Bowers & Wilkins is preparing to launch the 805 D5, a compact stand-mount speaker that brings the latest 800 Series Diamond D5 engineering to systems and listening rooms where a larger floorstanding model may not be practical. Its updates include a revised Solid Body Tweeter-on-Top enclosure, Diamond Dome technology and a refined reverse-wrap cabinet.
A compact entry into the 800 Series Diamond D5
The 805 D5 is the smallest model in Bowers & Wilkins’ new 800 Series Diamond D5 lineup. Despite its compact cabinet, it is positioned as a serious high-end speaker rather than a conventional bookshelf model, with technologies drawn directly from the company’s top speaker family.
Its stand-mount format is intended to make the new 800 Series design available to smaller listening spaces and focused two-channel systems. Dedicated stands will be offered separately, allowing the speaker to be installed at the intended listening height without making a floorstanding enclosure necessary.
The announced finish is black. No dimensions, weight, sensitivity, impedance or amplifier-power recommendations have been disclosed in the available product information, so system-matching details remain to be confirmed closer to release.
Reworked Diamond tweeter assembly
High-frequency reproduction is handled by a Diamond Dome tweeter mounted in Bowers & Wilkins’ distinctive Solid Body Tweeter-on-Top structure. For the D5 generation, that separate tweeter housing has been revised with longer tube loading and a new protective grille.
Separating the tweeter from the main enclosure is a familiar element of the 800 Series architecture. The updated assembly is designed to manage the driver’s operating environment while reducing the influence of the main cabinet on high-frequency performance. Bowers & Wilkins says the D5 changes are intended to produce a freer, more open treble presentation.
The Diamond Dome remains one of the defining technologies behind the series name. Although the 805 D5 is the range’s compact model, it retains this central feature rather than substituting a different tweeter technology.
Continuum driver and reverse-wrap cabinet
The tweeter is joined by a Continuum bass/midrange driver. Bowers & Wilkins uses the Continuum cone to cover the speaker’s lower and middle frequencies, maintaining another established element of the 800 Series design in the smaller enclosure.
The driver is installed in a resonance-controlled reverse-wrap cabinet. This construction gives the enclosure a curved front and sides while placing the cabinet joint away from the main driver area. In the 805 D5, the approach is intended to provide a stable, low-interference platform for the drive units.
Together, the Continuum driver, separate tweeter housing and shaped enclosure define the 805 D5’s technical identity. The design concentrates the new series’ principal technologies in a form intended for listeners who want an 800 Series model without moving to a large floorstanding speaker.
With its revised Diamond tweeter assembly, Continuum driver and reverse-wrap enclosure, the 805 D5 brings the core design language of the 800 Series Diamond D5 to a more compact format. Additional specifications should clarify its system requirements ahead of the scheduled September release.
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