In this review, we will be comparing 804 D5 and RP-8000F, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Bowers Wilkins and Klipsch.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Bowers & Wilkins 804 D5 and Klipsch RP-8000F first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Bowers & Wilkins 804 D5 | Klipsch RP-8000F |
|---|
| Brand | Bowers Wilkins
United Kingdom · founded 1966 | Klipsch
United States · founded 1946 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Diamond dome | 1" Tractrix Horn |
|---|
| Midrange | 5" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6.5" Aerofoil | 2 x 8" Cerametallic |
|---|
| Frequency response | 19-24k Hz | 32-25k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 89 dB | 98 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 50-1000 watts | up to 150 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 40.30kg / 88.7lbs | 27.27kg / 60lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 43-3/8" x 12-1/8" x 15-7/16"
1101.0 x 308.0 x 392.0mm | 43-1/4" x 10-7/8" x 17-1/2"
1099.0 x 277.0 x 445.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Bowers & Wilkins 804 D5 and Klipsch RP-8000F 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 D5 |
Klipsch RP-8000F |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
Poor |
(* 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
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that 804 D5 is a 3-way design whereas the RP-8000F is a 2-way speaker. 3-way designs utilize a midrange driver in addition to the tweeter and woofer on 2-way designs. Designing a crossover for a 3-way speaker is a complicated process and generally increases the overall cost of the speaker.
Bowers & Wilkins 804 D5Klipsch RP-8000F
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 D5 |
Klipsch RP-8000F |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 8-inch
|
804 D5 features a 1" Diamond Diamond dome Tweeter, a 5" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Aerofoil Woofer. On the other hand, the RP-8000F features a 1" Tractrix Horn Tweeter and 2 x 8" Cerametallic Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 1750 Hz.
Frequency Response
804 D5 has a frequency range of 19-24k Hz whereas RP-8000F has a frequency range of 32-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 19Hz, the 804 D5 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the RP-8000F's min frequency of 32Hz.
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
Impedance and Sensitivity
804 D5 and RP-8000F have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. 804 D5 sensitivity is rated at 89 dB and the RP-8000F's is at 98 dB. This 9 dB difference makes the Klipsch RP-8000F a more sensitive speaker compared to Bowers & Wilkins 804 D5, 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.
804 D5 can handle a max power of 1000 watts RMS, whereas RP-8000F has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS, 850 watts less than the 804 D5.
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.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Both 804 D5 and RP-8000F features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Klipsch RP-8000F's Post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both 804 D5 and RP-8000F 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.
Klipsch RP-8000F Port
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 D5's and Klipsch RP-8000F's external dimensions. Bowers & Wilkins 804 D5 has external dimensions of 1101.0 x 308.0 x 392.0mm (43-3/8 x 12-1/8 x 15-7/16inch) whereas Klipsch RP-8000F has external dimensions of 1099.0 x 277.0 x 445.0mm (43-1/4 x 10-7/8 x 17-1/2inch).
Klipsch RP-8000F is 31mm narrower and 2mm shorter than Bowers & Wilkins 804 D5 but it is also 53mm deeper.
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.
Near-identical footprints. Klipsch RP-8000F is 53mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall.
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 D5 is approximately 1207.4cm2 / 187.1inch2 and base area of the Klipsch RP-8000F is approximately 1232.7cm2 / 191.1inch2. The 804 D5 requires 2% less surface area than the RP-8000F which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
Weight Comparison The weight of a loudspeaker can become an important factor if you need to move and reposition the unit often. Weight of a speaker can also "sometimes" be an indicator of the rigidity of the enclosure and the quality of the internal components used. The Bowers & Wilkins 804 D5 weighs 40.30kg / 88.7lbs and the Klipsch RP-8000F weighs 27.27kg / 60lbs. This makes the 804 D5 48% heavier than the RP-8000F.
Here is a comparison of how 804 D5 and RP-8000F's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
What's in the Box of Klipsch RP-8000F?
Here are the items that come with the RP-8000F:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Stabilizer feet (installed)
- Grille (installed)
- 2 Terminal jumpers (installed)
- User Manual
- Important Safety Instructions
- Warranty Information
 Max Input Power |
1000 watts
vs
150 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Low Frequency Response |
19 Hz
vs
32 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Base Surface Area |
1207cm2
vs
1232cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Sensitivity |
98 dB
vs
89 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
|
Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
6.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 High Frequency Response |
25k Hz
vs
24k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
1099mm
vs
1101mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Price per pair* |
1658USD
vs
25000USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Bowers & Wilkins 804 D5 |
Klipsch Reference Premiere RP-8000F |
| Brand |
Bowers Wilkins |
Klipsch |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
50-1000 watts |
up to 150 watts |
| Sensitivity |
89 dB |
98 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.0 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
19-24k Hz |
32-25k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
Aerofoil |
Cerametallic |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Diamond dome |
Tractrix Horn |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
5" |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
n/a |
1750 Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1101.0mm (43.3") |
1099.0mm (43.3") |
| Width |
308.0mm (12.1") |
277.0mm (10.9") |
| Depth |
392.0mm (15.4") |
445.0mm (17.5") |
| Weight |
40.30kg (88.7lbs) |
27.27kg (60lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
n/a |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
| Available Colors |
n/a |
Walnut, Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
These sit in different price classes - Bowers & Wilkins 804 D5 costs roughly 15.1x what Klipsch RP-8000F does. Expect it to lead on paper; the question is whether the gap is audible enough in your room to be worth it.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | A | Bowers & Wilkins 804 D5 digs deeper - 19Hz against 32Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | B | Klipsch RP-8000F is more sensitive (98dB vs 89dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | A | Bowers & Wilkins 804 D5 takes more power (1000W vs 150W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | depends | Bowers & Wilkins 804 D5: bi-amping; Klipsch RP-8000F: bi-amping. Klipsch RP-8000F sits in a wider range (17 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | B | Klipsch RP-8000F is cheaper - $1,658 against $25,000, about 93% less; arguably a different class. |
A Bowers & Wilkins 804 D5 B Klipsch RP-8000F
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system or how you will use them. Only specs published for both speakers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.
Which should you choose?
Bowers & Wilkins 804 D5 is ahead, but only on 1 of the measured areas, and it costs about 15.1x the price. That is a lot of money for a narrow margin on paper - Klipsch RP-8000F looks like the sensible buy unless something else about the Bowers & Wilkins 804 D5 appeals to you. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 32Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Klipsch RP-8000F much easier to justify. Match it to your room: we rate Bowers & Wilkins 804 D5 the better fit for a very large room, and Klipsch RP-8000F for a mid-size room.
And remember what a spec sheet cannot show: how each looks in your room and whether the finish suits it, what dealer support and warranty are like where you live, and how they actually sound to you. If you can hear them first - ideally with your own music - that will tell you more than any number above.