B&W 800D3 HiFi Speaker = Porsche GT3 Sport Car

[MasterApex]

I am looking to upgrade my HiFi speakers, so been doing a few auditions /evaluations on Magico A5/S5/M2 , Focal Maestro Utopia, B&W 800D3 (while waiting to get a chance to hear 801D4).

It seems to me that the B&W 800D3 as Hi Fi Speakers is like Porsche GT3 as Sport Car.
It is not the most exotic, most expensive or wins specific technical measurement but seems to hit the sweet spot for performance, resale, spare parts, looks.

Example: The Z06 C6 have better measurement in term of HP, 0-100, static g-force traction limit but in real life road and track driving , 991 GT3 wins.

800D3 wins on the same real life listening to most enthusiast and pro so I think I may just get 800D3 or get on wait list for 801D4

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I guess you might think that if you love B&W a lot.

But I think no speakers of any brand can be compared to any cars, especially after you have listened to a bunch of speakers over a long period of time.

Do you see “most” people on Audioholics praise any B&W speakers at all in terms of anything other than looks and resale?

The only reason I bought the 802D2 was because of the aesthetics. But after the honeymoon period was over, looks isn’t everything.

Speakers like the B&W 802/801/800 and Revel Salon2 do have great RESALE value, which was great for me when I sold them after owning them for about 1 year.

Even if I had a decillion dollars in the bank, I would still buy the RBH SVTRS towers for speakers and the Lexus LX600 for automobiles.

So just depends on what floats OUR boats.

If you love B&W that much, I do understand 100% why you would want to buy them, just like anything else in life. I am sure anyone who has bought the 800 diamonds in the past understands.

 

[Danzilla31]

I guess you might think that if you love B&W a lot.

But I think no speakers of any brand can be compared to any cars, especially after you have listened to a bunch of speakers over a long period of time.

Do you see “most” people on Audioholics praise any B&W speakers at all in terms of anything other than looks and resale?

The only reason I bought the 802D2 was because of the aesthetics. But after the honeymoon period was over, looks isn’t everything.

Speakers like the B&W 802/801/800 and Revel Salon2 do have great RESALE value, which was great for me when I sold them after owning them for about 1 year.

Even if I had a decillion dollars in the bank, I would still buy the RBH SVTRS towers for speakers and the Lexus LX600 for automobiles.

So just depends on what floats OUR boats.

If you love B&W that much, I do understand 100% why you would want to buy them, just like anything else in life. I am sure anyone who has bought the 800 diamonds in the past understands.

I'm wondering what subjectively did you like about the B&W and what did you not like? I've never asked you about your time with them and Im curious

As a fellow RBH owner I too would never give up my RBH by the way. In fact I'm getting married to my RBH speakers this summer

 

[Danzilla31]

I am looking to upgrade my HiFi speakers, so been doing a few auditions /evaluations on Magico A5/S5/M2 , Focal Maestro Utopia, B&W 800D3 (while waiting to get a chance to hear 801D4).

It seems to me that the B&W 800D3 as Hi Fi Speakers is like Porsche GT3 as Sport Car.
It is not the most exotic, most expensive or wins specific technical measurement but seems to hit the sweet spot for performance, resale, spare parts, looks.

Example: The Z06 C6 have better measurement in term of HP, 0-100, static g-force traction limit but in real life road and track driving , 991 GT3 wins.

800D3 wins on the same real life listening to most enthusiast and pro so I think I may just get 800D3 or get on wait list for 801D4

How long are they saying the wait list is for the 801D4?

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I'm wondering what subjectively did you like about the B&W and what did you not like? I've never asked you about your time with them and Im curious

As a fellow RBH owner I too would never give up my RBH by the way. In fact I'm getting married to my RBH speakers this summer

My 800D2 pros: unique aesthetics of Marlan-head, allure of "DIAMOND" tweeters that cost about $2K each.

Cons: Diamond tweeters are extremely FRAGILE, high cost, doesn't sound ANY BETTER than a good Aluminum or silk-dome tweeter to me.

If I were a billionaire, I would have a mansion with many rooms for speakers and the 800s would be in one of them for AESTHETICS, just like the Salon2, Muon, Grande Utopia and others would have their own rooms.

I sold the 802D2 for the same reason I sold the Salon2, Linkwitz Orion 3.2.1 and KEF Reference 201/2 - I had to use separate subwoofers with all of them - and hopefully I don't hear anyone say "but separate subwoofers are better" - that's another topic for another thread. This thread isn't about RBH or subs. It's about home speakers and sports cars.

 

[lovinthehd]

My 800D2 pros: unique aesthetics of Marlan-head, allure of "DIAMOND" tweeters that cost about $2K each.

Cons: Diamond tweeters are extremely FRAGILE, high cost, doesn't sound ANY BETTER than a good Aluminum or silk-dome tweeter to me.

If I were a billionaire, I would have a mansion with many rooms for speakers and the 800s would be in one of them for AESTHETICS, just like the Salon2, Muon, Grande Utopia and others would have their own rooms.

I sold the 802D2 for the same reason I sold the Salon2, Linkwitz Orion 3.2.1 and KEF Reference 201/2 - I had to use separate subwoofers with all of them - and hopefully I don't hear anyone say "but separate subwoofers are better" - that's another topic for another thread.

Then again the "sub" part of those modular towers are still separate subs and available as such. For the OP maybe the active RBH SVTRS modular towers instead? https://www.audioholics.com/tower-speaker-reviews/rbh-sound-signature-svtrs-speaker

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Then again the "sub" part of those modular towers are still separate subs and available as such. For the OP maybe the active RBH SVTRS modular towers instead? https://www.audioholics.com/tower-speaker-reviews/rbh-sound-signature-svtrs-speaker

Well, I didn't mean to talk about RBH. But in response to your post, the SVTR tower by default is a "single-tower/single-amp" design since both the SV831R and SV1212NR have internal crossovers. Thus, they don't act as separate monitors + subs. You can use just a single amp to power the entire SVTR tower.

The SVT tower by default acts as monitor + sub.

I meant to say that everyone has their "thing" - we fall "in-love" with certain speakers for personal reasons and recommend them because we own them and because they fit our wants/desires/goals.

Many of us may not care much about the 801D4, but the OP may care a lot.

So the only point is that the 801D4 may seem like Porsche or any other cars only if you are in love with them. If you don't care so much about them, then they are not "Porsche".

 

[Danzilla31]

I am looking to upgrade my HiFi speakers, so been doing a few auditions /evaluations on Magico A5/S5/M2 , Focal Maestro Utopia, B&W 800D3 (while waiting to get a chance to hear 801D4).

It seems to me that the B&W 800D3 as Hi Fi Speakers is like Porsche GT3 as Sport Car.
It is not the most exotic, most expensive or wins specific technical measurement but seems to hit the sweet spot for performance, resale, spare parts, looks.

Example: The Z06 C6 have better measurement in term of HP, 0-100, static g-force traction limit but in real life road and track driving , 991 GT3 wins.

800D3 wins on the same real life listening to most enthusiast and pro so I think I may just get 800D3 or get on wait list for 801D4

For your speaker upgrade are these new speakers going to be for a 2 channel setup movie room or surround setup or both?

 

[lovinthehd]

FWIW car analogies with audio tend to suck anyways.

 

[Verdinut]

IMO, the B & W 800D3 loudspeaker is more like a Cadillac. It is expensive but never performs as well as a lot of less expensive speakers. You just pay for the brand and the looks.

 

[lovinthehd]

IMO, the B & W 800D3 loudspeaker is more like a Cadillac. It is expensive but never performs as well as a lot of less expensive speakers. You just pay for the brand and the looks.

What about the Cacillacs with magnetic suspension vs otherwise? Was a game changer for their handling.... Hard for me to imagine B&W being competitive with so many other more capable speakers.....

 

[Verdinut]

What about the Cacillacs with magnetic suspension vs otherwise? Was a game changer for their handling.... Hard for me to imagine B&W being competitive with so many other more capable speakers.....

IMO, GM vehicles can never compete in reliability with Japanese cars.

 

[lovinthehd]

IMO, GM vehicles can never compete in reliability with Japanese cars.

The ones that licensed the magnetic suspension or ? Some Japanese cars aren't all tha reliable (Subaru?)

 

[lovinthehd]

Then again are the solely Canadian cars?

 

[lovinthehd]

IMO, GM vehicles can never compete in reliability with Japanese cars.

For that matter who can compete with the Koenigsegg cars? Let alone lumbering conglomerates like Toyota or GM?

 

[Verdinut]

The ones that licensed the magnetic suspension or ? Some Japanese cars aren't all tha reliable (Subaru?)

I know that Nissan and Subaru vehicles are not as reliable as Honda or Toyota ones, these two companies which started to operate just after end of WWII.

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

Car/speaker analogies are so stoopid.
fwiw, here’s my favorite system.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Car/speaker analogies are so stoopid.
fwiw, here’s my favorite system.

Would you drive that everywhere you go?

Or just to work?

I would drive the LX600 everywhere I go.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

IMO, GM vehicles can never compete in reliability with Japanese cars.

Yeah, according to Consumer Report Reliability, Lexus, Toyota, Infiniti, Nissan, Honda, Acura, Mazda, Subaru are in the TOP 9.

Consumer Reports 2021 Reliability Study: Top 10 Has Japanese Brands, Mini, Buick

Lexus and Mazda are most reliable, U.S. brands are mid-pack, CR says, and Tesla outscores only Lincoln. The least reliable model? A $58,000-plus Mercedes SUV

www.forbes.com

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

Would you drive that everywhere you go?

Or just to work?

I would drive the LX600 everywhere I go.

Yes. Everywhere!!! 10,000 rwhp. FTW!!!