Just Auditioned B&W 800D

[TLS Guy]

So did you just miss out on the entire meaning of his post? I can go down to the track any day of the week and find any number of properly tuned cars that will outpace stock Ferrari's and Lambo's but at the end of the day you're still driving a Ford/Acura/Benz/etc. and that guy you just beat is still driving a Ferrari/Lambo/Aston/etc. These Fords and other cars aren't bad by any means but they simply aren't on the same level as these high end luxury imports based on prestige, reputation, amenities, and depending on taste, looks.

One of my best friends has the B & W 800 D. I listen to them often. we bought a town house in Minneapolis a couple of weeks ago, closing June 13. So we will have a base there and in Benedict. We will be about four miles apart, so I will get to hear them even more often. I now have another speaker system to design and build!

I last listened to the B & W two weeks ago. I listened to Jessie Norman singing the Four Last Songs of Richard Strauss. The speakers were 10 to 11 ft apart. Your audition with them 6 ft apart, put them FAR TO CLOSE TOGETHER. No decent stereo pair will turn in a good performance less than 8 ft. apart. All electronics were McIntosh

The voice was full and lush with a gorgeous mezzo sound. The sound stage was good 3D sound stage and believable.

When my friend auditioned these speakers he wanted a sound as close as he could get to what he hears in my Theater/studio here.

The biggest difference is the bass. The 800 Ds have a very well controlled bass, for a ported enclosure. It does have good extension, but one is aware of the points were the pots kick in. The definition and articulation is not as good as this TLS system. However it is about the best ported reflex system I have heard.

The rest is close to a wash. The B & W have a slightly brighter HF which in my view is right up to the line, but a don't think quite over it. The string sound on my rig has slightly less steel and more velvet, but may be some would say I'm away from the line.

Now we did audition the 802s and found the bass definition and articulation below par, compared to the 800 Ds.

 

[codexp3]

So did you just miss out on the entire meaning of his post? I can go down to the track any day of the week and find any number of properly tuned cars that will outpace stock Ferrari's and Lambo's but at the end of the day you're still driving a Ford/Acura/Benz/etc. and that guy you just beat is still driving a Ferrari/Lambo/Aston/etc. These Fords and other cars aren't bad by any means but they simply aren't on the same level as these high end luxury imports based on prestige, reputation, amenities, and depending on taste, looks.

Did you read the post? I do get the point. I was responding to the last two lines, which reads:
"Now you can very easily argue that the new Cobra, Rousch, or Saleen Mustang is a hell of a lot better deal than a Ferrari or Lambo which you would be right on. But you can't argue that on a performance wise that it can compete."

The owner of the practice where I work has a Murcielago. I bought a two year old CL600 and added the Lorinser LV 12 biturbo. Performance wise the Lambo can't touch me with a 10' stick. Lambos and Ferraris are beautify cars and will certainly turn more heads than my Benz, but Mercedes has more engineering resources at their disposal. Mercedes engines are iron-clad and HP per liter they make most cars look stupid.

Lambos and Ferraris are simply too expensive to maintain to be an everyday car (unless you’re a millionaire). The poster made a reference comparing the 800D to one of these vehicles. If that were the case it would be like having to replace your 1000 dollar tweeter every six months. On the old Lamborghinis you had to lift the engine out with a lift to get to the filter to do an oil change. Not an inexpensive task. The transmissions wear out very quickly on both vehicles as well. It is very common to have them replaced every two years. Pride of ownership is at an absolute premium with either vehicle. I still want one, but if I’m being realistic Porsche makes a car that can be driven every day with a better 0-60 time for 1/2 the price.

Sorry to rant, but the only thing I love more than speakers is fast cars!

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

People are free to like any speaker they wish and be proud of an item hard earned cash paid for but anyone who would compare the BW 800D to a DEF Tech and give the opinion I saw from OP has one or both of the following issues to admit to. My first issue would be a opinion which was arrived at before track 1 was played knowing you didnt want to like the BW and you refused to hear its true performance. Second is maybe you cant really hear a difference period and if so you will live in bliss with your speakers forever and any purchase (including the Def Techs) were a waste of money as you cant hear anyway.
While I dont like BW sound as I find it too forward and aggresive for me to live with as my main speaker there is no doubt they are in an entire other league from the Def Tech and your review has no real value to anyone but yourself. I have owned both Def Tech and BW gear along with many others so I speak from experience not a bias.

I never said that ANY DefTech speakers or ANY other speakers costing less than $20K are in the same "LEAGUE" as the B&W 800Ds in terms of Prestige, craftsmanship, etc.

All I said was that in this one showroom with this one particular setup, it did not sound very impressive.

So Choice #3 is BAD ROOM ACOUSTICS & SPEAKER PLACEMENT.

Come on, guys.

We're on this forum for FUN and information - not for bashing and hashing.

Life is too short. Be positive and uplifting. Don't be so negative and angry. Smile. Give your neighbors the benefit of the doubt. You have nothing to lose.

The REASON I gave you the setup details (speaker placement, sitting spot) was to hint that it was BAD.

Another poster (AdrianMills) also went to ANOTHER showroom in ANOTHER state (or country?) and he was DISAPPOINTED with the 802Ds:
http://forums.audioholics.com/forums/showthread.php?t=44264&page=4

But TLS Guy says that the 800Ds are great.

TLS Guy is dangerous. The last time he said something about my amps, I ended up selling all FOUR 3Ch amplifiers!

I hope he doesn't say anything bad about my speakers.

So I will recant my view that the B&W 800D is NOT impressive. The problem was the room Acoustics, speaker placement, and sitting spot.

The B&W 802D may be subpar on the bass extension, but the 800D is fantastic in all aspects.

I apologize to anyone who is offended.

Peace to all.

 

[fredk]

So I will recant my view that the B&W 800D is NOT impressive.

What, you think thats gonna get you off the hook. The thread is only at 11 pages you know.

There have been some really interesting posts in this thread and I am finally getting a hint of what WmAx considers a good speaker and why.

 

[chadnliz]

Life is too short. Be positive and uplifting. Don't be so negative and angry. Smile. Give your neighbors the benefit of the doubt. You have nothing to lose.


I agree 100% I just hope you remember this Zen like attitude in the future...um I am laughing so dont flame, its a Holiday weekend and a time to remeber those who gave their lives for all our freedoms.

 

[billy p]

I agree

What, you think thats gonna get you off the hook. The thread is only at 11 pages you know.

There have been some really interesting posts in this thread and I am finally getting a hint of what WmAx considers a good speaker and why.

and for the most part his in depth explanation and theories on/or about perceptual hearing is amazing. His rationalization and numerous attemps to convey that message to us, I must conclude that he's a patient man.

FWIW and all things considered, I would pass on the B&W's because the kind music I listen to won't do them justice?

Thanks, Chris

 

[codexp3]

Life is too short. Be positive and uplifting. Don't be so negative and angry. Smile. Give your neighbors the benefit of the doubt. You have nothing to lose.


I agree 100% I just hope you remember this Zen like attitude in the future...um I am laughing so dont flame, its a Holiday weekend and a time to remeber those who gave their lives for all our freedoms.

So you're saying we should hate the British, and thus B&W. Got it. J/K

 

[DD66000]

However, they were setup properly.....

They were a good 3 feet or more from the back wall and 3 feet or more from the side and probably 9 or 10 feet apart. I was about 13 feet away from them in the middle of the sweet spot.

That's the main point having a proper sized room, so the speakers can be setup right.
That setup you describe is almost exactly what I have, 3.5 ft to the back wall and 4.5 ft to the side walls, 8+ ft between. The result is a huge soundstage, that at times, can sound wider that the room itself.

Of coarse it take a very good speaker system to produce that soundstage. All speakers produce sound, but not all speakers produce a good soundstage.

 

[Seth=L]

And that is what I found Johnny Canuck about it.

SheepStar

The world would be boring without a few Johnny Canucks to stir the pot.

 

[Sheep]

The world would be boring without a few Johnny Canucks to stir the pot.

So true. A little less death threats too!

SheepStar

 

[billy p]

So true. A little less death threats too!SheepStar

So are you saying you haven't used the same tact. JC really liked his Polk's.

 

[MUDSHARK]

FWIW and all things considered, I would pass on the B&W's because the kind music I listen to won't do them justice?

Thanks, Chris

I don't think that's necessarily true. I have never heard the 800 series but the 700 series are outstanding and will give your music justice. I very nearly purchased the 700 towers several years back instead of the kappa's. It was very close.

 

[billy p]

I don't think that's necessarily true. I have never heard the 800 series but the 700 series are outstanding and will give your music justice. I very nearly purchased the 700 towers several years back instead of the kappa's. It was very close.

Having never auditoned B&W's and I shouldn't have an opinion, sorry. I am lead to believe that a serious speakers like the 800's where especially built for more complicated music (ie: jazz or classical) than classic rock, but you're right music is music and any great speaker would do it justice.

 

[Sheep]

So are you saying you haven't used the same tact. JC really liked his Polk's.

He threatened me. I won't threaten people and not act. That is just lame.

SheepStar

 

[codexp3]

He threatened me. I won't threaten people and not act. That is just lame.

SheepStar

You're saying you act when you threaten someone?

 

[Seth=L]

You're saying you act when you threaten someone?

That in itself is a threat. Paradox anyone?

 

[Haoleb]

Uh.... 0-60 4.6 seconds. No, it won't. The Ariel Atom will to 0-60 in 2.9 seconds. That's only 2.0 liters of displacement too.

SheepStar

Yes but thats not exactly a lambo or ferrari is it. And technically its not really a car.. More like a 4 wheel motorcycle

 

[Sheep]

Yes but thats not exactly a lambo or ferrari is it. And technically its not really a car.. More like a 4 wheel motorcycle

True, but there is something about wasting a Ferrari with a civic that just puts a smile on my face.

 

[Sheep]

You're saying you act when you threaten someone?

If.

So far, I haven't threatened anyone. I've told some people to burn in hell, repeatedly, but hell is a fictional place. I can't literally make someone burn in a place that doesn't exist.

SheepStar

 

[Haoleb]

True, but there is something about wasting a Ferrari with a civic that just puts a smile on my face.

Thats like saying danica patrick drives a civic around at work. Not quite the same thing.