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Speaker upgrade help?

Mostly use the stereo for learning songs. (I'm a bass player and saxophonist) Presently use B&W 685 with B&W 650 sub. Decent front end: Oppo, Arcam, Dynaco. Room 8X14X24'
This system hangs a clean, deep image up to a point. But being a lifelong musician I occasionally indulge in loud sessions and it doesn't sound like clipping when the image starts to flatten out and get abusive. My guess is I'm starting to overload the 685's?!? (No I don't keep listening @ these abusive levels.) After about a year and a half the 685's are starting to seem zippy or bright and I have experimented with dangling paper napkins (1 ply) in front of the 685 tweeters. The napkin mod reminds me more of the good old days with Doubled Advents. Ah youth...

Considering B&W 803's(used), NHT Classic 4's, NHT xD 2.2 or Definitive Technology Mythos ST. All available $3K or less. Would love to get rid of sub for room clutter. But the NHT xD promises so much? Any thoughts? I can demo the 803's but odds are I won't be able to demo the others.
markws
mlauner
250 posts
 
PSB T-6, full range beat em all on your list.
marakanetz's avatar
marakanetz
5,473 posts
 
Don't know about DefTech but NHT to my taste is complete decline from the real music neither electronic nor acoustic. 803's or any B&W line would mostly need the help of sub.
They're most defined in midrange and upper detail. Positively 803's will have substantially less fatigue at loud volume levels vs. 685's. To get rid of sub within $3k I'd recommend researching and/or trying if possible Sonus Faber, Thiel or Totem.
daverz
487 posts
 
Can you describe your listening room? Could it be that reflections from the walls are hardening the sound?

I don't know what Marakanetz means about NHT's "complete decline from real music". My Xds sound great with careful placement, but I listen mostly to classical music. Their midrange is very pure sounding. Their treble is never offensive, though it can be a little dull if the room is overdamped. With only one subwoofer, the bass goes down to at least 30 Hz even in my cavern-like room, so I imagine the dual subwoofer system that NHT is now selling should have very impressive in-room bass performance.
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