B&W 800 System: What you think?

[nick.h]

100% Home Theatre


B&W 803s $11,000.00
B&W 805s $5,000.00
B&W HTM3s $4,500.00
Arcam 350 $4,000.00

OR

804 $8,000.00
805 $5,000.00
HTM3 $4,500.00
Arcam 350 $4,000.00

OR

805 $5,000.00
805 $5,000.00
HTM3 $2,500.00
Arcam 350 $4,000.00

What you think? A good combo?

[jayhawk75]

i didnt know that there was that much of a price difference between front 805 and rear 805

[Blindamood]

Ha, ha...good catch jayhawk.

Nick.h, if you're using 805S for front and rear, you should really use the matching HTM4S for the center as well.

[JohnAng]

looking at the prices he has posted and knowing the aussie pricing on these spakers, i dare say the fronts he is thinking of are the 803s, so the htm3 will be a good centre.

nick, i tried the same frons with the arcam pre/pro and didn't like the sound, it as a little too bright for me.

[Briz vegas]

JohnAng I have not heard that Arcam setup, but going by the reviews I have read and the other gear I have listened to, I believe there are electronics that are better suited to the 800s to achieve the most natural sound(ie free of any hint of brightness).

I am surprised that you found an 800 series system bright for movies, although everyones taste varies. I found the 705 bright for music with an avr/power/DVD (various brands) set up, but switch it to movies and the previous brightness was never an issue. Switching to 804s at the front has made the music far better, but I know from my auditioning that the right electronics (Meridian/Electrocompaniet in this case) makes the 804s nicely neutral and very natural in its sound (basically what I am ultimately aiming for). I would not describe my current system as bright, I just know that it can sound just that bit more natural with better matched gear.

I think Nick has the speakers right, however the electronics comes down to taste in sound and that it would be worthwhile listening the 800s on a variety of gear as the right match can give really nice results. I think you know you have it right when the temption to ask others "what do you think about this" goes away and you start thinking "now that is hifi".

[JohnAng]

I believe it was the arcam gear that made them overly bright, i also auditioned the 703's with the same arcam gear and they were just as bright.
I also heard the 800 series and the 703's with other electronics and they came to life, no brightness an a very well balanced sound.
A friend also has some 802D and i absolutely love these with the elktra map he is using (its an Australian built amp and not sure if its sold outside of australia, so you guys may not have heard of it)

I think nick needs to go out and audition these speakers with as many combinations of electronics as possible because in australia for the same money as that arcam combination, i feel there are so many better priced options.

Also Nick, will yo be doing alot of 2 channel listening?, geez i hope so with these speakers, which leads me to my next question, what cd player will you be using?