In this review, we will be comparing HTM82 D5 and HTM81 D5, two Passive Center Channel speakers by Bowers Wilkins.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Bowers & Wilkins HTM82 D5 and Bowers & Wilkins HTM81 D5 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Bowers & Wilkins HTM82 D5 | Bowers & Wilkins HTM81 D5 |
|---|
| 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 | 45-28k Hz | 28-28k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 89 dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 50-1000 watts | 50-1000 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 26.10kg / 57.4lbs | 33.40kg / 73.5lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 11-3/8" x 28-1/8" x 14-5/16"
289.0 x 715.0 x 363.0mm | 13-1/8" x 33-5/16" x 14-5/16"
334.0 x 846.0 x 363.0mm |
|---|
HTM82 D5 and HTM81 D5 are members of Bowers Wilkins's 800 D5 series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
Bowers Wilkins 800 D5 Series
History
What size room are the Bowers & Wilkins HTM82 D5 and Bowers & Wilkins HTM81 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 HTM82 D5 |
Bowers & Wilkins HTM81 D5 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Average |
| Large Room |
Average |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
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 HTM82 D5 and HTM81 D5 are 3-way speakers.
Bowers & Wilkins HTM82 D5Bowers & Wilkins HTM81 D5
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 HTM82 D5 |
Bowers & Wilkins HTM81 D5 |
|
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
|
HTM82 D5 features a 1" Diamond Diamond dome Tweeter, a 5" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Aerofoil Woofer. On the other hand, the HTM81 D5 features a 1" Diamond Diamond dome Tweeter, a 6" Midrange and 2 x 8" Aerofoil Woofer.
Frequency Response
HTM82 D5 has a frequency range of 45-28k Hz whereas HTM81 D5 has a frequency range of 28-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 28Hz, the HTM81 D5 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the HTM82 D5's min frequency of 45Hz.
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
HTM82 D5 and HTM81 D5 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. HTM82 D5 sensitivity is rated at 89 dB and the HTM81 D5's is at 90 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Bowers & Wilkins HTM81 D5 a more sensitive speaker compared to Bowers & Wilkins HTM82 D5, 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.
HTM82 D5 and HTM81 D5 have the same power range of 50-1000 watts.
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 HTM82 D5
Bowers & Wilkins HTM81 D5
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Both HTM82 D5 and HTM81 D5 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both HTM82 D5 and HTM81 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 HTM82 D5's and Bowers & Wilkins HTM81 D5's external dimensions. Bowers & Wilkins HTM82 D5 has external dimensions of 289.0 x 715.0 x 363.0mm (11-3/8 x 28-1/8 x 14-5/16inch) whereas Bowers & Wilkins HTM81 D5 has external dimensions of 334.0 x 846.0 x 363.0mm (13-1/8 x 33-5/16 x 14-5/16inch).
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 D5 needs about 18% more floor or shelf area.
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 HTM82 D5 is approximately 2595.5cm2 / 402.3inch2 and base area of the Bowers & Wilkins HTM81 D5 is approximately 3071.0cm2 / 476.0inch2. The HTM82 D5 requires 15% less surface area than the HTM81 D5 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 HTM82 D5 weighs 26.10kg / 57.4lbs and the Bowers & Wilkins HTM81 D5 weighs 33.40kg / 73.5lbs. This makes the HTM81 D5 28% heavier than the HTM82 D5.
Here is a comparison of how HTM82 D5 and HTM81 D5's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Center Channel class.
Weight
All Center Channel Speakers
Bowers & Wilkins HTM82 D5
Bowers & Wilkins HTM81 D5
 Base Surface Area |
2595cm2
vs
3071cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
12000USD
vs
15000USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Sensitivity |
90 dB
vs
89 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
6.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
28 Hz
vs
45 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
| General |
Bowers & Wilkins HTM82 D5 |
Bowers & Wilkins HTM81 D5 |
| Brand |
Bowers Wilkins |
Bowers Wilkins |
| Speaker Type |
Center channel speaker |
Center channel speaker |
| Power Range |
50-1000 watts |
50-1000 watts |
| Sensitivity |
89 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.0 ohms |
3.0 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
45-28k Hz |
28-28k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
Aerofoil |
Aerofoil |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Diamond dome |
Diamond dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
5" |
6" |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
334.0mm (13.1") |
334.0mm (13.1") |
| Width |
715.0mm (28.1") |
846.0mm (33.3") |
| Depth |
363.0mm (14.3") |
363.0mm (14.3") |
| Weight |
26.10kg (57.4lbs) |
33.40kg (73.5lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| 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 |
Siblings in Bowers Wilkins's 800 D5 series, so they share a family sound. It comes down to size, output and price.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | Bowers & Wilkins HTM81 D5 digs deeper - 28Hz against 45Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (89dB vs 90dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (1000W vs 1000W). |
| Size | depends | Bowers & Wilkins HTM82 D5 is easier to place; Bowers & Wilkins HTM81 D5 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Bowers & Wilkins HTM82 D5: bi-amping; Bowers & Wilkins HTM81 D5: bi-amping. |
| Price | A | Bowers & Wilkins HTM82 D5 is cheaper - $12,000 against $15,000, about 20% less. |
A Bowers & Wilkins HTM82 D5 B Bowers & Wilkins HTM81 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?
The usual trade-off: Bowers & Wilkins HTM81 D5 measures better, Bowers & Wilkins HTM82 D5 costs about about 25% more% less. Whether that gap is worth the money is the call only you can make - and in a normal room it is often smaller than the numbers suggest. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 45Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Bowers & Wilkins HTM82 D5 much easier to justify. Match it to your room: we rate Bowers & Wilkins HTM82 D5 the better fit for a small room and a mid-size room, and Bowers & Wilkins HTM81 D5 for a large room and a very large 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.