This loudspeaker reaches into a recording and reproduces it on a scale rarely seen in conventional home Hi-Fi designs, while delivering a dizzying amount of detail. Opinions differ, but some owners prefer the infinite-baffle cabinet of the earlier version, which sounds somewhat tighter, firmer and faster – but almost everyone agrees that the treble and midrange of the later 801D are far better, with a delicate airiness that the earlier high-frequency units cannot match. You can never quite escape the Kevlar midrange driver, as it has its own unique tonal patina – but it is not too intrusive unless you are a committed fan of ribbon or electrostatic speakers. It certainly integrates well into the overall design and helps the loudspeaker produce enormous sound-pressure levels with ease.
The specifications were something special for the time and remain so today. The claimed frequency response of the 801 was 45 Hz to 20 kHz at -2 dB, with a claimed sensitivity of 95 dB/1 W/1 m at a claimed nominal impedance of 8 ohms. On paper, the loudspeaker was able to produce a reasonable volume level with a modest amplifier, but in practice it required at least 50 W RMS per channel, which was quite a bold requirement. No three-way infinite-baffle cabinet (tuned to 37 Hz) with a complex crossover will be particularly easy to drive, and the 801 did not rewrite that rule. Amusingly, B&W said there was “no upper limit” to the maximum input power, as the electronic protection was designed to catch overloads before they could cause damage. In practice, the 801 handled a solid 250 W RMS, something no other Hi-Fi loudspeaker of its era managed.