Mayoradamwest and others
You address 2 speaker lines I hope to audition in the same dealer showroom tomorrow. The dealer also carries Paradigm.
I read your comments carefully and would appreciate any additional thoughts.
I am trading my B&W 802d2's with the object of improving midrange clarity and diminishing high frequency 'ring'.
I recently purchased the ML 523/534 combination, which reprises the lush sound of the ML-7/xx but with greater clarity and high frequency extension.
The new ML combination diminished but did not eliminate the 802d2's brightness, and exposed some lack of midrange clarity.
Having enjoyed the B&W nautilus series for 20 years I lean towards
purchase of the 802d3's...which are reputed to improve on the two
802d2 'deficiencies' just cited.
Another motive for staying with B&W is my need to overcome
the sound absorption of upholstered furniture and draperies....use is in a living room, not a dedicated listening room.
Additionally, I listen almost exclusively to classical music, piano in particular, and very much like the improvement in reproduction of piano music that the newer ML electronics in combination with the 802d2's produced.
Thirdly, the B&W's have a room-filling ambiance that I imagine is
audible to an orchestra's conductor but not in the same measure by
members of the audience....in other words, an 'unrealistic' (for concert-goers) but very pleasurable sonic experience.
I ask if the KEF reference 5's in particular (or the Paradigm speakers) equal the 802d3's in 'sound staging' and 'ambiance', have equal bass reproduction, bring still greater clarity to orchestral music.
Thanks
You address 2 speaker lines I hope to audition in the same dealer showroom tomorrow. The dealer also carries Paradigm.
I read your comments carefully and would appreciate any additional thoughts.
I am trading my B&W 802d2's with the object of improving midrange clarity and diminishing high frequency 'ring'.
I recently purchased the ML 523/534 combination, which reprises the lush sound of the ML-7/xx but with greater clarity and high frequency extension.
The new ML combination diminished but did not eliminate the 802d2's brightness, and exposed some lack of midrange clarity.
Having enjoyed the B&W nautilus series for 20 years I lean towards
purchase of the 802d3's...which are reputed to improve on the two
802d2 'deficiencies' just cited.
Another motive for staying with B&W is my need to overcome
the sound absorption of upholstered furniture and draperies....use is in a living room, not a dedicated listening room.
Additionally, I listen almost exclusively to classical music, piano in particular, and very much like the improvement in reproduction of piano music that the newer ML electronics in combination with the 802d2's produced.
Thirdly, the B&W's have a room-filling ambiance that I imagine is
audible to an orchestra's conductor but not in the same measure by
members of the audience....in other words, an 'unrealistic' (for concert-goers) but very pleasurable sonic experience.
I ask if the KEF reference 5's in particular (or the Paradigm speakers) equal the 802d3's in 'sound staging' and 'ambiance', have equal bass reproduction, bring still greater clarity to orchestral music.
Thanks