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804Ds and bass performance

I am on the verge of buying a pair of B&W 804Ds, but I have one reservation. I can only reach one dealer from where I live and they have a hopeless demonstration area and zero concept of good customer service. Having heard the 804Ds I have no sense for their bass quality and am concerned that this will be an issue for me going forward. On the plus side, I'm very impressed by their apparent clarity and wide, "3D" soundstage, and they look fantastic.

They will occupy a 23 x 21 room, and I am a fan of female vocals, acoustic instruments, quality electronic music (goldfrapp, daft punk etc) and limited r&b.

Basically, I don't want to wish I had more in the upper mid and bass department. I've heard that said about the old 804S, and I don't know whether this also an issue for the 804D so would like some help from anyone who has heard or owns the 804D. I fully understand that amplification, room acoustics etc and personal preferences are significant factors. I currently run B&W 604S3s with a NAD C272 (150W x 2) but the amp will be improved in future. I have a Def Tech Supercube 1 sub. I don't need gut wrenching bass (I realise how subjective this is!), I just don't want a speaker that the consensus would say was "lean" when compared to its peers.

I am also seriously considering the Sonus Faber Liuto (no issues in the bass department, but they don't seem to deliver the same full, uninhibited detail that the 804Ds did). I've auditioned and ruled out a lot of other speakers before getting to this point.

Any help out there from people who have lived with or auditioned the 804Ds would be immensely appreciated, thanks in advance.
128x128ullodea
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ullodea OP
18 posts
 
By way of update, I finally have my 804D's and after around 20hrs of break-in can confirm that there are no issues in the bass department. Bass is extended but taut, a lot more focussed than the woolly sound my 604s once produced. The bass is there only when it's in the recording, but when it is, I've been surprised by how deep it goes ("checking if sub is on" deep and being pleasantly surprised). All in all thrilled with these.

Next stop new amp, though I'm not sure I need it as they sound so good across the spectrum. Still, have been doing a bit of reading on the MC252 and it sounds brilliant... something about the idea of plonking a boulder of an amp beside these babies feel right!!

Thanks again all
james63
534 posts
 
Glad to hear you like them. I love the way they look, one of the best looking speakers out there. For what it is worth I have always liked mac gear.

I did however find the bass was best with a Wyred4Sound ST500 vs the mac 252. I took my ST500 to the dealer and demoed the MC252 back to back. I did the demo with a pair of Magnepan 3.6 so it may not be very relavent but I still own a pair of B&W 703 that are in he bedroom and the ST500 really brought out the bass (where there was none before). If you can get passed the looks the ST500 is only 1000ish here on audiogon. I believe the high damping factor is really what B&Ws need to shine.

It was too bad for me I did not like the Mcintosh better because I really love the look. Don't get me wrong I like it pretty well but I do not feel it is worth $4500... maybe used...
ullodea's avatar
ullodea OP
18 posts
 
Thanks for the tip James, I'll look into the ST500 also, I've also always factored aesthetics in a way that would probably disqualify me in the eyes of a few! It's just that apart from sound quality our equipment become prominent items of art/design and that's of varying importance to different people. There's a certain wow factor with Mac gear I can't get passed, though price is indeed steep.
maineiac
649 posts
 
9 months
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