BW 800 Diamonds - help narrowing down my choices

[joey_v]

Hello,

I am trying to narrow my speaker purchase, I have narrowed down from Wilsons and Rockports and Martin Logans to BW 800 Diamonds and SF Stradivari.

How do you guys like the 800 Diamonds? I find it quite natural sounding and is responsive to upstream components - however, I also find that it is a little bit light on the bass and perhaps imaging could be denser (though not sure if it is a function of the room, spacing, toe in, etc).

Also, is this talk of a v3 really true? Am I shooting myself in the foot if I buy a brand new pair from a dealer or just wait for something to pop up on the 'gon?

Btw, I know there are other brands out there, but I don't have the ability to listen to everything out there.

Thanks!

[Yamaki]

I'd go with them if they sound good to you.

Bass response can be affected by many conditions including room placement and type, cabling, source, gear used to drive the speaker, etc... Yes, it is hard to pick speakers as you can't audition all of them in your own listening space.

You can "tweak" them to your liking after you get them into the room and give them a bit of a break in.

They will dip to 32Hz which is respectable.

As far as the V3 talk, I have no input there.

Go listen to them again if you can.

[cdobson]

I am consider the 800 diamonds as well. 3 year old dealer Demos for 15k - concerned that 3 years of demo use equals double or triple normal use.

[Masterlu]

cdobson... Welcome to AA!

[Mike1998]

Originally Posted by cdobson

I am consider the 800 diamonds as well. 3 year old dealer Demos for 15k - concerned that 3 years of demo use equals double or triple normal use.

Check out Vivid Audio speakers...

[2fastdriving]

On the v3 talk...remember that if they do come out with a v3, it's likely going to cost more, and the v2 speaker doesn't sound any less fantastic.

Hope that helps

[cdobson]

Should one eschew dealer demo units of 800 diamonds?

[1KW]

No comparison between the BW 800 and Strads. The strads are a much better speaker and cost a lot more.

[Kal Rubinson]

Originally Posted by 1KW

No comparison between the BW 800 and Strads. The strads are a much better speaker and cost a lot more.

In comparing the B&Ws with the others, the issue of cost is not, imho, something to bias one against them since B&W's size and production volume (across all models) gives them an advantage over all the other smaller companies. Choose on the basis of the sound and, if that saves you money, so much the better.

[joey_v]

Originally Posted by Yamaki

I'd go with them if they sound good to you.

Bass response can be affected by many conditions including room placement and type, cabling, source, gear used to drive the speaker, etc... Yes, it is hard to pick speakers as you can't audition all of them in your own listening space.

You can "tweak" them to your liking after you get them into the room and give them a bit of a break in.

They will dip to 32Hz which is respectable.

As far as the V3 talk, I have no input there.

Go listen to them again if you can.

I agree with you. I've listened to them about 10 times now over the past year, again yesterday back to back against Rockports Avior. My brother has a pair of the 804 Diamonds and I lent him my Cary 05 Preamp to see how it did and boy did it sound good.

The 804 Diamonds did not sound Sonus Faber Strad good, but they sounded good.

Originally Posted by 2fastdriving

On the v3 talk...remember that if they do come out with a v3, it's likely going to cost more, and the v2 speaker doesn't sound any less fantastic.

Hope that helps

That's what I tell myself also.

Originally Posted by 1KW

No comparison between the BW 800 and Strads. The strads are a much better speaker and cost a lot more.

That's what I've been told by a couple people now. Although it was more that the Strads sound better than the 802 Diamonds which I can also see.

Originally Posted by Kal Rubinson

In comparing the B&Ws with the others, the issue of cost is not, imho, something to bias one against them since B&W's size and production volume (across all models) gives them an advantage over all the other smaller companies. Choose on the basis of the sound and, if that saves you money, so much the better.

Hey Kal - always nice seeing your posts. I've read your 802D and 800 Diamond reviews. How do you like the 800 Diamonds now that some time has passed?

And any thoughts on the 800 Diamonds compared to Rockport Avior, Sonus Strads?