from B&w 805's to Usher be-718 - what to expect?


i'm thinking about "side-grading" to the be-718 because I'm interested in a different sound

what can i expect if i make the switch from 805s to be-718?

my components consist of a peachtree nova and mcintosh 7100, 100wpc

other suggestions are appreciated too
koven
Yeah, I have to agree with emerging consensus about the Be-718's - they are really good.

If you want something completely different from the 805's, take a look at the Harbeth Compact 7ES-3. Music, music, music.
(Semi):"BE-718 is a definite upgrade from B&W 805. B&W tweeter can sound hard and cold, missing the harmonic richness and details of finer tweeters. I have owned 802N and BE-718 both and 802N..."

Tweeter on the 802"N" (or N805) is not the same as on the 805"S". The latter is much smoother and far from "hard and cold".

When you guys mention the 805's in your comparisons, please specify if they are the N805 or the 805S. The 805S are just superior in every way.
I would think you'd at the very least hear a very big improvement in bass weight and extension since this is an area of strength for the Ushers and not so much for the 805s. That said, I don't think the Ushers will open up and sound their best with 100wpc as many reviewers have stated they really need/appreciate more power to show what they can do.

That aside, I would think something like Silverline 17.5s could offer a significant upgrade and work fine with your amp. Best of luck.
I have to agree with Soix, although I think the improvement over the 805's is in more than just bass weight and extension. You can take that with a grain of salt if you want since I am an Usher dealer. But, being an Usher dealer I will also confirm what Soix said as well about the power. 100 wpc is not enough, in my opinion, to show what the BE-718's can do. There are other speaker options that would match better with the power of this amp.