how good is the signature diamond

[Frankster72]

hi,

unfortunately it is pretty hardto find a dealer who got the signature diamond on display here.

how good is the signature diamond in comparison to the 800 series or other speakers... Is the signature diamond above the 803D or is the signature diamond just a design compromise...

best regards,
frank

[arcam_boy]

Hi,

After hearing the signature diamond as well as reading several reviews I would class it as more of a design speaker as opposed to a performance speaker although it does still sound very good indeed. At £11 000 GBP there are quite a few speakers that sound better than the signature diamond. Unless you have plenty of money to spare I'd certainly choose the 803D's although you could get some 802D's and £3000 change :T

[WI Rotel]

Hi,

After hearing the signature diamond as well as reading several reviews I would class it as more of a design speaker as opposed to a performance speaker although it does still sound very good indeed. At £11 000 GBP there are quite a few speakers that sound better than the signature diamond. Unless you have plenty of money to spare I'd certainly choose the 803D's although you could get some 802D's and £3000 change :T

I agree wholeheartedly......

[Frankster72]

I found another thread here in the forum regarding the diamond sig. it says the diamond sig is beating the 802d for mids and hights but lacking the base.
this is somehting i can live with or buy a second pv1.

but they also wrote the diamond sig is sold out :-(
actually I'm still waiting for my dealer response...

[ryst]

You can still buy them in sweden (white/wakame), but the black seems to be out of order.

Wasn't to impressed with them, sounded to "small", for the money I rather by the 801D.

The 802D is a much better speaker in my opinion, large sound stage compared to the diamond signature. I only find them as a decent surround speaker.

[Frankster72]

there is no way of placing a speaker like the 802D within my appartment. so I'm looking for something small. right now i'm using the very slim XT4. the diamond signature is about maximum size that I could place. otherwise the speakers would hide a part of my cinema screen....

i like to listen to detail and female voices alot. so I need got hights and mids. at my other appartment I am quite happy with the dynaudio c1 shelf speakers. I run them without a sub - not necessary for me. also the dynaudio's wouldn't fit to my other appartment, because they need to stand free to sound good...

but I'm also open to other options. The last days I had a pair of piega speakers for testing at home. liked them alot. but still not good enough...

[george_k]

Hey Frank,

I also live in an apartment, my living room and eating area is about 25ft x 15f with half of that space taken up by the dining area.

I managed to fit a pair of 703's in my TV and listening area but it is a bit of a tight fit.

[Frankster72]

hi george,

which other speakers have you been listening before choosing the 703? are you happy with your choice?

[Aldo]

there is no way of placing a speaker like the 802D within my appartment. so I'm looking for something small. right now i'm using the very slim XT4. the diamond signature is about maximum size that I could place. otherwise the speakers would hide a part of my cinema screen....

i like to listen to detail and female voices alot. so I need got hights and mids. at my other appartment I am quite happy with the dynaudio c1 shelf speakers. I run them without a sub - not necessary for me. also the dynaudio's wouldn't fit to my other appartment, because they need to stand free to sound good...

but I'm also open to other options. The last days I had a pair of piega speakers for testing at home. liked them alot. but still not good enough...

I have a pair of the signatures, I can tell you first hand go for them!
You will not regret, their sound is amazing, they are very different vs the 802D's.
Their sound stage is not small like someone said (maybe the problem was the room or placement), it is the most coherent speaker I heard, they are not very good in bass response for obious reasons but the highs and mids are incredible!

It is also a limited edition speaker which will surely revalue with time.
I really, really like them and I also have 802D's which are also great but if I where in your position I buy the Signatures.

[Frankster72]

thank you aldo for your statement
thats what I espect from them.

I really hope my dealer will tell me his offer very soon. I gonna call him tomorrow.

aldo, which color do you suggest? my other speakers are black, but it might look better taking them white colored.

br,
frank

[Pedro]

The 803D have a lot much bass than signature diamond. If i didnt care so much for midrange, could pick the 803D over the S40.

[Aldo]

thank you aldo for your statement
thats what I espect from them.

I really hope my dealer will tell me his offer very soon. I gonna call him tomorrow.

aldo, which color do you suggest? my other speakers are black, but it might look better taking them white colored.

br,
frank

I got the white one, I order my pair 1 year ago almost the same day the Nautilus arrive home, my dealer provide me with 2 samples and the Wakame was not for me!

Almost everyone in this forum hate the look of the Signatures, but love it, they are truly a statement.

The black grills look great and they are painted with the same paint as a Porsche and took 4 weeks just for that job.

One of the main differences I like better than the wakame is that the tweeter housing is from a gray/white marvel which look great and the wakames came with a plain black marvel which look like a painted simple housing.

Do you know that only the tweeter housings cost B&W 5000usd to make!
Avery one who saw them in my house was :jawdrop:
They are smaller than they look at pictures.

The wakame finish has nothing to do with the Signature 800 series we all know, it is more like a golden, brown very glossy finish.

I do not know if I should say these but I even received a numbered (speaker serial number) framed letter from B&W saying these speakers are the culmination of everything B&W know hand signed by Kenneth Grange and the industrial designer (I don't remember his name).
Some could say thats snake oil but that snake oil feels great!

Sorry if this review was too long but you are the first one who shows interest in the signatures in the forum!

[Frankster72]

sounds awesome. I was thinking tonight getting them in white. I dunno if you saw my current setup pics - otherwise I can post them again.
I'm a total hifi nerd, but the bad thing is that I have to live at 2 appartments. at my main home I got excellent stereo. at my second appartment I bough a beamer with a 5.1. but my main thing is stereo. so I need better gear. and only the sig diamond would fit by design to the XT series I use for surround...

what you have written was very helpful. I hope I get tomorrow feedback from my dealer...

which amps are you using with the diamond sig? do you drive them using bi-amping?

br,
frank

[Aldo]

sounds awesome. I was thinking tonight getting them in white. I dunno if you saw my current setup pics - otherwise I can post them again.
I'm a total hifi nerd, but the bad thing is that I have to live at 2 appartments. at my main home I got excellent stereo. at my second appartment I bough a beamer with a 5.1. but my main thing is stereo. so I need better gear. and only the sig diamond would fit by design to the XT series I use for surround...

what you have written was very helpful. I hope I get tomorrow feedback from my dealer...

which amps are you using with the diamond sig? do you drive them using bi-amping?

br,
frank

For now I'm using a Krell FPB700cx which I used 2 year ago with a pair of 800's.
They are fairly sensitive so you could be fine with 200wtts.

[Aldo]

I just found your picture posts with the XT's!
Beautiful house!

[Frankster72]

my idea is getting an rotel 1092 class D amp. so I can bi-amp together with 2 channels of my rotel 1077 this would be the maximum I can fit into the lowboard together with the preamp

[george_k]

Hey Frank,

Before choosing the 703's, I listened to the 805's, CM7's and the 704's. Of the 3, I liked the 805's the best but they lacked bass...I ended up buying the 703's blindly thinking they'd sound at least as good as the 704's but with more bass.

Am I happy with my speakers? Short answer is no.

The long answer (and it took me a while to realize this) is that speakers, much like women, are never perfect. There will always certain things they do right and certain things they do wrong, the trick is to find a speaker whose compromises you can live with.

For me that speaker would be a pair of Quad 989 electrostats. I heard these back in 2001 and was just simply amazed. These are the only speakers I've heard to date that impressed me to the point where I could say "I'm done upgrading". Apparently the newer Quads are supposed to sound even better, but I lack the necessary 3-4ft from the back wall these speakers need to breathe.

[Frankster72]

see george, I also first thought the xt4 is ok. they are good, good for HT but not for stereo. I still think back of a pair of wilson benesh arc I heard once...
and see - I'm going to get the diamond sig - and not the arcs - strange world...

[cug]

The long answer (and it took me a while to realize this) is that speakers, much like women, are never perfect. There will always certain things they do right and certain things they do wrong, the trick is to find a speaker whose compromises you can live with.

Yeah, only upgrading is way easier with speakers ... ;-)

For me that speaker would be a pair of Quad 989 electrostats. I heard these back in 2001 and was just simply amazed. These are the only speakers I've heard to date that impressed me to the point where I could say "I'm done upgrading". Apparently the newer Quads are supposed to sound even better, but I lack the necessary 3-4ft from the back wall these speakers need to breathe.

For me, it would be a pair of 802D. But as they are way too expensive for me and too big and need to much amplifier power and don't look as good as the 804S (in my opinion), I'm probably at the end of the upgrade chain with the 804S - which is an amazing speaker!

[Race Car Driver]

Aldo, have pics of your sigs?

[Aldo]

Aldo, have pics of your sigs?

Boxed! yes!

Remember I was building a new apartment, I audition them for about 2 weeks side by side with the nautilus and then wave goobye to them until new home is ready!
Right now I barely fit into my house, I have WC's, shower heads, levers, packed furniture, and I will be like that for several months so there is no place to make an extra setup for the moment!

[bbill]

I have a pair of the signatures, I can tell you first hand go for them!
You will not regret, their sound is amazing, they are very different vs the 802D's.
Their sound stage is not small like someone said (maybe the problem was the room or placement), it is the most coherent speaker I heard, they are not very good in bass response for obious reasons but the highs and mids are incredible!

It is also a limited edition speaker which will surely revalue with time.
I really, really like them and I also have 802D's which are also great but if I where in your position I buy the Signatures.

I agree...







when I first received my B&W Diamond Signature, I heard its magic right away : the midrange is fantastic, very natural and detailed, the Signature is very coherent and refined. The Diamond tweeter is probably one of the top two or three tweeters in the world !

[style]

Hi,

for me the 802d is the perfect speakers. :T

The Nautilus (picture from Aldo) is sure a great speaker but from the fisrt edition is always the same, nothing is changed..no evolution
is only one icon that shows B & W as a sign of recognition
Unfortunately, nothing more. too expensive, too everything! for better or for worse ops:
The signature 40th anniversary is a very special 2-way.
with more characters (vs. the big Nautilus), the "oil color" is my favorite.

At today I have a 803D and I'm happy. well with this spekears the room, , soundproofed, room drawee makes a big difference ....

My wishlist?
802D
40th.anniversary
801D-800D

Style

[Nolan B]

Those are beautiful, and I think white looks great.

[DM3000 Owner]

Are those the nes that were on Audiogon recently? They look great. I am all for the special edition equipment.

[bbill]

they are new...

[ljs1228]

Signature Diamond

Hi there!

Hope that you are enjoying your Signature Diamonds!! I've recently ordered a second pair for my living room in the Wakame Finish. Just wish they made a centre channel too! From what I hear, you are lucky to get a new pair of the white as they are few and far between. My dealer told me that B & W are making more in the Wakame but are ending the white.

Hope you love them as much as I do!

Take good care,
ljs1228

[multivac]

I found another thread here in the forum regarding the diamond sig. it says the diamond sig is beating the 802d for mids and hights but lacking the base. ...

Although the Signatute Diamond sound "smaller" than the 802ds i agree with the above comments.

The Diamonds are more "electrostat-like" than the 802Ds which is pretty amazing, considering the theoritical advantage of the marlan head that sets apart the 802D from the other loudspeakers.

Besides, the Signature Diamonds are much more room-friendly.

I have a pair of the signatures, I can tell you first hand go for them!

:T

.... it is the most coherent speaker I heard, they are not very good in bass response for obious reasons but the highs and mids are incredible!...

Quality-wise, I have no issues with their bass performance.

Let us not forget that the Signature Diamond is a very expensive, but rather small floorstanding loudspeaker. I do not expect bass performance of seismic proportions...

Here are some - very bad - photos just to compare the loudspeaker sizes.

[multivac]

Sorry about the very big size of the pictures.

Can someone ( the administrator perhaps ) make them smaller ?

[bbill]

Sorry about the very big size of the pictures.

Can someone ( the administrator perhaps ) make them smaller ?

like this ?

[bbill]

B&W and B&W ! 8)

[htsteve]

bbill,

Now that is a beautiful setup. I do love B&W in a dedicated room.

[bbill]

Golden Sound Award - Stereo Sound 2007 !

[Aquarius]

Does anyone have some measurements on SDs?

They've been shown in German Stereo (11/2007) but I don't have that issue. Maybe some reader of Stereo can scan it and post it here?

Thanks.

[bbill]

""how good is the signature diamond in comparison to the 800 series""

It's really depend on your room size !
If you have enough space, the 801 is the excellent choice but for a small room, the Signature is a better option, this two way speaker will offer you a better room integration and the quality of the Diamond tweeter.. and yes it's expensive if your compare the size/price ratio but not if your are looking for the best musical experience

[RedWolf]

I commend you for finding a pair. The NY dealers were not interested in carrying them.