B&W 802D: 3rd Time's a Charm on Friday the 13th

[psbfan9]

Actually, the hiss was from the 800D + Classe amp.

The 802D + Rotel amp did not have the hiss.

Was the 802D you auditioned connected to a Classe amp?

Nautilus, huh?

They use aluminum tweeters, great, but common.

They are $60K/PR and use aluminum tweeters, while their $5K/pr 805D use diamonds.

They were using McIntosh components. I think the amp was a MC452 with balanced connectors. The tweeter hiss was audible from 3-4 ft. maybe more. There was also a buzz from the amp that was audible from 6" away from the amp chassis.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

They were using McIntosh components. I think the amp was a MC452 with balanced connectors. The tweeter hiss was audible from 3-4 ft. maybe more. There was also a buzz from the amp that was audible from 6" away from the amp chassis.

The 802D I auditioned did not have any hiss or hum or buzz.

That dealer you went to is........I'm speechless.

Classe & McIntosh amps having hiss noise from speakers. What's up with that?

The dealer I went to also sells McIntosh. But they used Rotel & Classe amps.

 

[slipperybidness]

I though the 802 were decent when I audition them but I don't think they were worth the asking price.

For $10k I'd want to look at these:

Focus SE | Legacy Audio - Building the World's Finest Audio Systems

Legacy Focus SE Loudspeaker (TAS 215) | AVguide

Those look a lot like ADAM Audio, and from what I've read that is another excellent line of speakers.

 

[KEW]

The tweeter hiss was audible from 3-4 ft. maybe more. There was also a buzz from the amp that was audible from 6" away from the amp chassis.

I'm not sure I've ever had an amp that didn't have some hum if you got close and listened (in a quiet room). IME, it starts out louder and quiets as it warms up and stabilizes, but it is still there if you put your ear close (and don't have HVAC running, for example).

 

[KEW]

The 802D I auditioned did not have any hiss or hum or buzz.

So, what is the ETA on those bad boys?
I'm bettin' first week of August!

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

So, what is the ETA on those bad boys?
I'm bettin' first week of August!

Still thinking.

 

[fuzz092888]

Still thinking.

.......about where he's going to put them until he builds a separate man cave for them.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

.......about where he's going to put them until he builds a separate man cave for them.

For $10,000 + tax, you know where they are going.

But just still debating with myself if I should go for it.

 

[fuzz092888]

Well for that money there are speakers higher on my list, but it ain't my 10 grand either

From my point of view while standing in your shoes, the question isn't yes or no...............it's here or there.

Just sayin'

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Well for that money there are speakers higher on my list, but it ain't my 10 grand either

From my point of view while standing in your shoes, the question isn't yes or no...............it's here or there.

Just sayin'

You guys are coming from a sensible, rational, and practical perspective - heavens forbid.

So let's just say that it ain't making my decision any easier.

I don't care what they say. Peer pressure always matters.

 

[psbfan9]

You have mentioned a few times that you're most interested in having a diamond tweeter. Ask Dennis if he can build you a Phil3 D...

 

[Irvrobinson]

You have mentioned a few times that you're most interested in having a diamond tweeter. Ask Dennis if he can build you a Phil3 D...

With what? That $2800 Accuton thing? Is there another diamond tweeter on the market?

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

You have mentioned a few times that you're most interested in having a diamond tweeter. Ask Dennis if he can build you a Phil3 D...

That's funny. But no.

I'm actually more interested in the Marlan head & overall aesthetics than the diamond tweeter, which does have a certain exotic appeal.

How many carats is that diamond anyway?

 

[cpp]

How many carats is that diamond anyway?

not enough to impress the little wife that's for sure or anyone else.

Just buy you two JANTZEN JDT-1024 tweeters and send them to Dennis to build you a new pair of speakers. The two tweeters will only set you back $4000 bucks or a Accuton D20-6-31 Pure Diamond 3/4" Dome Tweeter for only $2,900 each

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

not enough to impress the little wife that's for sure or anyone else.

Just buy you two JANTZEN JDT-1024 tweeters and send them to Dennis to build you a new pair of speakers. The two tweeters will only set you back $4000 bucks or a Accuton D20-6-31 Pure Diamond 3/4" Dome Tweeter for only $2,900 each

Wow. I didn't even know anyone else made a diamond tweeter.

$2K-$3K for one diamond tweeter? Geez. Crazy.

I wonder how much is the 802D diamond tweeter?

 

[cpp]

I wonder how much is the 802D diamond tweeter?

not sure but Element Six makes the diamond CVD tweeters for B&W 800 series.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

B&W Group North America Service & Support - B&W Parts Retail Price List

802D replacement parts. All prices shown are per individual item unless otherwise specified...

Diamond Tweeter w/ housing $1223
Midrange $312
Woofers $400 x 2 = $800
Plinth $2206
Head Assembly $2693
Crossover $841
Other parts $1,000+

Total = $9,000 per speaker x 2 = $18K/PR

Delmond Won told me once the costs of just the cabinets alone without any drivers & crossovers would be about $8K/PR (this includes the stain/finish/polishing) .

I calculated $2693 + $2206 = $4899 x 2 = $9,798/PR cabinets (this includes the stain/finish/polishing).

Tweeter $1223 + midrange $312 + 2 woofers $800 = $2335 x 2 = $4670/PR drivers.

So cabinets + drivers = $ 14,468/PR.

Of course, we know it doesn't cost B&W this much.

But who can hand-make the complete cabinets of the 802D (including the Marlan head assembly and curved body from 20 layers of beech)?

I wonder why the B&W diamond tweeter is so much cheaper than the Jantzen & Accuton Diamond.. All 3 diamond tweeters are Chemical Vapour Deposition.

 

[cpp]

B&W no doubt purchases in bulk the tweeters hence the savings. Still not sure you are going to be able to really hear a $2000 difference in sound from the RAAL. But it the B&W speaker would be cooler looking.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

B&W no doubt purchases in bulk the tweeters hence the savings. Still not sure you are going to be able to really hear a $2000 difference in sound from the RAAL. But it the B&W speaker would be cooler looking.

IMO the diamond tweeter does not sound any better than the RAAL or SEAS or Titanium or Beryllium or aluminum tweeters.

Just like Dennis will tell you the BG Neo8 sounds at least as great as the much more expensive Accuton midrange in the $16,000 Soundscape.

And the dual $400 B&W bass woofers do not sound better than the single ScanSpeak woofer in the Phil3.

And the $300 B&W midrange does not sound better than the $80 Neo8 midrange either IMO.

Sex appeal. Exotic appeal. Coolness factor. Something like that.

 

[slipperybidness]

B&W Group North America Service & Support - B&W Parts Retail Price List

802D replacement parts. All prices shown are per individual item unless otherwise specified...

Diamond Tweeter w/ housing $1223
Midrange $312
Woofers $400 x 2 = $800
Plinth $2206
Head Assembly $2693
Crossover $841
Other parts $1,000+

Total = $9,000 per speaker x 2 = $18K/PR

Delmond Won told me once the costs of just the cabinets alone without any drivers & crossovers would be about $8K/PR (this includes the stain/finish/polishing) .

I calculated $2693 + $2206 = $4899 x 2 = $9,798/PR cabinets (this includes the stain/finish/polishing).

Tweeter $1223 + midrange $312 + 2 woofers $800 = $2335 x 2 = $4670/PR drivers.

So cabinets + drivers = $ 14,468/PR.

Of course, we know it doesn't cost B&W this much.

But who can hand-make the complete cabinets of the 802D (including the Marlan head assembly and curved body from 20 layers of beech)?

I wonder why the B&W diamond tweeter is so much cheaper than the Jantzen & Accuton Diamond.. All 3 diamond tweeters are Chemical Vapour Deposition.

From the auditions I've done, I would take ribbon tweeters over diamonds any day of the week.