In this review, we will be comparing 805 D4 and 805 D5, two Passive Bookshelf speakers by Bowers Wilkins.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Bowers & Wilkins 805 D4 and Bowers & Wilkins 805 D5 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Bowers & Wilkins 805 D4 | Bowers & Wilkins 805 D5 |
|---|
| Brand | Bowers Wilkins
United Kingdom · founded 1966 | Bowers Wilkins
United Kingdom · founded 1966 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Diamond dome | 1" Diamond dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 6.5" Continuum | 6.5" Continuum |
|---|
| Frequency response | 42-28k Hz | 42-28k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 88 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 50-120 watts | 50-1000 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 15.55kg / 34.2lbs | 16.40kg / 36.1lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 17-5/16" x 9-7/16" x 14-11/16"
440.0 x 240.0 x 373.0mm | 17-5/16" x 9-1/2" x 14-5/16"
439.0 x 241.0 x 363.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Bowers & Wilkins 805 D4 and Bowers & Wilkins 805 D5 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 805 D4 |
Bowers & Wilkins 805 D5 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Average |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Average |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
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
Both 805 D4 and 805 D5 are 2-way speakers.
Bowers & Wilkins 805 D4Bowers & Wilkins 805 D5
TweeterWoofer
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 805 D4 |
Bowers & Wilkins 805 D5 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
805 D4 features a 1" Diamond Diamond dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Continuum Woofer. On the other hand, the 805 D5 features a 1" Diamond Diamond dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Continuum Woofer.
Frequency Response
805 D4 and 805 D5 has exactly the same frequency range of 42-28k Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf 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
805 D4 and 805 D5 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms and their sensitivity is also same at 88 dB.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf 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.
805 D5 can handle a max power of 1000 watts RMS, whereas 805 D4 has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS, 880 watts less than the 805 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 805 D4 and 805 D5 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both 805 D4 and 805 D5 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 805 D4's and Bowers & Wilkins 805 D5's external dimensions. Bowers & Wilkins 805 D4 has external dimensions of 440.0 x 240.0 x 373.0mm (17-5/16 x 9-7/16 x 14-11/16inch) whereas Bowers & Wilkins 805 D5 has external dimensions of 439.0 x 241.0 x 363.0mm (17-5/16 x 9-1/2 x 14-5/16inch).
Bowers & Wilkins 805 D5 is 1mm shorter and 10mm less deeper than Bowers & Wilkins 805 D4 but it is also 1mm 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.
Near-identical footprints.
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 805 D4 is approximately 895.2cm2 / 138.8inch2 and base area of the Bowers & Wilkins 805 D5 is approximately 874.8cm2 / 135.6inch2. The 805 D4 requires 2% more surface area than the 805 D5 which gives it a small disadvantage 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 805 D4 weighs 15.55kg / 34.2lbs and the Bowers & Wilkins 805 D5 weighs 16.40kg / 36.1lbs. This makes the 805 D5 5% heavier than the 805 D4.
Here is a comparison of how 805 D4 and 805 D5's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
 Price per pair* |
10000USD
vs
15000USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
1000 watts
vs
120 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Height |
439mm
vs
440mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
874cm2
vs
895cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
Bowers & Wilkins 805 D4 |
Bowers & Wilkins 805 D5 |
| Brand |
Bowers Wilkins |
Bowers Wilkins |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
50-120 watts |
50-1000 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
88 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
4.6 ohms |
4.6 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
42-28k Hz |
42-28k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Continuum |
Continuum |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Diamond dome |
Diamond dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
440.0mm (17.3") |
439.0mm (17.3") |
| Width |
240.0mm (9.4") |
241.0mm (9.5") |
| Depth |
373.0mm (14.7") |
363.0mm (14.3") |
| Weight |
15.55kg (34.2lbs) |
16.40kg (36.1lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Mounting Bracket |
|
|
| 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 |
A generation apart: Bowers & Wilkins 805 D5 is the newer design, against a 2021 model. Newer is not automatically better, but the older one is more likely to be discounted or near run-out.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | evenly matched | Much the same reach (42Hz vs 42Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (88dB vs 88dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | B | Bowers & Wilkins 805 D5 takes more power (1000W vs 120W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | depends | Bowers & Wilkins 805 D4: bi-amping; Bowers & Wilkins 805 D5: bi-amping. |
| Price | A | Bowers & Wilkins 805 D4 is cheaper - $10,000 against $15,000, about 33% less. |
A Bowers & Wilkins 805 D4 B Bowers & Wilkins 805 D5
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 805 D5 is ahead, but only on 1 of the measured areas, and it costs about 50% more. That is a lot of money for a narrow margin on paper - Bowers & Wilkins 805 D4 looks like the sensible buy unless something else about the Bowers & Wilkins 805 D5 appeals to you. Think about the whole system, not just the speakers: the roughly $5,000 saved by taking the cheaper pair would buy a subwoofer or a better amplifier, and either usually does more for the sound than the difference between these two.
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.