Bowers & Wilkins 802 D5 Tower Loudspeakers (Pair)

The Bowers & Wilkins 802 D5 is a three-way floorstanding loudspeaker from B&W's fifth-generation 800 Series Diamond range, sitting just below the 801 D5 flagship. It combines a 25mm Diamond dome tweeter, a 6-inch Continuum cone FST midrange in a Turbine Head, and two 8-inch Aerofoil cone bass drivers. Often considered the sweet spot of the range, it delivers much of the 801 D5's character in a smaller cabinet. The Bowers & Wilkins 802 D5 is available at Trutone Electronics in Mississauga, Ontario.

The Bowers & Wilkins 802 D5 shares the same 6-inch Continuum FST midrange, Turbine Head, and Diamond dome tweeter as the 801 D5, giving the two models a closely related sound. The main difference is the bass section — the 802 D5 uses two 8-inch Aerofoil drivers versus the 801 D5's two 10-inch drivers, resulting in a smaller cabinet that is easier to place in most rooms. Buyers without a dedicated large listening room often find the 802 D5 delivers nearly all of the 801 D5's performance with less bulk.

The Bowers & Wilkins 802 D5 carries over the same driver layout as the 802 D4 while updating the internal engineering throughout. It gains aluminium Space Frame Bracing, a redesigned crossover with Signature-derived components, lower-distortion motor systems on every driver, a more transparent tweeter grille mesh, and a new wiring harness. The changes are focused on resolution, detail, and reduced cabinet resonance rather than a visual redesign.

The Bowers & Wilkins 802 D5 is a three-way design using a 25mm Diamond dome tweeter in B&W's Solid Body Tweeter-on-Top housing, a 150mm Continuum cone FST midrange inside a Turbine Head, and two 200mm Aerofoil cone bass drivers. It combines B&W's enhanced Matrix cabinet bracing with the new Space Frame Bracing introduced for the D5 generation. Sensitivity is rated at 90dB with a frequency response of 17Hz to 28kHz (+/-3dB).

The Bowers & Wilkins 802 D5 delivers much of the resolution, detail, and dynamic scale of the 801 D5, thanks to sharing the same midrange driver, tweeter, and Turbine Head design. B&W describes the D5 generation as offering an even-handed and generous character without sacrificing detail. Its smaller bass drivers give up some ultimate low-end extension compared to the 801 D5, but in most rooms this trades off favourably against easier placement and integration.

Bowers & Wilkins recommends 50 to 1000 watts into 8 ohms for the 802 D5, with a nominal impedance of 8 ohms and a sensitivity of 90dB. This means it pairs well with a wide range of amplifiers, from high-quality integrated amps to larger separates systems. Speaker cable should be kept under 0.1 ohms impedance.

The Bowers & Wilkins 802 D5 suits large rooms and dedicated listening spaces, though its smaller cabinet compared to the 801 D5 makes it noticeably easier to place. At just over 91kg per speaker and around 1.2 metres tall including the plinth, it still needs a reasonably spacious room to perform at its best. It is the more practical choice for buyers who want flagship-level sound without committing to the largest cabinet in the range.