Designed for State-of-the-Art Surround Systems: Bowers & Wilkins HTM81 D4 Center-Channel Loudspeaker Features One-Inch Diamond Tweeter and Two Eight-Inch Bass Drivers

Specifically created to pair with the Bowers & Wilkins 801 D4 and 802 D4 tower loudspeakers, the HTM81 D4 center-channel speaker performs its role as the anchor of a surround-sound setup with reference-setting performance, crystal-clear clarity, and effortless ease. Recognizing that the center-channel is often the most important speaker in a home-theater system, Bowers & Wilkins loaded the three-way HTM81 D4 with innovative technologies and built it to stand up to any demands.

Measuring 13.1 x 33.3 x 14.6 inches (HWD) and weighing a hefty 71 pounds, HTM81 D4 is no shrinking violet. Like the 800 Series Diamond sibling tower models to which it is voiced to match, it plays with astounding scale, detail, and extension — and claims many of the same features. Those include a one-inch diamond dome tweeter; solid-body Tweeter-on-Top housing milled from a single block of aluminum and sculpted into an elongated form with a long tube-loading system that lessens rear diffraction; Matrix bracing with interlocking panels for superb reinforcement; and all-new Biomimetic Suspension that dramatically reduces unwanted air pressure and coloration.

And that's just the beginning. The six-inch Continuum cone FST midrange resides in a stiff aluminum enclosure that both serves as a controlled location point for the midrange decoupling and prevents unwanted air leakage into the cabinet. For the two eight-inch woofers, Bowers & Wilkins turns to its Aerofoil bass cones —remarkable for their carbon-fiber skin and variable-profile foam core — as well as an Anti-Resonance Plug to ensure ultra-low distortion and robust, rich, deep low-end performance.

In every way, the British-built HTM81 D4 reimagines the concept of a center-channel speaker and, with 801 D4 and 802 D4, promises that in-home multichannel sound can exceed even the limit-pushing immersiveness of a cineplex.

Solid Body Tweeter: Not Just for Looks

The latest edition of Bowers & Wilkins' iconic Solid Body Tweeter-on-Top housing features an elongated form with a longer tube-loading system, producing an incredibly free and open sound with high frequencies. The carefully decoupled housing is milled from a single solid block of aluminum to better resist resonance.

Decoupled Midrange: An 800 Series Diamond Hallmark

Every 800 Series Diamond loudspeaker (save for 805 D4) has a dedicated midrange cone using several proprietary Bowers & Wilkins technologies: the Continuum FST cone, Biomimetic Suspension, and midrange decoupling. The latter ensures minimal interference from the operation of the loudspeaker's bass units.

Matrix Bracing: Reinforcing the Point

Trademarked Matrix bracing uses interlocking panels to reinforce loudspeaker cabinet walls in all directions internally, reducing resonance and creating a more believable soundstage. Every loudspeaker in 800 Series Diamond benefits from an upgraded Matrix design that combines solid plywood construction with aluminum bracing to reinforce key stress points.

Biomimetic Suspension: Thinking Outside the Box

Sometimes, making a big difference takes unconventional thinking. Bowers & Wilkins' all-new Biomimetic Suspension revolutionizes midrange-cone performance by greatly reducing the unwanted air pressure and coloration that a conventional fabric spider can generate. The resultant transparency needs to be experienced in order to be believed.