In this review, we will be comparing Aspen FR30 and 801 D5, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from PS Audio and Bowers Wilkins.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of PS Audio Aspen FR30 and Bowers & Wilkins 801 D5 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | PS Audio Aspen FR30 | Bowers & Wilkins 801 D5 |
|---|
| Brand | PS Audio
United States · founded 1973 | Bowers Wilkins
United Kingdom · founded 1966 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 2.5" Planar Magnetic | 1" Diamond dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 10" | 6" |
|---|
| Woofer | 4 x 8" Composite sandwich | 2 x 10" Aerofoil |
|---|
| Frequency response | 23-20k Hz | 15-28k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 100-600 watts | 50-1000 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 104.50kg / 229.9lbs | 106.40kg / 234.1lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 60-1/2" x 16" x 25-3/4"
1537.0 x 406.0 x 654.0mm | 48-1/16" x 17-5/8" x 23-1/2"
1221.0 x 447.0 x 597.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the PS Audio Aspen FR30 and Bowers & Wilkins 801 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* |
PS Audio Aspen FR30 |
Bowers & Wilkins 801 D5 |
| Near-field |
Are you nuts? |
Are you nuts? |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Good |
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 Aspen FR30 and 801 D5 are 3-way speakers.
PS Audio Aspen FR30Bowers & Wilkins 801 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 |
PS Audio Aspen FR30 |
Bowers & Wilkins 801 D5 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
2.5-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 10-inch |
1 x 6-inch |
|
Woofer
|
4 x 8-inch
|
2 x 10-inch
|
Aspen FR30 features a 2.5" Teonex planar magnetic Planar Magnetic Tweeter, a 10" Midrange and 4 x 8" Composite sandwich Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 400 Hz, 2500 Hz – LR4. On the other hand, the 801 D5 features a 1" Diamond Diamond dome Tweeter, a 6" Midrange and 2 x 10" Aerofoil Woofer.
Frequency Response
Aspen FR30 has a frequency range of 23-20k Hz whereas 801 D5 has a frequency range of 15-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 15Hz, the 801 D5 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Aspen FR30's min frequency of 23Hz.
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
Aspen FR30 is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the 801 D5 which has a nominal impedance of 8 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 Aspen FR30 can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Aspen FR30 sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the 801 D5's is rated at 90 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Bowers & Wilkins 801 D5 a more sensitive speaker compared to PS Audio Aspen FR30, 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.
801 D5 can handle a max power of 1000 watts RMS, whereas Aspen FR30 has a max power handling value of 600 watts RMS, 400 watts less than the 801 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
801 D5 features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Aspen FR30 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 PS Audio Aspen FR30's and Bowers & Wilkins 801 D5's external dimensions. PS Audio Aspen FR30 has external dimensions of 1537.0 x 406.0 x 654.0mm (60-1/2 x 16 x 25-3/4inch) whereas Bowers & Wilkins 801 D5 has external dimensions of 1221.0 x 447.0 x 597.0mm (48-1/16 x 17-5/8 x 23-1/2inch).
Bowers & Wilkins 801 D5 is 316mm shorter and 57mm less deeper than PS Audio Aspen FR30 but it is also 41mm 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. PS Audio Aspen FR30 is 57mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. PS Audio Aspen FR30 is 316mm 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 PS Audio Aspen FR30 is approximately 2655.2cm2 / 411.6inch2 and base area of the Bowers & Wilkins 801 D5 is approximately 2668.6cm2 / 413.6inch2. The Aspen FR30 requires 1% less surface area than the 801 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 PS Audio Aspen FR30 weighs 104.50kg / 229.9lbs and the Bowers & Wilkins 801 D5 weighs 106.40kg / 234.1lbs. This makes the 801 D5 2% heavier than the Aspen FR30.
Here is a comparison of how Aspen FR30 and 801 D5's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
 Number of Woofers |
4
vs
2
|
More woofers |
 Passive Radiator |
4 10" side-firing passive radiators
vs
None
|
Increases the bass performance |
 Base Surface Area |
2655cm2
vs
2668cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
34999USD
vs
65000USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
1000 watts
vs
600 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 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 |
10 inches
vs
8 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
15 Hz
vs
23 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
28k Hz
vs
20k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Height |
1221mm
vs
1537mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
| General |
PS Audio Aspen FR30 |
Bowers & Wilkins 801 D5 |
| Brand |
PS Audio |
Bowers Wilkins |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
100-600 watts |
50-1000 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
n/a |
3.0 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
23-20k Hz |
15-28k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
4 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
10" |
| Woofer Composition |
Composite sandwich |
Aerofoil |
| Tweeter Size |
2.5" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Planar Magnetic |
Diamond dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
10" |
6" |
| Crossover Frequency |
400 Hz, 2500 Hz – LR4 |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1537.0mm (60.5") |
1221.0mm (48.1") |
| Width |
406.0mm (16") |
447.0mm (17.6") |
| Depth |
654.0mm (25.7") |
597.0mm (23.5") |
| Weight |
104.50kg (229.9lbs) |
106.40kg (234.1lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Passive Radiator |
Bass Reflex |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
5 Years |
These sit in different price classes - Bowers & Wilkins 801 D5 costs roughly 1.9x what PS Audio Aspen FR30 does. Expect it to lead on paper; the question is whether the gap is audible enough in your room to be worth it.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | Bowers & Wilkins 801 D5 digs deeper - 15Hz against 23Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | B | Bowers & Wilkins 801 D5 is more sensitive (90dB vs 88dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | B | Bowers & Wilkins 801 D5 is the easier load at 8 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom | B | Bowers & Wilkins 801 D5 takes more power (1000W vs 600W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Bowers & Wilkins 801 D5 is easier to place; PS Audio Aspen FR30 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Cabinet | depends | Passive Radiator vs Ported. |
| Expandability | B | Bowers & Wilkins 801 D5: bi-amping. Bowers & Wilkins 801 D5 sits in a wider range (7 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | A | PS Audio Aspen FR30 is cheaper - $34,999 against $65,000, about 46% less; arguably a different class. |
A PS Audio Aspen FR30 B Bowers & Wilkins 801 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 801 D5 measures better, PS Audio Aspen FR30 costs about about 86% 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 23Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper PS Audio Aspen FR30 much easier to justify. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, Bowers & Wilkins 801 D5 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.