StereoNET: Bowers & Wilkins 805d3 Loudspeakers Review

JULY 2017

BOWERS & WILKINS

805 DIAMOND SERIES 3

REVIEW / BOWERS & WILKINS / 805 DIAMOND SERIES 3 BOOKSHELF SPEAKERS

BOWERS & WILKINS

805 DIAMOND SERIES 3 BOOKSHELF SPEAKERS

Distributor: Bowers & Wilkins Australia $8,500.00 RRP

“Elegantly styled, beautifully finished and with a personality that’s vivacious and supremely articulate”

B&W’s Brilliant New Diamond If B&W’s new 805D3 speakers were human,

Describing the sound of the $8500 805D3

they’d be the perfect long-term companion.

compared to a hands on listening session,

And here’s a thought: some music lovers may prefer to spend more time listening to these accomplished compacts than they would relating to other people.

An intelligent use of time is how I describe this scenario.

Elegantly styled, beautifully finished and with a personality that’s vivacious and supremely articulate, the 805D3’s with their esoteric diamond tweeter raise the audiophile happiness factor by a huge margin, and then some.

These medium sized compacts are easily the

is rather like trying to convince yourself that sitting in a training simulator is as good as being in the cockpit of an F15 as it soars into the ether.

Which is a way of saying the superior sounding components have a quality that escapes the confines of language.

True, the latest version of the DM805 has a sound replete with a dizzyingly high level of transparency, sound stage accuracy, working dynamic range and tonal accuracy.

So do plenty of other fine and capable loudspeakers.

most musical speaker that’s passed through

Hear a pair in situ however and assuming the

my audition room in 2017, and it’s fair to say

rest of the system is as revealing as the NAD

they’re one of the brand’s most ear pleasing

used in our audition sessions, and one thing

speakers we’ve heard in a decade.

comes into focus: the B&W 805D3 have a

High praise indeed. The measure of my affection for what’s an expensive but

sonic X-factor, shared only by a few much more expensive rivals.

commensurately presented and sonically

A nice segue for a closer look at this very

capable stand mount model is the amount

desirable model and the matching NAD

of time I spent with the 805s, which was

equipment chosen to drive them.

considerable.

To say they were more on then off, is to suggest long listening sessions given over to hours of hedonistic listening pleasure.

“the sound is so satisfyingly comprehensive from top to bottom”

“the top of the pole for its visual aesthetics and high standard of finish”

Introducing...

Forget any approach that sees the 805D3 as

Superficially, the cabinet looks similar to the

merely a makeover of the previous 805D2.

model it replaces. But a close scan reveals

The 805D3 is a complete rethink and

minor but significant changes to its contours,

redesign. So complete, virtually every part of

whilst internally the bracing that B&W calls

the D3 (and the other six D3 series models)

Matrix, has been given extra rigidity.

is wholly new requiring expensive retooling by the B&W factory.

The cabinet in keeping with all of B&W speakers is at the top of the pole for its visual

The sole stand mount in the D3 series, the

aesthetics and high standard of finish. Our

805 uses a 16.5cm mid-bass driver fitted with

review pair came in eye-pleasing Rosenut, but

a new cone material. Gone is the Kevlar cone

you may prefer gloss black or satin white.

that’s become a logo for B&W and in comes a new cone made from Continuum, a material developed in-house to improve the sonic performance of Kevlar.

Specs wise, the D3 has a sensitivity of 88dB SPL measured at one metre. Impedance is a nominal 8-ohm load. But this seldom drops below 4 ohms. Again in keeping with B&W’s

Redesigned also is the new 805’s exquisite

elite models you’ll need to bring a hefty

diamond tweeter. A beneficiary of a complete

amplifier to the table and one that’s got plenty

redesign, everything is new and all that’s been

of refinement as well as drive.

retained from the one used in the previous model, is the diaphragm.

In use, the 805D3 delivers a wonderfully balanced sound and its frequency response

Even the distinctive and ultra stylish aluminium

of 34Hz and 35kHz won’t leave you wanting

pod chamber it’s mounted to is the recipient

a larger floorstander. Indeed, the sound is

of a new design approach. The 25mm tweeter

so satisfyingly comprehensive from top to

gets a new motor system while the chamber

bottom, it invites the accolade that the 805D3

made from a single piece of aluminium is

is one of the few medium sized compacts

now decoupled from the D3’s sumptuously

that subjectively, delivers a floorstander’s full

finished cabinet.

frequency sound field.

Moving to the front of the cabinet reveals

The 805D3 is 424mm high, 238mm wide

a wholly new dimpled port with a surface

and 345mm deep. Dimensions suggesting it

resembling the texture of an orange. The ports

will work nicely in small to mid-sized rooms,

crenelated surface is there to minimise noise

but such is the performance of the D3 it will

created by air thrusting at warp speed through

delight those with larger rooms as well.

the port.

NAD Is Masterful The 805D3 as befitting a hi-end loudspeaker

You get a device that’s a hi-res network music

requires carefully chosen ancillary components.

player and one that handles files up to 24/192

As luck would have it, two NAD Masters Series components arrived for review around the same time as the 805D3 loudspeakers.

kHz. The 50.2 does Internet radio, has Tunein, Spotify, Tidal, Qobuz, Deezer, iHeart Radio, Murfie and others.

These are the NAD 50.2 Digital Music Player

Used wired or wireless, the 50.2 is a joy to

as a signal source and the M32 Direct Digital

use and its large TFT panel affords effortless

amplifier to provide the drive.

access to hi-fi component controls including

It’s worth pausing to draw breath and ponder why this matching? When you factor in the NAD components are pitched pricewise at the upper mid-fi end of the market, the answer

pause, play, skip etc. But surely the biggest selling point to its aforementioned target market of set and forget audio keepers is this model’s level of future proofing.

is as simple as realising the 805D3 has an

NAD refers to it as ‘’software defined’’ by

upper mid-fi price tag.

which the brand wants to suggest new cloud

That it competes with $16,000 high-end compacts is a testament to its soon to be classic status and design accomplishments.

Putting this trio together was an inspired decision on two counts. Firstly the price keeps the combination within reach of what I presume is its target market: the music lover keen to have a complete, audiophile quality, modern audio system to keep for more than a decade.

Secondly the cool tonal presentation of the NAD components matches rather beautifully with the slight lower midrange warmth of the B&W 805D3.

‘Synergy’ also plays a part with the D3’s performance giving this system’s lashings of high-end qualities. Like I said, this choice of gear is quite inspired.

The $6699 NAD 50.2 is a thoroughly postmodern audio component. Essentially a file server with a built in CD transport, the 50.2 comes with 2TB of internal storage, a high-grade BlueOS streamer and line level

services or codecs can be had by changing the 50.2s software stack. Take it as given, future proofing is emerging as a make or break point for many audio gear buyers.

The amplification picked to work with the file server is NAD’s $6699 M32 Direct Digital model. Described by NAD as a BluOS Ready, high-end stereo integrated amplifier that’s also a bridge product thanks to its modular construction.

The modular approach yields inputs and their circuitry built onto uniform replaceable modules. There are four MDC card slots and three are of these can be expanded.

The M32 has preinstalled modules for SPDIF and AES/EBU, two for coax and two optical and all handle signals up to 24/192 kHz. The M32 has a single amplifying stage to cater for all preamp and power amp modes. It also carries a phono input for moving magnet cartridges and the power on tap is said to be 150 watts per channel into an 8-ohm load.

input to work with other BlueOS models via

According to NAD it’s a true digital amp that

the same network.

does its amplification totally in the digital

As for the CD transport, it’s clearly much, much more than an afterthought. Used with a pile of familiar CDs, it’s detailed, transparent,

domain. It converts to analogue only at the speaker terminals giving it the shortest signal path in the brand’s long history.

has plenty of timing and pace and it’s musical.

Signals arriving from coax, USB, Bluetooth, or

What a bonus for buyers who like us, have a

Wi-Fi are all routed without any conversion until

mountain load of CDs.

they hit the speaker terminals. A design that ensures the M32 functions like an advanced

DAC that can power speakers and earns it

so are turntables and tonearms. But hey, the

the accolade of being an authentic digital amp

software is still what it always was, with the

even if technically it is a class D model.

same physical and material limitations.

Everything in the on-board preamp including

If we’re truthful, it will be components the

volume and tone controls function by

calibre of a Devialet, or the NAD 50.2 digital

way of elegant mathematics. NAD argues

player and M32 direct digital amplifier that will

this eliminates any noise that would have

shape our love, or lack of music.

been introduced by more traditional potentiometers. Maybe.

Think about it: endless amounts of hi-res tracks stored wherever you chose to store

Interestingly, this software driven approach

them, neatly and discretely. Moreover, the

yields a lack of phase or distortion for the

choice of how and where you want to hear

tone control and an added benefit: a built-in

your music expands according to the number

crossover useful for adding a subwoofer.

of components talking to each other not only

In this application, I’m using the NAD M32

around your home, but outside too.

as an audiophile quality integrated amplifier

But in this software driven approach to audio,

connected to the 50.2 file server with its built

the clinchers are upgradeable, modular

in CD transport, plus an SME 20/2 turntable

components and the big one: an infinite

with an SME V tonearm fitted with a Garrott

expansion of the resolution of digital music.

P77i cartridge.

24/192kHz? Big deal. A piffle compared

But the M32 is so flexible some might want to

to what the future promises. For the forces

add a BluOS module and stream hi-res music

that might bear upon exactly how high the

around a home to other BluOS enabled audio

resolution number might climb, look at TV

components. Nice one NAD.

display screens now reaching dizzying heights

After auditioning the M32 I was left convinced

of resolution.

that the future of great sounding audio is firmly

Hate to say it, but computer technology is

in the capable hands of legacy audio brands

the future of reproduced music. A future

the calibre of NAD, Marantz and Denon.

where price, build quality, sound quality will

Why? Audio’s future is digital with a capital “D”. Forget advances in analogue. As much as

connect with ultimate convenience to win over consumers’ hearts, minds, and wallets.

some of us treasure the sound of vinyl, and

As a salve to our glorious analogue heritage, I

moreover regard it as the pinnacle of great

consoled myself during this audition with this

sound even in the 21st century, vinyl’s golden

salient notion: by far the best sound emerged

age has come and gone.

from my venerable SME turntable playing

Analogue, as much as it pains me to write this, is marching up and down in the same spot.

I know, I know, cartridges are getting better,

through these NAD harbingers of a digital future driving the irresistible B&W 805 D3 speakers.

Into the Mystic, or Not Joni Mitchell’s A Case Of You is a

The M32 coasted through the swings in micro

from the speakers. The M32 puts a vice like

refreshing musical experience reproduced

and macro dynamics and had ample power in

grip on the D3’s but lets go when called upon

as a 24-bit/192 kHz track compared to the

reserve whilst providing plenty of headroom to

to do so by the music.

vinyl version.

the 805 D3’s.

A track driven by guitar and Mitchell’s

Tonally the neutral but immense detail coming

off my selection of hi-res digital music. The

vocals, both emerged in my listening room

from the M32 was complimented by the D3’s

track is all about strings backing Sinatra’s

with strings resonating and the emotional

faultless tweeter that delivered the upper

legendary phrasing whilst brass in the

colours of the singer’s voice transparent and

frequency harshness of the track without

background adds a nostalgic gloss to the

poignantly rendered. A great beginning for

adding anything of its own.

melody. Hi-res or vinyl, a thrilling experience

hi-res music.

The gorgeous midrange quality of the D3 (and

Frank Sinatra’s Autumn In New York tailed

to be sure.

Moving to the vinyl version brought gains in

after all the midrange is where 90 per cent of

Differences there were and not all analogue’s

subliminal detail, soundstage scale and weight

all recorded music lives) was on display with

way with the strings via the digital rendition

along with more believable macro and micro

Dylan’s Trouble In Mind.

presenting with less grain and brittleness

dynamics. But hi-res sounded cleaner overall.

The 50.2 and M32 sending a neutral signal to

Comparing vinyl to digital versions of the same

the D3s allowed us to wallow in the sand paper

music reveals hi-res music’s lack of micro

texture of Dylan’s voice that emerged from a

detail, impoverished soundstage vis-à-vis

near silent background whilst instruments were

analogue and a complete lack of what we call,

played by convincingly real performers.

air and liquidity. But worthwhile gains are the lack of surface noise and of course the greater convenience of digital compared to the ritual of tonearm lowering and lifting that’s an inherent part of the vinyl experience.

Clearly, the NAD M32’s phono stage is gobsmackingly detailed and neutral while the 50.2 server is simply serving up what’s on the recording while adding only a touch of dryness to the overall presentation.

Whilst I didn’t have a vinyl version to make a comparison, it was clear the track’s soundstage had truncated depth and the scale of the performance was also diminished. That’s not to say the track wasn’t enjoyable. Far from it.

And this leads to a point about hi-res digital well worth the making, which is that in the context of quality components, hi-res digital

compared to the vinyl version. Digital was also cleaner throughout the midrange that had a trace of grain on vinyl. Soundstage and imaging honours went to analogue, as did tonal presentation, which had more warmth and air than the digital version.

I couldn’t end the review session without a bit of self-indulgence. In this case Van Morrison’s Ballerina track from one of our desert island albums, ‘Astral Weeks’.

To assuage the pleasure quotient delivered by any gear, this is a go to track that potentially has mesmerising amounts of timing and pace courtesy of Morrison’s grating voice.

is both convenient and enjoyable. Clearly the

Insistent guitars to the left of the soundstage,

The 805D3’s proved a revelation, behaving

NAD components’ overall neutrality and touch

mandolin to the right and xylophone in the

as an open window into the sound whilst

of dryness working with the slight warmth

middle rise and fall incrementally creating a

revealing the differences as components were

and agility of the 805D3 made for a highly

tension that never dissipates.

changed. Insert a different interconnect cable

entertaining if not totally enthralling listen.

and the D3’s respond with alarming clarity to the change.

As a final summation of the M32 and B&W

Van Morrison’s Into The Mystic isn’t anything

805D3, this track emerges with all its famed

to get excited about recording quality wise

hallmarks intact - vocals, timing and pace,

Driving percussion, crazy keyboards and

in vinyl or digital. But compared to the hi-res

creative tension, rich harmonic structure and

a vocal rendition bursting with energy

version this track had an almost intuitive

oh, so subtle micro and macro dynamics

are hallmarks of the hi-res version of

sense of timing on vinyl but was more

are all created in your listening space by

Springsteen’s No Surrender. Not a great

laboured, more mechanical, on digital.

components that gel together to comprise a

recording either in digital or analogue, the track wins through nonetheless with its energy and unquenchable pace.

The highlight of hearing Into The Mystic

truly magical audio system.

through this NAD/B&W system was the speed

The message here given the calibre and

of these components. They responded to

flexibility of the M50.2 server combined

Interestingly on vinyl, treble sounded a bit

the music’s peaks and troughs like a gazelle

with the excellent MM phono stage and

more brittle and the bass riffs were a deal

negotiating a rocky mountain trail.

highly neutral and detailed amplifier stage

spongier than the digital version. But again, the vinyl version’s imaging was sharper, the vocal had more air and the time and pace of the music was slightly less mechanical.

Which is to say, gracefully and effortlessly.

You can throw any genre of music at this gear and you’ll get an effortless response with abrupt start/stops and totally no overhang

of the M32, is that yes, you can have it all.

Analogue and digital, high-end sound quality and convenience.

“yes, you can have it all. Analogue and digital, high-end sound quality and convenience”

Conclusion As for Bowers & Wilkins’ 805D3? What a revelation of a speaker. Compared to the 805D2 model it replaces, the D3 adds vivacity and translucence to the D2’s refinement and detailing qualities.

Moreover its responsiveness and dynamics conjure a human quality to its reproduction of vocals in a way few speakers at any price points can rival.

Endearing, wonderfully blissful for extended listening sessions, handsomely styled, nicely proportioned and well dressed. Like I said at the start of this review, if the B&W 805D3 were a person, I’d invite them to live in. And the NAD components? Well I’ll make space for them as well.

Peter Familari

SPECIFICATIONS Real wood veneers: Rosenut (Black Grille) Technical features / / Diamond tweeter / / Anti-resonance plug / / Continuum cone bass mid / / Solid body tweeter / / Tweeter on top / / Optimised matrix Description / / 2-way vented-box system Drive units / / 1x ø25mm (1 in) diamond dome high-frequency / / 1x ø165mm (6.5 in) Continuum cone bass midrange Frequency range / / 34Hz to 35kHz Frequency response (+/-3dB from reference axis) / / 42Hz to 28kHz Sensitivity (on axis at 2.83Vrms) / / 88dB SPL (2.83Vrms at 1m) Harmonic distortion / / 2nd and 3rd harmonics (90dB, 1m on axis) / / <1 % 70Hz - 20kHz / / <0.6% 120Hz - 20kHz Nominal impedance / / 8Ω (minimum 4.6Ω) Recommended amplifier power / / 50W - 120W into 8Ω on unclipped programme Max. recommended cable impedance / / 0.1Ω Dimensions / / Height: 424mm (16.7 in) / / Width: 238mm (9.4 in) / / Depth: 345mm (13.6 in) Net weight / / 12.6kg (28lb)

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Endearing, wonderfully blissful for extended listening sessions, handsomely styled, nicely proportioned and well dressedâ&#x20AC;?

Satin White (Grey Grille)

Gloss Black (Black Grille)

For more information visit bowers-wilkins.com or contact Bowers & Wilkins Australia on (02) 9196 8990.

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