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Old 01-13-2017, 11:08 AM
ariess ariess is offline
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Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Baltimore
Posts: 763
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I nearly did! I had negotiated the price and trade in of my beloved 802D3 for the 800D3. I decided to invest in a home audition of the 800D3 (charge applied to the purchase of the 800D3 if all went well). I am glad I did the test. Whereas the bass on the 802D3 sounds fantastic in my room, the 800D3 did not. Granted, my room is not huge (12'x23')
and does not provide the flexibility to place the speakers in many places. The bass was so prodigious on the 800D3 that it swamped the room whenever certain frequencies were excited and hung around too long. I am sure in the right room and position the 800D3 could best the 802D3 (mostly in the bass). But the bass you hear is not what the speaker puts out but what your room+speaker allows. I would much rather have a speaker that plays well in the room then its big brother that does not. Interestingly, if you read the various reviews and auditions of people who have heard the 802D3 and 800D3, you will often hear some similar issues with the bass from the 800D3. Namely, there were troubles dialing it in, even in professionally built and treated rooms. Again, I don't doubt that the 800D3 can be superior. Just don't assume they will sound that way in your room, especially if that room is not very large and you don't have a lot of flexibility in positioning. I highly recommend an audition before you buy.

I just saw a review in Audiophile and the reviewer makes this same point about the 803D3. He writes
"They are superb loudspeakers. Where you'll do your research is in room synergy. Size matters. And B&W provides 8 models from which to choose in the 800 Series Diamond line, including a standmount, two centres and a sub. My guess is you'll be choosing the 803s for your medium to large room where it will fill it with the most musical sounds for many years. Like most of the Focal Utopias, Raidho loudspeakers and that magical Magico Q1, the 803 D3 is a lifetime speaker. "
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