B&W Nautilus 802's
Today I listened to a pair of B&W 802's and they are simply the best speaker I've ever heard to date. They are the model before the diamond tweeters. Anyways they are normally $12,000 and for the past month they have been reduced down to a close-out, floor model price of $5000 :eek:
These have been out as a floor model for the past 4 years and are still in great shape.
I was sooooooo tempted to splurge. I asked if he would take $4k and he said No they are already at cost and offered me a line of credit with zero down and no payments for 12 months, but they kill you with high interest after that.
Now I'm thinking How the hell can I come up with 5 thousand dollars to buy these? This is a Killer deal!
These have been out as a floor model for the past 4 years and are still in great shape.
I was sooooooo tempted to splurge. I asked if he would take $4k and he said No they are already at cost and offered me a line of credit with zero down and no payments for 12 months, but they kill you with high interest after that.
Now I'm thinking How the hell can I come up with 5 thousand dollars to buy these? This is a Killer deal!
Post edited by Ern Dog on
Comments
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I dig the big Beemers as well.......
BDTI plan for the future. - F1Nut -
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These speakers right here guaranteed that I will have a pair of B&Ws in my future:
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Ah, the B&W garbage cans.
One of the guys at my local hi-fi shop swears by them also. I need to get a demo."He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche -
Ern Dog, can I have dibs on your Focus 220's if you go for these?
Pretty please???"Wish I didn't know now what I didn't know then." Bob Seger -
Ah, the B&W garbage cans.
One of the guys at my local hi-fi shop swears by them also. I need to get a demo.
Good luck! Only 250 pairs were made! -
These speakers are dangerous for me... because they'll send me to the poor house (but I'll have a killer rig in that house).
If I get them that means I'll absolutely need to get a new amp, new preamp and cd player just to make them sound decent.
A sane person wouldn't even be considering this purchase. This hobby is driving me crazy. -
if you can't pay cash, I wouldn't do it.
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BottomFeeder wrote: »Ern Dog, can I have dibs on your Focus 220's if you go for these?
Pretty please???
You got it!
I recall saying that my Dynaudio's would be the last speaker I'd ever want/need. But that was before I heard these 802's!:D -
I heard a pair of 802s with the diamond tweeters last year, complete with the matching center channel and monitor surrounds. Even powered with the Rotel 985 they sound INCREDIBLE. The realism and presence of the sound is so staggering if you close your eyes you'd swear that Nat King Cole is standing 6' in front of you with mic in hand. I will have them at some point before I die
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Wrote this about my experience:
The store was Audio Solutions in Indianapolis, IN. The room was a
perfect rectangle with all the right acoustic treatments. Before me
was a pair of special edition B&Ws. Each was powered by
McIntosh Amps and fed by a McIntosh Pre and a Cary CDP. Top of the
line MIT Cables tied the whole system together. Don't get me wrong,
the system sounded amazing! Utterly tops in my small experience.
But, it was immediately available to my senses that the B&Ws were
adding something to the sound. What was it? A box. My CS2s convey
natural low bass notes that rival the real instruments from which they
were recorded. By contrast, the B&Ws took those same notes and
communicated them through the room as if by a megaphone while standing
inside a closet. The B&Ws were loud, clear and even authoritative,
but you knew exactly from where the bass was coming. The CS2s
capture that same authority and hit you like a rogue wave. You know
CS2 bass when you hear it, but you never see it coming.
I realize that I am bias but once you hear dipole bass done right from an open speaker, there's no going back. -
B&W nautilus 805 will be my next 2 channel speaker
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SolidSqual wrote: »Wrote this about my experience:
The store was Audio Solutions in Indianapolis, IN. The room was a
perfect rectangle with all the right acoustic treatments. Before me
was a pair of special edition B&Ws. Each was powered by
McIntosh Amps and fed by a McIntosh Pre and a Cary CDP. Top of the
line MIT Cables tied the whole system together. Don't get me wrong,
the system sounded amazing! Utterly tops in my small experience.
But, it was immediately available to my senses that the B&Ws were
adding something to the sound. What was it? A box. My CS2s convey
natural low bass notes that rival the real instruments from which they
were recorded. By contrast, the B&Ws took those same notes and
communicated them through the room as if by a megaphone while standing
inside a closet. The B&Ws were loud, clear and even authoritative,
but you knew exactly from where the bass was coming. The CS2s
capture that same authority and hit you like a rogue wave. You know
CS2 bass when you hear it, but you never see it coming.
I realize that I am bias but once you hear dipole bass done right from an open speaker, there's no going back.
I definitely want to hear these. I've been hearing you rant about them for months and I need to hear these for myself. As I recall they are very resonably priced too. Oh ****, there is a pair sitting on Audiogon for $2500 :eek:
I must be in the middle of a full blown upgraditus attack! -
They had a pair the last time I was there. I may be going back there Monday, if they still have them, I'll ask for a demo.SolidSqual wrote: »Good luck! Only 250 pairs were made!"He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche -
They had a pair the last time I was there. I may be going back there Monday, if they still have them, I'll ask for a demo.
Totally worth it. If you have heard Totem, then you know the feeling of being totally surprised by a little speaker. Only, these would blow the crap out of the Hawk or its big brother. -
Today I listened to a pair of B&W 802's and they are simply the best speaker I've ever heard to date. They are the model before the diamond tweeters. Anyways they are normally $12,000 and for the past month they have been reduced down to a close-out, floor model price of $5000 :eek:
These have been out as a floor model for the past 4 years and are still in great shape.
I was sooooooo tempted to splurge. I asked if he would take $4k and he said No they are already at cost and offered me a line of credit with zero down and no payments for 12 months, but they kill you with high interest after that.
Now I'm thinking How the hell can I come up with 5 thousand dollars to buy these? This is a Killer deal!
A good friend just bought a pair I do really like them on the whole; however even at the good deal price of $5K I believe that there are better speakers out there that can be had for less. With B&W you are definitely paying a premium for the name. -
I am no longer going to buy any B&W gear. Please see this thread: http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?t=71915
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lakesailor wrote: »A good friend just bought a pair I do really like them on the whole; however even at the good deal price of $5K I believe that there are better speakers out there that can be had for less. With B&W you are definitely paying a premium for the name.
I got mine for $3,000 when new. They sell new now for $3,500. Unless you are buying an amp with them, which is usually Class D and sucks, then you are not spending $5K. I don't know of any speaker in the $3,500 range that can compete with the Emmy. I'm not saying it doesn't exist. I just haven't heard it. -
SolidSqual wrote: »I am no longer going to buy any B&W gear. Please see this thread: http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?t=71915
I see you are looking at panels now. Good man. Once you have heard a good set of panels there is absolutely no going back.
Check out the Lft8B at:
http://www.eminent-tech.com/main.html
It is absolutely the best kept secret in panels and is absolutely amazing at the price of $2K with sound anchor stands. -
I heard a pair of B&W 802D's powered by a pair of Musical Fidelity monoblocks. I was floored. Right then and there, I swore that one day I would own a pair of those speakers, even if I have to wait 10 years or more (or sell my kidney for immediate gratification).
Man, those speakers are THAT GOOD!
Anyone heard the 800D's? If the 802D's sound that good, I can't imagine what the 800D's will sound like. -
Today I listened to a pair of B&W 802's and they are simply the best speaker I've ever heard to date. They are the model before the diamond tweeters. Anyways they are normally $12,000 and for the past month they have been reduced down to a close-out, floor model price of $5000 :eek:
These have been out as a floor model for the past 4 years and are still in great shape.
I was sooooooo tempted to splurge. I asked if he would take $4k and he said No they are already at cost and offered me a line of credit with zero down and no payments for 12 months, but they kill you with high interest after that.
Now I'm thinking How the hell can I come up with 5 thousand dollars to buy these? This is a Killer deal!
Correct me if I am wrong, as I do not follow B&W as much as I used to, But I believe the N802's, before the 802D's were actually $8K/Pair new, not $12K. The 802D's were $12k when they came out, and then jumped to $13K as the dollar sank against the Sterling. The diamond tweeter costs $2k each to replace, and where most of the price increase was. 5K is a decent price for the N802's with a warranty, but I have seen them go for less on the Gon.
As for the Signiture Diamonds, I demoed them back in December: http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?t=61341&highlight=signiture+diamond
A really nice sounding speaker, but way over priced. I would rather have a pair of 805's with a JL sub for less than a 3rd the price.
Venom -
lakesailor wrote: »I see you are looking at panels now. Good man. Once you have heard a good set of panels there is absolutely no going back.
Check out the Lft8B at:
http://www.eminent-tech.com/main.html
It is absolutely the best kept secret in panels and is absolutely amazing at the price of $2K with sound anchor stands.
I've considered these. But, I don't think that they would offer me more or much more than what I already have. I'm not selling my Emmys anytime soon . . . even when I buy new speakers. I love them too much. I want a pair of panels (electrostatic or ribbon) but I am considering waiting for the CS1s coming out later this year. -
SolidSqual wrote: »I've considered these. But, I don't think that they would offer me more or much more than what I already have. I'm not selling my Emmys anytime soon . . . even when I buy new speakers. I love them too much. I want a pair of panels (electrostatic or ribbon) but I am considering waiting for the CS1s coming out later this year.
I was very sceptical about the Eminent Technology LFT8bs when I first heard about them. I have had a number of different panels over the years; many costing 2x 3x the price of the LFT8bs and I didnt buy into the concept of the LFT8b.
However after reading some glowing reviews I made a point of listening to a pair. I have to admit I was blown away. The proprietary (and patented ) dynamic push pull/planar design offer unbelievable accuracy; typical of what you can only get from ESLs; however with this design you dont get any arching or hi-level distortion. The built in woofers were apparently specially designed for these speakers and are fully sealed so they are unbelievably tight and yet have the type of dynamic bass response usually sacrificed with panels.
On top of all that the panels are bi-polar so the imaging is amazing. They are a very,very well designed speaker and for I still cant believe you can get something this good for $2k. I would have paid twice that and been happy. They really are that good.
The only reason they fly under the radar screen is because they are basically sold direct from the manufacturer who builds everything on site directly with a small staff so quality control is very high. Read up on them They really are that good. Sound like a broken record don't I ?
The only downside is that they are inefficient as all hell so you need a serious amp to drive them.
