Finally...a good B&W demo....

shack
shack Posts: 11,154
edited September 2003 in Speakers
As I've mentioned on the forum before, I've yet to demo any B&W speakers that I really enjoyed and have listened to quite a few. So its raining today and I decided to stop by the local hi-end shop just to see whats going on. The place is a mess as their landlord doubled the rent so they are giving up space and rearranging their demo rooms. I head to one room and there is a pair of Nautilus 801s hooked up to a Mark Levison pre-amp and amp with a Music Fidelity CDP. The music was a very well recorded Blues CD. Let me tell you...I was impressed. The soundstage and imagining were superb. You could close your eyes and the muscians were just where they should be and you could reach out and touch them. The sounds were clear as a bell with every octave right on. This was one of those rare demos where everthing was just right. The room was set up well...the right music...the right equipment. Of course you have to remember that this was close to $45,000 worth of equipment with cables as thick as my wrist. It should sound good. Now I'm not one to think something is good because it is expensive (ask anyone I've dealt with on the flea market - I like bargains!) but this was impressive. Would I spend this amount of money for a stereo system....NO....because for $45,000 I think I could get close to this sound for say $10,000 and have enought left to get a SVT Mustang Cobra (and probably a new set of Cleveland wedges). It was still a sweet demo though....

On a side note they are dropping Rotel and picking up Music Fidelity. Their equipment lineup now includes Denon, Sherwood, Music Fidelity, McIntosh and Mark Levinson with, Paradigm, B&W Theil, Sonus Faber and Revel with REL subs.

They had a couple of Rotel demos that they were getting rid of. A couple of RSP-960AX pre-amps for $125 (a pro logic surround pre). I considered getting one to use for a 2 channel pre as it is said to have a nice stereo pass through mode. They also have a
RB1080 for $649 - This is a nice 200wpc stereo amp that is very tempting. Maybe if I can talk them down some......
"Just because you’re offended doesn’t mean you’re right." - Ricky Gervais

"For those who believe, no proof is necessary. For those who don't believe, no proof is possible." - Stuart Chase

"Consistency requires you to be as ignorant today as you were a year ago." - Bernard Berenson
Post edited by shack on
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Comments

  • mantis
    mantis Posts: 17,200
    edited September 2003
    Everything has a price......

    everyone does as well.Mustang......B&W's.......all the same,toys nonetheless.

    Really if you think about it for a minute,what really has value and to whom?

    As your experience here,good gear is good gear.When you get into high end,the price starts and goes .......and seems no end.

    value...........how do you judge it.......
    Dan
    My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time.
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  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 28,749
    edited September 2003
    When you are selling clothes off your back, and eating out of dumpsters......
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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  • mantis
    mantis Posts: 17,200
    edited September 2003
    This isn't the place for B&W buyers.

    Choosing toys over life needs(large topic there)is flat out stupid.
    Dan
    My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time.
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  • TroyD
    TroyD Posts: 13,077
    edited September 2003
    I think there are a few Bowers and Wilkins fans and owners here (myself included)...why not talk about them?

    B&W makes many great speakers, as long as you don't play rock through them.

    BDT
    I plan for the future. - F1Nut
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  • RuSsMaN
    RuSsMaN Posts: 17,987
    edited September 2003
    Sure it is, I'm a Bowers and Wilkins buyer.

    Cheers,
    Russ
    Check your lips at the door woman. Shake your hips like battleships. Yeah, all the white girls trip when I sing at Sunday service.
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  • cmy330go
    cmy330go Posts: 2,341
    edited September 2003
    I'm with Troy and Russ.

    I'm not personally a B&W fan. But lets face it they wouldn't be this popular among audiophiles if they were junk.
    HT
    Mits WD-65737, DirecTV, Oppo DV-970HD, XBOX ONE, Yamaha RX-A1030, Parasound Halo A23, Rotel RB-985, Music Hall MMF-7, Parasound PPH-100, LSi-15, LSi-C, LSi-FX, LSi-7, PSW-1000, Monster HTS2600

    2 CH
    Parasound Halo P3, Parasound Halo A21, Sutherland Ph.D, VPI Classic 3 w/ 3D arm & Soundsmith Aida Cartridge, Arcam CD72T, B&W 802 S3, Monster HTS2500,
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  • Frank Z
    Frank Z Posts: 5,860
    edited September 2003
    Schmantis doesn't have it "In his soul" therefore it need not be discussed.

    All hail schmantis



    Numb nuts!
    9/11 - WE WILL NEVER FORGET!! (<---<<click)
    2005-06 Club Polk Football Pool Champion!! :D
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  • mantis
    mantis Posts: 17,200
    edited September 2003
    Frank...........the end.


    B&W speakers are fantastic,the comments that Troy made about Rock is actually my opnion.I just feel they don't shine when playing this type of music,really is hard rock and metal.It could be that they are not a forgiving speaker.If there is a touch of harshness in the track, the B&W's will tell you about it maybe more so the you wanna experience.I have talked about this is the past,it's ok to disagree.Personal opnions and all that.

    B&W however play classical,Jazz,soft rock,techinical type music extremely well.Extremely well.

    Whne you get up in the higher end N series,I feel there are better speakers for the money like Dynaudio.
    Dan
    My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time.
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  • cmy330go
    cmy330go Posts: 2,341
    edited September 2003
    Originally posted by mantis


    ....If there is a touch of harshness in the track, the B&W's will tell you about it maybe more so the you wanna experience....

    B&W however play classical,Jazz,soft rock,techinical type music extremely well.Extremely well.

    Whne you get up in the higher end N series,I feel there are better speakers for the money like Dynaudio.


    I agree with that.
    HT
    Mits WD-65737, DirecTV, Oppo DV-970HD, XBOX ONE, Yamaha RX-A1030, Parasound Halo A23, Rotel RB-985, Music Hall MMF-7, Parasound PPH-100, LSi-15, LSi-C, LSi-FX, LSi-7, PSW-1000, Monster HTS2600

    2 CH
    Parasound Halo P3, Parasound Halo A21, Sutherland Ph.D, VPI Classic 3 w/ 3D arm & Soundsmith Aida Cartridge, Arcam CD72T, B&W 802 S3, Monster HTS2500,
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  • shack
    shack Posts: 11,154
    edited September 2003
    In all my previous demos of B&W (300s, 600s and CMs) I always came away feeling they were too "bright" and almost fatiguing to listen to. Not to the Klipsch level but similar. Yes...it was primarily rock and blues that I used to demo...not heavy metal...but stuff like Peter Gabriel, Bonnie Raitt, Dire Straits, etc. I've always felt B&Ws would make excellent HT speakers because they are very detailed and I imagine that voices and other effects would be very good. Source and amplification may be more important with B&W than with other brands...the "British Sound" as it were.

    My post was just about a very nice demo where everything came together for a few minutes of musical excellence.

    And yes...I think this is an appropriate forum to dicuss all speakers. The common thread is that most own or like Polk speakers. In addition to Polks I own Advent, AR, JBL and a Dayton sub. Most on this forum own other brands including B&W, Paridigm, Dynaudio, SVS, Velodyne, Carver, Theil, Magnepan, Martin Logan, etc, etc, etc. It also covers the entire $ spectrum from a $10 set of computer speakers to whatever.

    And if it isn't basic food, shelter, clothing, necessary transportation and so forth....aren't they all toys?
    "Just because you’re offended doesn’t mean you’re right." - Ricky Gervais

    "For those who believe, no proof is necessary. For those who don't believe, no proof is possible." - Stuart Chase

    "Consistency requires you to be as ignorant today as you were a year ago." - Bernard Berenson
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  • dcarlson
    dcarlson Posts: 1,740
    edited September 2003
    I just had a great audition of some Paradigms and B&Ws. I started with some newly revamped Paradigm Studio 20s, i'm not sure if they where broken in but I didn't like them. They were very bright and lifeless. I heard some 20s about a 8 months ago and was impressed with them then but not this time for some reason. Difference room, different equipement, I'm not sure what it was. Maybe my taste has changed since then.

    Next up was a pair of B&W CDM 1NT. I liked them more than the Pdimes, soundstage was wider, imaging was tighter but they lacked bass (duh...). They are bookshelves of course and I wasn't sold on them either. Again somewhat bright for my taste.

    Next up, a pair of B&W CDM 7NT. Once again better fuller sound but similar to the 1NTs.

    Then the big change. I have no idea of what model of speaker cable the dude came out with except that they were Cardas. They were about an inch in diameter and pricy I'm sure. He wouldn't even tell me price. They made the 7NTs sound incredible. Detail beyond detail. I was in awe. The bass was still lacking a little for my taste maybe the 9NT would do a better job in that department. Did I say they sounded incredible? :)

    Once again it has made me a cable beleiver, actually even more so now.

    I used DSTOM 30th aniv. remaster and Pearl Jam - No Code.

    Equipement:
    Musical Fidelity A3CD CD player
    Musical Fidelity A308 Preamp
    Adcom 6000 power amp (I think)

    Derick.
    SDA-2a, Anthem Pre-2L, Anthem Amp 1, MF A324 DAC, Rotel RCD1070

    Senn HD650 Cardas, Mapletree Audio Ear+ HD2, Kimber KS1030, Bel Canto DAC2, M-Audio Transit, Laptop.
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  • dorokusai
    dorokusai Posts: 25,577
    edited September 2003
    Nice to hear your ears had a good time Shack :)

    I was able to demo the B&W Nautilus again, the big one, and the really big one....I don't know the model. It was certainly a better demo, in a better room, on some really nice Macintosh gear. I still wouldn't say its worth that kind of money, but it was a better listening experience than last time. I was pretty impressed with the vocals...bass still did not have enough impact for a speaker that comes with wheels.

    In the looks department, that really is one of the more ridiculous looking speakers I have seen. I am a basic form speaker fan, not a transformer/egg speaker fan. Yea yea, it is designed to do blah blah, and I am sure their is a reason, its just weird looking.
    CTC BBQ Amplifier, Sonic Frontiers Line3 Pre-Amplifier and Wadia 581 SACD player. Speakers? Always changing but for now, Mission Argonauts I picked up for $50 bucks, mint.
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  • dcarlson
    dcarlson Posts: 1,740
    edited September 2003
    It turns out the cables were Cardas Neutral Reference. They've left such a great impression in my head that I might put off new speakers for a little while and maybe look into some new speaker wire instead.
    SDA-2a, Anthem Pre-2L, Anthem Amp 1, MF A324 DAC, Rotel RCD1070

    Senn HD650 Cardas, Mapletree Audio Ear+ HD2, Kimber KS1030, Bel Canto DAC2, M-Audio Transit, Laptop.
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