In this review, we will be comparing F704SP and 804 D5, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Fyne Audio and Bowers Wilkins.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Fyne Audio F704SP and Bowers & Wilkins 804 D5 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Fyne Audio F704SP | Bowers & Wilkins 804 D5 |
|---|
| Brand | Fyne Audio
United Kingdom · founded 2017 | Bowers Wilkins
United Kingdom · founded 1966 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | — | 1" Diamond dome |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 12" | 2 x 6.5" Aerofoil |
|---|
| Frequency response | 22-26k Hz | 19-24k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 96 dB | 89 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 30 - 300 W watts | 50-1000 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 71.21kg / 156.7lbs | 40.30kg / 88.7lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 53.3" x 22.8" x 22.4"
1353.8 x 579.1 x 569.0mm | 43-3/8" x 12-1/8" x 15-7/16"
1101.0 x 308.0 x 392.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Fyne Audio F704SP and Bowers & Wilkins 804 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* |
Fyne Audio F704SP |
Bowers & Wilkins 804 D5 |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
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 F704SP and 804 D5 are 3-way speakers.
Fyne Audio F704SPBowers & Wilkins 804 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 |
Fyne Audio F704SP |
Bowers & Wilkins 804 D5 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
x 12-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
F704SP features a " Tweeter and x 12" Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 250 Hz, 850 Hz. On the other hand, the 804 D5 features a 1" Diamond Diamond dome Tweeter, a 5" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Aerofoil Woofer.
Frequency Response
F704SP has a frequency range of 22-26k Hz whereas 804 D5 has a frequency range of 19-24k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 19Hz, the 804 D5 can go slightly deeper then the F704SP's min frequency of 22Hz.
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
F704SP and 804 D5 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. F704SP sensitivity is rated at 96 dB and the 804 D5's is at 89 dB. This 7 dB difference makes the Fyne Audio F704SP 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 F704SP has a max power handling value of 300 watts RMS, 700 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
804 D5 features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. F704SP 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 Fyne Audio F704SP's and Bowers & Wilkins 804 D5's external dimensions. Fyne Audio F704SP has external dimensions of 1353.8 x 579.1 x 569.0mm (53.3 x 22.8 x 22.4inch) whereas 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).
Fyne Audio F704SP is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 271.1mm wider, 252.8mm taller and 177mm deeper than Bowers & Wilkins 804 D5.
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.
Fyne Audio F704SP needs about 173% more floor or shelf area. Fyne Audio F704SP is 177mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Fyne Audio F704SP is 253mm 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 Fyne Audio F704SP is approximately 3295.1cm2 / 510.7inch2 and base area of the Bowers & Wilkins 804 D5 is approximately 1207.4cm2 / 187.1inch2. The F704SP requires 173% more surface area than the 804 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 Fyne Audio F704SP weighs 71.21kg / 156.7lbs and the Bowers & Wilkins 804 D5 weighs 40.30kg / 88.7lbs. This makes the F704SP 77% heavier than the 804 D5.
Here is a comparison of how F704SP and 804 D5's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
 Sensitivity |
96 dB
vs
89 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
12 inches
vs
6.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 High Frequency Response |
26k Hz
vs
24k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Max Input Power |
1000 watts
vs
300 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
|
Low Frequency Response |
19 Hz
vs
22 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
1101mm
vs
1353mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1207cm2
vs
3295cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
25000USD
vs
25999USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Fyne Audio F704SP |
Bowers & Wilkins 804 D5 |
| Brand |
Fyne Audio |
Bowers Wilkins |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
30 - 300 W watts |
50-1000 watts |
| Sensitivity |
96 dB |
89 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
n/a |
3.0 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
22-26k Hz |
19-24k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
|
2 |
| Woofer Size |
12" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
|
Aerofoil |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
n/a |
Diamond dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
5" |
| Crossover Frequency |
250 Hz, 850 Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1353.8mm (53.3") |
1101.0mm (43.3") |
| Width |
579.1mm (22.8") |
308.0mm (12.1") |
| Depth |
569.0mm (22.4") |
392.0mm (15.4") |
| Weight |
71.21kg (156.7lbs) |
40.30kg (88.7lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
n/a |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
5 Years |
A generation apart: Bowers & Wilkins 804 D5 is the newer design, against a 2019 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 804 D5 digs deeper - 19Hz against 22Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | A | Fyne Audio F704SP is more sensitive (96dB vs 89dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | B | Bowers & Wilkins 804 D5 takes more power (1000W vs 300W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Bowers & Wilkins 804 D5 is easier to place; Fyne Audio F704SP is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | B | Bowers & Wilkins 804 D5: bi-amping. |
| Price | evenly matched | Much the same money ($25,999 vs $25,000 a pair). |
A Fyne Audio F704SP B Bowers & Wilkins 804 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 804 D5 has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. In a large or open-plan room, Fyne Audio F704SP has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Bowers & Wilkins 804 D5 is the easier speaker to get right. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, Fyne Audio F704SP is the safer partner - the other will want more current or more watts to sound its best.
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.