Old school shootout: Snell A/III vs. Original B&W 801

Audiocom also had the B&W 801 first series. As fine as that speaker was the Type A’s were even better - more holographic and dynamic. They could make the back wall vanish! This was a time when we only had LP’s for demonstration. The Philips Colin Davis/Concertgebouw Rite of Spring was indeed a sonic spectacular heard on the Snell's!

Eric,

 I had a pair of Snell type A’s. They were my first BIG high end speakers and I’m betting today’s speakers are hands down better in every way.  Although, it’s been almost 50 years since I had them, so things are a little fuzzy.

Store i managed carried the KEF 105.2 and dealer down street had Snell. We used CJ they used Apt.. we both got fantastic sound… in the war of sales to discerning listeners it was a tie……

But yes…another audio great lost way to early……

Oh and Jason,

My type A’s were driven by Hafler’s that were upgraded while I still had the Snells and then I got an Ampzilla. It was a big difference in sound. Not necessarily a better sound, but a different sound. Both sounded very good, but I ended up selling the Ampzilla and going back to the modded Hafler’s

@curiousjim

Yes and no. The drivers used in the mid and treble are a lot smoother and have better extension than the Vifa units in the Snell perhaps, and caps are MUCH better today but the hemispherical upper baffle, and high mass woofer drivers did outstanding things with the room and imaging that is rarely replicated today. In terms of dispersion and imaging, and smoothness the closest I know of today is the SF Stradivari ( I keep calling them the Amati Heritage elsehwere and I’m wrong).

However I know of no single speaker that had both the amazing imaging and the amazing bass in a single speaker.