Are Bowers and Wilkins speakers overpriced?

Before one year ago when I bought my Spendor D7’s, my most recent previous speaker purchase (20 yrs ago) was B&W. Thru 90s had lusted after B&W sound and told myself when I get out of school and can afford B&W, that’s what I’m doing and that’s what I did.

Last year going into what turned into a many hundred hours of research and demoing over 20 speakers (heck probably over 30 come to think of it), I figured I’d probably still like BW best at the outset.

But I didn’t any longer. Maybe in 20 yrs I changed, maybe BW did, maybe both. As to their cost, I do think they cost somewhat more than comparable quality speakers but that is sooo much a personal opinion and others will differ of course. One BW dealer even confided he thought they are “little” overpriced for what you get vs competition.

But everyone should always buy what they like and can afford no matter what others think. (But since you asked for opinions, there’s mine on the topic along with my relative experience with the brand ...)

for the record, my previous speakers were front stage of CDM1NT’s and center channel. Those i listened to extensively one year ago were 702s2, 804d3, 805d3, and too lesser extent 802d3. Electronics ranged fro Arcam S30 to Anthem separates to Elektoacoustic (forget exact name of that brand) up to hi$ Mc separates probably across 3 dealer settings/rooms. So at least 4 sets of electronics. Source usually some LUMIN streamer/ dac or cd from what I can recall.

+1 4425

My opinion only but if there’s one piece of a system where you just can’t afford to compromise, it’s the speakers. Of course I’m not saying everything else doesn’t matter but nothing matters more in terms of the dramatic difference in sound you get than speakers.


Here’s what I my mean. Take a price level. Let’s say $5k for sake of argument. Now go listen to 20 different $5k speakers. It is amazing how different they sound.

Do same with amps or source at a fixed price level and variance nowhere near as large.
So for time-challenged folk (aren’t we all?), the one thing you absolutely have to get right is the speakers (if u must prioritize due to other life attention stealers).

So if you love BW, stretch to get them even if they may cost a little more than comparable speakers. Get what sounds best to you.

PS - Electrocompaniet was brand I couldn’t remember


in my search (hundreds of hours), I probably spent 80% on speaker search, 18% on amp search, 1% on source search (at this point I was worn out and just blindly went with dealer recommendation) and 1% on everything else. 

I don’t recommend that but it worked out well for me. Got lucky on source I guess....

+1 loomisjohnson

OMG I feel exactly same way about those two same brands (and really only these two - none others come to mind in same way) but didn’t want to offend. (About the liking lower models at price point more than upper models v competition.)

I really liked 702s2 at $4.5k. It wouldn’t have been my top choice but I considered 30ish speakers. But it was in the mix. Same with Focal Aria series under $4k. Liked them at the price point.


That’s where my speaker budget started in my search and then I heard D7 and knew I had to raise my budget because I had to have them.
When I listened to up-models in those lines, 804d3 and kanta, they didn’t do it for me at their prices. Just my opinion but interesting to see another who had exactly same reaction.


just to make clear I am not dumping on BW. I still own and really like my cdm1nt. They spent 20 yrs as my main music speakers and now remain front stage of my main ht setup. I still get to hear them play music bc that ht system is what kids and wife are allowed to stream music from (they are well trained that my reference system is off limits to them :) I’m such a tyrant, haha

(and fwiw, all three of them swear they cannot hear the sq differences between systems.  Ahhhhh, why couldn’t I be so lucky!! I could have spent all that reference system $$ on a new car or other toys)