The All New Bowers & Wilkins 800 D4 Series – Now on Demo at Nintronics
Think if you can back to 1966 when England won the World Cup for the first and last time and the Beatles released their Rubber Soul and Revolver albums, and David Bowie released his first single called Can’t Help Thinking About Me. The Russians make a soft unmanned Moon landing with Luna 9 and John Lennon was somewhat misunderstood when he said ‘the Beatles are now more popular than Jesus’. Harold Wilson won the general election in that year, the same year that David Cameron and Mike Tyson were born whilst Brian Jones played with the Rolling Stones for the last time. Star Trek premiered in 1966 and John Lennon first met Yoko Ono. It was also the year that Walt Disney died.
Porsche launched their first 911 three years earlier in 1963 but at that time it was to be called the 901 but Peugeot had already claimed that moniker, so Porsche settled for 911. Over the years since 1963 Porsche have carried out styling and performance tweaks on almost an annual basis but today’s 911 still has its roots in that first car and its iconic design styling remains instantly recognisable. A trait seemingly followed by Bowers & Wilkins with their 800 series speakers.
It was also the year that Bowers & Wilkins first started to manufacture speakers from their shop in Worthing. It was called the P1. They launched their Domestic Monitor range just 2 years later with the release of the DM1 and DM3 speakers. Their 800 series began in 1979 with the introduction of the original 801 which has pretty much set the scene for their 800 series ever since with the Nautilus 801 with its distinctive head assembly introduced in 1998. Their first 800 Diamond series came to market in 2010 and in 2015 they launched the 800 D3 series which reversed the trend set by the earlier version by having the now instantly recognisable curved front and flat back. So, if Porsche could maintain their iconic styling with the 911 then why not B&W who can trace their design influences and styling almost as far back in time.
This month Bowers and Wilkins have launched their new 800 series of speakers with the D4 range now replacing the D3’s after six years of production at Worthing and in true 911 style it’s not easy at first glance to tell the difference between this new model and the one released six years ago but stand them side by side and the differences become immediately obvious although many of them are not visible on the surface. The D4 range comprises the 805 D4, 804 D4, 803 D4, 802 D4 and with the 801 D4 replacing the 800 D3. What stays the same is the use of their Continuum midrange driver units albeit with new Biomimetic Suspension and improved motor assemblies together with their bespoke Diamond tweeters, but the cabinets now have improved internal bracing and plinths, and the crossover location has moved to reduce the effects of vibration and B&W now use Mundorf Caps in the crossover. Externally the white, piano gloss black and matt rosenut finishes of the D3 series are retained and are now joined by a fabulous matt walnut that suits this new range so well. The revised all aluminium turbine head assembly has enhanced decoupling from the cabinet and from a visual point of view the top of the sloping bass unit is now covered in a soft light grey leather finish on the lighter coloured cabinets and black leather on the darker cabinet finishes showing off the luxury feel of these now iconic speakers.
Nintronics have the full range of new D4 speakers on demo so please book one of our showrooms and come and listen for yourself. Prices are as follows:
805 D4 Standmount - £6,250
804 D4 Floor-standing - £9,500
803 D4 Floor-standing with decoupled Turbine Head - £16,000
802 D4 Floor-standing with decoupled Turbine Head - £22,500
801 D4 range topping Floor-standing with decoupled Turbine Head - £30,000