Bowers & Wilkins and Abbey Road are proud to announce the 801 Abbey Road Limited Edition loudspeaker - a fitting celebration of one of the most enduring collaborations in British recording history.

Offered in an exclusive production run of just 140 pairs, the 801 Abbey Road Limited Edition is a reference-quality loudspeaker based on the acclaimed 801 D4 Signature. Each pair is finished and trimmed in homage to the unique studio spaces and legendary instruments that have helped define our role in the recording industry as the home of music making.

Every pair sold includes a specially commissioned book detailing the rich history of both Abbey Road and Bowers & Wilkins.

Bowers & Wilkins has been a by-word for high-performance sound since it was founded in Worthing, UK in 1966. From the start, company founder John Bowers had a singular belief when it came to loudspeaker design. This remains at the heart of the company he founded almost 60 years later: a high-fidelity loudspeaker should be to the ear what a flawless pane of glass is to the eye; allowing the clear passage of a sensory image, uncorrupted and faithful in every nuance to the original. Bowers & Wilkins calls this True Sound.

In 1980, John Bowers visited the studios to demonstrate his new design, the 801 – the first of what he described as “a new generation of loudspeakers designed for both the professional and the exceptionally critical listener.” Designed to be the ultimate loudspeaker for hi-fi enthusiasts, the 801 was also specifically developed to be accurate enough for use in professional studios. Our engineers immediately understood its value and soon adopted it as their monitor of choice, becoming the first recording studio in the world to use the 801.

This marked the start of an enduring and incredibly fruitful 45-year relationship. Since 1980, six successive generations of Bowers & Wilkins 800 Series loudspeakers have graced our control rooms, where generations of artists and composers have created era-defining work and our skilled engineering team have reinvented the way music is created and heard.

The 801 Abbey Road Limited Edition boasts a carefully crafted Vintage Walnut cabinet inspired by the studios’ iconic interiors and the countless instruments that have enriched recordings at Abbey Road over the decades. Complementing this unique wooden finish is a bespoke red Leather by Connolly trim that references both the aesthetic of the control room in Studio Two, and the red leather chairs used by generations of performers throughout Abbey Road. The design also includes a unique identifying plate on its rear panel, designed to mark its status as one of just 140 pairs of loudspeakers being produced. Buyers will also receive a unique, specially commissioned book that details the history of the two brands and their collaboration, featuring never-previously published photography.

Commenting on the launch, Giles Pocock, Vice-President of Brand Marketing for Bowers & Wilkins, said “I couldn’t be more thrilled to bring this story to the market. We’re immensely proud of our partnership with our friends at Abbey Road and we think the 801 Abbey Road Limited Edition is the perfect way to celebrate that.”

Jeremy Huffelmann, General Manager for Abbey Road, added “Abbey Road’s relationship with Bowers & Wilkins is a decades-long celebration of sound and technology. I’m delighted we have collaborated to create the 801 Abbey Road Limited Edition together, honouring our shared history with an outstanding representation of the values, heritage and credibility of both our brands.”

Available to order now, the 801 Abbey Road Limited Edition is the ultimate expression of high-performance engineering, iconic music heritage and timeless craftsmanship. It serves as a fitting celebration of one of the most important and influential collaborations in British recording history.