B&W 805S vs. 804S

Collapse
This topic is closed.
X
X
 
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts
  • solid
    Junior Member
    • Jul 2007
    • 7

    B&W 805S vs. 804S

    Hello.

    I want to buy a new pair of speaker for 2CH music system. My electronics are: ROTEL RCD 1072, RC 1070 y RB 1080. My listening room is small (4m x 4m)

    Can any one tell me whats the diference betwen the 2 way speaker 805s and the 3 way 804s (talking about their sound of course )

    Thanks
  • audioqueso
    Super Senior Member
    • Nov 2004
    • 1930

    #2
    More bass. Fuller lower frequency range. In a room that's 4x4m, I think the 805 will be more than enough. However, it being a 2-channel setup, the 804 will give you a better musical spectrum than the 805 + subwoofer (if you decide to add one).
    B&W 804S/Velodyne SPL-1000R/Anthem MRX720

    Comment

    • jjahshik32
      Senior Member
      • Sep 2007
      • 309

      #3
      I've owned the 805S for a while and auditioned the 804S in a much larger space and the 803S.

      I'd say just get the 803S and be done with it for half of your life! :T

      Comment

      • audioqueso
        Super Senior Member
        • Nov 2004
        • 1930

        #4
        However jjakshik32, your much longer space doesn't apply to him. He said his room is 4x4m. That's a small room.

        The 803s are overkill for a room that small. Either way, you asked about 805 or 804. I would ask the dealer to let you try the 805 at home. If you feel it's not enough bass for you in that room, then get the 804. Both speakers are close in price as the stands for the 805 are $600 a pair on top of the $2800 for the 805's.
        B&W 804S/Velodyne SPL-1000R/Anthem MRX720

        Comment

        • jjahshik32
          Senior Member
          • Sep 2007
          • 309

          #5
          Yea if his room is that small then the 805s, hell even the 685 will be more than enough.

          You should check out the 685 first!!

          But having owned the 805S and comparing them to the 804S that they had at my dealer.. you should just get the 805S.

          To me they sounded pretty much the same just the midrange at times was a bit more revealing with more bass to boot. But with that size room the 805S's bass should be felt/enough.

          In my opinion and just my opinion, I thought the 804S sounded/looked like just a stretched out version of an 805S.

          I'd say either just get an 805S or skip the 804S in the future for an 803S. Man does that 803S sound so sweet and a totally different league than the 804S.

          Comment

          • Briz vegas
            Super Senior Member
            • Mar 2005
            • 1199

            #6
            4m X 4m sounds like a potential bass nightmare. For that room I would be leaning towards 805s, but there are other factors.

            It has been a while since I last heard the 805 v 804. They do have a different sonic signature. 804 is not just an 805 with more bass. After owning a pair of 705s for 2 years I heard the same sonic signature in the 805 (but better). 804 did not have the same family resemblence. I put that down to the FST midrange driver. I think choosing between the two is a very personal thing and depends on your taste in sound generally, partnering electronics, your room and the recordings.
            Mac 8gb SSD Audirvana ->Weiss INT202 firewire interface ->Naim DAC & XPS2 DR->Conrad Johnson CT5 & LP70S-> Vivid B1s. Nordost Valhalla cables & resonance management. (Still waiting for Paul Hynes PS:M)
            Siamese :evil: :twisted:

            Comment

            • Kal Rubinson
              Super Senior Member
              • Mar 2006
              • 2109

              #7
              IMHO, the 805s and 804s are significantly different, structurally and audibly. Both use a Kevlar midrange driver but the 805 uses it for bass as well. This means it must be implemented without FST and its lack of rigidity (a design feature) is far from ideal for bass. Consequently, the lower midrange sounds less detailed and the bass is only OK, by comparison.

              Kal
              Kal Rubinson
              _______________________________
              "Music in the Round"
              Senior Contributing Editor, Stereophile
              http://forum.stereophile.com/category/music-round

              Comment

              • solid
                Junior Member
                • Jul 2007
                • 7

                #8
                Thanks guys. Right now I have the 604 S3 in my listening rom. In the begining I had a lot of acoustic problems but , I resolved using acoustic treatment.

                Now the 604 sound very well, but I want more detail in voices and guitar and also more controled bass.

                Space is not a problem because I will move the equipment to another place and that place is bigger

                Comment

                • Rod S
                  Junior Member
                  • Mar 2005
                  • 27

                  #9
                  Solid,

                  I started with 601S2's went to the 603S3's and finally settled on the 804S's.
                  There are certain advantages to a full range speaker that you just can't get with a standmount, even one as good as the 805S.
                  The way I looked at it, the 804S's were a long term purchase and so I may well change several parameters including the room they're in so best get the speakers that have the performance I'm after and make them work in the space I currently have.
                  The FST mid-range is a special kind of sound and was really a determining factor for me, maybe it won't be your cup of tea and you'll prefer the sound of the 805S's. Listen to them both as much as you can with familiar music.
                  To be honest both of those options are a significant upgrade on the previous 600 series, although I have to admit, I thought my 603's were probably the best speaker in the sound vs. price stakes.

                  Cheers, Rod

                  Comment

                  • wettou
                    Ultra Senior Member
                    • May 2006
                    • 3389

                    #10
                    805 with a good sub like JL Audio Fathom F110 would be my choice the 805 will sing and not be incombered by the bass :T
                    Farming looks mighty easy when your plow is a pencil, and you're a thousand miles from the corn field."Dwight D. Eisenhower

                    Comment

                    • dknightd
                      Senior Member
                      • Mar 2006
                      • 621

                      #11
                      As others have pointed out the big difference is going from 2-way to 3-way.
                      This allows use of dedicated bass and the fst midrange driver. I happen to think on balance the fst midrange is a very nice driver, it reproduces acoustic instruments and voice better than anything I heard in the price range (except for planer speakers that would not work in my room, and probably not yours). Some people don't like it, so you really have to listen and decide for your self. The advantage of a 2-way is less
                      complicated crossover, the advantage of a 3-way is freeing the midrange from having to produce bass (the disadvantage are the opposite - and there really is no right answer - if you listen at low volume and close to the speakers you might prefer the 805, if you like to turn it up sometimes and can sit at least 6 feet away from the speaker you might prefer the 804).
                      Since you have the room worked out for your 604, you should be fine with 804 size.
                      If price is an issue you might want to listen to the CM-7 and 703.

                      Edit - if you go from 604 to 805 you'd pick up midrange and treble clarity, but, you might miss the bass the 604 had.

                      Comment

                      • jjahshik32
                        Senior Member
                        • Sep 2007
                        • 309

                        #12
                        Maybe you should check out the 683 (it too has a fst driver) before you jump to the 804S?

                        Comment

                        • wettou
                          Ultra Senior Member
                          • May 2006
                          • 3389

                          #13
                          Originally posted by dknightd
                          If you go from 604 to 805 you'd pick up midrange and treble clarity, but, you might miss the bass the 604 had.
                          Not if you have a good sub and the clarity of the 805 are so much better:T
                          Farming looks mighty easy when your plow is a pencil, and you're a thousand miles from the corn field."Dwight D. Eisenhower

                          Comment

                          • style
                            Super Senior Member
                            • Feb 2006
                            • 1562

                            #14
                            Hi,

                            room 4x4m. 2channel system.

                            805 or 804 is not easy to decide.

                            For the price I will be go to the 804.
                            the 805 with original stand anda good sub ist sure nuch expensive as 804.

                            I have the 805 too, and is a very, very good speaeker no words.

                            the Rotel RB1080 with the 804 for me will sound great.

                            Omar

                            Comment

                            • Horacio
                              Senior Member
                              • Jan 2005
                              • 142

                              #15
                              Another vote for the 804S.
                              However, also wanted to throw in a word of "caution". I started with the exact same electronics you have and B&W CM-4, and loved it. Eventually upgraded to 804S. However the 804S are very revealing and eventually I came to realize the RB1080 sounded harsh, to my ears anyway. Eventually replaced the 1080 with a tubed McIntosh MC275 and it's unbelievably better. Even in the bass!

                              What I'm trying to say is be aware of what you are getting into and what your budget constraints are. To my ears the RB1080+CM4 were easier to listen to than RB1080+804S.

                              To me the sound signature of the 803S and 804S are similar. You get more bass from the 803S, but that's what you don't want in a room like yours.

                              Enjoy the chase!

                              Comment

                              • solid
                                Junior Member
                                • Jul 2007
                                • 7

                                #16
                                Hi, I read post referenced to the 703, 805, 804 and I found that many people
                                think that RB-1080 is not powerfull enough to drive the 804. Is this true?

                                In my experience, acoustics can influence more than electronics. I read about "more bass", "biger sound stage" and many other things.

                                Anohter question. how many years ago B&W launch de actual 804s?
                                Do you know if B&W is thinking to change or upgrade the 800 series soon?

                                Comment

                                • Horacio
                                  Senior Member
                                  • Jan 2005
                                  • 142

                                  #17
                                  Solid,

                                  The RB-1080 is certainly powerful enough for any of those. My point about 1080 + 804S is about maybe the quality of the power as seen through the 804S coming through as harsh, to my ears. Itr's a great amp, though, and the one piece in my stereo I thought would stay with me for long. But then the 804S required a different amp, for my taste.

                                  The 804S came out in 2005, if I recall correctly. There was an 804 before, but I believe there were some differences (eg; drivers and crossovers) even though they look the same.

                                  Horacio

                                  Comment

                                  Working...
                                  😀
                                  😂
                                  🥰
                                  😘
                                  🤢
                                  😎
                                  😞
                                  😡
                                  👍
                                  👎
                                  Searching...Please wait.
                                  An unexpected error was returned: 'Your submission could not be processed because you have logged in since the previous page was loaded.

                                  Please push the back button and reload the previous window.'
                                  An unexpected error was returned: 'Your submission could not be processed because the token has expired.

                                  Please push the back button and reload the previous window.'
                                  An internal error has occurred and the module cannot be displayed.
                                  There are no results that meet this criteria.
                                  Search Result for "|||"