate listening experience yet, and the 801 has long been the speaker against which others in this category are measured.
Delivering much of the 801's capability in a more accessible design, the Bowers & Wilkins 802 D5 at £32,500 is engineered for reference-grade stereo and home theatre alike. For many listeners, it will be the most capable speaker they have ever had in their home.
803 D5 and 804 D5: Reference Performance, Smaller Footprint
The Bowers & Wilkins 803 D5 at £25,500 is the most compact 800 Series model to carry the iconic Turbine Head configuration — the distinctive mid-range enclosure that sits atop the cabinet and isolates the drive unit from cabinet coloration. Compact proportions, but reference ambitions.
For those who need a smaller footprint without sacrificing the core 800 Series technologies, the Bowers & Wilkins 804 D5 at £16,000 brings the range's most advanced engineering to a more conventional floorstander design.
805 D5: Small Cabinet, Uncompromised Ambition
The Bowers & Wilkins 805 D5 at £10,000 is the standmount of the range — the most compact model, but one that B&W say delivers large-scale performance that greatly exceeds its modest stature. For smaller listening rooms, or for those building a system around a subwoofer, the 805 D5 makes a compelling case.
Centre Channels: HTM81 D5 and HTM82 D5
A reference home theatre system is only as good as its centre channel, and B&W have two in the D5 range. The Bowers & Wilkins HTM81 D5 at £10,000 pairs with the 801 D5 or 802 D5 for the most powerful and complete home theatre experience in the range. The Bowers & Wilkins HTM82 D5 at £8,000 is scaled to match the 803 D5 and 804 D5, adding clarity and precision without overwhelming the main speakers.
Both are engineered with the same core technologies as the floorstanders — not afterthoughts, but genuine reference-grade centre channels.
Come and Hear Them
Martins Hi-Fi is the second oldest Bowers & Wilkins dealer in the world. We have been in Norwich since 1968, and Elizabeth Gould runs the business today. We stock only brands we have heard properly and stand behind — and the 800 Series Diamond D5 is one we stand behind without hesitation.
Dave and Chris are in the showroom and ready to help you find the right configuration for your room and system. A dem is the only way to know, and we'd love to arrange one.
Contact us at info@martinshifi.co.uk, call 01603 627010, or WhatsApp on 07554 687137. You can read more about how we work on our Why Martins Hi-Fi page. We are at 85–91 Ber Street, Norwich, NR1 3EY.
