It's official: My 800D3 order has been placed!

[Exsg]

Originally Posted by GregGale

That is a very good question that had me researching different forums including the Piano Guild and Steinway Piano's among others.

What I use that works for me that I adopted as "best practice " I have highlighted below.

I would love to hear from Patrick Butler's or others on this forums experience on this topic.

1. First, I make sure I blow the dust off the tweeter, Midrange Turbine Head and top of cabinet that nestles the midrange with compressed air.
   
2. After this is done, I use a lambs wool duster to gently go over what I just cleaned and only use in one direction following the lines of the speaker housing and then I proceed to do the sides and front of the cabinet.

This works great without any swirl marks that I could see and I use for general cleaning on a weekly basis.

Recently my wife sprayed air fragrance in the room to get rid of some kitchen odors which ultimately showed up as fine spots on the gloss black surface which would not dust off and when I attempted to wipe gently with a microfiber cloth would smear.

From several of the piano forums people referenced using a clean wet chamois with a drop or two of dishwashing detergent to help clean the surface without leaving any residue or streaking. You wring out the chamois until it is very damp, and then after wiping gently in a straight line I follow up with B&W's microfiber cloth to dry any residual moisture. This has worked like a charm and all spots were gone.

If you use a microfiber cloth on its own dry, even if the surface is clean, you can cause fine hairline scratches in the finish. I have been told even using a microfiber cloth wet could do the same, but a wet or moist chamois will not (skin to win).


Mine looks as good as the day they were delivered and I plan to keep them that way.

Would love to hear from others.

Hi Greg,

That is great sharing!

I still dare not touch mine and have left the dust to settle there.

BW should provide a nice cover like Sonus to come along with the speakers.

[Patrick Butler]

Hi GregGale,

You've nailed best practices for cleaning the gloss black finish!

Regards,

Patrick
B&W Group North America

Originally Posted by GregGale

That is a very good question that had me researching different forums including the Piano Guild and Steinway Piano's among others.

What I use that works for me that I adopted as "best practice " I have highlighted below.

I would love to hear from Patrick Butler's or others on this forums experience on this topic.

1. First, I make sure I blow the dust off the tweeter, Midrange Turbine Head and top of cabinet that nestles the midrange with compressed air.
   
2. After this is done, I use a lambs wool duster to gently go over what I just cleaned and only use in one direction following the lines of the speaker housing and then I proceed to do the sides and front of the cabinet.

This works great without any swirl marks that I could see and I use for general cleaning on a weekly basis.

Recently my wife sprayed air fragrance in the room to get rid of some kitchen odors which ultimately showed up as fine spots on the gloss black surface which would not dust off and when I attempted to wipe gently with a microfiber cloth would smear.

From several of the piano forums people referenced using a clean wet chamois with a drop or two of dishwashing detergent to help clean the surface without leaving any residue or streaking. You wring out the chamois until it is very damp, and then after wiping gently in a straight line I follow up with B&W's microfiber cloth to dry any residual moisture. This has worked like a charm and all spots were gone.

If you use a microfiber cloth on its own dry, even if the surface is clean, you can cause fine hairline scratches in the finish. I have been told even using a microfiber cloth wet could do the same, but a wet or moist chamois will not (skin to win).


Mine looks as good as the day they were delivered and I plan to keep them that way.

Would love to hear from others.

[Patrick Butler]

Hi joey_v,

I have not seen photos of any 800D3 with custom finishes. Personally, the one I want to see is a "blackout" edition of 800D3, where all painted surfaces are done in a near flat-black, and the metal bits are done in black-chrome.

Patrick

Originally Posted by joey_v

My dealer suggested:

Bugatti Blue with brushed aluminum head.

I said, if you pay for the difference, I'll do it.

Hey Patrick - do you have pics of customized 800d3 that you can share?

[frequentflyer]

Congrats Joey V, soundstaging is amazing on the new B&Ws.

Curious, did you used to own some ML Summits? There was a Joey V on a MLowners site some years ago. If that is you, what are the improvements moving from ML stats to B&Ws?

[joey_v]

Originally Posted by frequentflyer

Congrats Joey V, soundstaging is amazing on the new B&Ws.

Curious, did you used to own some ML Summits? There was a Joey V on a MLowners site some years ago. If that is you, what are the improvements moving from ML stats to B&Ws?

Interesting.... I have received a couple of PM re the ML Summits and its kin vs the BW 802D3 and my Sonus Faber O3.

There are some improvements and some step backs when going from panels to dynamic speakers even something as good as the D3.

First thing you will notice is that panels are more cohesive from upclose whereas anywhere closer than the 9 feet that the D3 requires will be less so.

The 802D3, while having good bass, is not as punchy or adjustable in room as the larger ML panels. The ML bass module is also quite good, given that it is sealed in the Summits and similar kin.

The one thing I did not like was a few aspects of panel reproduction:

1. Panels are simply not as dynamic. The panels just can't move enough air. There's a difference to hearing something and feeling something.
2. I feel the panels are not as extended in the treble. While the panels themselves are light and quick transducers especially compared to midrange drivers, I feel like they are maybe a bit heavier than the lightest tweeter transducers.
3. Absolutely zero horizontal and vertical dispersion. Maybe not zero, but definitely unlike a dynamic speaker, especially one as baffle-less as the 803D3 and above.
4. Soundstaging is a little "dirty". I have a/b the Summit X directly against my prior 802D2 and because of the backwall/dipole effect, the soundstage just sounds not as clean and pinpoint... a little bigger than life.

Overall, a good pair of dynamic speakers beat out panels for me.

That said, you get a lot for the money with panels, you can spend $5000 on a used pair of Summits and get really up there in terms of sound quality.

[frequentflyer]

Thank you, as much as I want to love MLs the same cons bother me, limited dynamics and narrow sweetspot.

Listened to 802-D3s with McIntosh electronics for an extended time at an audio store, my wife brought her music and we listened to the New Orleans Brass Band. Everyone from employees, and customers in the store was dancing after 10 minutes. If a speaker doesn't make you dance its no good, 802s make you dance.

Again, congratulations on your new purchase.

[joey_v]

Are you buying the d3?

[Exsg]

Originally Posted by frequentflyer

Thank you, as much as I want to love MLs the same cons bother me, limited dynamics and narrow sweetspot.

Listened to 802-D3s with McIntosh electronics for an extended time at an audio store, my wife brought her music and we listened to the New Orleans Brass Band. Everyone from employees, and customers in the store was dancing after 10 minutes. If a speaker doesn't make you dance its no good, 802s make you dance.

Again, congratulations on your new purchase.

[joey_v]

It's landed at my dealer...

[joey_v]

Yet again always antigravity