Diamond club

Bowers & Wilkins has updated its best-selling high-end loudspeakers with a new 800 Series Diamond range. HFC visits the company worthing factory for a glimpse into the future

PRICE: £6,250-£30,000

AVAILABLE: NOW

WEB: BOWERSWILKINS.COM

BOWERS & WILKINS has announced a new range of 800 Series speakers to replace the existing D3 line-up – itself the latest in a long-running series that dates back to the Eighties. The new models – identified by their D4 suffix – comprise five stereo models and two centres. While the aesthetic is similar to their predecessors, B&W says that pretty much every meaningful component has changed.

This is most immediately apparent in the cabinets. All the models are still made from layers of birch ply, formed and pressed at the company’s factory in Worthing. These are combined with adhesive layers in varying amounts and pressed into a curved shape to form a stiff and durable cabinet. Crossover placement is simplified so it’s accommodated in the rear of the ply, behind the point where it’s sealed for the driver enclosure. This is then finished with an aluminium rear plate.