B&W 'New' 800 Series

I agree Dave and Aintitgr8. The entire system is before the speakers get their chance. I have never found B&W speakers harsh,bright or fatiguing; but I have heard them reveal the weakness in the system that was driving them; in that case it was harshness from a noisy ac line. And of course it was at a relatively high end dealer. I felt like informing them about their noisy power supply but didn't want to insult.

Bo1972, if I thought it was a simple typo, I wouldn't post a correction but since you did it multiple times I'm thinking the help is needed...

The proper term is "toe-in", not "tow-in". "Tow-in" is what you get when your car breaks down on the freeway, and you call someone with a tow-truck. They give you a tow-in to the service station. Speakers get toed-in. Small difference, I know, but big difference in meaning.

As for the OP, my local Magnolia finally got the D3 series in, so I'm going to try and get over there for a listen, just out of curiosity and to see what all the chatter is about. From pictures, I don't dislike the new design.

The magnitude of the price increase, however, gives me pause. It's either ballsy, or crazy, and in a year or so we'll know with hindsight which one.

I did not like the new look either.  Like the last post, the Marlan head is not proportionate with the main cabinet.  And that's was the case with 802D2.  The head was over the top with its tail sticking out of the cabinet.  Atleast with new series, they managed to blend the Marland head with the rear metal plate, which is quite sexy IMHO. 

I personally liked the fuller sound and looks of 800D2 so I am holding my breath to see what they do with 800D3 next year.  

For now, I am very content to live with my 800D2's.  

I cannot tell you how often dealers are doing demonstrations with speakers that are not even close to being broken in, but it is too often. The 800S in my experience needs around 800 hours to start sounding their best.

Pat McGinty of Meadowlark Audio told me how to cut break in time in about half or less. If I am remembering correctly you point the speakers at each other and wire the polarity of one backwards so there is a push pull effect between the two.

Perhaps someone here knows of the trick and can correctly say how it's supposed to be done?

Point being the B&W's sound really edgy and tight before they are well broken in. I used to deal with quite a few guys who wanted to trade these in on Meadowlark Blue Herons and heron 2's, I talked most of them into trying a wire upgrade that they were very happy with, but I did get two sets of 800S's and loved them. I liked the Blue Herons as well or better and they were priced at $6000 less.

These speakers come onto the used market being hundreds of hours under the hours needed to sound good. I've always considered the price someone who is not happy with the 800S is willing to sell speakers they are not happy with to be one of the great deals on an excellent set of speakers. I've seen them as low as $6000/$8000 here on Audiogon.