Matrix or 700 series?

[deke]

I've had a set of 602 s2s for the last 7 years or so and have been very happy with them. However, I've been thinking of replacing them with a full range speaker. The speakers will be used 50/50 for music & HT. I care about music more. For now, I'll be driving them with a Rotel RMB-1075.

I can't afford the Nautilus series. I'm looking at getting some 703s, but wondered if it may be money better spent to get something from the Matrix series (e.g. Matrix 803).

Has anyone had the chance to own or audition a full range Matrix speaker vs. the 703s? If so, I'd appreciate your impressions and advice. Also, how long can you expect a speaker to last?

(Sorry I posted this in another thread also - still figuring this site out).

[JKalman]

I didn't think the 804 vs the 703 was worth the extra money, though, there is probably better resale value in the 804s. I did think the 803S was worth the extra money. Speaker preference is a fairly subjective decision, so the best thing to do is go demo them for yourself.

Many B&W dealers have Rotel gear, so you can test all those speakers with the amp you plan on using. I would call around and ask them to set up a RMB-1075 with the speaker models you want to demo, then bring some music you are very familiar with to the dealership to test the speakers out.

[deke]

Thanks for your reply. I'm likely going to go the "used" route which means the prices for the 700 series and older 800 / Matrix series will be close. Problem is it's difficult to find dealers w/ used equipment to listen to.

Electronics technology moves at light speed - to me, this doesn't seem to be the case on the speaker side. Can anyone pontificate on the pros / cons of getting something newer vs. an older speaker?

[JKalman]

Audition, audition, audition. That is my advice.