Do B&W speakers image well?

[mr_m687]

I have a new pair of 804S and they have over 100 hours on them. My question is do they have good imaging? I'm yet to hear anything coming from between the speakers. A singers voice is ALWAYS coming from both speakers? Even cheap speakers image to the middle. Positioning is about 8ft apart and I sit about the same distance away. Yes, I have moved the angle of the speakers I even had them pointing right at me still voices from the speakers not between them? This occurs with all types of music help.

[Phil Rose]

B&Ws are VERY good at imaging. Make sure that your speakers aren't wired out of phase with each other.

[Pieter]

Make sure that your speakers aren't wired out of phase with each other.

Yup, that's what I thought too.

[js24]

mr_m687
are you biwiring?
if you didn't biwire correctly, the imaging *and* the bass suffer tremendously

[jim777]

Try changing the placement. Are the speakers directed front (0 degrees) or towards you (45 degrees). Try at about 10 degrees to get both stereo imaging and a clear "center".

Also check polarity but try changing the placement before the wires, it doesn't cost anything...

[alkalay]

Do they?!

Hi,

At the first weeks after placing and connecting my CM4's I used to get up from my listening spot and get closer to the LCR60 placed in between those CM's just to make sure it really didn't play anything.
I knew I was listening to pure stereo (as I mostly do) and yet I had to get up and check. After a while I got used to it... :lol:

If the CM's have that kind of an imaging I'm sure the 804's can do better...

Is there something big in between your 804's? Have you tried moving them away from a back wall? Play around with placement?

Itai.

[johan]

mr_m687,
Havent you given up B&W yet? It was just crap you said.

[mr_m687]

Yes, my speakers are biwired I have the high plugged into the upper binding posts and the low on the bottom binding posts. How do you know if your speakers are wired out of phase with each other? I know something is wrong because i'm yet to hear any vocals from the center. Johan the speakers have been improving they are beginning to smooth out and the bass seems better. I need to figure this out because it's strange hearing vocals from the sides.

[Trevor]

Correct phasing

B&W makes a cd that tells you whether your speakers are in phase. All you need to do is listen to diferent tracks and it tells you if your speakers are hooked up right. You can get this when you when you register your speakers at B&W.com

[mr_m687]

What do you mean by in phase can't you just hook them up and they work? All B&W sent me was a pen no CD anyone that can help me with this phase problem or explain it to me please do. Thanks

[caleb]

B&W have superb imaging, but are VERY sensitive to room placement and in particular the distance away from walls and other surfaces.

Correct phasing can be demonstrated by just reversing the wire from one speaker terminal - you will soon hear the difference.

Simply put - "IN PHASE" is when both speaker cones move in and out together and 'OUT OF PHASE" is when one moves in and the other out.

You can imagine that moving out together gives a sound pressure gain whilst moving out and in will virtually cancel out the sound.

Also if you keep your wires correctly marked from amp to speaker the this should not be a problem, i.e red wires to positive on the amp and speaker and black wires to negative on the amp and speaker.

It took many hours of listening and fiddling with the speaker placement to get mine to sound right, and on my 802's they had to be at least 1.2 metres away from all the walls before they sounded right.

Unfortunately with B&W it is not an easy job to get them perfect, but well worth the trouyble in the end.

Persist and you will be well rewarded.

[audioqueso]

Hey, I didn't get a CD either. I want a CD. I only received a pen as well just like Mr M687.

[mr_m687]

Thanks Caleb. I really hope one of my wires are crossed 1.2 meters from all walls is not practical for most. I hope they don't have to be that far out I have them approx .5 meters from the back wall now. Anyone else that has experience with this issue please post?

[caleb]

Audioqueso - the reason they send you a pen is so you can sign a cheque for your next set of speakers!

[mr_m687]

Wires were crossed on the amp. I take the biggest idiot award for the month. The 804S sound great by the way very happy.

[jim777]

That would explain lack of bass

[js24]

glad to hear you can finally enjoy yoru speakers mr_m687 :B

[audioqueso]

Mr687, and your award from B&W for excellent troubleshooting will be... (drum roll please)... a pen.

[johan]

Glad to hear that mr687, what do you think of the bass now?

[Mitchell]

How can I get the CD? All I got was a pen. Perhaps if I used it to write a letter.
I remember when I filled out the questionaire for their targeted marketing they said a CD would be sent.

[RebelMan]

Wires were crossed on the amp. I take the biggest idiot award for the month. The 804S sound great by the way very happy.

Excellent! Are there any retractions you want to make? :P

[Claude D D]

I believe that due to overwhelming demand the CD's are on back order from B&W.

[caleb]

Don't feel bad about the crossed wires - it is a common mistake - I am sure more people than enough have made that mistake - at least you admitted it.