Thoughts on the new B&W 800D series speakers

I have not heard the diamond speakers. However, I would like to comment on the 804's. I'm curious to know if they had been broken in fully. As the ones I heard were not. I used to own the signature 805's. Some say they are better than the silver sigs, others say the opposite. Personal opinion, I think. But, I bet with proper setup in your room with your equipment the 804's could sound as good as your silver sigs. What was your take on the dealers setup? Do you think it was correct, and do you think the associated equipment was appropriate? Are you considering a change?

S7horton,

I am considering a speaker change, that why I went to hear them. I'm very pleased with my system, but like a car, I've had them for seven years and it's time for a change. I haven't found anything yet that has made me want to sell my Silver Signature's to buy, and I've been looking for a year and a half. I've found speakers that I'd like to have, but not to take the loss on the Silver Sig's to get.

No, the 804's weren't fully broken in, the dealer just received them last week. The dealer's setup was all McIntosh (CD, tube pre-amp and ss amp) with the 804's in a 24' x 14' room sitting out about 8' from the backwall. I sat there listening for an hour (until they closed) and really enjoyed them.

My system is on the order of yours: Theta Data Basic II transport, Musical Fidelity Tri-Vista 21 DAC, Herron VTSP-1A/166 tube pre-amp, Musical Fidelity A308cr amp and B&W Silver Signature speakers. My room is only 12' x 12' with the SIlver Sig's sitting about 3' out from the back wall, and I think that was the key to the difference.

I've never heard the S805's or N805's. I've only heard the comments from Audiogon. I have replaced the thin Kimber silver speaker cable with Sonoran steel micro-bead shielded copper cable and the highs are just as good, but now there's a nice, fuller sound with a lot more crystal clear bass. The Silver Sig's are supposed to go down to 35Hz, and with the synthesizers in Enya, it shakes everything in the room. A hard kicked bass drum will also hit you in the chest, like my Dunlavy SC-IV's did.

Remember these Silver Sig's were $8000.00 in 1991, they're pretty awesome little speakers. I'm hoping maybe the 803D's will be what I'm looking for. I don't know that I can go the $12,000.00 for the 802D's, my wife would rip my head off.

Krell_man,
It sounds like to me that the 803D would be right up your alley. Not to mention the 803D adds another woofer over the new "non-diamond" 803. I have not had the luxury of hearing the silver sigs. I do know they are held in high regard. I guess the only comment I wanted to make about that, is that it is old technology. The real question is: can you hold out until B&W comes out with their "new" signature line? It wouldn't surprise me if in a couple years they threw the diamond tweeter into the new 805 and called it the new signature line. I haven't heard of it yet, but if they follow suit, we should see one sometime.

At any rate, I really don't think you can go wrong with the new 804's. After your dealer has them broken in, I would try and get them for an audition and throw them up against your silvers. I'd be very interested to hear the results.

I heard the 801D this weekend. I liked the tweeter much better than on the Sig. If I did solidstate or big tube amps this would be a speaker I would have to hear in a home trial. They were quick and the treble was very smooth. No complaint with the soundstage either.