I was just reading through Usher threads and started this one. Lively in here, ain't it?
One thing I COULD agree with that Midnitemick said was that the bass is "a little too warm/muddy..." There is a "BUT" here. The "but" is that they will be that way unless placed extremely precisely. I have 718s, and even the smallest deviation can make plucked double bass in an orchestra indistinct-sounding. The room is quite well tuned for that NOT to happen. 5 years of pushing tube traps 1" down the wall and orienting that bloody seam 1/100 of an inch so it doesn't kill transients has given me good experience with the bass range in an average room.
I don't imagine the BE718s have a worse bass driver than the 718s (and when's Usher going to release a kit for 718 owners to upgrade?!?!), so it's more likely placement.
As for the "forgiving" comment: come to MY house and play the Mercury CD The Miraculous Mandarin, recorded in mono for an example of how UNforgiving even the 718s are. They do not, sad to say, forgive poor recordings. The screech on the CD made me literally leave the room, but leave the music playing (was breaking in a Parasound JC 2).My guess is the tweeter's not broken in. On good recordings, I'd say the 718 I have has good transient ability (but not great). Also, a question of my own: does anyone find them to be great at microdyanmics?? I'm not sold on the 718s ability to do that: fine touch in bowing, piano keys, etc. 'Course, it could be the electronics, so if your experience is different, I'd like to know that. In fact, that speakers in this price range DO get all the micro - and - macro dynamics right?
In any case, I'll drop out now...good lucking resolving this argument!