The Beatles stopped touring America and elsewhere in 1966, but the Bowers & Wilkins 801 speakers, which were developed by B&W co-founder John Bowers in 1979, and adopted by Abbey Road Studios, where the band recorded all of their studio albums proper, are currently touring the US, with representatives from the company making stops in multiple cities to present a new limited edition of the flagship speaker.
Only 144 pairs of that speaker, the Bowers & Wilkins 801 Abbey Road Limited Edition, have been produced, and they're priced at $70,000 / £55,000 a pair. Obviously, The Beatles are only a part of Abbey Road Studios’ storied history, but it’s hard to imagine any music fan not wanting to own a pair of these gorgeous full-range tower speakers.
The Abbey Road connection in the new 801 Limited Edition is reinforced through a vintage dark walnut finish that carefully matches the finish of the piano in Studio Three that Paul McCartney used for Lady Madonna. The speaker’s red leather top surface also matches the hue of the console used for Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin recordings, as well as the studio’s control room seating.
That’s a lot of history to connect with, and music fanatics will also appreciate the limited edition hardcover book detailing the studio’s history that comes with each speaker pair.
Even better, Bowers & Wilkins is planning an Abbey Road Studios insider tour for 801 Abbey Road Limited Edition owners. The dates for that are yet to be determined, but Abbey Road Studios is not accessible to the general public, so it should be a unique opportunity. (Owners will be notified about the event directly by Bowers & Wilkins.)
The sound of Abbey Road
As a special edition version of the Bowers & Wilkins 801 D4, the 801 Abbey Road Limited Edition offers sound-improving upgrades on the regular version, mostly tweaks to the crossover and cabinet construction. Otherwise, the 801 Abbey Road Limited Edition has the same 3-way tower design, with a 1-inch diamond dome tweeter, 6-inch Continuum cone mid-range, and dual 10-inch bass drivers.
At the company’s listening demo at Audio Advice Live 25, which took place in Raleigh, North Carolina, from August 1-3, the 801 Abbey Road Limited Edition was driven by an electronics stack from sister-brand Marantz consisting of a Link 10N preamp and two Model 10 integrated units, each used as a mono amp.
The demo started with the main theme from the Raiders of the Lost Ark soundtrack, which was recorded at the famous studio. The brass on this 1981 recording sounded crisp and airy, and the speakers’ prodigious bass capabilities easily handled the full-sounding kettle drums and percussion.
A Sam Smith track played next showcased the 801 Abbey Road Limited Edition’s smooth and effortless manner with vocals, but it was Imaginary Friends by Deadmau5 that brought the house down during the demo, with the swirling synths and electronic beats creating a deep, vividly detailed sonic landscape.
Audio Advice Live 25 may be over, but you can still experience the Bowers & Wilkins 801 Abbey Road Limited Edition speakers during one of the remaining US tour stops. They truly rank among the best stereo speakers I've ever heard, and if you like them as much as I do, they could be your golden ticket to Abbey Road.
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