Loudspeakers

Both deliver an expansive soundstage and first-rate stereo imaging that entices you to 'look' for musicians – something of a Bowers & Wilkins trademark. The two also offer the sort of robust bass performance you wouldn't expect from a standmount. Okay, that's a bit of a reviewer's cliché, but the 805 D4's front-facing Flowport is very effective at extending low frequencies without them sounding bloated or uncontrolled. Listening to the full-bodied synthesisers and beats on the tenth anniversary vinyl release of Daft Punk's Random Access Memories [Sony Music 19658773731], it was hard to believe a subwoofer wasn't involved.

So, there were a lot of similarities – but what was different? The 805 D4 Signature introduced a noticeable level of extra detail, but not brightness, making the performance a bit smoother when playing the beautiful 'The Ghost' from Anna B Savage's In|Flux album [City Slang SLANG50470XF], again from vinyl. A better sense of integration and insight, meanwhile, improved the overall presentation of the song: this track is captivating but sparse, with Savage's somewhat theatrical voice supported by very basic percussion and piano notes. That's not much to work with, but the 805 D4 Signature went the extra mile to communicate emotion and texture, and with more of a feeling of space.

Worth The Wait
If the sign of a good loudspeaker is its ability to put you in the same room as the artist, Bowers & Wilkins' top-tier standmount certainly has it in spades, managing to create a fine sense of envelopment with Sophie Zelmani's 'Oh Dear' on Sing And Dance [Columbia; 44.1kHz/16-bit download]. This is another piece that starts off minimalistic – it's a minute and a half before Zelmani's voice makes an appearance, close to the microphone and where the 805 D4 Signatures show off a talent for giving vocals real presence – but eventually builds to a crescendo of acoustic guitar, piano and bass. It's not a recording on a grand scale, but the wide, well-defined soundstage of the Bowers & Wilkins speakers conveyed the feeling of being close to the stage in a small club, the added depth making for a convincing three-dimensional performance.

Taking Flight
Lady Blackbird's cover version of Nina Simone's 'Blackbird' and the following track 'It's Not That Easy' on Black Acid Soul [Foundation Music; 44.1kHz/24-bit download] shows her to be an astute student of jazz classics as well as a powerful performer in her own right. With these tracks the 805 D4 Signatures distanced themselves from their more regular brethren by offering more immersion and clarity, and – again – a touch of extra depth to the soundstage. However, when the singer hits the high notes in 'It's Not Easy', it shows that the choice between the 805 D4 and the Signature edition isn't completely clearcut. The latter delivered a more natural overall performance, but a slight edge to the treble on the former packs extra subjective 'punch', lifting those notes further out of the mix.

Through the 805 D4 Signatures, the well-recorded (and blissfully short) jazz/blues fusion songs of Dominique Fils-Aimé's new Our Roots Run Deep release [Ensoul Records; 44.1kHz/16-bit download] appeared grandiose but lost none of their authenticity. Layering Fils-Aimé's smooth voice with background vocals during the title track, the speakers proved adept at handling complex compositions, keeping the trumpet clean and non-sibilant when it appeared. Furthermore, as with the Zelmani and Anna B Savage pieces, 'Just Let Me Go' really demonstrated that Bowers & Wilkins has mastered the art of uncovering the finest sonic detail without losing track of the musical picture as a whole.

If this Signature upgrade of the company's 805 D4 does something well, it's getting you closer than ever to the artist's intent.

Hi-Fi News Verdict
The beautifully crafted 805 D4 Signature successfully improves on the already superb 'regular' 805 D4, bringing refinements to sound and soundstaging. Of course, some listeners may still prefer the original 805 D4 in favour of the Signature's 'rebalancing', but in both cases we are talking about speakers that boast best-in-class performance. This is a rare case of never being on the losing side.