# Bowers & Wilkins 805 D4

- Source: https://stierproducts.com/products/bowers-wilkins-805-d4
- Category board: https://stierproducts.com/categories/bookshelf-speakers
- Placement: #20 of 31 in Bookshelf Speakers, D tier
- Brand: Bowers & Wilkins
- LP on this board: 329
- Last researched: 2026-08-16T12:58:42.288Z
- Method: https://stierproducts.com/methodology
- Dataset: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.22062813 - every board at once, one dated snapshot per release, same licence, prices and photographs left out
- Reuse: Text, rankings, tier assignments, LP values and verdicts are free to quote and reuse with attribution to stierproducts and a link to the source URL (CC BY 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Product photographs are not covered: they belong to their respective owners and are reproduced to illustrate the product being reviewed. Do not redistribute them under this licence.

## Verdict

Excellent imaging and bass, very low failure rate. A solid choice for longevity.

## For

- Precise imaging
- Deep bass
- Robust build quality
- Genuinely beautifully made with flawless build
- Pleasant ownership experience

## Against

- Excessive price for bookshelf use
- Limited value compared to other options
- Flagship pricing on a standmount the KEF R3 Meta matches or beats in measured performance at a fraction of the price
- The purchase is not rational even though ownership is pleasant

## Flagged as one to avoid

This product entered 3 of 10 runs as one buyers cross-shop but should not buy, rather than as a pick. It is published here rather than dropped.

## Evidence

Consolidated from 42 cited sources across 28 outlets

| Outlet | Said by | Stance | Link | Link status |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Soundstageultra | Jason Thorpe | C | https://www.soundstageultra.com/index.php/equipment-menu/1303-sphinx-element-3-loudspeaker | fetched and confirmed |
| Audiogon | forum.audiogon.com | C | https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/upgrade-to-b-w-804-d4-speakers?highlight=svs%2Bsubwoofer | fetched and confirmed |
| Grahams Hi-Fi | - | C | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XysTJN9qnUk#comments | fetched and confirmed |
| hi-fi+ | Editor | B | https://hifiplus.com/articles/2026-awards-stand-mount-loudspeaker-over-10k/ | fetched and confirmed |
| Facebook | Matt Phillipps | C | https://www.facebook.com/groups/bowerswilkinsfanatics/posts/26380967351606278/ | fetched and confirmed |
| HomeTechnologyReview | hometheaterreview.com | B | https://hometheaterreview.com/understanding-bowers-wilkins-a-buyers-guide-to-the-most-iconic-high-end-speakers/ | fetched and confirmed |
| Instagram | - | B | https://www.instagram.com/p/DXJfAIXFJeM/ | fetched and confirmed |
| Facebook | - | B | https://www.facebook.com/100064026253560/posts/elevating-the-room-one-note-at-a-time-the-805-d4-signature-subtle-design-extraor/1267112002099663/ | fetched and confirmed |
| Stereophile | stereophile.com | B | https://www.stereophile.com/content/recommended-components-2026-edition-loudspeakers | fetched and confirmed |
| Steve Guttenberg Audiophiliac | user-od9iz9cv1w | C | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKZozYrMjJ8#comments | fetched and confirmed |
| SoundStage! Network | SoundStage! Network | C | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vOQykB1eUk | fetched and confirmed |
| Steve Guttenberg Audiophiliac | Steve Guttenberg Audiophiliac | B | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hiTaviZRNmw | fetched and confirmed |
| SoundStage! Network | giangvu7902 | B | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vOQykB1eUk#comments | fetched and confirmed |
| Steve Guttenberg Audiophiliac | gregorytrane7828 | C | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hiTaviZRNmw#comments | fetched and confirmed |
| My Audio Test | arun2995 | C | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6cG1OoogJA#comments | fetched and confirmed |
| Audioholics | Audioholics | B | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_NFnLnpXuQ | fetched and confirmed |
| Hi-Fi Riff | Hi-Fi Riff | B | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2dLKC3bWME | fetched and confirmed |
| BRIAN'S TECH THERAPY (WHISPERSTATUS74) | BRIAN'S TECH THERAPY (WHISPERSTATUS74) | B | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZZIcsW2yXk | fetched and confirmed |
| Paulson's Audio and Video | Paulson's Audio and Video | B | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=warqNV3xgJg | fetched and confirmed |
| Andrew Robinson | nealcaffrey1251 | B | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VogDCKK_BFM#comments | fetched and confirmed |
| Hi-Fi Riff | skmzwanke | B | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2dLKC3bWME#comments | fetched and confirmed |
| Audio Advice | - | B | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IzfWfPxd9Pg#comments | fetched and confirmed |
| SOUND SOMMELIER | gazza800d | B | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=miuoYO84aTQ#comments | fetched and confirmed |
| SoundStage! Network | pauldownes4483 | D | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZW7j1GxYZoc#comments | fetched and confirmed |
| SOUND SOMMELIER | edmlegend7224 | B | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHkyrCF5Vzo#comments | fetched and confirmed |
| HeadMania: Dan's Audiophile Odyssey | pete6705 | B | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mwwv7iP3kOY#comments | fetched and confirmed |
| Audio Advice | StreetFighter2Legacy | D | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Lzmo7GmCqk#comments | fetched and confirmed |
| Audio Review Blog | Nari Spektral | B | https://audiomatome.com/en/reviews/bowers-and-wilkins-805d4/ | fetched and confirmed |
| Audio Advice | Audio Advice | B | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IzfWfPxd9Pg | fetched and confirmed |
| Audio Review Blog | Nari Spektral | B | https://audiomatome.com/en/reviews/bowers-and-wilkins-nautilus/ | fetched and confirmed |
| My Audio Test | VintageValveSound | B | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsITOp1Rtj8#comments | fetched and confirmed |
| Shane Lee | ns387241 | B | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkVfl4aJTJc#comments | fetched and confirmed |
| Audioholics | Harald-MacGerhard | B | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_NFnLnpXuQ#comments | fetched and confirmed |
| AV NIRVANA – Home Theater and AV FORUM | StreetFighter2Legacy | B | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-EltdEz2K_w#comments | fetched and confirmed |
| Studio 22 - Alta Fidelidad y Cine en Casa | Studio 22 - Alta Fidelidad y Cine en Casa | B | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jmp2JyxwOc | fetched and confirmed |
| Pursuit Perfect System | swiftnick3 | B | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CCDD3PGWXRc#comments | fetched and confirmed |
| Fernando Meza: Audiofilia y + | drchriscov | B | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_X04M73per0#comments | fetched and confirmed |
| SOUND SOMMELIER | connorduke4619 | C | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBjssTQufEc#comments | fetched and confirmed |
| tiyotiyo-Channel | tiyotiyo-Channel | B | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lV81icsEW7A | fetched and confirmed |
| tiyotiyo-Channel | tiyotiyo-Channel | B | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qpYJ7g0kQ0 | fetched and confirmed |
| What Hi-Fi? | whathifi.com | B | https://www.whathifi.com/best-buys/best-bowers-and-wilkins-speakers-budget-premium-bookshelf-and-floorstander | fetched and confirmed |
| AudioSonic Haven | AudioSonic Haven | B | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=II4TzfYO7kU | fetched and confirmed |

## Nearest alternatives on this board

| Rank | Product | Tier | Page |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 15 | Q Acoustics 3020i | C | https://stierproducts.com/products/q-acoustics-3020i |
| 16 | Triangle Borea BR03 | C | https://stierproducts.com/products/triangle-borea-br03 |
| 17 | Q Acoustics 5020 | C | https://stierproducts.com/products/q-acoustics-5020 |
| 18 | ELAC Debut Reference DBR62 | C | https://stierproducts.com/products/elac-debut-reference-dbr62 |
| 19 | Bowers & Wilkins 607 S3 | C | https://stierproducts.com/products/bowers-wilkins-607-s3 |
| 21 | Polk Audio Signature Elite ES20 | D | https://stierproducts.com/products/polk-signature-elite-es20 |
| 22 | Wharfedale Super Denton | D | https://stierproducts.com/products/wharfedale-super-denton |
| 23 | Sony SS-CS5M2 | D | https://stierproducts.com/products/sony-ss-cs5m2 |
| 24 | Polk Signature Elite ES15 | D | https://stierproducts.com/products/polk-signature-elite-es15 |
| 25 | ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2 | F | https://stierproducts.com/products/elac-debut-2-0-b6-2 |

The full board is at https://stierproducts.com/categories/bookshelf-speakers.

## What this tier means

- D: Weak. Hard to recommend when better options cost similar money.

## How to read this

- Each category is researched in four independent runs, one per lens (expert consensus, value, reliability, community pulse). Every run ranks a board of candidates that deliberately includes products buyers cross-shop but should avoid. Placements score on a ranked ladder (LP), and tiers are derived from LP, so no tier is ever assigned by hand.
- LP is this product's points on its own category ladder. It is comparable within a category and not across categories.
- Link status reports what our pre-publication link check found when it fetched the cited URL. It says nothing about the quality of the review.
- A citation with no usable link is listed rather than dropped, and is excluded from the counted total above.

## Image

https://stspimgdevmfyk46r5vwkay.blob.core.windows.net/images/products/bowers-wilkins-805-d4.webp

Product photographs are not covered: they belong to their respective owners and are reproduced to illustrate the product being reviewed. Do not redistribute them under this licence.