The 800 Series Diamond from Bowers & Wilkins has raised the bar for high-end loudspeakers to unprecedented heights. For nearly 40 years, generation after generation of 800 Series loudspeakers from Bowers & Wilkins have set the standard for all loudspeakers that aspire to follow. Now, on the eve of the company’s 50th anniversary, the new 800 Series Diamond pushes the boundaries of what’s possible in hi-fi loudspeakers. The 800 Series Diamond is the result of a seven-year research project to make the best loudspeakers even better. The combination of tireless R&D, cutting-edge technology and countless hours of listening with the best ears in the business has resulted in a family of loudspeakers that bring the listener closer to the original recording than was previously thought possible. It’s a fundamental evolution of the range, with almost every component different to the 800 Series Diamond that came before it. As Bowers & Wilkins head of research Martial Rousseau put it: “This isn’t just a product update. It’s a complete redesign of the range. One of the few elements that remains from the previous series is the diamond tweeter. We realised that there was no way to improve the sound of the diamond dome.”
In addition to the exceptional Diamond tweeter, the rest of the loudspeaker system has been ruthlessly redesigned from the ground up to deliver an uncompromising sound that sets a new benchmark in loudspeaker technology. The changes include a huge number of technological, engineering and acoustic innovations, all combined to create a sophisticated listening experience. Most striking is the reinvention of the midrange driver. A new acoustically superior Continuum cone replaces the Kevlar that has been the key to the 800 Series’ incredibly realistic midrange performance for many years. Bass performance has also been dramatically improved, with the introduction of a new Aerofoil cone profile that significantly reduces distortion. These innovations, combined with improved cabinets, a more rigid Matrix internal rib system, a new tweeter in a massive cabinet and a significantly improved midrange “turbine head”, make the new 800 Series Diamond the nirvana of reference sound quality today.
The Bowers & Wilkins Diamond 804 D3 floor-standing speaker system has an improved design and, although it does not have a separate midrange section, like other speakers of this class in this series, is created on the basis of the most advanced audio technologies. The distinctive feature of the Bowers & Wilkins Diamond 804 D3, like the rest of the speakers in the series, is, of course, a unique HF driver with a diamond dome. This head, the development and testing of which took Bowers & Wilkins specialists many years, has an unrivaled sound in its frequency range. The tweeter is installed in its own damped housing on the top panel of the speaker, tapering towards the back – this solution for damping sound waves created by the back of the diaphragm has proven itself well since the days of the legendary Nautilus. The Bowers & Wilkins Diamond 804 D3’s midrange is driven by a new driver with a patented Continuum diffuser, mounted in a basket without a traditional suspension (FST design). Its diaphragm geometry is optimized for operation in the midrange, where natural and detailed sound transmission is extremely important.
To expand the range of reproduced low frequencies while maintaining a small cabinet width, the speaker system has two bass speakers with a diameter of 165 mm each. Their diffusers have a patented Aerofoil design, which provides a variable diaphragm cross-section to dampen parasitic resonances and reduce its weight. The low-frequency speakers are loaded onto a Flowport phase inverter with an outlet on the front panel. The use of proprietary emitters is not so common these days, even in high-end acoustics, and the fact that in Bowers & Wilkins Diamond 804 D3 the speakers of all three bands were developed by Bowers & Wilkins, commands respect.
The Bowers & Wilkins Diamond 804 D3 speaker body is no less elegant than the technical solutions used in it. It has a curved front panel to reduce the diffraction of sound waves and dampen vibrations; the speakers are organically integrated into it thanks to the use of stylish metal overlays. Inside, the body has a Matrix structure of intersecting partitions of a special shape, due to which an exceptionally high degree of its damping is achieved. The speaker’s external finish can be made of natural wood or piano black lacquer or matte white. Two pairs of custom screw terminals are provided for connection to the amplifier, and the speaker system can be installed on the included spikes or rubber supports.
Specifications Bowers & Wilkins Diamond 804 D3
Number of ways 3
Number of drivers 4
Enclosure type Flowport bass reflex on the front panel
Woofer 2 x 165 mm, Aerofoil cone
Midrange driver 130 mm, FST Continuum
cone Tweeter 25 mm, diamond dome, Nautilus loading
Frequency range 24 Hz – 28,000 Hz (+/- 3 dB)
Sensitivity 89 dB
Harmonic distortion 2 and 3 harmonics – less than 1% in the range 70 Hz – 20 kHz
Impedance 8 Ohm
Recommended amplifier power 50 – 200 W
Matrix enclosure
Maximum recommended cable impedance 0.1 Ohm
Dimensions (WxHxD) 238 x 1019 x 345 mm
Weight 33 kg