B&W 801 D4 (Walnut)
Floor-standing speaker
The loudspeaker that sets the standard other high-end designs will be judged by for years to come. Endowed with every new technology the 800 Series Diamond™ has to offer, the reference-quality 801 D4 is an instant icon.
The flagship model in the 800 Series Diamond range is more than a speaker. It’s the culmination of half a century of acoustic research and engineering, and the pinnacle of audio performance, offering unmatched levels of clarity and realism.
40 years of excellence
Innovation. 801 D4 is defined by it. In each of its incarnations over the decades, 801 has always been the most advanced loudspeaker that we know to make at that particular point in time, a showcase of all our newest technologies and most original thinking. Small wonder it has become an icon.
The ultimate Matrix™
Matrix bracing uses interlocking panels to reinforce loudspeaker cabinet walls in all directions internally, reducing resonance and creating a more believable soundstage. The Matrix assembly in 801 D4 is our best yet, upgraded with extensive aluminium bracing to reinforce key stress points.
Turbine™ Head
The all-aluminium Turbine Head houses our Continuum™ midrange cone in a stiff and critically damped enclosure to eliminate unwanted resonances. At the same time, it’s decoupled from both the bass enclosure and the tweeter body. The result? The most realistic midrange sound yet.
Biomimetic Suspension
Sometimes, making a big difference takes unconventional thinking. Our new Biomimetic Suspension revolutionises midrange performance by greatly reducing the unwanted air pressure and coloration that a traditional fabric spider can generate. The result? Midrange transparency you wouldn’t believe.
The science of sound
Innovation is at the heart of everything we do. We question, we examine, we understand and then we evolve. We use computer modelling to explore and reimagine every aspect of loudspeaker design. Learn more about all the technologies that combine to make 800 Series Diamond so special here.
The state of our art
801 D4 is our flagship and the most powerful model in the new 800 Series Diamond range. Its no-compromise design includes all our most advanced technologies in their purest, most optimised form alongside crossover components of the highest quality. You want our reference loudspeaker? This is it…
Downloads: Brochure
Technical specifications
Technical features | Diamond tweeter Solid body Tweeter-on-Top Continuum™ cone FST Anti-Resonance plug Biomimetic Suspension Turbine™ Head Matrix™ Aerofoil™ cone bass units Flowport |
Description | 3-way vented-box system |
Drive units | 1x ø25mm (1in) diamond dome high-frequency 1x ø150mm (6in) Continuum cone FST midrange 2x ø250mm (10in) Aerofoil cone bass units |
Frequency range | 13Hz to 35kHz |
Frequency response | 15Hz to 28kHz (+/-3dB from reference axis) |
Sensitivity | 90dB (on axis at 2.83Vrms at 1m) |
Harmonic distortion | 2nd and 3rd harmonics (90dB,1m on axis) <1% 30Hz – 20kHz <0.3% 100Hz – 20kHz |
Nominal impedance (min) | 8Ω (minimum 3.0Ω) |
Recommended amplifier power | 50W – 1000W into 8Ω on unclipped programme |
Max. recommended cable impedance | 0.1Ω |
Height: | 1221mm |
Width: | 451mm |
Depth: | 600mm |
Net weight | 100.60kg |
Cabinet | Gloss Black White Satin Rosenut Satin Walnut |
Grille | Black Grey Black Grey |