B&W 'New' 800 Series

In 1999 I was visiting a distributer to listen to the Revel Studio at that time. I was looking for a new speaker, which became the 802N at the end.

When I went to the toilet overthere I saw a black pair of B&W 800 matrix when I was taking a piss. This was the first time I saw them. Mann those were my dream speakers in the 90’s.

Monitor Audio is superior in timing and response. I can garantee for 100% that the timing of the new Platinum Series II is superior to the D3 series. With the old Platinum vs 800D series it was the same.

Their new ribbon tweeter what is 8 times as big as a dome tweeter is so much more open, transparent and realistic in the high freq, that it will outperform the D3 diamond tweeter with ease. When I compared the 805D with the Platinum 100 it became clear how much opener the Pl-100 was. The stage was so much wider and deeper as well. The individual focus of instruments and voices was a lot sharper than the 805. I remember the face of the 805 owner. He was not amused. 

I also did a comparison between the Pl-100 and the Dynaudio C1 ( first series) and here was the same outcome as with the 805D. Dome tweeters are not of this time anymore. They are outdated and inferior compared to the best ribbon tweeters. This person bought the C1 a few weeks before we did this shootout. His face said it all.

I even think this speaker can outperform the Dynaudio Evidence and Temptation. This is based on the superior timing and the superior new ribbon tweeter compared to the old fashion Esotar tweeter. Monitor Audio is also superior in crossovers. In all tests the Platinum had a much wider and deeper stage. And again the individual focus of instruments and voices is much sharper.

What I said many times our Statement Audio Pro measurment can become the new level in sound quality in every home.

In the past I hated subwoofers for stero use. But stealth low freqency made me think totally different. These days I can reach a higher level for stereo by using a fast subwoofer measured with our own developed S.A.P. measurement. That is why I bought the new Platinum subwoofer as well. This is a subwoofer with two times15 inch low freq. units and 2 separate amps.

The material Monitor Audio uses is lighter than the material B&W uses. But the biggest difference is how it is connected inside. The connection is more from the centre. This makes the unit much faster in response. This technique is the best I ever auditioned in audio based on timing and response.

I sold many Platinum Speakers in over 8 years of time. I never got one back. The only thing I had was with my own Platinum subwoofer. I blew it up, to be honest it was my own mistake.

The only reason why they build a new factory in China is based on the lower costs. When they still would produce the speakers in the U.K. prices would be about 40% higer. The stock of all their speakers is still in the U.K. 

B&W spends a lot of money on advertising. They pay for trips to England for the shops who sell it. This week I got feedback of a person who visits many audio shops every week. He said: the people of shops discribe the speaker as technical with the lack of emotion. The people who sell it, have the same remarks. 

So I understand Dave his reason why he keeps the 802D2. I want to listen them a few times more. I think they made a mistake with the looks and also with the properties. You can pay as many audio magazines as you want,  but the best product will be the winner.

Listening to a wider and deeper stage with a more fysical stage of instruments and voices. And with much more resolution and decay will be prefered by almost all people. They way we create sound, I can garantee that we can outperform B&W with ease. And I will proof it. 

I will let you know!!

Bo1972 - When I went to the toilet over there I saw a black pair of B&W 800 matrix when I was taking a piss.

:^)
When I go downstairs and I make a left to my older Room A and I see them inside there; They make me want to piss too....before I start listening.

Bo1972 - Monitor Audio is superior in timing and response.

Bo - for a minute put yourself in an audiophile's shoes with his own system, instead of installing systems for customers. Think about this.
These B&W speakers are easily modified for timing and response. They came from the B&W factory with silver wire and WBT connectors. Highest quality crossovers - four on each speakers for each driver, built from materials that will last longer than me. They can be Quad amplified. For the crazy person the crossovers are an open design easily accessible behind each drivers back panel. This allows the person to, if not satisfied with timing or response; to easily bypass factory crossovers, and bring in a component like the Krell or Pass Lab crossovers;

https://passlabs.com/products/preamplifiers/speciality/xvr-1

tailor the crossover points for your own room nodes. You can put a SS amp/s on the bottom for the woofers and tubes on the midrange/tweeters if you want . Open access speaker design under John Bowers - RIP.

Look forward to your shootout. Consider starting a Monitor Audio thread too. Cheers

Audio for us is not based on brands, but only on quality. After time it can change. We test and compare and are only interested in the best results. 

I have my doubts if B&W took the right decision with the new looks and different sound and properties compared to the older series.

I owned the B&W DM580 in the past. It was the last series John Bowers worked on if I remember. I sold many many B&W speakers in the past. 

Time goes on just like techniques, I remember when the Nautilus series came out. Every one was talking about it. Now when I hear people talk about the D3 series, it is a different world. 

We love to test and compare, that will always be the fun part of audio. I remember when I was looking for myfirst expensive set of loudspeakers. I took 7 months for this. It was by far the most exciting time in audio in over 17 years.

I wonder if many of the same people as in the Nautlilus period still work at B&W. I remember that I had contact in 2000 with a developer of the Nautilus speakers. I wrote him that they should make the series after this one higher. About 10 cm higher.

Monitor Audio gave me the 3 dimensional physical image I was looking for. I tried it with the 800D1 at that time. But the stage was not as wide and deep as I wanted. So I stopped with B&W. The new look would be a 100% no go for me. It is not possible to accept this. When Monitor Audio would come out with a llok like this, I would not even want to sell it. Loudspeakers are more than sound.

Yesterday I spoke with Monitor Audio about the new Platinum Series. I am a perfectionist and very demanding. I made several remarks as well on the loudspeakers. I think this is how you need to respond to products.

I hope that people who sell them are as open as I am. And tell the people of B&W what they would have seen and heard differently.

Sorry Bo, I owned plenty of Audioquest cables...which are some of my favorite cables compared to others available, but MIT (at least Magnum series) simply destroy all competitors!!  My M1.3 loom does 3D Holography with crushing dynamics and accurate tone like none other....but I understand the business end might dictate selling Audioquest in some markets.

Dear Dave, the differences were that the silver AQ interconnects had better separation of voices and instruments and more details and a better timing and dynamics. A much better presentation of the differences in heights of a recording. 
 
Voices and instruments are more realistic in proportion with the AQ. I hate the demos with MIT when voices are about 3metres wide. The people who give these demos don't understand anything of real music. These are the fools in audio!

The MIT had a more warm mid frequency. This was the only small benefit.

We can also create a much higher black level than all our competitors. We go so much further than all of them. We have done a lot of research in electricity and electrosmog this year. We made a lot of progress in sound by using different tools for this.