B&W

[crazy]

Greetings,

I know this is a Polk thread but I couldn't help but write about my recent experience listening to B&W speakers with Rotel electronics. The sound was unbelievable - hard to believe how good it was. I couldn't believe anything could sound better than my setup (Polk Audio) but this blew my mind - the best part was that the sound that was coming from just 2 speakers seemed to be all around me - even when I was right next to the speakers, I couldn't tell where they were coming from. It was a truly amazing experience.

Unfortuantely after getting back home, I HATED my Polk setup :(

[shack]

I have yet to find a B&W rig that I like...and I have tried...listening to many...lots of demos...from the DM300s to the Nautilus. I know they are the holy grail for some...but for whatever reason, they just don't suit my ear.

[cmy330go]

I have yet to find a B&W rig that I like...and I have tried...listening to many...lots of demos...from the DM300s to the Nautilus. I know they are the holy grail for some...but for whatever reason, they just don't suit my ear.

+1

I don't dislike B&W but I have yet to hear a pair that thrill me, or live up to their price tag.

just another 2 cents worth.

[VR3]

What Polks do you have?

Things to consider about your setup over the B&W setup is the following...

Components the Beemer setup was using (Amps, Source, Pre)
Cables the Beemer Setup was using
And just the overall placement of the thing...

Soundstaging, that whirling 3D image that just about any speaker can do - has alot to do with the components and placement...

Something to chew on.

[RuSsMaN]

Yeah, blah blah blah, B&W sucks, didn't we just have this thread, with all the usual rhetoric?

Good post Sid.

[George Grand]

I like all the little ones I've heard. The big flagships are overpriced and underperform. I can't figure why Troy wants a pair. He never heard them in this house and that seems to be a serious buying criteria for heem.

George Grand (of the Jersey Grands)

[aaharvel]

Good speakers; even though the price/performance ratio is not what i'm looking for.

[shack]

didn't we just have this thread, with all the usual rhetoric?
Yep...just before the last "cables do/don't make a difference" thread and right after the last "which reciever/speaker/CDP should I buy?" thread.

[TroyD]

I like all the little ones I've heard. The big flagships are overpriced and underperform. I can't figure why Troy wants a pair. He never heard them in this house and that seems to be a serious buying criteria for heem.

George Grand (of the Jersey Grands)

Just trying to expand my horizons a little......

BDT

[George Grand]

Uh-Uh. That's not it. Say it. You know what I mean.

George Grand (of the Jersey Grands)

[TroyD]

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo......

[kmartin971]

Perfect!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I just replaced a yamaha 700 series with the SR803. The increase is performance is amazing!

[Zero]

Crazy,

Sid (vr3mwhatthef) got it down. Everything in this hobby is green and grey. The only absolutes when it come to experience boil down to your familiarity with room acoustics and equipment.

If you are listening to a pair of properly calibrated, expensive beemers on expensive gear in a treated room and come home to a normal Polk (rti or r) series system with only modest components in an un treated room with less than ideal placement - well that would certainly explain your dismay!

Then again, if all things were equal.. you may just like the Beemer sound.

[beardog03]

I heard a pair when I went to get my Ah!, and Jolida..
Not sure what mobel they were, but the were pyramid shaped and about 4-5ft tall with an outboard tweet on top..

Beautiful sound...
I e-mailed the guy to ask what they were (model), but no reply..
I think they were around 8k though..

[Ferres]

I listened to a pair of BW 804's running on a Musical-Fidelity amp with ixos speaker cables/ Nordost rca, Denon Sacd player.

I thought the sound was rather thin but detailed. At low volumes the phantom center barely showed a hint. I was not impressed. I got better sound for a pair of Tannoy DC2's that I was home auditioning.

Perhaps(most likely) they just set it up wrong. But for $4000 you expect more from a flagship.

[Joey_V]

I listened to a pair of BW 804's running on a Musical-Fidelity amp with ixos speaker cables/ Nordost rca, Denon Sacd player.

I thought the sound was rather thin but detailed. At low volumes the phantom center barely showed a hint. I was not impressed. I got better sound for a pair of Tannoy DC2's that I was home auditioning.

Perhaps(most likely) they just set it up wrong. But for $4000 you expect more from a flagship.

804 isnt the flagship though.

[Mazeroth]

- even when I was right next to the speakers, I couldn't tell where they were coming from.

If you were right next to them and couldn't tell where the sound was coming from, I think you were under the influence of something.

[McLoki]

I happened to listen to some yesterday. I really like the sound of them, (802's - 12k / pair).

I have only heard them at a local shop and running with excellent equipment. While I do like the sound, I have to wonder how my LSi's would sound with that kind of supporting equipment. To me they sound like a little more detailed and slightly laid back Paradigm.

While I do like the sound, for me they in no way justify their price and I think it would be a close match between them and my LSi15's running in the same setup with the same equipment. (forgetting the price for now)

If you like a laid back sound, the 15's would fare very well. If you like the detail of the LSi series but they seem a little TO laid back - paradigm studio or B&W may be just your thing.

Michael

[unc2701]

I've heard some B&W 803's on a Bryston 14bsst w/ a Musical Fidelity pre and an upper-range pro-ject TT then compared to my setup with LSi 25's on a pair of bridged 4bsst's (basically the same as that 14b), Dodd ELP and a pro-ject Debut plus a POS phono stage.

My findings? I could A/B, but the LSi's deffinitely handled better at low power levels and deliver better bass across the full power range. At very high volumes, the B&W's sounded better, but this was far beyond where I'd ever crank the system. Bottom line, I'd take my LSi's and $4000 over the 803's. 802's &801's are a different story.

[crazy]

Soundstaging, that whirling 3D image that just about any speaker can do - has alot to do with the components and placement...

Something to chew on.

Greetings - thank you for the help. I have an Onkyo TX-SR603X receiver. Are there any articles/ forum postings that you could suggest regarding soundstaging and 3D image?

[2+2]

You were comparing that receiver....what speakers....what the....nevermind....