Listened to B&W 805S speakers today

[mazersteven]

Also something to think about. Pick your speakers first, then your electronics. But don't think your powering those caliper of speaker with a mid-fi receiver. Not happening. Expect some higher cost in electronics to drive some of the speakers mentioned.

 

[Seth=L]

Also something to think about. Pick your speakers first, then your electronics. But don't think your powering those caliper of speaker with a mid-fi receiver. Not happening. Expect some higher cost in electronics to drive some of the speakers mentioned.

Good lord yes, no Insignia or Sony receivers for these speakers.

 

[WmAx]

I auditioned the 801D's. If I was going to spend that cash I'm not purchasing B&W's.

Say hello to my little friend.

Willson Watt/Puppies.



I auditioned the 801D's and Wilsons side by side for over 8 hours.

They are both good devices. But the B&W is a superior engineered device(though not nesecarily the most pleasing sounding; probably a result of a flatter treble response - see below). It will have fewer resonances(due to it's cabinet design), and have an over all greater linearity due to it's attention to diffraction characteristics regarding the cabinet surface corners.

The real issue, I believe, is that you probably did not have an equalizer. One should balance the fine points of tonal response(especially a gradual treble taper from 5khz on up) for one's preference(s) on any speaker, as well as bass perception, regarding commonly subjective things such as 'tightness' and 'extension' ; both of which are completely modifiable by a proper DSP equalizer.

-Chris

 

[WmAx]

Also something to think about. Pick your speakers first, then your electronics. But don't think your powering those caliper of speaker with a mid-fi receiver. Not happening. Expect some higher cost in electronics to drive some of the speakers mentioned.

Yeah, one of those really expensive Behringer A500($200) amplifiers would be needed to power those speakers. Or perhaps even a super-high cost Behringer EP1500($300).

-Chris

 

[Seth=L]

Yeah, one of those really expensive Behringer A500($200) amplifiers would be needed to power those speakers. Or perhaps even a super-high cost Behringer EP1500($300).

-Chris

Outrageous! You would spend that much on amplification, you are crazy my friend, crazy.

 

[mike c]

I was trying to compare similar speakers after listening to the 805S. But I guess the 800 series competes more with the Paradigm Signature line than the studio line. I guess I am trying to see if I can get more bang for the buck by using the 805S price as a base. Plus my wife wants to go into stores to audition the music and doesnt want to deal with internet only companies to save the hassle of shipping them back if she doesnt like. Since she just upped the budget by a huge amount I have to abide by her rules. Beggers cant be choosers. We didn't have much time with the Paradigms but we will go back and see if they have some signatures to test out. Even though the 805S were amazing I just cant see myself spending 2500 for some bookshelves, so I want to show her other options. It just sucks that the damn b&w's have ruined the other speakers. Now she is going to compare every single speaker we listen to, to them.

don't forget to demo Monitor Audio Speakers ... the GS20 should be around the same price as the 805S. some people (I didn't A/B them myself) think that the GS series are 800 series killers. (being half the price and sound as good)

the GS10 is the bookshelf of the gold signature series

 

[mazersteven]

Yeah, one of those really expensive Behringer A500($200) amplifiers would be needed to power those speakers. Or perhaps even a super-high cost Behringer EP1500($300).

-Chris

Even if someone was to use the A500, it's still solidifies my statement of more cost. Even if it is only a $200 amp, it's more cost. Most cost in the rack to hold it. More cost in the interconnect cables. Anyway you look at it that caliber of speakers cost more to enjoy.

Again I'm not going to get into a "what's a better amp" discussion on this thread. But I'm not using a Behringer A500 to drive a pair or Focal 826's. JMO

 

[Seth=L]

Again I'm not going to get into a "what's a better amp" discussion on this thread. But I'm not using a Behringer A500 to drive a pair or Focal 826's. JMO

Right, you drive the Focals with the EP1500, it has more power.

 

[mazersteven]

Right, you drive the Focals with the EP1500, it has more power.

Still not what I was thinking. But whatever floats your boat. LOL

 

[Warpdrv]

Just a note to the OP....

Not sure how you can compare the B&W's powered by a really nice amp, and then listen to the Studio 100's underpowered by receiver.... they will not sound anywhere close to the way they are supposed to.

The B&W 600 line to me wasn't even close to the Studio 100's, IMO I thought the 100's sounded better then the 700 line B&W and closer to the 804s.

Paradigm 100's are pretty darn nice speakers, are they the best... NO
I think B&W's are over priced, but they are beautiful, and you pay for it.

One needs to compare apples to apples, to find what works....

Lots of other great suggestions for one to find some great speakers

 

[PENG]

You can get the 805 now and when you are ready for the 803 or 802D the 805 can be used as surround speakers. I don't think the Digms (signature included) even come close to the 80X D series. The Signatures are more comparable to the 803/4S. For about the same money I would still take the 803S. I find the B&W sound more like live music, especially good for classical music. The dealers will likely tell you to use Classe, Krell amps or at least something like a Bryston 14B for the 802D. The Digms may be less picky, any Anthem, Bryston, Rotel, Parasound amps will do well with them.

 

[billy p]

You can get the 805 now and when you are ready for the 803 or 802D the 805 can be used as surround speakers. I don't think the Digms (signature included) even come close to the 80X D series. The Signatures are more comparable to the 803/4S. For about the same money I would still take the 803S. I find the B&W sound more like live music, especially good for classical music. The dealers will likely tell you to use Classe, Krell amps or at least something like a Bryston 14B for the 802D. The Digms may be less picky, any Anthem, Bryston, Rotel, Parasound amps will do well with them.

I think you own some Energy V2.3's, where do they fit into this mix? Not having experienced these speakers it seems to me that the B&W are designed towards music and the Paradigm engineering gears them, towards home theater.

 

[Lady Phoenix]

don't forget to demo Monitor Audio Speakers ... the GS20 should be around the same price as the 805S. some people (I didn't A/B them myself) think that the GS series are 800 series killers. (being half the price and sound as good)

the GS10 is the bookshelf of the gold signature series

Hear hear! We've made the choice to go with MA golds over B&W (though we didn't test the 805S's specifically). Your description of your wife's reaction to the 805S's sounds similar to the reaction I had with the MA golds (ask Pheaton about it!). They're definitely worth a listen.

 

[mazersteven]

Hear hear! We've made the choice to go with MA golds over B&W (though we didn't test the 805S's specifically). Your description of your wife's reaction to the 805S's sounds similar to the reaction I had with the MA golds (ask Pheaton about it!). They're definitely worth a listen.

Monitor Audio Gold series are really nice. Big difference compared to the Silver series.

 

[mike c]

Hear hear! We've made the choice to go with MA golds over B&W (though we didn't test the 805S's specifically). Your description of your wife's reaction to the 805S's sounds similar to the reaction I had with the MA golds (ask Pheaton about it!). They're definitely worth a listen.

my wife? are you talking about this one?
http://forums.audioholics.com/forums/showthread.php?t=18396&highlight=805

are you really a girl? (wimmin are rare around here)

is Pheaton your husband?

 

[gus6464]

We are definitely upping our receiver budget as well. Now we are probably looking at something around the $1200 range. I was mostly thinking of Emotiva. I have been compiling a list of all the speakers you guys have mentioned and I have been trying to find dealers within a 50 mile radius from where we live. Next weekend we will be auditioning a lot more. But as it stands right now my wife wants to just go high end and buy another speaker every couple of months. If we decide to go with the 805S at the end we will finish with the 804S or 803S. And those speakers would probably last us a lot longer than if we went the cheaper route right now.

 

[gus6464]

So far I have found dealers in my area that sell Dynaudio, Energy, KEF, Aerial Acoustics and NHT. Could anyone tell me which are the specific models of these brands that would compete with the 805S'? Just so that I am not listening to speakers that weren't meant to compete with them to begin with. Also I am trying to find a Monitor Audio dealer as well. Also if you guys can recommend any other brands to look at I would appreciate it.

 

[PENG]

Just a note to the OP....

Not sure how you can compare the B&W's powered by a really nice amp, and then listen to the Studio 100's underpowered by receiver.... they will not sound anywhere close to the way they are supposed to.

The B&W 600 line to me wasn't even close to the Studio 100's, IMO I thought the 100's sounded better then the 700 line B&W and closer to the 804s.

Paradigm 100's are pretty darn nice speakers, are they the best... NO
I think B&W's are over priced, but they are beautiful, and you pay for it.

One needs to compare apples to apples, to find what works....

Lots of other great suggestions for one to find some great speakers

Not according to my experience, and I wasn't the only one in the room when we compared a RX-V2400 and a pair of high end Anthem driving a pair of Paradigm Studio 100 V3. Any difference was not noticeable at any volume that we could terlerate in the stores 15X20 room. And yes, all Paradigm reference (Studio) and Signature speakers are very nice speakers but you don't get as much improvements pairing them with high end electronics as you would with the B&W800 series speakers. To state the obvious, others may/will have differenent opinions based on their on experience. Before anyone spending that kind of money on speakers, he/she should do some serious auditioning.

 

[PENG]

I think you own some Energy V2.3's, where do they fit into this mix? Not having experienced these speakers it seems to me that the B&W are designed towards music and the Paradigm engineering gears them, towards home theater.

Billy, after listening to the 802D, 803D, 803S, 804S, 805, the first 2 in the same store where the V2.3i's were, I could not make up my mind. I like the big B&Ws powered by the 600 WPC Bryston but they cost so much more than the 2.3i that still sound really nice, no day and night kind of difference. I then auditioned to the Studio (they are the reference series by the way)100, 60, 40, 20, some KEFs, and the Signatures S8, S2. Then I went to listen to the V2.3i and a pair of British made speakers comparable in price to the 2.3i in another high end stores using an ARCAM AVR300, I bought the 2.3i right on the spot because I know then the 2.3i could sound decent with my 3805+GFA555. I did not have the 4BSST yet at that time.

I would say the 2.3i is comparable to the 804S and is definitely better in overall balance than the Studio 100. If I were to do it again I would have bought the 805 while saving for the 802/3D. In that scenario, the 805 could eventually go to the rear of in a smaller room for a 2 ch music listening system. With the 2.3i, I would not know what to do with them after the upgrade.

To me, the 805 not only sound great, it is also good looking. If I had a wife who would ask me to buy a pair, even now, I would do it in a split second.

Billy: I should add that I actually felt that the Energy Veritas 2.3i, 2.2i(not sure about the 2.4), the Paradigm Ref, Sig, B&W 803/4S are really all round speakers. When I did my listening sessions I bought my own Jazz and Classical music CD's that covered a full range of musical instruments, orchestras and vocals. The B&Ws sounded the best with the violin.

 

[Rickster71]

We also listened to some Paradigm Studio Reference 100 towers with the same cd we used to test the 805S' and it just wasnt the same. The 100s were powered by a Pioneer Elite receiver.

Wow, with the wife giving the thumbs up, strike while the irons hot
I wonder if the Paradigm Signature S-4's or the S-2's would be a closer comparison, to the B&W 805's?