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Are B&W 805 sig the best imaging monitors ?

I went to my local dealer yesterday to hear some Thiels PCS. After listening to the Thiels for a while I switched to the 805 sigs.. My jaw fell on the floor at the soundstage. We were using CJ MV60, PV14L and a CARY CD. The Theils had a soundstage that was a mile deep with great pinpoint sound location. The 805 were just as deep and percise but also seemed to wrap the soundstage around the room. It was like what I would expect (but still haven't) hear in a multichannel recording. I was listening to SRV Riviera Paradise on just redbook. I wanted to buy the Theils.. Did my brain cells miss-fire or are these really that good? I also tried the non sig but they did not seem as good as the theils.. I was listening to a different track though...
btrvalik
s7horton
1,077 posts
 
To answer the question of the post, I would say there are better. Not from experience, just guessing. I would bet the Dynaudio Special 25 has a few advantages over the Sig 805 in the imaging department. For the money, I wouldn't think any monitor could walk all over the 805.
jdodmead
257 posts
 
I listened to the Sig 805's a few months ago when I was browsing at my favorite audio store anmd was amazed at the sound coming out of them. I had always thought that when I eventually uprade my CDM7NT's it would be with 804's or something from Dynaudio. The experience of hearing the 805's just kind of stayed with me and about a month ago I went and ab'd them with the 804's-no comparison. Don't get me wrong the 804's sound very good, but it seems like there is a wall in front of the and the door opens when the 805's are working. I went home with the 805's and I am very happy with them.
btrvalik OP
61 posts
 
Did you compair the sig 805 to the non sig 805 ? At first I thought the difference was due to the physical contruction issues of having the tweeter on the top of the box. It seemed like the non-sig didn't even come close but I did not have time to do an extensive A/B. In my experience, once you get to a certain level the differences from one product to the next are typically much more subtle than what I was hearing. It's not like Theil is clueless when it comes to imaging. I'm looking for some verification given the huge difference. I definitely need to do a much more extensive listening...
twilo
357 posts
 
The 805 sigs are nice. They have an articulate sound. But the best imaging monitors hands down are the Sonus Faber Extremas. There in another Stratosphere.
jdodmead
257 posts
 
I listened to the non Sig 805's, but at the time I had the Sig's at home on consignement, I was hoping that the std 805's would sound as good as the Sig's(big price diff.), but no dice. I kept the Signatures at home. I did audition Sonus Fabers, but they just didn't have the "magic" that I heard in the Signatures.
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