In this review, we will be comparing HTM81 D4 and WASAE Center, two Passive Center Channel speakers from Bowers Wilkins and Wilson Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Bowers & Wilkins HTM81 D4 and Wilson Audio WASAE Center first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Bowers & Wilkins HTM81 D4 | Wilson Audio WASAE Center |
|---|
| Brand | Bowers Wilkins
United Kingdom · founded 1966 | Wilson Audio
United States · founded 1974 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Diamond dome | 1" Dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 6" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 8" Aerofoil | 2 x 5.75" Paper pulp |
|---|
| Frequency response | 28-28k Hz | 65-31k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90 dB | 88 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 50-500 watts | from 20 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 32.20kg / 70.8lbs | 25.85kg / 56.9lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 13-1/8" x 33-3/8" x 14-5/8"
334.0 x 847.0 x 371.0mm | 7-11/16" x 26-3/4" x 13-3/16"
196.0 x 680.0 x 335.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Bowers & Wilkins HTM81 D4 and Wilson Audio WASAE Center 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 HTM81 D4 |
Wilson Audio WASAE Center |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Average |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Good |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Good |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
Bad |
(* 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 HTM81 D4 is a 3-way design whereas the WASAE Center 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 HTM81 D4Wilson Audio WASAE Center
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 HTM81 D4 |
Wilson Audio WASAE Center |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 8-inch
|
2 x 5.75-inch
|
HTM81 D4 features a 1" Diamond Diamond dome Tweeter, a 6" Midrange and 2 x 8" Aerofoil Woofer. On the other hand, the WASAE Center features a 1" Doped silk fabric Dome Tweeter and 2 x 5.75" Paper pulp Woofer.
Frequency Response
HTM81 D4 has a frequency range of 28-28k Hz whereas WASAE Center has a frequency range of 65-31k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 28Hz, the HTM81 D4 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the WASAE Center's min frequency of 65Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Center Channel class in our database.
Low Frequency
Center Channel 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
HTM81 D4 is a 8 ohms speaker compared to the WASAE Center which has a nominal impedance of 4 ohms. Lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit especially when played at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the WASAE Center can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. HTM81 D4 sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the WASAE Center's is rated at 88 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Bowers & Wilkins HTM81 D4 a more sensitive speaker compared to Wilson Audio WASAE Center, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Center Channel 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 WASAE Center has a max power handling value of watts RMS, 500 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
Wilson Audio WASAE Center
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
HTM81 D4 features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. WASAE Center has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both HTM81 D4 and WASAE Center 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 HTM81 D4's and Wilson Audio WASAE Center's external dimensions. 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) whereas Wilson Audio WASAE Center has external dimensions of 196.0 x 680.0 x 335.0mm (7-11/16 x 26-3/4 x 13-3/16inch).
Bowers & Wilkins HTM81 D4 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 167mm wider, 138mm taller and 36mm deeper than Wilson Audio WASAE Center.
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 38% more floor or shelf area. Bowers & Wilkins HTM81 D4 is 36mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Bowers & Wilkins HTM81 D4 is 138mm 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 HTM81 D4 is approximately 3142.4cm2 / 487.1inch2 and base area of the Wilson Audio WASAE Center is approximately 2278.0cm2 / 353.1inch2. The HTM81 D4 requires 38% more surface area than the WASAE Center 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 HTM81 D4 weighs 32.20kg / 70.8lbs and the Wilson Audio WASAE Center weighs 25.85kg / 56.9lbs. This makes the HTM81 D4 25% heavier than the WASAE Center.
Here is a comparison of how HTM81 D4 and WASAE Center's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Center Channel class.
Weight
All Center Channel Speakers
Bowers & Wilkins HTM81 D4
Wilson Audio WASAE Center
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Sensitivity |
90 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
5.75 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
28 Hz
vs
65 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Minimum Impedance |
3.9 ohms
vs
3.0 ohms
|
Very low impedance levels puts more pressure on amplifier |
 High Frequency Response |
31k Hz
vs
28k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
196mm
vs
334mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
2278cm2
vs
3142cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
10250USD
vs
10500USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Bowers & Wilkins HTM81 D4 |
Wilson Audio WASAE Center |
| Brand |
Bowers Wilkins |
Wilson Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Center channel speaker |
Center channel speaker |
| Power Range |
50-500 watts |
from 20 watts |
| Sensitivity |
90 dB |
88 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.0 ohms |
3.9 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
28-28k Hz |
65-31k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
5.75" |
| Woofer Composition |
Aerofoil |
Paper pulp |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Diamond dome |
Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
6" |
No |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
334.0mm (13.1") |
196.0mm (7.7") |
| Width |
847.0mm (33.3") |
680.0mm (26.8") |
| Depth |
371.0mm (14.6") |
335.0mm (13.2") |
| Weight |
32.20kg (70.8lbs) |
25.85kg (56.9lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
No single best speaker here - they are built to different priorities, and the right one depends on your room, your amplifier and what you listen to.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | A | Bowers & Wilkins HTM81 D4 digs deeper - 28Hz against 65Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | A | Bowers & Wilkins HTM81 D4 is more sensitive (90dB vs 88dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | A | Bowers & Wilkins HTM81 D4 is the easier load at 8 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Size | depends | Wilson Audio WASAE Center is easier to place; Bowers & Wilkins HTM81 D4 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | A | Bowers & Wilkins HTM81 D4: bi-amping. Bowers & Wilkins HTM81 D4 sits in a wider range (7 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | evenly matched | Much the same money ($10,500 vs $10,250 a pair). |
A Bowers & Wilkins HTM81 D4 B Wilson Audio WASAE Center
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 HTM81 D4 has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 65Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. Match it to your room: we rate Bowers & Wilkins HTM81 D4 the better fit for a large room and a very large room, and Wilson Audio WASAE Center for near-field listening and a small 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.