Bjorn's Audio Video

[Pogre]

Sort of like “ When did you stop beating your wife, Pogre?”

Cosmetically, the 802’s look a bit too space age...like some sort of hyper-space engine. Then again, if I had 22K dumped into these I’m sure my attitude would magically change. For that buck they better sound head and shoulders better than the stuff us riff-raff have. I have noticed better speaker designers use that tear-drop shape a lot.

They're big too. I don't know if their aesthetic is my favorite feature. I'm sure it's all about the sound tho. I wouldn't change a thing. They really do sound awesome.

 

[Pogre]

The compliments and olive branch in there were as genuine as my enthusiasm for the 800 series.

I do not want to derail this thread, that was not the intent. I will delete the post if it causes further conflict.

Perhaps if it you weren't so condescending and you didn't include a post from a while ago that's just as insulting now as it was then. Read Mitch's (funny but accurate) post to see how you come across. I didn't go out and listen because you said I should. It's what audiophiles do when given the opportunity.

I heard what I expected to hear. If a speaker sells for $22,000 a pair it'd better sound farging amazing! I played drums and was raised around live music since I was little. My parents were in a band. I have plenty of reference points for how music should sound, recorded or live.

Thank you for the pat on the head and the doggy biscuit tho...

 

[Hetfield]

Perhaps if it you weren't so condescending and you didn't include a post from a while ago that's just as insulting now as it was then. Read Mitch's (funny but accurate) post to see how you come across. I didn't go out and listen because you said I should. It's what audiophiles do when given the opportunity.

I heard what I expected to hear. If a speaker sells for $22,000 a pair it'd better sound farging amazing! I played drums and was raised around live music since I was little. My parents were in a band. I have plenty of reference points for how music should sound, recorded or live.

Thank you for the pat on the head and the doggy biscuit tho...

Don't waste your breath on the negative. God knows I've done too much of that.

Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk

 

[Pogre]

Don't waste your breath on the negative. God knows I've done too much of that.

Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk

You're right. I shall withdraw.

Don't see you around very often anymore. Where ya been?

 

[Hetfield]

You're right. I shall withdraw.

Don't see you around very often anymore. Where ya been?

Yeah I'm around. I repond less lately. I was on a cruise for 9 days so I've been a little out of it. Still rockin the Def Techs. I actually fell in love with them again just recently. They really are good speakers. I also have been seeing how much other people like the Studio monitor line. Audioholics here loved them. How are you and the Ultras doing?

Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk

 

[KEW]

I myself have yet been able to figure out what to look for in a graph that will give me what you have now experienced.

Yes, that takes experience, the desire to learn, and, most importantly, an open mind!

If you prematurely rule measurements out as irrelevant, you should never expect to understand!

I would argue with anyone who said they are the final word (over listening), but measurements give you a lot of useful information and often help you know things to double check when listening!

 

[Pogre]

Yeah I'm around. I repond less lately. I was on a cruise for 9 days so I've been a little out of it. Still rockin the Def Techs. I actually fell in love with them again just recently. They really are good speakers. I also have been seeing how much other people like the Studio monitor line. Audioholics here loved them. How are you and the Ultras doing?

Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk

Ha! We're both great, though the 802's came close to spoiling me. I'm still in love. I still think I nailed it for everything I bought. In my eyes I made perfect choices for what I can afford. I'd have to spend about 10x as much to really get next level and I simply do not have that kind of money, lol.

 

[Pogre]

Yes, that takes experience, the desire to learn, and, most importantly, an open mind!

If you prematurely rule measurements out as irrelevant, you should never expect to understand!

I would argue with anyone who said they are the final word (over listening), but measurements give you a lot of useful information and often help you know things to double check when listening!

I share this sentiment with you and always have. I didn't suddenly have an epiphany. One of the first things I asked my sister and her boyfriend was if there were any audio stores around. I would do the same in any city or town. I love, LOVE going out and listening to equipment. I always have.

I can still remember the first time I got a taste of true hifi when a friend and I went to a shop and they had these huge (taller than me) Magnepan speakers, 2 huge monoblock amps and a monstrous looking Klipsch Subwoofer. I was pretty blown away that time too. The sound was so clear. It just seemed to appear out of nowhere. Ethereal. We listened to some other stuff too, but those Magnepans will always be etched in my memory. That's where I bought my B&W speakers (used) for about 5 hundo.

My uncle was the vp of plasmatronocs. The guy he worked for developed these speakers. Still considered by some to be the world's best tweeter. Unfortunately Alan didn't have a very good head for business and it never took off, but I think a company or two is experimenting with the technology.

Technically it's almost a perfect speaker. They produce sound by ionizing helium in a plasma field. I got to demo these speakers when I was in my early 20's and they were still trying to figure out to make money on them. They were pretty amazing. I could blow the plasma out and it would stop playing until it reignited. No drivers or moving parts at all. Just needed a tank of helium! Very cool stuff. He had a pair in the reception area of his office/facility too. I always liked going there with my uncle.

I just got back into audio again last year. So far I'm having a blast and there's no sign of me slowing down.

*Edit: I'm just now reading the article I linked ( ) and I may have very well listened to the same set that was reviewed. Dr Hill only made so many of them.

 

[Bucknekked]

I share this sentiment with you and always have. I didn't suddenly have an epiphany. One of the first things I asked my sister and her boyfriend was if there were any audio stores around. I would do the same in any city or town. I love, LOVE going out and listening to equipment. I always have.

I can still remember the first time I got a taste of true hifi when a friend and I went to a shop and they had these huge (taller than me) Magnepan speakers, 2 huge monoblock amps and a monstrous looking Klipsch Subwoofer. I was pretty blown away that time too. The sound was so clear. It just seemed to appear out of nowhere. Ethereal. We listened to some other stuff too, but those Magnepans will always be etched in my memory. That's where I bought my B&W speakers (used) for about 5 hundo.

My uncle was the vp of plasmatronocs. The guy he worked for developed these speakers. Still considered by some to be the world's best tweeter. Unfortunately Alan didn't have a very good head for business and it never took off, but I think a company or two is experimenting with the technology.

Technically it's almost a perfect speaker. They produce sound by ionizing helium in a plasma field. I got to demo these speakers when I was in my early 20's and they were still trying to figure out to make money on them. They were pretty amazing. I could blow the plasma out and it would stop playing until it reignited. No drivers or moving parts at all. Just needed a tank of helium! Very cool stuff. He had a pair in the reception area of his office/facility too. I always liked going there with my uncle.

I just got back into audio again last year. So far I'm having a blast and there's no sign of me slowing down.

*Edit: I'm just now reading the article I linked ( ) and I may have very well listened to the same set that was reviewed. Dr Hill only made so many of them.

I think you're attitude and sentiments for audio are pretty stinkin' cool.
Don't change a thing.
For me to upgrade from where I am now (and where you are now) would cost a fortune.
Maybe some day I'll have that fortune, but for today, I am happy as an audio clam

 

[2channel lover]

I didn't really have time for any serious critical listening, I was just pretty blown away at how realistic they sounded. I can hear the difference in the price. Just way above my pay grade.

OMG!

The 4th pic down on your initial post looks like the 803d3...I've spent a lot of time with those...the 802d3 I sat in on while someone else was demoing them for maybe 4 or 5 songs...they were so far over my pay scale that I didn't want to waste too much time drooling over them.

The 803d3 is beast in it's own right...but if you heard the Monitor Audio Gold 300 in a side by side, you have to really want the B&W brand to take the 803d3 home...The 803s are better, but not $10k better.

 

[KEW]

Ha! We're both great, though the 802's came close to spoiling me. I'm still in love. I still think I nailed it for everything I bought. In my eyes I made perfect choices for what I can afford. I'd have to spend about 10x as much to really get next level and I simply do not have that kind of money, lol.

For me to upgrade from where I am now (and where you are now) would cost a fortune.
Maybe some day I'll have that fortune, but for today, I am happy as an audio clam

Once you are so far into diminishing returns, it becomes very difficult to justify the next step up!

 

[Hetfield]

Ha! We're both great, though the 802's came close to spoiling me. I'm still in love. I still think I nailed it for everything I bought. In my eyes I made perfect choices for what I can afford. I'd have to spend about 10x as much to really get next level and I simply do not have that kind of money, lol.

Wow that is some trip to a high end store. I never heard B&W speakers but have read great things of course. Like you, too rich for my blood. With this hobby I need to win the lottery.

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[Mitchibo]

Speakers are like mattresses. You gotta sleep on ‘ em a few nights to be sure. (I don’t actually sleep “on” my speakers as that would be painful). Did you all notice that they weigh a mere 208 lbs? I wonder how these would sound in an average living room? Seems like most retail listening rooms sound great no matter what. Lucky are the few that have nice large rooms to set things up properly.

Thanks for the photos Pogre. Shame on me for not doing the same thing last month when I bought.

 

[<eargiant]

Perhaps if it you weren't so condescending and you didn't include a post from a while ago that's just as insulting now as it was then. Read Mitch's (funny but accurate) post to see how you come across. I didn't go out and listen because you said I should. It's what audiophiles do when given the opportunity.

I heard what I expected to hear. If a speaker sells for $22,000 a pair it'd better sound farging amazing! I played drums and was raised around live music since I was little. My parents were in a band. I have plenty of reference points for how music should sound, recorded or live.

Thank you for the pat on the head and the doggy biscuit tho...

No worries. Posts deleted and olive branch retracted.

But seriously dude, I think you were reading a tone in that post that was not there.

 

[Pogre]

No worries. Posts deleted and olive branch retracted.

But seriously dude, I think you were reading a tone in that post that was not there.

No, don't delete it. I'd rather let everyone see how you reply to people.

But seriously dude, I think the whole forum was reading a "tone that was not there". You need to work on that "tone" part.

 

[Pogre]

OMG!

The 4th pic down on your initial post looks like the 803d3...I've spent a lot of time with those...the 802d3 I sat in on while someone else was demoing them for maybe 4 or 5 songs...they were so far over my pay scale that I didn't want to waste too much time drooling over them.

The 803d3 is beast in it's own right...but if you heard the Monitor Audio Gold 300 in a side by side, you have to really want the B&W brand to take the 803d3 home...The 803s are better, but not $10k better.

Did I mix up my 800's? Are the 803's smaller than the 802's? They were both D3's. That I remember for sure.

 

[2channel lover]

Did I mix up my 800's? Are the 803's smaller than the 802's? They were both D3's. That I remember for sure.

No, I think you got pics of both the 803 and 802, and yes, the 803 is smaller and the entire 800 line is D3 (Diamond 3rd Gen).

The 802 has long been my dream speaker, but now they have really ramped up the 803...it too has the separate compartment for the midrange like the 802....both imo are true 2.0 speakers, no sub needed...but at $17k & $22k or whatever they cost...I just don't see it.

Maybe if I had that kind of cheese to spend on speakers I would feel different, but I think I can do as good if not better with about $8 to $10k for 2ch no sub needed speakers.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I can hear the difference in the price.

People can usually hear the difference in both price and aesthetics.

............Until the honeymoon period is over.

That's how I felt when I owned Salon2 and B&W 802 Diamonds.

But it's the same way with everything else in life.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I think I can do as good if not better with about $8 to $10k for 2ch no sub needed speakers.

Definitely paying for more than just SQ.

You're also paying for the adventure.

Back when I owned both Salon 2 and 802 Diamond, I had some friends over to audition.

One time one of my friends came to listen. He listened to Salon2, KEF 201/2, Linkwitz Orion, Phil3, Dynaudio, Focal, TAD. But he just flat out refused to even listen to the B&W 802 Diamond. He was looking at me like he was thinking, "Why on earth did you buy these speakers?"

It really hurt my feelings.

 

[2channel lover]

Definitely paying for more than just SQ.

You're also paying for the adventure.

Back when I owned both Salon 2 and 802 Diamond, I had some friends over to audition.

One time one of my friends came to listen. He listened to Salon2, KEF 201/2, Linkwitz Orion, Phil3, Dynaudio, Focal, TAD. But he just flat out refused to even listen to the B&W 802 Diamond. He was looking at me like he was thinking, "Why on earth did you buy these speakers?"

It really hurt my feelings.

That's a who's who of top shelf speakers.

802D? wow...my 1st exposure to B&W was the early 90s and by '96 or '97 I scraped up enough cash to buy my 804m (the matrix cabinet bracing they use was I guess what the "M" stood for) as they were transitioning to the Nautilus 800 series.

They were expensive back then, but they've gone to another level now. Without question you're paying for a lot of fluff with this brand. I'd like to hear your thoughts on that collection of speakers though...a killer set there.