New Speakers under consideration - but I’m afraid


I really like my speakers but I am considering an upgrade. I have B&W 801 S2 MkIII that I bought new in 1999 (re-coned with modded x-over). I’m afraid that what I get will not equal them and new may  just be different.

They are bi-amped with McIntosh up top and Krell on the bottom. Analog is Revox B77 and dig is Oppo 105D with Bryston DAC3.

I will also likely upgrade the DAC but this thread is about speakers.

I need a dynamic loudspeaker that is as good with chamber music as it is with acoustic jazz, rock and electronic music (everything but Country and Rap).

I haven’t heard anything yet but am considering Borrersen X3, Wilson Sasha and B&W 803 D4.

Should I be afraid or will these speakers all best a 25 yr old design?

ritter06

@grislybutter 

If one reads the specifics the OP is looking for, then "X" might be a good fit. Even if the person suggesting it owns "X".

Now suggesting "X" only because you own it and love it, is not helpful. If I say I want a speaker that will shine with a 4 watt tube amp, don't tell me your Wilson Audio Alexx is the one I should buy.

@ozzy62 there is a difference between suggesting what might be a good fit and the other one I criticized. But one can always argue both ways, that I am suggesting X because it's the best fit for OP, not because I love it or I am selling one right now.

I stay away from suggesting what I love for this exact reason, it's too biased.  There are enough objective criteria, I'd leave the subjective out of it. The OP clearly doesn't know 95 out of a 100 brands (like most of us), to me it's wild to start throwing brand names into the mix, when he has preferences. And I could go on and on...

Let me offer up another thought.  The fellow who designed many of the best technologies and speakers at B&W is Laurence Dickie.  After leaving B&W he continued to develop and improve upon many of the technologies he had pioneered at B&W.  He founded Vivid Audio with a partner and continued this upward trajection of speaker design.  The Vivid Audio line of speakers is, in a manner of speaking, what B&W could have become. You should experience what Vivid Audio has to offer. If you like your B&Ws I have a feeling you'll find the Vivid speakers exactly what you're looking for.

One consideration  I would add is resale. These could be my last set of speakers.

Or perhaps not. A more esoteric brand of speaker will be harder to shift. I'm inclined to stick with a better know brand. When I throw that into the mix it favors something like the 802 D4.

On resale there seem to be a ton of used Sashas and Wilsons in general - why is that- because they sell a lot of them, hence more for resale?

re: resale - these are very expensive speakers. I would imagine some of the buyers just have money and "no ears". So they get bored eventually and tried to move them out of their living room and switch back to the soundbar