B&W N803 Nautilus

Description

The B&W Nautilus 803 occupies an important place in Bowers & Wilkins’ history, bringing much of the engineering philosophy of the flagship Nautilus 800-series into a more compact and domestically manageable floorstanding loudspeaker. Introduced in the late 1990s, the N803 combined B&W’s distinctive curved cabinet architecture with its Matrix bracing, Nautilus tweeter housing, Kevlar FST midrange and Flowport bass-reflex technology. The result was a speaker designed to deliver the scale, transparency and dynamics associated with high-end B&W loudspeakers without requiring the enormous footprint of the larger 801 and 802 models.

The N803 is a three-way, four-driver design employing two 180mm paper/Kevlar-cone woofers, a 150mm woven-Kevlar FST midrange and a 25mm metal-dome tweeter. Its 90dB sensitivity gives it respectable efficiency, but its nominal 8-ohm impedance can fall to approximately 3 ohms, making a robust amplifier an important consideration. B&W specified 50–250 watts of amplifier power, and experienced owners have consistently emphasized the benefits of pairing the N803 with substantial amplification.

Cabinet construction is one of the N803’s defining features. Rather than relying on a conventional rectangular enclosure, B&W used curved, laminated-ply construction and its Matrix internal bracing to reduce cabinet vibration and resonance. The separate upper midrange/tweeter section further minimizes interaction between the drivers and cabinet. The tweeter sits above the main enclosure, housed in B&W’s Nautilus-inspired tapered structure, while the Flowport uses a dimpled surface intended to reduce turbulence and compression from the reflex port.

Sonically, the N803 is known for a combination of clarity, imaging, dynamic authority and tonal neutrality. A detailed owner review praised the speaker’s “coherent and seamless” integration, comparing its overall presentation favorably with electrostatic designs while noting that the N803 retained substantially greater dynamic punch. The same review praised the tweeter’s delicacy and dispersion and the midrange for producing smooth, rich harmonics without excessive harshness.

The N803 is also notably revealing of the electronics and recordings connected to it. One owner described the speaker as essentially “telling the truth” about upstream components, while noting that its transparency could expose weaknesses elsewhere in a system. The same reviewer found that the speakers remained composed at high volume and offered a combination of dynamics and relatively high efficiency unusual among highly revealing audiophile designs.

Bass performance comes from the pair of 7-inch-class woofers and Flowport-loaded enclosure. While the N803 does not reach the lowest octave with the authority of B&W’s larger models, its bass is fast, articulate and capable of considerable impact. The speaker’s crossover points of approximately 350Hz and 4kHz allow the FST midrange to handle a broad portion of the critical vocal and instrumental spectrum.

With its sculpted cabinet, excellent real-wood finishes and substantial 30kg-per-speaker weight, the Nautilus 803 remains both a serious listening instrument and an attractive piece of industrial design. For enthusiasts seeking the characteristic Nautilus-era B&W presentation, the N803 represents one of the most practical ways to experience the engineering that established the company’s high-end reputation.

Review Quotes & Impressions

• “The integration of the sound from top to bottom is very coherent and seamless.” — owner review, Speaker Asylum.
• “The delicacy of the Nautilus tweeter is a revelation.” — owner review, Speaker Asylum.
• “Harmonics come through as smooth and rich as you could ask for.” — owner review, Speaker Asylum.
• “Dynamic and fairly efficient” and able to avoid getting “nasty” at high volume — owner assessment.

Product Specifications

• Type: 3-way, 4-driver floorstanding, bass-reflex loudspeaker
• Woofers: 2 × 180mm paper/Kevlar composite cone
• Midrange: 1 × 150mm woven Kevlar FST cone
• Tweeter: 1 × 25mm metal dome
• Frequency Response: 42Hz–20kHz ±2dB
• Extended Response: Approximately 28Hz–30kHz, −6dB
• Sensitivity: 90dB SPL (2.83V, 1m)
• Nominal Impedance: 8 ohms
• Minimum Impedance: 3.0 ohms
• Crossover Frequencies: 350Hz / 4kHz
• Recommended Amplifier Power: 50–250 watts
• Cabinet: Curved laminated-ply construction with Matrix bracing
• Bass Loading: Flowport bass-reflex system
• Terminals: Bi-wire/bi-amp capable
• Dimensions: 1064mm H × 285mm W × 431mm D
• Weight: Approximately 30kg (66 lb) each
• Finishes: Black Ash, Cherrywood, Red-Stained Cherrywood
• Country of Manufacture: England