Bowers & Wilkins 801 D5

The Bowers & Wilkins 801 D5 is the pinnacle of the 800 Series Diamond range — a reference floor-standing loudspeaker engineered without compromise for recording studios and the most demanding home listening environments. Sixty years of obsessive loudspeaker development have culminated in a design that sets a new standard for accuracy, realism, and sheer physical presence. Martins Hi-Fi is the second oldest Bowers & Wilkins dealer in the world, and the 801 D5 represents the very best of a partnership built over decades.

Diamond Dome Tweeter

The 801 D5 uses a Diamond dome tweeter — the hardest material available for this application — which pushes break-up frequency to 70kHz. The result is exceptional clarity and openness across the entire audible range, with no distortion or colouration introduced by the tweeter itself. What you hear is the recording, not the speaker.

Continuum™ Cone FST Midrange

The 150mm Continuum™ cone FST midrange driver reproduces voices and instruments with a lifelike accuracy that no conventional cone material can match. Developed entirely in-house by Bowers & Wilkins, Continuum eliminates the characteristic colouration of woven Kevlar whilst retaining all the stiffness and damping properties that made the original so respected. The midrange sits in its own Turbine Head enclosure, completely isolated from the bass cabinet, so the frequencies that carry the greatest emotional content arrive untainted.

Aerofoil™ Bass Cones

Two 250mm Aerofoil™ bass drivers extend the 801 D5's frequency range to a measured 13Hz — a figure that is felt as much as heard. The Aerofoil cone profile varies in thickness across its surface, combining stiffness where it is needed with controlled flexibility where it is not, eliminating the breakup modes that compress and distort bass at high levels. Paired with a Flowport™ reflex port, bass is extended and articulate at every volume.

Matrix™ Cabinet and Space Frame Bracing

The 801 D5 cabinet is braced internally by an upgraded Matrix™ structure — a lattice of interlocking panels that eliminates resonance at source rather than attempting to damp it after the fact. Aluminium Space Frame Bracing and an all-new aluminium top section further stiffen the enclosure, while the cabinet itself is formed from a single continuous curve locked in place by a solid aluminium spine. Cabinet reflections are reduced to a minimum, and the sound that reaches the listener is cleaner and more precisely located in space.

Tweeter-on-Top and Biomimetic Suspension

The Tweeter-on-Top configuration places the Diamond dome tweeter in its own isolated solid-body housing above the main cabinet, removing it entirely from the vibrational environment of the enclosure below. Combined with Biomimetic Suspension — a surround design inspired by the structure of the human eardrum — the tweeter operates in conditions as close to ideal as engineering currently permits. The Anti-Resonance plug behind the dome further reduces cavity resonance, preserving the finest high-frequency detail.

Technical Specifications

Who Is It For?

The 801 D5 is for the listener who has stopped making compromises. It suits large rooms — it needs space to breathe and an amplifier capable of driving it properly, with a minimum recommended power of 50W and headroom up to 1000W into 8Ω. If you are building a reference system and want a loudspeaker that professional recording engineers trust to tell the truth, this is it. It is not a casual purchase, and it is not intended to be.

Buying from Martins Hi-Fi

Martins Hi-Fi has been in Norwich since 1968. Elizabeth Gould runs the business today, and we stock only brands we have heard properly and stand behind. As the second oldest Bowers & Wilkins dealer in the world, our relationship with the brand runs deeper than most — and the 801 D5 is something we are exceptionally well placed to demonstrate properly in our Norwich showroom.

When you get in touch, you'll be speaking with Dave, Chris and Tim — experienced specialists who can advise on this product and your whole system.

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.