Second Spin Audio

Buying used Bowers & Wilkins 805 D3 speakers

The smallest speaker in B&W's 800 Series Diamond, with a diamond dome tweeter on top. How to check a used pair of 805 D3s, what should come with them, and how they differ from the D4.

Updated

At a glance

Generation
800 Series Diamond D3 (2015)
Type
2-way vented-box standmount
Drive units
25 mm diamond dome tweeter, 165 mm Continuum cone bass/midrange
Frequency response (±3 dB)
42 Hz – 28 kHz
Frequency range
34 Hz – 35 kHz
Sensitivity
88 dB SPL (2.83 Vrms, 1 m)
Nominal impedance
8 Ω (minimum 4.6 Ω)
Recommended amplifier power
50–120 W into 8 Ω on unclipped programme
Dimensions (H x W x D)
424 x 238 x 345 mm
Weight
12.6 kg each
Finishes
Rosenut veneer, Gloss Black, Satin White; black or grey grilles

What to check before you pay

  1. The tweeter. B&W's manual is blunt about it. Tweeter diaphragms are very delicate and easily damaged. The 805 D3 has a steel mesh in front of the tweeter for protection, but look closely through it at both speakers in good light for any sign of a dent or push-in, and listen to each speaker on its own for treble that sounds dull, harsh or different from its partner.
  2. The Continuum cone. The 165 mm bass/midrange cone sits behind a removable magnetic grille. Take the grilles off and inspect both cones for dents, scuffs or damage to the surround. The manual warns against touching the drive units or using cleaning products on them, so ask how they've been looked after.
  3. What's in the box. The 805 D3 came with foam bung inserts for the port (B&W recommends them for shelf placement), link wires for single-wire connection, and magnetic grilles. Missing parts aren't a deal-breaker, but they're worth knowing about before you agree a price.
  4. Terminals and caps. The speakers have two pairs of terminals for bi-wiring. If you're running a single cable, the link wires must join the like-polarity terminals. Check that every terminal cap screws down fully, because B&W notes that loose caps can rattle.
  5. Cabinet and finish. Check the cabinet, the tweeter housing on top and the finish for knocks and scratches. A Rosenut veneer, Gloss Black and Satin White were the cabinet finishes, so make sure the pair you're buying matches.
  6. Your amplifier. B&W recommends 50–120 W into 8 Ω on unclipped programme, with a minimum impedance of 4.6 Ω. Make sure your amplifier is up to it before you commit.

The baby of the 800 Series Diamond

The 805 D3 is the smallest model in Bowers & Wilkins’ 800 Series Diamond range, from the D3 generation that B&W introduced in 2015. It’s a two-way standmount, but a serious one: a 25 mm diamond dome tweeter sits in its own housing on top of the cabinet, above a 165 mm Continuum cone bass/midrange driver. B&W’s info sheet describes it as the only stand-mounted speaker in the world to feature a diamond dome tweeter.

For a used buyer, that spec sheet tells you two things. First, this is a speaker where the tweeter is a big part of what you’re paying for, so its condition is the first thing to check. Second, at 12.6 kg each and 424 mm tall, these are substantial standmounts, and B&W’s recommended 50–120 W means they want a capable amplifier behind them.

Getting the best from a used pair

The manual gives some useful set-up pointers. Put the tweeters at roughly ear height at your listening position. If the speakers have to live on a shelf, B&W recommends fitting the supplied foam bungs in the ports, and the bungs and foam rings can also tame the bass if they sit close to a wall. Allow some running-in too: the manual mentions up to a week for temperature effects to settle and around 15 hours of average use for the drive units’ mechanical parts.

D3 or D4?

The 805 D4 replaced the D3. According to B&W, the D3 versions of the 805 and 804 stayed on the older cabinet form, while the D4 moved the 805 to the Reverse Wrap cabinet with an aluminium bracing plate inside, an aluminium top-plate and a redesigned Solid Body Tweeter-on-Top. If you see both on the market, check the model name on the rear label rather than relying on the listing.

Who it suits

If you want a compact speaker from the top of B&W’s range and have a room and stands to do it justice, the 805 D3 is the one to look at. Because B&W calls tweeter diaphragms very delicate, collecting in person or getting the original packaging makes a real difference.

What to ask the seller

  • Have either of the tweeters or bass/midrange drivers ever been damaged or replaced?
  • Are the grilles, foam bungs and link wires included?
  • Is the original packaging included for safe transport?
  • Which finish is it, and do both speakers match?

Which version is it?

ModelKey difference
805 D3Introduced with the D3 generation of the 800 Series Diamond in 2015; kept the older cabinet form used by the smaller models
805 D4Moves to B&W's Reverse Wrap cabinet with an aluminium bracing plate inside and an aluminium top-plate carrying a redesigned Solid Body Tweeter-on-Top with revised decoupling

Manuals

Links open external manual archives or the manufacturer's site. We don't host these files.

Sources