In this review, we will be comparing two different types of speakers by Bowers Wilkins. Bowers & Wilkins 804 D4 is a Floor-standing speaker whereas the HTM81 D4 is a Center Channel speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Bowers & Wilkins 804 D4 and Bowers & Wilkins HTM81 D4 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Bowers & Wilkins 804 D4 | Bowers & Wilkins HTM81 D4 |
|---|
| Brand | Bowers Wilkins
United Kingdom · founded 1966 | Bowers Wilkins
United Kingdom · founded 1966 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Diamond dome | 1" Diamond dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 5" | 6" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6.5" Aerofoil | 2 x 8" Aerofoil |
|---|
| Frequency response | 24-28k Hz | 28-28k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 89 dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 50-200 watts | 50-500 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 36.85kg / 81.1lbs | 32.20kg / 70.8lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 42-3/16" x 12-1/16" x 15-3/8"
1071.0 x 306.0 x 391.0mm | 13-1/8" x 33-3/8" x 14-5/8"
334.0 x 847.0 x 371.0mm |
|---|
804 D4 and HTM81 D4 are members of Bowers Wilkins's 800 D4 series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
Bowers Wilkins 800 D4 Series
History
What size room are the Bowers & Wilkins 804 D4 and Bowers & Wilkins HTM81 D4 speakers good for?
The size of the room in which you are planning to use these loudspeakers is an important decision
factor. Here we have compared their suitability to various sizes of environments considering their size
and max power parameters:
| Listening Environment* |
Bowers & Wilkins 804 D4 |
Bowers & Wilkins HTM81 D4 |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
Average |
(* Approximate Room sizes: Small < 100sq. ft / 9 m2,
Mid-size: 100-220 sq. ft / 9-20 m2, Large 220-400 sq. ft / 20-36 m2, Very Large: >
400 sq. ft / 36 m2.
Average Floor Height: 9" / 2.7m. Typical room sizes differ from country to country, and the actual
listening experience changes depending on floor height, room shape, surface materials, listening
position, speaker locations, etc.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both 804 D4 and HTM81 D4 are 3-way speakers.
Bowers & Wilkins 804 D4Bowers & Wilkins HTM81 D4
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Bowers & Wilkins 804 D4 |
Bowers & Wilkins HTM81 D4 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5-inch |
1 x 6-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 8-inch
|
804 D4 features a 1" Diamond Diamond dome Tweeter, a 5" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Aerofoil Woofer. On the other hand, the HTM81 D4 features a 1" Diamond Diamond dome Tweeter, a 6" Midrange and 2 x 8" Aerofoil Woofer.
Frequency Response
804 D4 has a frequency range of 24-28k Hz whereas HTM81 D4 has a frequency range of 28-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 24Hz, the 804 D4 can go slightly deeper then the HTM81 D4's min frequency of 28Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
Neither pair reaches down to 20Hz, the usual definition of full-range, which is normal for speakers of this size. If you want the bottom octave for movies or bass-heavy music, add a subwoofer to whichever you choose. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
804 D4 and HTM81 D4 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. 804 D4 sensitivity is rated at 89 dB and the HTM81 D4's is at 90 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Bowers & Wilkins HTM81 D4 a more sensitive speaker compared to Bowers & Wilkins 804 D4, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing Speakers
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
HTM81 D4 can handle a max power of 500 watts RMS, whereas 804 D4 has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS, 300 watts less than the HTM81 D4.
Note that higher power handling does not make a speaker louder: that depends mainly on
sensitivity and impedance. The calculator below shows how loud each of these actually plays
on a real amplifier.
Which plays louder on your amplifier?
Starting with a popular amplifier - change it to the one you own, or any you are
considering, and watch both numbers move.
Bowers & Wilkins HTM81 D4
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Both 804 D4 and HTM81 D4 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both 804 D4 and HTM81 D4 have rear firing ports. Rear ported speakers generally need more room between the backside of the speaker and the wall compared to sealed and front/bottom ported speakers. Placing the speakers too close to the walls may cause the bass to sound boomy.
If you are limited in space and can't get the speakers away from the backwall, check our Speakers with Front Firing Ports page.
Physical Specs
The size of a speaker can sometimes be an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare Bowers & Wilkins 804 D4's and Bowers & Wilkins HTM81 D4's external dimensions. Bowers & Wilkins 804 D4 has external dimensions of 1071.0 x 306.0 x 391.0mm (42-3/16 x 12-1/16 x 15-3/8inch) whereas Bowers & Wilkins HTM81 D4 has external dimensions of 334.0 x 847.0 x 371.0mm (13-1/8 x 33-3/8 x 14-5/8inch).
Bowers & Wilkins HTM81 D4 is 737mm shorter and 20mm less deeper than Bowers & Wilkins 804 D4 but it is also 541mm wider.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
Bowers & Wilkins HTM81 D4 needs about 163% more floor or shelf area. Bowers & Wilkins 804 D4 is 20mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Bowers & Wilkins 804 D4 is 737mm taller.
Base Surface Area Comparison
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited.
The base surface area of the Bowers & Wilkins 804 D4 is approximately 1196.5cm2 / 185.5inch2 and base area of the Bowers & Wilkins HTM81 D4 is approximately 3142.4cm2 / 487.1inch2. The 804 D4 requires 62% less surface area than the HTM81 D4 which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.