Time to change. But to what?


I've had my B&W N803 for a while now. Love them. But have a craving for a different type of sound.

I want speakers that play all kinds of music equally well. Excell at soundstaging, imaging, resolution, are NOT analytical, sound natural(this is very improtant...I hate artificial sound), and do the bass so you not only hear it but feel it as well.

I started building a list of potential candidates.
Here goes it:
1. B&W 803D
2. DALI Helicon 800MkII
3. DALI Euphonia MS4 or 5
4. Dynuadio S5.4
5. Sonus Faber Cremona

from the list I am familiar with S5.4, 803D and Cremona. I have never heard DALI speakers.

Room width is about 14 feet. Length is 18 feet. Speakers are on the short wall. Behind the speakers corners are treated with 8th Nerve Rectangles and Triangles, there is an area rug in front of speakers.

I listen to rock music, jazz(vocal and instrumental but dynamic stuff...no smooth jazz at all), acoustic music, solo, chamber and large orchestral classical(Tchaikovsky, Mahler, Bartok, Shoenberg, Shostakovich, etc). I would like the orchestra to be rendered as large and real as possible within the natural limitations of my room, system, listener.

I like to listen on realistic levels when I can, but since I have a 5 year old who goes to bed early, low level resolution is VERY IMPORTANT. I do a lot of late night listening at low levels and want to hear as much information out of the speakers as possible. My B&Ws excell at playing loud without strain. I want this quality to remain with the new speaker as well.

The speaker upgrade will most likely force me to use my Bel Canto DAC3 as a preamp for a while.

I am selling my BAT VK-51SE preamp right now to raise some funds for the speakers. Once I sell the preamp I plan to sell the B&Ws.

DAC3 isn't that bad direct into my Pass Labs X250.5 and I have a feeling I can deal with it for the time being.
No plans to change the amplifier, or anything else. Just the speakers.

What are my options?

Your advise is greatly appreciated.
128x128audphile1
ha-ha. many choices. yes. but I will not rush. I am going to audition as much as I can and then make my decision.

I know this amp is great. That's why it stays. I haven't heard the Sophias in a good set up yet. I know they are good speakers, but for some reason they're demoed with electronics that highlight their worst qualities.

Flav, what speaker cables and interconnects are you using?
I haven't heard the Opera Callas Divina, but do own Opera Quinta, which are very nice and a particularly good value IMO. They definitely lean toward the forgiving side, but are not overly mushy.
Audphile1 - I too had mixed feelings regarding Wilson Speakers, but when they were properly set-up in my Home, with good electronics - the results were mind-blowing. Everyone that came into my Home had the same reaction - they simple could not believe what they were hearing. I had the B&W N803 and a pair of Focal 1027Be at the same time as the CUB2s and no A/B Test was needed - the CUB2s sounded real and the B&Ws and Focals sounded like typical stereo speakers - and the Sophias are better still.

If it were my money, I would sell your BAT Preamp. and B&W N803, and replace them with a PASS X1 Preamp. and a pair of Wilson Sophias. The sonic differences between the Preamps would pale in comparison to the night & day differences between the Speakers.

Note: Another benefit to going with the Sophia1, which many people may not know, is that they are fully upgradeable. In the future, you could have them upgraded to "Series 2" - my local Wilson Audio Dealer offers the upgrade "in Home" and will re-voice the Speakers when finished.

I'm currently using Transparent Plus Series Cables.