B&W N802 vs FOCAL 937Be

I have the opportunity to buy either one of these Speakers for $4,500-used. Both are less than 2-yrs old and in excellent condition. On paper they seem very similar with the one major difference being the 937Be's high-freq. capabilities which go all the way up to 37Khz, while the N802's only go up to 22Khz.

Both of which are absolutely irrelevant and meaningless.

Do not fall prey to the "specsmanship" games so beloved by the manufacturers. First, unless you're some sort of Guinness-worthy freak of nature, your ears top out at perhaps 18 KHz, max (probably more like 14-16 KHz, especially if you're over about 30 years old or have ever attended live rock concerts).

But ignoring that, odds are that both sets of numbers are more the figment of the ad copywriters' imaginations than the product of any reliable and reproducible testing. And further, even if by sheer chance there *is* some shred of factual basis for either claim, you have no idea if the speakers were measured in even remotely similar ways (which they near-certainly were not). And finally, even if by some miracle this specific comparison was even slightly meaningful, it would be utterly swamped by the much larger differences in the two speakers' sound elsewhere in the spectrum (especially in the midrange, which is *always* the most important part).

In short, you're obsessing about a non sequitur.

Both Speakers use a pair of 8" Woofers and the low-freq. are within 1hz of each other.

Also meaningless, for at least most of the same reasons (albeit, it's usually somewhat easier to make repeatable frequency-response measurements at the low end than at the top end; but still...).

Bottom Line: Get out there and *listen* to the speakers, preferably in the same room (with luck, one which closely resembles the room you'd be using them in) and with *your* music. That's the only way you'll ever know which one (if either) best suits your particular set of aural priorities.

I've heard them both and like them both. I think the 937's approach the Diva Utopias pretty closely. The 802s are very nice as well. It's a tough call. I'd take the 937s because I prefer the Beryllium tweeter and I like the bass better on JM Lab speakers. But I think your decision really rests on your electronics and your listening preferences. Try to audition if possible.

Build quality on the B&Ws is better if that matters to you.

They are both big box speakers with different house flavors. They both have metal tweeters. Only you can decide which you like better after the audition.

Out of the two, I would probably take the B&Ws, but I would have to EQ the sound or something to try and tame the annoying tweeter.

If you're going to spend about $4,500 and want to keep an open mind to other products, try looking into the Von Schweikert VR-4 JR or the Krell Resolution 2. The VR-4 JR will cost way cheaper than $4,500 on the used market, but would not be embarrassed by the B&W N802 and FOCAL 937Be. In fact based on my past auditions (I heard the B&W N802, but not the Focal), I think the JRs, if set up properly, will sound more like real live music than the B&W. Not saying the B&W is bad, as I almost bought a pair last year myself. But the VR-4 JRs just sounded more real and better to me. The Krell Res 2 which costs a little more closer to the $4500 range offers almost the same characteristics as the VR-4 JRs, but with subtle flavor differences, are pretty nice too. If your room is big, then the Krell Res2 might be a better choice, but if your room is not too big, the VR-4 JRs will do nicely and save you money. As always, see if you can audition them first before making any purchase....$4500 is no chump change, so be careful.

Good luck !

Hi which speaker did you choose? I bought a pair of electra 937be last week and was just curious of what you think of them?

There is an easy tweak for the tweeter in the N802. There are 2 Vishay resistors in parallel on the High pass board. If you remove one or just cut the lead on one it drops the output about 2-1/2 dB and in most Non-anechoic rooms will sound much better and not loose detail or air.
They B&W's NEED power. I tried many amps with mine and the Bryston 14B SST2 was the one I liked best. These were one of the most life like speakers I have ever owned, but you have to have the amp to drive them or you will be disappointed.