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B&W 803S, are they the right speakers for me?

I purchased B&W 803S three years ago after trading up from the 805S. My system currently consists of:
803S
MC352
MC41
Denon 2810 (Transport)
TADAC w/Tele NOS smooth plates
Upgraded Power cords
Tara Lab interconnects
Anticables (recent purchase)

My room is 20' wide and about 30' long, but I have a sofa about 10 feet from speakers (which are 9' apart and 2' from back wall). I do have a fair amount of furniture in the room with little opportunity for room treatments (wife issue). Speakers are very slightly toed in.

Speaker dilema- I have to crank them to get well rounded sound with reasonable imaging. I have tried for three years to make them really work. Where have I gone wrong? Thinking of a great smaller speaker that may be more efficient with better imaging (Dynaudio C1 is being considered).

Your help is greatly appreciated!
dmm53
musicnoise
377 posts
 
If you want to find out if it is the tweeter carefully attach a kleenex over the front of the tweeter with the aid of a rubber band. If you get a decrease in the harshness it's the tweeter, if not, keep looking. One reason I doubt that it is the tweeter is even a soprano is still going to be in the range of the midrange on the 803, not the tweeter. You really aren't getting much out of the tweeter other than cymbals, some lead guitar on the high frets, and some harmonics but the harmonics are at very low levels in comparison with the fundamentals which, in the case of vocals, are below the cutoff freq
dmm53 OP
63 posts
 
Played with severe toe in with tweeters crossing in front and lost all imaging. For whatever reason, my room acoustics like a very very slight toe in.

Might try some tube rolling to tame the tweeters abit more?
realhifi
159 posts
 
I may be swimming against the tide here but....I think the problem is the electronics. I have used 803S's with a number of things now including a number of choices from mcIntosh and really didn't care for the Mac, B&W combo much at all. Naim, ARC, Primare, etc....all sounded much better and none of them give the sound you are describing.
ARC, B&W. Fit it and forget it....and get ready for some gorgeous music.

PS. Those should have imaging that completely leaves the speakers. Almost 3d.
dmm53 OP
63 posts
 
Have often thought of changing the preamp to a good tube preamp (CJ, ARC, Audio Horizon, Mac 2200/2300). Wondered how much benefit I would see with a tube DAC already in my system.

Owned a CJ preamp years ago with an ARC 100B and loved the sound. These speakers love power and current and worry about an ARC that delivers this at a reasonable price.
pkubica
134 posts
 
I doubt there is anything wrong with the 803S's, but you're right in that there will be a "Magic" placement. However, everything else in your system will affect the sound that is "best for you".

I have 802D's and drove myself crazy until I got the sound I was after. Ended up with Class D amps (to feed the beast), and an ARC tube preamp. I use silver interconnects amp to preamp and everything in the phono circuit. However copper to the DAC and copper speaker cables. Bi-amping made a significant improvement. High pass filters built into the amps kept the highs quiet.

It takes time and effort but you'll get it worked out.

Paul
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