First picture of Bowers & Wilkins Series 800 D4

[ti33er]

Hmmm I guess it’s a matter of personal taste here …I do like the new Range, but not the greedy pricing… on my 805D3, I reckon if I could get a Routing machine and round the two front vertical edges of my baffle, it would also look like an ‘upgrade’ (like the way REL T9x edges are now rounded …

 

[Deleted member 196519]

Only £30,000. Bargain.

B&W revamps its flagship floorstanding speaker, demands your annual salary | Stuff

That’ll be £30k, please

www.stuff.tv

😀

 

[Surly Sid]

The price increases are insane! B&W is way over priced for the performance it delivers.

 

[ti33er]

I think there is a limit to performance whereby it’s diminishing returns thereafter - they are good, it’s really just tuning (EQ) now …Bowers new Owners are being greedy, like REL for profits in a Bear economy

 

[nopiano]

Still no mention of subwoofers…despairing at the most likely outcome they are the same boring square boxes with no manual controls; as they left the 805D4 Stand much the same which doesn’t match the rest of the Series rounded bases…

Do speakers that size really need a sub?

 

[nopiano]

The price increases are insane! B&W is way over priced for the performance it delivers.

I recall you said that about Harbeth, until you heard them!

 

[ti33er]

Most ‘exotic’ speakers are overpriced. Costs a fraction to make vs what us Muggles pay for them…

 

[Al ears]

Most ‘exotic’ speakers are overpriced. Costs a fraction to make vs what us Muggles pay for them…

everything is priced this way, your point is?

 

[ti33er]

…we all fuel these beasts by actually buying them - not that many people bought the Monitor Audio Platinum 2 range as an example and the prices started to come down i.e. lots of discounted speakers like PL500/300/200 started cropping up at Dealers and eBay I noticed. Desire & Demand causes a reality check in the market over time

 

[nopiano]

…we all fuel these beasts by actually buying them - not that many people bought the Monitor Audio Platinum 2 range as an example and the prices started to come down i.e. lots of discounted speakers like PL500/300/200 started cropping up at Dealers and eBay I noticed. Desire & Demand causes a reality check in the market over time

Actually, as state-of-the-art speakers go, then £30k is almost a bargain. Many designs from the likes of Wilson Audio, Raidho, Martin Logan, Sonus faber, Focal , etc, etc are far costlier. The 801 D4 gets a full review in the November 2021 Hifi News, and scores 92% which I think I’ve only seen once before.

I‘d love to hear these newest models as the last 801 I heard were I think the originals, when I was fortunate to spend a day at Abbey Road no 1 studios in 1993.

 

[ti33er]

Many State of the Art Handbags can cost thousands too (some even made from ‘Vegan Leather’ aka plastic) …I’ve asked my Wife before if they would contain or carry her contents any better; the defences were put up straight away, no Date-Night for me that eve ;-)

 

[MUSICRAFT]

Do speakers that size really need a sub?

Yes, the use of a subwoofer is still of paramount importance. For eg. picture below shows Bowers & Wilkins 802D2's which are perfectly capable of good quality low frequencies. However this system features a pair of JL Audio Fathom f112 v2 subwoofers are in use with a crossover point to the main speakers set at 80Hz, so the 802D2 speakers are relieved of the need to produce deep bass. It’s a good starting point as it relieves the main speakers of the bottom two octaves (20Hz - 40Hz and 40Hz - 80Hz) which lowers distortion in the main speakers. The Fathom f112 v2's do a much better job in this region. As a result the system is more transparent and dynamic from bottom to top, at low volumes as well as at higher volumes and the space in the original recording is much better defined than the 802D2's's on their own.

 

[Sliced Bread]

I guess it depends whether you’re integrating the subs by ear or via software. Dirac can do a great job with integration, but if it’s a high level connection by ear then I imagine most people will make a mess of it.

I’ve been integrating subs into my system for about 20 years and it still takes me months every time I make a change to get it right.

 

[Surly Sid]

I recall you said that about Harbeth, until you heard them!

DOHH!!! I knew someone would bring that up!

 

[ti33er]

Here you go, reality starting to check-in for REL with their pricing…£1299–>>>£1149

On Sale - REL Acoustics UK

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rel.net

(can’t attach image, says file format not valid)

 

[Sliced Bread]

Here you go, reality starting to check-in for REL with their pricing…£1299–>>>£1149

On Sale - REL Acoustics UK

Read REL Acoustics Cookie Policy to understand how REL Acoustics uses Cookies on thier websites. This policy should be read together with our Privacy Policy.

rel.net

(can’t attach image, says file format not valid)

PMC need to take note too 😏

 

[MUSICRAFT]

if it’s a high level connection by ear then I imagine most people will make a mess of it.

High level connection = higher level of mess.

 

[MUSICRAFT]

I’ve been integrating subs into my system for about 20 years and it still takes me months every time I make a change to get it right.

Can be worth the time and effort though.

 

[Sliced Bread]

Can be worth the time and effort though.

Yes true, that’s why I persevere

 

[Wil]

May be of interest… 55min of “technical experts and other key members of the Bowers & Wilkins team deep dive into the many improvements…”: