Bowers & Wilkins CCM8.5D

Martins Hi-Fi is the second oldest Bowers & Wilkins dealer in the world — and the CCM8.5D represents the pinnacle of what Bowers & Wilkins have achieved in ceiling loudspeaker design. This is a two-way in-ceiling loudspeaker that draws directly on technologies developed for the 800 Series Diamond loudspeakers, delivering a performance that is wholly without compromise — combining a Diamond dome tweeter with a Kevlar bass/midrange driver in an elegantly engineered package that disappears entirely into the ceiling whilst filling the room with extraordinary sound.

Diamond Dome Tweeter with Nautilus Tube Loading

The CCM8.5D's 25mm tweeter employs a diaphragm machined from synthetic diamond — the hardest material available for loudspeaker construction, and the identical technology found in Bowers & Wilkins' flagship 800 Series Diamond speakers. Diamond is so exceptionally stiff that its first breakup mode lies far beyond the limits of human hearing, ensuring the tweeter reproduces high frequencies with a purity and resolution that no conventional metal or fabric dome can match. The tweeter is loaded by a Nautilus tube — the tapered rear absorber first developed for the iconic Bowers & Wilkins Nautilus — which eliminates rear-wave reflection entirely, removing a significant source of coloration from the signal path and allowing the tweeter to perform with the freedom of a world-class stand-mounted loudspeaker.

A machined aluminium tweeter wing surrounds the dome, providing time alignment between the tweeter and bass/midrange driver — ensuring that the CCM8.5D's two-way crossover integrates the drive units with a coherence and phase accuracy that defines the speaker's effortlessly natural presentation.

Kevlar Bass/Midrange Driver

The 180mm bass/midrange driver is built around a woven Kevlar cone — the same material Bowers & Wilkins have used in their reference loudspeakers for decades, chosen for its exceptional combination of stiffness, low mass, and controlled self-damping. An anti-resonance plug is fitted to the rear of the driver, suppressing the standing waves that would otherwise colour the midrange frequencies. A Flowport port loading extends low-frequency performance, contributing to a frequency range of 35Hz to 40kHz that is remarkable for a ceiling-mounted loudspeaker.

Continuously Rotatable Baffle

The CCM8.5D's central baffle — carrying both drive units — is continuously rotatable, allowing the speaker to be precisely aimed towards the primary listening position regardless of where in the ceiling it is installed. This is the in-ceiling equivalent of toeing in a freestanding loudspeaker, and it makes a significant and audible difference to imaging focus and stereo presentation. Combined with the square format grille, the CCM8.5D can be installed at any angle without any visual evidence of adjustment.

Technical Specifications

Who Is It For?

The CCM8.5D is for those who demand reference-level sound from a ceiling loudspeaker — whether as the primary stereo pair in a music-focused room, as the main front channels in a high-performance home cinema, or as part of an immersive Dolby Atmos height channel array. It pairs naturally with the Bowers & Wilkins CWM8.5 D in-wall speaker for a fully coherent architectural system, and benefits enormously from the addition of a high-quality subwoofer such as the Bowers & Wilkins DB2D. Those considering a three-way in-wall alternative should explore the CWM8.3D.

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, we have a depth of knowledge and experience with the brand that very few retailers can match. Tim or Dave will be happy to discuss the CCM8.5D in detail — advising on back box requirements, amplification, and full system integration to ensure this exceptional loudspeaker delivers everything it is capable of in your home.

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.