Bowers & Wilkins. Great. Just great.

[tiger roach]

I have had a pair of B&W's for my music-only system for years and love them.

[Woody]

Originally Posted by musicman1999

Sorry but i just don't get peoples fascination with these speakers, i have done a lot of listening to the 600, 700 and 800 series connected to some very nice gear. I found some 800's to to be OK but they were $5,000 a pair and for that they can be beaten. The 600 and 700 i found to have alright bass but screechy highs and no midrange. I know people like them and to each his own but what do people compare them to?

bill

As people have said, speakers are extremely subjective. B&W's don't rank particularly high for me, but neither do Focals. (the only ones I thought were decent were the electra 1037be, and they were way overpriced) *shrug*

B&W's are supposedly one of the best selling speakers on the planet. They must be doing something right.

[Beta Man]

This is why I always say "listen to them yourself" and when someone wants to know "what is the best for me" I always give more than one option for them to look into (I don't just say... "get xxxxxxx because they're great"

[btf1980]

I'm a B&W guy myself. Personally, at this stage in my life I want a loudspeaker that doesn't add or detract from sound. B&W loudspeakers fit that mold for me. The other being Sonus Faber. I just love the Cremona M. Many other speakers just add too many variables into the mix. It colors the sound. I'm sure many people like "warm" sounding speakers, but I just want to hear what the sound mixer was conveying as is. I don't want to add my own flavor. It's another reason why I prefer solid state amps to tubes. Some people like the warmth of tubes, I don't care for it.

I hate to use the word "neutral" because many people use it incorrectly. The word sounds clinical and mechanic, not full bodied and lively. I think a better word is accurate. B&W are very accurate speakers. A bad record will sound bad, a good record will sound good. Some people are taken aback by this because they are used to speakers being abrasive and in your face...i.e Klipsch where everything is just boom boom boom with no separation or detail. No thanks.

[prerich]

Originally Posted by RUR

I happen to agree with you re: B&W's, but this only serves to demonstrate that speakers can be a very personal choice. There's a fun thread running right now over on AVS about what constitutes a "neutral" speaker and do/should folks actively seek speakers which exhibit those neutral characteristics. Needless to say, opinions vary widely.

Hopefully, folks will take the time to listen to and compare a number of speakers in their price range, so that they may find the very best-sounding speaker for them. Speaker choice and room treatment have the greatest impact on audio quality - everything else is secondary.

+1 RUR!

[wem003]

Originally Posted by Blu_Audio

Lastly, don’t listen to anyone here, including me, on what is good and what is not, that is for you to decide; you made your money, you should spend it!

Exactly...

[HDJK]

Originally Posted by RUR

... There's a fun thread running right now over on AVS about what constitutes a "neutral" speaker and do/should folks actively seek speakers which exhibit those neutral characteristics. Needless to say, opinions vary widely.
...

Do you mean this thread? I am now reminded why I hardly go 'over there' anymore. This post was really funny though

[RUR]

Originally Posted by HDJK

Do you mean this thread? I am now reminded why I hardly go 'over there' anymore. This post was really funny though

Yup, that's the one. The best of the lot is PULLIAMM, who posts endlessly that his Alesis monitors are the best speakers ever - simply can't be beat at any price and don't anyone dare contradict him.

[Woody]

Originally Posted by Beta Man

This is why I always say "listen to them yourself" and when someone wants to know "what is the best for me" I always give more than one option for them to look into (I don't just say... "get xxxxxxx because they're great"

Exactly, recommendations are great, but they should only start your "journey". Buy what you like.

Even though Von Schweikerts are the best speakers in the history of mankind. )

j/k

[HDJK]

Originally Posted by RUR

Yup, that's the one. The best of the lot is PULLIAMM, who posts endlessly that his Alesis monitors are the best speakers ever - simply can't be beat at any price and don't anyone dare contradict him.

What a Clown...

Originally Posted by Woody

Exactly, recommendations are great, but they should only start your "journey". Buy what you like.

Even though Von Schweikerts are the best speakers in the history of mankind. )

j/k

NOOO! Alesis are!!!

[RUR]

Originally Posted by HDJK

NOOO! Alesis are!!!

I know for a fact that Woody posts often over there. Perhaps he could endeavor to, um, enlighten Mr. P?

[musicman1999]

Originally Posted by Woody

As people have said, speakers are extremely subjective. B&W's don't rank particularly high for me, but neither do Focals. (the only ones I thought were decent were the electra 1037be, and they were way overpriced) *shrug*

B&W's are supposedly one of the best selling speakers on the planet. They must be doing something right.

Agreed, speakers are subjective for sure. I have not heard the 1037be's but have spent some time with a set of 1027be's and was very impressed with them.

bill

[Woody]

Originally Posted by RUR

I know for a fact that Woody posts often over there. Perhaps he could endeavor to, um, enlighten Mr. P?

LOL, some of the posters over there are the absolute worst you will find ANYWHERE. Guys like that frequent that site WAAAY too often anymore.

[Beta Man]

Like I said before ..... just to stress this.... I "TRY" not to be too much of "you gotta try B&W's" kinda guy.... I know I have two rooms set-up with their speakers, and I highly enjoy the sound from them... same with the AVR's (although I want separates) and I have other things I've tried/done/have and I know it's not best for everyone..... so like I said, everyone is different, and for the "entry level" pretty much any receiver that can accept the PCM is a good start for a PS3 owner, and Building a system, whether it be two 686's, two Polks, some Klipsch towers, a pair of Def Techs, some Monitors, some Sanus' etc..... it's better than looking for a home-theater-in-a-box.......

Auditioning is fun.... if it's not.. then you really don't care "that much" about the audio...

[zoraduntov]

I have the 800D's
Totally awsome speakers !!
BTW mine were 20k a pair
Let the hate begin ..

[Beta Man]

Originally Posted by zoraduntov

I have the 800D's
Totally awsome speakers !!
BTW mine were 20k a pair
Let the hate begin ..

800d's are great speakers.


Did you negotiate that price, or purchase them before their November-to-January MSRP increase??? Part of my upgrading was "rushed" because of them increasing their prices due to the U.S. dollar being in decline.

Either way... post up some pics here

https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread...=8088&page=116

800d's are gorgeous....

[Gremal]

I don't have room for the 800Ds but really love my 802Ds. I'm a B&W fan from a design as well as sound standpoint. Prior to the 802Ds, I owned the N802s and I think the upgrade was an incredible sonic achievement for B&W, even though the speakers look very similar. For example, Kal Rubinson (of Stereophile) didn't care for the Nautilus sound and didn't like the N802, but he liked the 802Ds so much he bought them. Not that I blindly follow audio reviewers, but some reviewers are very discriminating and I do trust Kal's ears--although mine sometimes lead me elsewhere.

[zoraduntov]

These are my first pair of B&w's ..They are really great..
My last pair of speaers were the old Polk sda-srsll
I still have them..They lasted a very long time and are still working fine..
BTW speaker cable (all cable ) is very important..
I have the audioquest monte blanc
I have a pair of mcintosh amps krell kct pre amp and a mcintosh dvd player

[Gremal]

Wow, going from the Polks to the B&W 800Ds is probably the most dramatic upgrade I've heard of...I'm using Alpha-Core Goertz MI2 biwire cable on my 802Ds.

[Beta Man]

Originally Posted by Gremal

Wow, going from the Polks to the B&W 800Ds is probably the most dramatic upgrade I've heard of...

I hate to admit it..... but until this past thanksgiving, here was the the "before" and "current"

Before:

Cerwin Vega's, RE-30 fronts, matching center, RE-16 bookshelf surrounds, and Sub-150 subwoofer....


Current:

B&W 703's and HTM7 up front, 705's and DS7's for the surrounds, and Definitive Technology 14" reference series sub.


It was a big pill to swallow to upgrade all of that in the period of 2-3 months, but the difference is TREMENDOUS!

I have a set of the M-1's and 686's also....

I used those Cerwin Vegas for about 10 years.....

I have upgraded a lot of the equipment too.... but I was my SACD player and Turntable through my Cerwin Vegas.... man... what was I thinking!