Bowers & Wilkins – 802 D4 – Floorstanding Speakers

Description

Why we install Bowers & Wilkins 802 D4 Floorstanding Speakers

The 802 D4 is the point in the Bowers & Wilkins 800 Series where a serious two-channel system and a no-compromise cinema front stage begin to overlap very naturally. In a larger Bath living room, music room or dedicated cinema, we would typically use it as the main left and right speaker, partnered with electronics that offer proper current delivery and a clean preamp stage. In theatre systems, it makes most sense where the centre speaker is from the same family and the room has the scale to let the front three breathe.

Installation matters with a speaker of this calibre. We pay close attention to distance from rear and side walls, toe-in, seating height and symmetry, because small changes are clearly audible. In cinema rooms, we integrate the 802 D4 with subwoofers and processor calibration carefully, avoiding heavy-handed correction through the midrange and treble while using bass management to suit the room. In stereo systems, we focus on placement first, then amplifier matching and source quality.

Compared with the 803 D4, the 802 D4 is the better choice where the room is larger, listening levels are higher, or the system needs more authority without stepping up to the physical presence of the 801 D4. To hear where that balance sits in practice, visit the Hidden Home Technology showroom in Bath and we’ll demonstrate how the 802 D4 behaves in a properly set up system.

Absolute elegance
802 D4’s svelte proportions and beautiful painted or real-wood-veneer finishes make for an elegant living-room companion – but one that doesn’t compromise on performance. Perfect for reference-grade stereo listening and an excellent choice in home theatre applications.

Aerofoil™ bass cone
Our Aerofoil bass cone technology remains an outstanding solution to the conundrum of combining low mass and high stiffness in bass cones, thanks to its carbon-fibre skin and variable-profile foam core. Now, we have added the foam Anti-Resonance Plug for lower distortion and even cleaner bass.

Aluminium top-plate
Every stereo model in the new 800 Series Diamond™ range has a significantly upgraded cabinet with an all-new aluminium top-plate. This also provides a perfect mounting point for all-new Leather by Connolly trim, with luxurious black leather for dark cabinets and light grey for lighter finishes.

Decoupled midrange assembly
Like its floor-standing siblings in the new range, 802 D4 has a dedicated midrange cone using three key Bowers & Wilkins technologies: the Continuum™ cone, Biomimetic Suspension and midrange decoupling, the latter ensuring minimal interference from the operation of the loudspeaker’s bass drivers.

The science of sound
Innovation is at the heart of everything we do. We question, we examine, we understand and then we evolve. We use computer modelling to explore and reimagine every aspect of loudspeaker design. Learn more about all the technologies that combine to make 800 Series Diamond so special here.

One of our best
802 D4 is a very special loudspeaker in its own right, with a thrilling blend of performance and style that other loudspeakers will find hard to emulate. Only one model in our range can best it – the flagship 801 D4, which has 250mm (10-in) bass cones in a more substantial low-frequency enclosure.

Press & reviews

StereoNET review of the Bowers & Wilkins 802 D4 Floorstanding Speakers