ASW 850 sub or ASW 825 sub to go with 803D?

[Sonic-x]

I have recently bought a pair of 803Ds, and I would like to add a subwoofer to go with my 2-channel home cinema.

My local dealer has offered me a demo used ASW 850 for appr. $ 2600. Is this a good deal, or should I go for the ASW 825 which I may get for appr. $2800 from the same dealer.

My room is in the basement and is about 20 m2. It will be used about 70% for listening to music and 30% for home cinema, Playstastion 2 etc.

I appreciate all suggestions

[RobP]

Hello!

I would go with the ASW850, it plays lower than the 825 and with the abundance of bass that you already get from the 803d's you will just need some re-enforcement on the lowest octaves which the 850 will supply with no problem.The demo price is a little high in my opinion, I got mine which was a demo with low play time for $1900.

What are driving your 803d's with??

[Sonic-x]

Thanks for quick response

The retail price here in Norway is $3900 for th 850, so I dont think I can ask for lower price, though I certainly would not have hesitated if I could get it for $1900

So the new Rochacell membran isnt something to consider in this case?

Edit: Im using an AVI Laboratory integrated amp with 2x175w.

[RobP]

Ahhh, Norway, sorry I thought you were talking 2600 US.Not a bad price then.

B&W has not come out with the replacement for the ASW850 as of yet. But the Rochell drivers are superior to the older Nautilus line.

You know another option would be to add more power to those speakers, I heard the 803D'S with a Musical Fidelity KW500 and the bass was so strong that a subwoofer wouldnt have been missed at all.

[Sonic-x]

Interesting, I actually have considered replacing, or adding an extra power amplifier to the speakers, but I wasnt sure if this would be enough. Maybe I should try this before buying a subwoofer.

Btw. The price is actually in US $, so the B&W speakers is rather expensive in Norway.

[RobP]

You should see if your dealer will let you audition a higher power 2 channel amp for a weekend. Maybe at least 350w per channel.

[Sonic-x]

Ok, thanks for your advice. I will try this before I consider buying a subwoofer

[RobP]

Keep us up to date on how things turn out.

[Sonic-x]

I will

[Sonic-x]

This weekend I borrowed an ASW850 from my local dealer, and after some adjustment and positioning it sounded very vell though the low bass seemed at bit overwhelming to me

So I turned of the sub, and listened just to the 803Ds. The bass still sounded a bit weak and I wondered why it seemed like this, because when I heard the 803s in the store the bass was much fuller and more powerful with a rather small amplifier.

But something "strange" happened. I have been using a pair of Nordost SPM single wired speaker cable together with the supplied B&W speaker jumpers.

But when I just for fun connected a pair of Nordost Blue Heaven toghether with the SPMs as a kind of biwiring with the SPMs on the treble/mid and the other on the bass connectiongs, the mid bass and lower bass suddenly "opened up". The bass sounded more powerful, lower and with more punch than before this "biwiring". Strange

I didnt expect this kind of "biwiring" to have such an impact on the bass. Now Im satisfied with the bass response and I dont think I have to add or change my amplifier. The ASW850 is no longer needed when Im listening to music, and I could also accept to live without it when watching movies

I know this sounds strange, but in my listening room the extra cables made an big improvement

[RobP]

Well, that would be a cheaper fix for you than the sub! Good deal. I have always felt that given the right kind of power the 803D is well endowed in the bass department.
I bi-wired my 803's not too long ago and noticed a good improvement as well, some may argue that its rubbish, but hey, if its sounds better to you then who cares.

[Sonic-x]

Good to hear that there is someone who has had the same experience regarding biwiring