|
New member Username: Randy101Post Number: 8 Registered: Mar-08 | 803 vs 802 B&W speakers..Are the 802's worth the extra 5K over the 802's. Has anybody heard both speakers?How do they compare? |
|
Gold Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 8789 Registered: Feb-05 | Spending that kinda money Randy...don't listen to us listen to your ears. |
|
Silver Member Username: EdisonGlendale, CA US Post Number: 881 Registered: Dec-03 | You might want to post it www.audiogon.com There are more hifi people there who will give you good advices. After certain point, law of diminishing return sets in - you have to spend much much more to gain a little in quality. So I would stop at certian point, and just enjoy the music. Many audiophiles get caught up in love of hifi gears, and get the constant upgrade bug - and dig too deep into their bank account. Consider buying them gently used at www.audiogon.com and save a lot of money - http://cgi.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/srch_fs.pl http://cgi.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/srch_fs.pl This way, when you want to upgreade and sell it, you won't lose too much money by selling it on the audiogon. You can buy 803 for 802 price there. |
|
Gold Member Username: Nickelbut10Post Number: 2332 Registered: Jun-07 | U work for Audiogon James? |
|
Gold Member Username: DmitchellOttawa, Ontario Canada Post Number: 2030 Registered: Feb-07 | Doesn't matter if you're asking people on agon or here, it all comes down to what you like, and what you're willing to spend to get there. |
|
Silver Member Username: EdisonGlendale, CA US Post Number: 882 Registered: Dec-03 | No I don't work for agon Nick. I was a poor musician, with a passion for music on a tight budget, most of my life - although lately it's been getting better. So I want to share my experience of striving for quality sound on a tight budget. I went to a music music performing college so I heard Steinway pianos and Stradivarius violins alive, so my ear is spoiled - but I don't have the money to buy Hifi that comes close to those sounds. After chasing the sonic dream for a long time now, I got off the ever upgrading bug, and just try to to enjoy the music. I think I was seduced by the gears themselves, and lost the sight of music appreciation. Now I am back to just enjoying the music with whatever system I have at the moment - I found out there is some enjoyment tobe had, even on a humble mid-fi system. I had to laugh when I cam across a boombox that I actually enjoyed listening to - and made me rethink hifi. I used to buy on the ebay, but too many gears were not in good functional quality - so I now buy on the audiogon and the audioasylum. I am just trying to share with others my experience of squeezing quality out of limited budget - which is what some of the posters seem to want in their mid-fi ambitions. I think there is quite a bit of enjoyment tobe had in mid-fi, if you choose wisely - and you don't have to break your bank account chasing after hifi dreams - which never quite sound like live music anyway no matter how much you spend. I love audio - it's a hobby of mine, because it's also related my work - it will make me a better musician. I want to invite people to this exciting hobby, and share what I know ( which is not as much as many audiophiles I come across ), but some people coming to this sight for advices for the first time, seem to want the same thing I do - mid-fi ambition on a budget that doesn't leave the bank account dry. So whenever I have some time and want to relax, I hang around audiophiles and learn and share what I know - it's fun and relaxing for me - and it's also a bid of calling of mine I feel like - sharing beauty. I think beauty makes us a better, happier person. |
|
Platinum Member Username: NuckPost Number: 11492 Registered: Dec-04 | I think beauty is found on knees in front of me. But thats just me. Oh, but I sing or hum loudly... |
|
Platinum Member Username: NuckPost Number: 11493 Registered: Dec-04 | And the difference between the 803 and the 802 is the load presented to an amplifier. The 802 (not the D) is a robust speaker with wildy impetuous phase shift, which is not always predictable between frequencies. A little wild, which is why lasse directs owners to the utmost amps with bizarre power ratings, tiny slew rates and huge amounts of dynamic headroom. The 803 is more tame. I came close to buying each a while back, but a Classe ca300 amp would service neither with aplomb. |
|
New member Username: Randy101Post Number: 9 Registered: Mar-08 | Our local B&W dealer does not have either the 802D or 803d to listen to, they did have a set of Paradigm S8's, which sounded better than my Kef 107'S, the S8'S are a little cheaper than the B&W 803'S, but i prefer the B&W name.Has anybody heard either B&W'S? And are the 802D'S worth the extra 5K? |
|
Platinum Member Username: NuckPost Number: 11504 Registered: Dec-04 | You prefer a name, Randy?!? Then I suggest renting Crystal or Ginger for an evening and listen to her. Dude, you can't be serious (which is why I went the sarcastic route). If you were even remotely familiar with any of these models (the speakers, I mean) then you would not have to ask. |
|
Gold Member Username: Frank_abelaBerkshire UK Post Number: 3529 Registered: Sep-04 | I have heard the 800 series speakers (all of them) at one time or another, on the end of quite substantial systems. The most impressed I've been has been in a particularly discerning customer's lounge where he had 800Ds being driven by a pair of Chord 14000 monoblocks. It was truly revelatory, but was it good enough that I couldn't imagine better? No. And the source of the system being held back? The 800Ds. Although they are undoubtedly good value (irrespective of what you think of such things being 'value') I find that B&Ws all exhibit a similar tonal character which a) only really gets going when played at a fairly loud level and b) has a deep but decidedly cabinet-sounding bass. By comparison, a pair of Dynaudio Temptations have a whole lot less colouration, less character, but also have their own foibles. Either way, my experience with 803s and 802s is that they really need a fairly powerful amplifier with significant current capability to make them sound any good - and they need to be in an environment that allows them to breathe. Large rooms (at least 18ft on a side) are de rigeur. Regards, Frank. |
|
Platinum Member Username: NuckPost Number: 11508 Registered: Dec-04 | Frank, thats why they use Classe power. What else have you heard the big B&W's on? |
|
New member Username: Randy101Post Number: 10 Registered: Mar-08 | Thanks Frank for your answer. I can't say the same for Nuck! It sounds like he should be chained up in Ginger or Chystal's back yard so he can howl at the moon. |
|
Gold Member Username: Nickelbut10Post Number: 2340 Registered: Jun-07 | I agree with Nuck though Randy. You don't buy a speaker because it has B&W on it. Buy it because it sounds best to your ears. If the S8's sound better to you than the 802/803's then buy them. Paradigm has a very good name as well. |
|
Gold Member Username: Frank_abelaBerkshire UK Post Number: 3535 Registered: Sep-04 | Nuck, Classe, Chord, Naim, err...Rotel! The Rotel and Classe systems just didn't do it for me. I know people would love those combinations so I appreciate this is a taste thing. The Chord systems are so powerful they even make the Classes sound silly so that's why I mentioned my customer above. then there's the Naim combination. Sometimes sounds great, other times less so simply due to the 800-series' crazy impedance. |