Bowers & Wilkins manufacturing process for 800 D5 series

Bowers & Wilkins (B&W) has introduced its new flagship 800 D5 series, marking the 60th anniversary of the company. The series features a significant evolution in sound quality compared to the previous D4 generation.

At the B&W manufacturing facility in Worthing, West Sussex, the production of the signature horseshoe-shaped cabinets involves a specialized process. To maximize rigidity and minimize unwanted vibrations, thin sheets of beech wood are layered with alternating grain directions. For models like the 801 and 802, up to 18 layers are used, resulting in a final thickness of approximately 27mm.

These laminated layers are shaped using massive, model-specific heat and pressure machines. For instance, the 802 D5 cabinet is formed using a press that applies up to 120 tons of vertical pressure. This construction method eliminates the structural weaknesses typically found in the corners of traditional rectangular speaker cabinets, ensuring the device remains stable and does not add unintended resonance to the audio signal.