In this review, we will be comparing Sopra No.3 and 802 D4, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Focal and Bowers Wilkins.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Focal Sopra No.3 and Bowers & Wilkins 802 D4 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Focal Sopra No.3 | Bowers & Wilkins 802 D4 |
|---|
| Brand | Focal
France · founded 1979 | Bowers Wilkins
United Kingdom · founded 1966 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.1" Inverted Dome | 1" Diamond dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 6.5" | 6" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 8.25" W sandwich | 2 x 8" Aerofoil |
|---|
| Frequency response | 33-40k Hz | 17-28k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 91.5 dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 40-400 watts | 50-500 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 70.00kg / 154lbs | 88.10kg / 193.8lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 49-3/4" x 15-13/16" x 23-7/16"
1264.0 x 402.0 x 595.0mm | 47-15/16" x 16-1/4" x 23-11/16"
1218.0 x 413.0 x 602.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Focal Sopra No.3 and Bowers & Wilkins 802 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* |
Focal Sopra No.3 |
Bowers & Wilkins 802 D4 |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Are you nuts? |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
Good |
(* 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 Sopra No.3 and 802 D4 are 3-way speakers.
Focal Sopra No.3Bowers & Wilkins 802 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 |
Focal Sopra No.3 |
Bowers & Wilkins 802 D4 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6.5-inch |
1 x 6-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 8.25-inch
|
2 x 8-inch
|
Sopra No.3 features a 1.1" Beryllium Inverted Dome Tweeter, a 6.5" Midrange and 2 x 8.25" W sandwich Woofer. On the other hand, the 802 D4 features a 1" Diamond Diamond dome Tweeter, a 6" Midrange and 2 x 8" Aerofoil Woofer.
Frequency Response
Sopra No.3 has a frequency range of 33-40k Hz whereas 802 D4 has a frequency range of 17-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 17Hz, the 802 D4 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Sopra No.3's min frequency of 33Hz.
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
Sopra No.3 and 802 D4 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Sopra No.3 sensitivity is rated at 91.5 dB and the 802 D4's is at 90 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Focal Sopra No.3 a more sensitive speaker compared to Bowers & Wilkins 802 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.
802 D4 can handle a max power of 500 watts RMS, whereas Sopra No.3 has a max power handling value of 400 watts RMS, 100 watts less than the 802 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.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
802 D4 features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Sopra No.3 has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
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 Focal Sopra No.3's and Bowers & Wilkins 802 D4's external dimensions. Focal Sopra No.3 has external dimensions of 1264.0 x 402.0 x 595.0mm (49-3/4 x 15-13/16 x 23-7/16inch) whereas Bowers & Wilkins 802 D4 has external dimensions of 1218.0 x 413.0 x 602.0mm (47-15/16 x 16-1/4 x 23-11/16inch).
Focal Sopra No.3 is 11mm narrower and 7mm less deeper than Bowers & Wilkins 802 D4 but it is also 46mm taller.
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. Focal Sopra No.3 is 46mm 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 Focal Sopra No.3 is approximately 2391.9cm2 / 370.7inch2 and base area of the Bowers & Wilkins 802 D4 is approximately 2486.3cm2 / 385.4inch2. The Sopra No.3 requires 4% less surface area than the 802 D4 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 Focal Sopra No.3 weighs 70.00kg / 154lbs and the Bowers & Wilkins 802 D4 weighs 88.10kg / 193.8lbs. This makes the 802 D4 26% heavier than the Sopra No.3.
Here is a comparison of how Sopra No.3 and 802 D4's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
 Sensitivity |
92 dB
vs
90 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
8.25 inches
vs
8 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 High Frequency Response |
40k Hz
vs
28k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Base Surface Area |
2391cm2
vs
2486cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
27998USD
vs
34000USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
500 watts
vs
400 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
|
Low Frequency Response |
17 Hz
vs
33 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Height |
1218mm
vs
1264mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
| General |
Focal Sopra No.3 |
Bowers & Wilkins 802 D4 |
| Brand |
Focal |
Bowers Wilkins |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
40-400 watts |
50-500 watts |
| Sensitivity |
91.5 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
n/a |
3.0 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
33-40k Hz |
17-28k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
8.25" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
W sandwich |
Aerofoil |
| Tweeter Size |
1.1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Inverted Dome |
Diamond dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
6.5" |
6" |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1264.0mm (49.8") |
1218.0mm (48") |
| Width |
402.0mm (15.8") |
413.0mm (16.3") |
| Depth |
595.0mm (23.4") |
602.0mm (23.7") |
| Weight |
70.00kg (154lbs) |
88.10kg (193.8lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
5 Years |
A generation apart: Bowers & Wilkins 802 D4 is the newer design, against a 2016 model. Newer is not automatically better, but the older one is more likely to be discounted or near run-out.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | Bowers & Wilkins 802 D4 digs deeper - 17Hz against 33Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | A | Focal Sopra No.3 is more sensitive (92dB vs 90dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | B | Bowers & Wilkins 802 D4 takes more power (500W vs 400W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | B | Bowers & Wilkins 802 D4: bi-amping. Bowers & Wilkins 802 D4 sits in a wider range (7 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | A | Focal Sopra No.3 is cheaper - $27,998 against $34,000, about 18% less. |
A Focal Sopra No.3 B Bowers & Wilkins 802 D4
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 802 D4 measures better, Focal Sopra No.3 costs about about 21% 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 33Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Focal Sopra No.3 much easier to justify. Match it to your room: we rate Bowers & Wilkins 802 D4 the better fit for a very large room; elsewhere the two are rated the same.
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.