Are Bowers and Wilkins speakers overpriced?

I agree those tweeters are a force to be reckoned with... My 802D's are currently waiting help in taming them down ... in the beginning they didn't bother me, but after my hearing became more refined, boy oh boy I had problems... now the sit silent. but I am going to give a tube PreAmp a run with them... maybe, one could hope...

I heard a few B&W speakers in the past, and wasn't impressed. That being said, I recently turned in my Revel F32's for a pair of B&W 705 S2's. I would seriously like to send one to GR Research, have it measured, and upgraded. I do think the tweeters are a bit hot, and I do believe in Danny Richie. The problem is that these ship two to a box, and shipping is sky high right now. They are very revealing, can make you cringe on bad recordings, can make you smile on good recordings, and are much easier to move than the big Revel's. I do not regret the purchase. I spent 42 years in industry, have tinnitus, and they work for me.

The B&W 804D3 I purchased in 2018 for $10,000 would cost $3,281.47 in 1980.

Another way to estimate: Build the same speaker from scratch with same measurements, same drivers and materials, same finish, etc. Then add up your cost.