Pictures of your B&W Set-up

[KODG MAN]

Nice!

The final setup including newly mounted plasma.

looks good but hide those cables!

KODG

[RobP]

all that $ & i see 4 different remotes on the table?

KODG :roll:

Boy, you dug up that post, lets not be too critical..... :W Welcome to the HTguide!

[ShadowZA]

looks good but hide those cables!

KODG

Welcome to the Club, KODG.

Things have changed somewhat since then ... but the cables are still visable.

[Briz vegas]

looks good but hide those cables!

KODG

Way back machine. Those 803D went to the rear some time ago if I recall the Shadow saga correctly. 802D in fact.

final setup. he hee!

edit:
Lets do the time warp again, got ahead of me Shadow

[bigburner]

Things have changed somewhat since then ... but the cables are still visable.

All I can see is great looking equipment!

Nigel.

[planitismetal]

looks good but hide those cables!

KODG

I think this is the worst nightmare for any hi-end system!!! Cables all around... I have tons of those... And there is No solution at all...

[artv4]

BWLover super clean open setup. the acoustic treatments on the ceiling and side walls are awesome!!!!

[planitismetal]

Welcome to the Club, KODG.

Things have changed somewhat since then ... but the cables are still visable.

Don't worry for the cables... I have bigger problem than yours... But I have to congratulate you for this setup...

[KyaDawn]

Welcome to the Club, KODG.

Things have changed somewhat since then ... but the cables are still visable.

Beautiful set-up! I love how your component rack matches the cherrywood of the 802Ds. May I ask what brand it is and where did you get it?

I hope to have the same exact front three as you. So far I am only awaiting delivery of the 802Ds, but look to get the HTM2D later on.

Still, your 803D surrounds will outshine my 805Ss...wow! :T

[planitismetal]

I have a question: Speakers with or without grilles??? Acoustically I mean...

[joetama]

I have a question: Speakers with or without grilles??? Acoustically I mean...

I've found little or no difference.

I usually have my grills off so I can see that pretty yellow mid. But, when one of my friends comes over right back on they go. He has a problem with not touching the kevlar. Its like watching a bug move towards one of those zappers.

[planitismetal]

I've found little or no difference.

I usually have my grills off so I can see that pretty yellow mid. But, when one of my friends comes over right back on they go. He has a problem with not touching the kevlar. Its like watching a bug move towards one of those zappers.

:rofl: :rofl:
:rofl: :rofl:
When somebody come to my house, always I'm looking if he/she touch the beautiful yellow "thing"... It is my lovely nightmare...!!! :rofl:
And what about dust?

[ShadowZA]

Don't worry for the cables... I have bigger problem than yours... But I have to congratulate you for this setup...

Thank you, planitismetal.

Beautiful set-up! I love how your component rack matches the cherrywood of the 802Ds. May I ask what brand it is and where did you get it?

I hope to have the same exact front three as you. So far I am only awaiting delivery of the 802Ds, but look to get the HTM2D later on.

Still, your 803D surrounds will outshine my 805Ss...wow! :T

Thank you, KyaDawn. I purchased my unit in November 2005 from a company called Designs Unlimited here in South Africa: http://www.designsunlimited.co.za/home.htm
I've taken a look at their site and it does not look as if they make this particular unit (called Amano) anymore.
I have no doubt that you will love the 802D especially after they've been fed 100 or so hours of music. Good luck! :T

I have a question: Speakers with or without grilles??? Acoustically I mean...

I usually leave the grilles on except for on the 802D midrange Marlan heads. I exchanged the plastic phase plugs with the metal ones supplied. I dare not take the metal protectors off the tweeters. If I lived alone, I might have.

[planitismetal]

I usually leave the grilles on except for on the 802D midrange Marlan heads. I exchanged the plastic phase plugs with the metal ones supplied. I dare not take the metal protectors off the tweeters. If I lived alone, I might have.

Can you imagine a small kid asking: "Dad, is this breakable??" and then the finger THROUGH the tweeter???? :rofl:

[ShadowZA]

Way back machine. Those 803D went to the rear some time ago if I recall the Shadow saga correctly. 802D in fact.

final setup. he hee!

edit:
Lets do the time warp again, got ahead of me Shadow

"It's just a jump to the left
then a step to the right
you put your hands on your hips
and pull your knees in tight
but it's the pelvic thrust
that really drives you insane"

No ... it's not the pelvic thrust that drives you insane. It's the decision as to when final is really final.

[ShadowZA]

Can you imagine a small kid asking: "Dad, is this breakable??" and then the finger THROUGH the tweeter???? :rofl:

Aaaaarrrgggghhhhhhhhhh!!! :bluezoned:

[joetama]

:rofl: :rofl:
:rofl: :rofl:
When somebody come to my house, always I'm looking if he/she touch the beautiful yellow "thing"... It is my lovely nightmare...!!! :rofl:
And what about dust?

I clean and dust my system 4-5 times a week. Its a bit of an obsession.

[joetama]

Can you imagine a small kid asking: "Dad, is this breakable??" and then the finger THROUGH the tweeter???? :rofl:

Tweeter cover ALWAYS stays on. I live alone but you never know when you might have an accident.

I do sort of know the feeling you are talking about but in reverse. Back in the day before I knew jack about electronics I learned by tinkering with amps, speakers, radios, etc etc. A lot of times the things I did caused some sort of damage. Not wanting to be on the receiving end of an angry father/grandfather I got pretty good at fixing things I broke.

Except when my brother and I blew up my dad's B&W DM330i. That I couldn't fix. New drivers were mighty expensive to a 9 year old.

[planitismetal]

I clean and dust my system 4-5 times a week. Its a bit of an obsession.

IT IS an obsession!! It is a life's dream, so....... something like this: :kissrings:

[wettou]

Has any one tried these cables?

http://www.homegrownaudio.com/silver_braid.htm

They look really cool:B

[RobP]

Can you imagine a small kid asking: "Dad, is this breakable??" and then the finger THROUGH the tweeter???? :rofl:

How about people who grab the tweeter and say Hey! Karaoke! :E

[Dmantis]

Has any one tried these cables?

http://www.homegrownaudio.com/silver_braid.htm

They look really cool:B

Complete rip off of Kimber Kable.

[wettou]

Complete rip off of Kimber Kable.

Except they are a lot less expensive. Did you try them.

[planitismetal]

How about people who grab the tweeter and say Hey! Karaoke! :E

Are you kidding???? ;zx :g> :k> ;-x :a> :f> :2guns: :bash: :frypan:

[joetama]

IT IS an obsession!! It is a life's dream, so....... something like this: :kissrings:

Something like that... I'm not going to lie I love my speakers, music, and MOS-FET amplifiers more than any girl... Except my mother.

And on a few occasions I've had to let females know their place in my stereo room.

[BWLover]

could someone with a pair of B&W 804S`measure the distance between the spikes, I`m wondering if they will fit in the holes i already have in my carpet. thanks

[BWLover]

also is it really worth it to spend $2000 more to get a pair of 803S at $7000 MSRP (Canadian) vs. the $5000 msrp 804S

[Briz vegas]

could someone with a pair of B&W 804S`measure the distance between the spikes, I`m wondering if they will fit in the holes i already have in my carpet. thanks

ok my computer does not seem to like the smilie that thumps the table for some reason, it will not insert, anyway..........you are kidding right. Spikes don't leave any permanent marks on your carpet otherwise getting toe in and positioning right would leave an awful mess of holes.

I can hear the difference between grills on and off so mine stay off. I have home made cat guards and even they add a slight harshness so they come off for serious listening sessions. These sorts of things become a bigger issue depending on your systems resolving ability and your listening habits.
If you are the sort of person that gets a buzz out of vocals or acoustic instruments with their intricate sonic signatures then you will notice these differences. If you are a big picture person,listen to alot of distorted/compressed recordings, then these will not matter so much (although to me they still matter). My sensitivity to these little details change depending on mood and the type of music I am listening to. I find the less between me and the music the easier it is to enjoy the music experience.

[Briz vegas]

also is it really worth it to spend $2000 more to get a pair of 803S at $7000 MSRP (Canadian) vs. the $5000 msrp 804S

You are paying for bigger bass drivers and a bigger cabinet. The tweeter and the midrange are the same although the midrange is operating in a bigger box and has more cabinet around the front of the cone (this last bit is a negative I understand and is part of the thinking behind the Marlan head and tweeter on top where these drivers are free of a boxy cabinet)

If a person is happy with the bass performance of the 804s then I can see no compelling reason to go for the 803s. Hifi is a very personal thing, we can only point out things to consider, but ultimately its about what floats your boat. Personally I love my 804s. Some days with some music the 803s would have made me happier, but we each make the decision where to draw the line and how to best spend our limited budget.

[baby fat]

Hi

I have a low end set up (by standars here - hope I'm still welcome with the post...) with a pair of CDM 1NT together with ARCAM electronics (A90 amplifier and CD62 CD-player) that I bought second hand (with some good advice from people here concerning the electronics, thanks for that again). I would love some input on speaker placement and simple upgrades.

I have Tara labs cheapest (I think) speaker cables "Klara" connected with phono plugs in both ends (brand called monster cable) and I have a relatively thick goldplated no name audio cable. I know cables is a touchy subject here but still wants to give a fair idea. I have tried a more expensive audio cable but returned it to the store since I wasn't convinced I could hear any difference at all. Haven't tried bi-wiring but have two spare cables of the same type.

I'm really happy with how my system plays music, especially in details and presenting acoustic instruments and voices. It would be great to hear some input about improvement (in realistic terms - I will never be a real audiophile) though. Since I live in a one room apartment, I don't want to arrange the whole place around the stereo. I also use the stereo to play music, films and watch tv from my computer. In the later cases (and for the not too common occasion when I play hip hop), I think I would enjoy a subbass with my system, but are not willing to pay too much money for this. Does anybody have any recommendations about that? How low can you go before it does more damage than good? I have found a used ASW600. Could that be a good choice for me?


Pictures of set up and listening position. Sweetspot would be in a chair that I place in front of the speakers.

[Mark-n-b]

Welcome to the Club, KODG.

Things have changed somewhat since then ... but the cables are still visable.

Wow mate I had not realised that you had upgraded - what did you do with your 803Ds?

[btf1980]

Wow mate I had not realised that you had upgraded - what did you do with your 803Ds?

I believe he is using his 803D's as rears now.

[ShadowZA]

Wow mate I had not realised that you had upgraded - what did you do with your 803Ds?

I believe he is using his 803D's as rears now.

Yeah, the 803D's are on surround duty.

[BWLover]

Well then i must be seeing things

[Briz vegas]

Blimey! I just rub my carpet lightly and the indentations go, I do have a slightly longer pile however. So did you do your setup before attaching the spikes and then resist the temptation to tweek later?

If the new speakers go in the same spot it will not matter unless you have rental/landlord issues.

[Briz vegas]

Yeah, the 803D's are on surround duty.

Ouch! Those poor 803D stuck in the corner like that.

You must get blown out the room when you watch an action flick.

Don't you ever feel the need to get a projection screen to match that sound system. As long as the room allows a 1 to 1.5 viewing ratio I can highly recommend the investment. I have a friend (howdy Scrum) with a massive 1080 rear projection TVs but it still reads as a TV to me. My modest SD projector does not have the ultimate resolution and PQ but provides the "cinematic experience" and I find it easier on the eyes as well. This is just my personal opinion of course, I'm sure my friend would disagree, although I believe he has a dedicated room and a PJ in his future plans.

[Briz vegas]

Hi

I have a low end set up (by standars here - hope I'm still welcome with the post...) with a pair of CDM 1NT together with ARCAM electronics (A90 amplifier and CD62 CD-player) that I bought second hand (with some good advice from people here concerning the electronics, thanks for that again). I would love some input on speaker placement and simple upgrades.

I have Tara labs cheapest (I think) speaker cables "Klara" connected with phono plugs in both ends (brand called monster cable) and I have a relatively thick goldplated no name audio cable. I know cables is a touchy subject here but still wants to give a fair idea. I have tried a more expensive audio cable but returned it to the store since I wasn't convinced I could hear any difference at all. Haven't tried bi-wiring but have two spare cables of the same type.

I'm really happy with how my system plays music, especially in details and presenting acoustic instruments and voices. It would be great to hear some input about improvement (in realistic terms - I will never be a real audiophile) though. Since I live in a one room apartment, I don't want to arrange the whole place around the stereo. I also use the stereo to play music, films and watch tv from my computer. In the later cases (and for the not too common occasion when I play hip hop), I think I would enjoy a subbass with my system, but are not willing to pay too much money for this. Does anybody have any recommendations about that? How low can you go before it does more damage than good? I have found a used ASW600. Could that be a good choice for me?


Pictures of set up and listening position. Sweetspot would be in a chair that I place in front of the speakers.

Nice setup BF. If you like the sound that you are getting then you are definitely on the right track. Cables are one part of the equation and are often an audiophile pursuit, many don't hear the differences. You did the important thing and audtioned the cables. Being from Sweden maybe you should try Nordost :roll: (disclosure - I use them......and I do realise they are American) No reason to go further if you like what you have however.

For a sub with your speakers I would look for a second hand ASW675, over the 650 which was a bit bloaty by comparison - I did not go as low as the 600 as I felt I could do better for the 705 I was running at the time. The 675 does not have the nt1 veneer quality but the sound is amazing for music and movies. Its as punchy and clean as you will ever need- I loved it in an audition. Rel Strata III or 5 would be my other recommendation. The Strata 5 finish is equal to my 804s.

[Dmantis]

Except they are a lot less expensive. Did you try them.

No I haven't. But I have Kimber Kable.

[ShadowZA]

Ouch! Those poor 803D stuck in the corner like that.

You must get blown out the room when you watch an action flick.

Don't you ever feel the need to get a projection screen to match that sound system. As long as the room allows a 1 to 1.5 viewing ratio I can highly recommend the investment. I have a friend (howdy Scrum) with a massive 1080 rear projection TVs but it still reads as a TV to me. My modest SD projector does not have the ultimate resolution and PQ but provides the "cinematic experience" and I find it easier on the eyes as well. This is just my personal opinion of course, I'm sure my friend would disagree, although I believe he has a dedicated room and a PJ in his future plans.

Yes, the 803D's are a bit stuck in the corner. They seem to do a much better job than the N804's did mainly due to the height factor. The high-backed couch was a problem for the N804's. Now ... that "blown-away" factor is better. Way better!

A front projection system (an excellent cost benefit ratio + cannot beat it in terms of the cinematic experience) would be great but the main problem is that I can't close off the room. Unless I go to town on structural changes, there will always be too much light entering the room.

My feel is still to remain with plasma for the time being & maybe upgrade to a larger panel later on.

[Mark-n-b]

Yeah, the 803D's are on surround duty.

Superb. How would you describe the difference going from 803D to 802D at the front?

Yes, the 803D's are a bit stuck in the corner. They seem to do a much better job than the N804's did mainly due to the height factor. The high-backed couch was a problem for the N804's. Now ... that "blown-away" factor is better. Way better!

A front projection system (an excellent cost benefit ratio + cannot beat it in terms of the cinematic experience) would be great but the main problem is that I can't close off the room. Unless I go to town on structural changes, there will always be too much light entering the room.

My feel is still to remain with plasma for the time being & maybe upgrade to a larger panel later on.

I agree - a larger panel is what I would be interested in too. Maybe when I build a dedicated room I would think about a good projector.

[baby fat]

Nice setup BF. If you like the sound that you are getting then you are definitely on the right track. Cables are one part of the equation and are often an audiophile pursuit, many don't hear the differences. You did the important thing and audtioned the cables. Being from Sweden maybe you should try Nordost :roll: (disclosure - I use them......and I do realise they are American) No reason to go further if you like what you have however.

For a sub with your speakers I would look for a second hand ASW675, over the 650 which was a bit bloaty by comparison - I did not go as low as the 600 as I felt I could do better for the 705 I was running at the time. The 675 does not have the nt1 veneer quality but the sound is amazing for music and movies. Its as punchy and clean as you will ever need- I loved it in an audition. Rel Strata III or 5 would be my other recommendation. The Strata 5 finish is equal to my 804s.

Thank you Briz Vegas! Great to hear some advice with experience from similar speakers. I was thinking that a ASW 600 would be better than a 650 for my small room 5 by 3.7 m (2.7 m roof height). From reviews I have also read that it plays music better than the 650 (concerning similar comments as the "bloatiness" you refer to). 675 and the Stratas might be out of my price range, but I'll definitely keep an eye out if I can make a bargain somewhere. The finish of a sub doesnt concern me too much since it will most likely be placed in a corner as much out of sight as possible...

[ShadowZA]

Superb. How would you describe the difference going from 803D to 802D at the front?...

Thanks Mark-n-b.

I find the following to be improvements:

1. Better lower midrange and bass. Sound is fuller and feels complete.
2. Slightly better soundstage and 3-dimensionality.
3. Sound feels less boxy and less directional. I close my eyes and it is as if the artist/band is in the room - more so with the 802D's than the 803D's.
4. Perfect height factor wrt tweeters (enables better enjoyment of high frequencies). I found that the 803D's were just too tall when considering my listening position. Now, it's perfect.

One thing though. I do find the look of the 802D's to be more distracting than the 803D's. I often find myself admiring the looks instead of concentrating on the music being played. To cure this, I do a fair amount of listening in the dark, or with my eyes closed. Bliss!

[Chatterbot]

Welcome to the Club, KODG.

Things have changed somewhat since then ... but the cables are still visable.

Did you ever try to increase the distance between the 802´s? It looks as they were at close quarters.
A bigger distance could improve the stereo triangle.

A front projection system (an excellent cost benefit ratio + cannot beat it in terms of the cinematic experience) would be great but the main problem is that I can't close off the room. Unless I go to town on structural changes, there will always be too much light entering the room.

Thanks Mark-n-b.
To cure this, I do a fair amount of listening in the dark, or with my eyes closed. Bliss!

So I guess a front-projection would be possible... :B


Cheers,
Guenther

[ShadowZA]

Did you ever try to increase the distance between the 802´s? It looks as they were at close quarters.
A bigger distance could improve the stereo triangle. ...

Ideally I'd prefer to have a dedicated room for audio (as opposed to home theatre) ... underground. :T

[planitismetal]

Ideally I'd prefer to have a dedicated room for audio (as opposed to home theatre) ... underground. :T

Ideally choice... Only in my dreams... :cry: