speaker quandry

[willbrosk]

I have it a quandary and could use some help. I had myself set on a pair of definitive tech 7001sc. My local dealer finally called me back and agreed to the price I wanted. Then I get there and he throws a monkey wrench at me. He has me listen to a set up of B&W 803s with def tech surrounds and subs. The sound was quite amazing. The last time I listened to the 803s it was with a single B&W sub and just did not envelope me the way the def techs did. Now with 2 def tech subs and surrounds I felt immersed in the scene, and the highs and mids were definitely clearer and more open on the B&W. To top it off he offers me a 35% discount on the 803 and HTM1 closeouts. Here the problem the B&W set up will be 1000$ more than the def tech and ill will still have to go buy 2 subs (prob svs). So do I get the B&W and suffer the 3-6 months till I can afford the subs, or get the def techs that I was quite happy with before I heard the B&W. My other concern is currently I am using a yamaha rx-1500 and im not sure if this will be able to power the 803s and definately cant afford to upgrade everything yet.

[Paul H]

My first thought was that the 803's would not sound the same in your place, because your equipment and more importantly your room is different. I would not be stuck on using the exact same subs, surrounds and mains in your own room - the effect will never be identical.

My second thought is that it's possible that the def surrounds and/or the subs were what impressed you, or maybe some higher end surround processing.

If you're willing and able to spend the extra $1k, I'd suggest you go back with some of your favourite music in hand and give the 803's a listen in stereo only.

Food for thought ..

Paul

[Shane Martin]

I'd get the 803's and HTM1 for sure. As long as you don't crank it up, the RXV1500 should power them. When you crank it is when the 803's will likely overdrive the Yamaha. The SVS choice is a good one.

The only caveat is here that you might not enjoy the 803's as much at home due to the fact you don't have quite enough juice or a good enough front end to do them justice so you might be dissapointed. The good part is that your speakers are out of the way so you can concentrate future spending on better amps/preamp, and the svs subs.

Short run the Def Tech's would make you happy. Long run, the 803's would make you happier. Chances are upgraditis will force you at some point to sell the Def Techs as you'll remember the 803 listening session and it will be in the back of your head.

[Bruce]

I think, like the others, that it will depend on the size of the room you have at home vs. the size of the demo room you listened in.

Another thought, are the def techs bi-polar speakers? i.e. have a tweeter firing out the back? IMO, bi-polar speakers intentionally screw up (they say enhance) the front soundstage with additional reflected sound from this back tweeter (probably why you described the 803 as clearer and more open).

To me, I prefer to let the 5.1 source create the surround envelopment (not additional bi-polar created reflections from the speaker). I also don't like the somewhat artificial wide soundstaging (called a "wall of sound") for 2-channel source material from bi-polar speakers.

Everyone has their own preferences, and you may like the bi-polar speaker sound, so let your own preferences decide. Remember, what you demo for a brief hour or so is not the same as living with it for an extended period of time.