B&W 802D1 - How can I tame the brightness?

@yoyoyaya 

Outside the boxes thinking?
Hi yoyoyaya….down, up, down, up.

Could try laying them flat on ironing boards…don’t worry, l am only being ironic.

My original inverted (flipped 180 degrees) suggestion was offered more for a solution to any other members on here if their speaker designs were suitable.
 

I did this myself with even rather large Celestion 25’s back in the 70s. It was also very successful with Mission 770’s because the Seas tweeters in these 1980s speakers were very bright. I must add the 770’s bass was so good for a mid sized speaker that you would not have needed a sub even if they were available back then.

No harm in experimenting this concept as the results although subtle can make a difference. Studio monitors perform just as well upright, upside down or sideways. This also negates any magnetic differences between the northern, southern hemispheres (or sideways for those living near the equator

…..joke intended.

I had a similar brightness issue with my Focal Kanta 2 speakers, which are my anchors for both stereo and home theatre.  I tried the Schitt Loki Max, it was not a good all-around solution (had to fiddle with each track), sold it.  I had a BHK preamp, played with different tubes and that had a positive effect when the right tube was used.  Toe in, toe out, straight ahead, all made a difference until I found the best angle (straight ahead).  The key was cabling.  Cardas Cygnus was warm, their Clear works very well for me also.  The last pair of cables I swapped in the system, Acoustic Zen Absolute Copper, made it for me.  I feared I would live with compromised sound forever but the combination of cables made an amazing transformation.  Good luck in your journey.

Robert

@mylogic you would certainly be thinking outside the boxes if you attempted to turn a set of 800 series B&Ws upside down, seeing as there is no flat surface on the head unit of the speaker

Maybe hang them upside down from the ceiling like we used to do with the old Series 1 Bose 901s

that might be more difficult than hanging a ceiling fan:)

802 D1s need thoughtful placement to perform best. They are not bright and fatiguing in a non-reflective room with the right width and toe angle (zero or near zero). 

Placed in a small room with straight, on-axis toe and they can certainly sound boosted in the upper mids/low treble. Keep in mind that B&W voices their speakers knowing that the vast majority of owners will not have them many feet out into a room but instead have them within a foot or two from the forward wall. The resulting  boundary gain will go a long way to offsetting otherwise perceived brightness. 

If you have tried everything but still dislike them, what is left to do other than cut your losses and sell them?