LOUDSPEAKER
Stereophile has reviewed many Bowers & Wilkins speakers since the first, the “pregnant kangaroo” DM6, in December 1977.3 The most recent was the 705 Signature stand mount, which I wrote about in December 2020.4 I concluded my review of the 705 Signature, which costs $4000/ pair, by writing that “this elegant loudspeaker stepped out of the way of the music in a very satisfying manner.” So, last summer, after I watched a video presentation of Bowers & Wilkins’s new 800 D4 series loudspeakers, I asked for review samples of the 804 D4 floor stander, which costs $12,500/pair.
The 804 D4
The D4 800-series loudspeakers are mostly similar to the D3 models,5 but they incorporate a few revised and upgraded design features. The 804 D4 differs most from its predecessor in that it features what the manufacturer calls the “reversewrap cabinet” that had been used for the larger floorstanding 800 series models. The elliptical-plan enclosure has a flat back faced with a vertically ribbed aluminum panel, while the front baffle is gently curved to optimize dispersion. The midrange unit and twin woofers are housed in circular aluminum pods mounted to the baffle. The enclosure has a cast aluminum top panel, covered with a padded material, and the internal Matrix bracing now uses panels made from solid plywood rather than the previous MDF, these reinforced with aluminum bracing.
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This story is from the January 2022 edition of Stereophile.
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This story is from the January 2022 edition of Stereophile.
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