Upgrading to B&W 802D for L/R speakers

[Gremal]

I decided to upgrade my speakers to B&W 802D...I'm selling my Nautilus 802...of course this means I have to upgrade the center to the diamond tweeter model as well and sell my HTM1. I'm keeping the nautilus 805 and SCM1 to round out my 7.1 setup, so I'll have the diamond speakers up front and the older models in the back. Hopefully this will yield the advantages I'm looking for in the main speakers without losing any of the surround cohesion I'm enjoying.

[Kinmui]

When you're done upgrading, could you let us know the differences between your current and new setup? If you are going 7.1, are you keeping 802 as SL & SR with 805 SBL & SBR?

You must have a lot of room in your home theatre... 802S/D takes up a lot of space...

[Filterlab]

Originally Posted by Gremal

I decided to upgrade my speakers to B&W 802D...I'm selling my Nautilus 802...of course this means I have to upgrade the center to the diamond tweeter model as well and sell my HTM1. I'm keeping the nautilus 805 and SCM1 to round out my 7.1 setup, so I'll have the diamond speakers up front and the older models in the back. Hopefully this will yield the advantages I'm looking for in the main speakers without losing any of the surround cohesion I'm enjoying.

Nice move going for the 'Ds', superb high frequency response with all of the solidity of the Nautilus.

Just a thought; why not use the 802nauts as outside rear channels and use the 805s as the rear centre channels?

[Gremal]

Originally Posted by Filterlab

Nice move going for the 'Ds', superb high frequency response with all of the solidity of the Nautilus.

Just a thought; why not use the 802nauts as outside rear channels and use the 805s as the rear centre channels?

Wow, never even considered that. It's actually a great idea but I can't do it because of room and budget constraints. My room is barely big enough for even a modest 7.1 system and I have it optimized as much as possible with my current N802 up front and the SCM1 as my rear surrounds with the N805 as my side surrounds. If I swap out the N802 for the 802D I can recoup hopefully about 60% of what I'm paying for the the diamond models.

I have to slow the bleeding as much as possible.

I also want to save up for the HTM1D wich is almost as expensive as a car.

[Filterlab]

Originally Posted by Gremal

My room is barely big enough for even a modest 7.1 system

I'm in the same boat at the moment too. I'm only on 5.1 and it takes up most of my small lounge. Still I'll be moving soon and with no female to chew my ear off I'll choose a house with a huge lounge!

Originally Posted by Gremal

I have to slow the bleeding as much as possible.

Again, you're not alone my friend.

That centre channel looks feckin awesome!

[Gremal]

Originally Posted by Filterlab

I'll be moving soon and with no female to chew my ear off I'll choose a house with a huge lounge!

Tell me about it! If I had a g/f or wife or kid, none of this would be possible.

Originally Posted by Kinmui

When you're done upgrading, could you let us know the differences between your current and new setup? If you are going 7.1, are you keeping 802 as SL & SR with 805 SBL & SBR?

You must have a lot of room in your home theatre... 802S/D takes up a lot of space...

Kinmui, I'll definitely post my observations about any differences between the N802 and 802D. Actually, they are relatively small speakers and my room is very small. B&W has shaved nearly 2 cm off the width of the new 802D compared to the N802.

I enjoy nearfield listening (I believe nearfield is the way to go regardless of how big your room is) and the N802 throws a HUGE soundstage despite the size of my room. When I'm watching movies or listening to music I forget I am in such a small space. I hope the 802D has the same effect. It really is a small speaker compared to the 800D or 801D and I don't want to compromise quality just because of the size of the room.

[Filterlab]

Originally Posted by Gremal

Tell me about it! If I had a g/f or wife or kid, none of this would be possible.

My ex-fiancee said to me a few years ago; "It's me or the hi-fi!".

To which I replied "Close the door gently on the way out." Hehehehe.

I laugh now but it was actually one of the factors in the split. Still, I returned her engagement ring and bought a BMW 740i V8 with the money. LOL!

[Gremal]

It's too bad most females can't be more understanding of the hobby. There must be some women out there who think perfection in audio reproduction is a noble pursuit...but I haven't met any!

That's a brutal ultimatum: me or the hi-fi.

I have an audiophile friend who just went through a horrible divorce in which his wife claimed part ownership of the house and business (even though it was his house and business) and made out like a bandit. I believe his system and listening habits played a big role in the divorce. He has two big magneplanar speakers and three racks worth of bizarre looking tube gear and other equipment that dominated the living room.

[theknub]

Originally Posted by Filterlab

My ex-fiancee said to me a few years ago; "It's me or the hi-fi!".

To which I replied "Close the door gently on the way out." Hehehehe.

I laugh now but it was actually one of the factors in the split. Still, I returned her engagement ring and bought a BMW 740i V8 with the money. LOL!

at least you got something out of it

seriously, a girl needs to know what she's getting herself into. if she can't deal with you having those hobbies, she needs to find that door

[Filterlab]

Originally Posted by Gremal

He has two big magneplanar speakers and three racks worth of bizarre looking tube gear and other equipment that dominated the living room.

Magneplanar speakers, now they're worth a divorce!


Yum!

Mind you, quite similar to mine - looks wise anyway (although mine have silver trim rather than oak).

Originally Posted by theknub

at least you got something out of it

seriously, a girl needs to know what she's getting herself into. if she can't deal with you having those hobbies, she needs to find that door

Well said. Now when a girl comes back to 'Chez-Filter', at least she sees first hand what I'm into (the hi-fi I mean).

[HDJK]

Originally Posted by Gremal

I enjoy nearfield listening (I believe nearfield is the way to go regardless of how big your room is)

Couldn't agree more

Originally Posted by Filterlab

My ex-fiancee said to me a few years ago; "It's me or the hi-fi!".

To which I replied "Close the door gently on the way out." Hehehehe.

I laugh now but it was actually one of the factors in the split. Still, I returned her engagement ring and bought a BMW 740i V8 with the money. LOL!

Wow, must have been some engagement ring

[Filterlab]

Originally Posted by HDJK

Wow, must have been some engagement ring

Hehehehe, I don't do things by half!

[Gremal]

Well, everything is set. The freight company delivers them today between noon and 4:00 PST. On Monday the buyers of my Nautilus 802 came and took the pair. I managed to survive for two whole days without them for the first time in 8 yrs.

Tonight I'll be breaking in the 802Ds with some SACDs and then Pirates of the Carribean which I just got on Monday. Wooooohooooooo!!!!!

[Blindamood]

Congrats! I'm a B&W fan too, but I've got the monitors (805S, HTM4S, and SCMS) plus an ASW 850 sub. Won't be upgrading anytime soon...

[Filterlab]

Originally Posted by Gremal

Well, everything is set. The freight company delivers them today between noon and 4:00 PST. On Monday the buyers of my Nautilus 802 came and took the pair. I managed to survive for two whole days without them for the first time in 8 yrs.

Tonight I'll be breaking in the 802Ds with some SACDs and then Pirates of the Carribean which I just got on Monday. Wooooohooooooo!!!!!

Cool beans mate! When you've got them all run in I'd like to hear your personal review. Even I'm excited!

[Gremal]

First thing I noticed was more bass slam/extension. It will be impressive for HT/movies, but I wasn't all that pleased in terms of music reproduction because at first I was not hearing definition in the bass. But then I put on the Mingus Ah Um SACD and the definition was there in spades.

The changes to the treble/midrange are even more dramatic and more difficult to explain. There is a new kind of linearity that seems to open up a window on a range of details I was not hearing before. The horns and voices on Ah Um made me think the new diamond tweeter/midrange advances could be described as a paradigm shift.

The imaging is very strong, and very similar to the N802. It may be a little more effortless with the 802D...hard to say. I need to do a lot more listening. That's the fun part.

These are demo models by the way, so they already have a couple hundred hours on them.

[Helicon]

Hi Gremal!

Nice choice with the 802D, I just purchased the 803D, my girlfriend wouldn't allow me to buy 802D, she thinks it's ugly, well women don't know speakers

I work at a Hi-fi sotre which sells B&W, HTM1D will be the perfect choice for you but the HTM2D could do. The HTM1D will is bigger than your front speakers. It's insanely big

It's okay to use your "old" 805 og SCMS as rear speakers, the new editions does represent some upgrades, but they don't feature the Diamond tweeter.

I think the Diamond tweeter is then main feature of the new series, it can play open with a lot details, without getting harsh like the metal models. Also the rohacell bass-drivers are more controlled and punchy, and not as muddy as the earlier models.

[Gremal]

Originally Posted by Helicon

Nice choice with the 802D, I just purchased the 803D, my girlfriend wouldn't allow me to buy 802D, she thinks it's ugly, well women don't know speakers

Congrats on your 803D...I'm loving these 802D.

I work at a Hi-fi sotre which sells B&W, HTM1D will be the perfect choice for you but the HTM2D could do. The HTM1D will is bigger than your front speakers. It's insanely big

Yes, it would have to go on the floor. The reason I'm so interested in the HTM1D is of course the marlin head that matches the 802D

It's okay to use your "old" 805 og SCMS as rear speakers, the new editions does represent some upgrades, but they don't feature the Diamond tweeter.

Yes, although the rohacell makes such a difference I'm finding. The entire attack and slam of the bass performance is much different and the impact is really good for home theater. So much so that I decided to upgrade my ASW800 sub to the ASW825. After listening to the Rohacell's advantages over the paper cones of the previous speakers, I feel I need that in my sub.

I think the Diamond tweeter is then main feature of the new series, it can play open with a lot details, without getting harsh like the metal models. Also the rohacell bass-drivers are more controlled and punchy, and not as muddy as the earlier models.

The differences are really amazing! B&W hit a home run with these. My buddy was over here for a few hours yesterday and he said that soon I will not understand how I lived with the N802...considering how much I loved those speakers, that really says something.