Name: Bowers & Wilkins 805S
Brand: Bowers & Wilkins

A bookshelf loudspeaker in Bowers & Wilkins' 800 Series, with Kevlar® bass/midrange cones and Nautilus tube-loaded tweeters for high-resolution sound.

Overview

The Bowers & Wilkins 805S is a bookshelf speaker in the company's flagship 800 Series. The bass/midrange driver has a Kevlar® cone. The tweeter is a Nautilus tube-loaded aluminium dome. Together they aim for detailed, neutral sound. Inside the cabinet there's Matrix bracing, and a Flowport™ bass port handles resonance and airflow. Frequency response is 49Hz - 22kHz (±3dB) and sensitivity is 88dB spl (2.83V, 1m), so it suits amplifiers providing 50W - 120W into 8Ω. The 805S is known for transparency, coherence and dynamic capability. It shows subtle details and blends its drivers without coloring the sound.

Specifications

Frequency Response	49Hz – 22kHz (±3dB on reference axis)
Sensitivity	88dB spl (2.83V, 1m)
Nominal Impedance	8Ω (minimum 4.6Ω)
Recommended Amplifier Power	50W – 120W into 8Ω on unclipped programme
Dimensions (H x W x D)	425mm (16.7 in) x 238mm (9.4 in) x 351mm (13.8 in)
Weight	10.5kg (23.1 lb)
Crossover Frequencies	4kHz
Drive Units	1x ø25mm (1 in) Nautilus™ tube-loaded aluminium dome high-frequency unit, 1x ø165mm (6.5 in) Kevlar® cone bass/midrange unit
Cabinet	Matrix bracing, Flowport™ bass port
Finishes	Rosenut, Cherry, Black Ash, Wenge

Design

The 805S uses a Nautilus tube-loaded aluminium dome tweeter designed to minimize resonance and extend response into the ultrasonic range, supporting high-resolution formats like SACD and DVD-A. The bass/midrange driver features a Kevlar® cone for rigidity and low distortion. Matrix bracing reinforces the cabinet structure to reduce unwanted vibrations, while the Flowport™ bass port manages airflow to reduce turbulence. The crossover is engineered to blend the drivers with precision, contributing to stable imaging and seamless tonal integration.

Context

The 805S belongs to Bowers & Wilkins' 800 Series, a line known for taking advanced technology from the flagship models and putting it into more compact designs. The original Nautilus 800 Series became one of the best-selling high-end speaker ranges worldwide.