Get a great deal on 803'd's or wait for new line?

[arube1]

Does anyone think i would be better to wait for the new 800 series or take a plunge on a great deal on 803d's now? although i love the look -- my concern of the 803'ds is the size ( just a little large for my setup) and thought perhaps if i waited for the new 804d i would be getting the best of both worlds-- smaller speakers and the latest and the greatest from b@w... i was going to get the htm2d center and again a little large for my setup- but was willing to go with the bigger stuff since i can get a great deal on them....thanks!

[tyreman]

Really depends on your room size, placement options afforded to you I guess, plus whats the most you want to spend?
If theres just too much in the room can it be reduced?
If its size of the room well maybe don't need the deal.
If cost is no object then wait for the new models.
Alternately a used pair of 804's?

[htsteve]

arube1,

Good question. My initial reaction is yes, go get the 803D's. I have 802D's and the HTM2D in an 11X16 room. So many would consider them 'too big'. But the room has been acoustically treated, and they all sound awesome in the room. They sounded excellent before in the room, even better now.

How long do you have to decide on this new deal?

List for the current 803D's is $9,000 I believe (and you've got a deal lined up). The new 804D will be around $7,000 ($4,500 current price + $1,500 for diamond tweeter + $1,000 price increase). So money-wise, I suspect these will be in the same ballpark. At that point it's current 803D vs. newer 804D. To me that is pretty easy. 803D.

The 800 series loves current. What are you planning to drive them with?

Hope this helps.

[Skyblue]

I think go with a good deal on the current 803D too.. If the new 803D are much better, they will also be a lot more expensive.

[arube1]

thanks for the replies-- the room size is an open floor-- sort of living room/kitchen and dining room with cathedral ceilings-the living room is approx 18x 15 or so--- it is not so much the room size but rather --aesthetically i thought the 46 inch height for the 803'ds might be too large- sort of have a contemporary look going... i just thought the new 804d's might be more streamline and not as large -- but i imagine the new 804d will be considerably more $ than the 803d's i can get now... i might have a little time left to make my decision-i was planning on using a marantz sr8002 receiver which i was told would be enough power because of the way it will be hooked up as far as the low frequencies going to the sub or something like that thanks..

[dan87951]

Honestly I would purchase now! If my assumption is correct the 804D will probably be the same as a 804S just added with a D tweeter and some minor revisions and will be around $7500 a pair! LOL 804's costing as much as 802 just 5 years ago, nuts! I think the best bang is in the used market or in the now older 800 series. N802's can be had for $4500 and overall is a better speaker in terms of technology than a 804D (again if assumptions are correct). If I was you snag the 803D's and never look back. B&W's use to have value but not so much anymore in my opinion. Theres 1k price increases every year it seems. Hey its whatever the market can bear right? Well, im officially going used here on out!

[kmcheng]

thanks for the replies-- the room size is an open floor-- sort of living room/kitchen and dining room with cathedral ceilings-the living room is approx 18x 15 or so--- it is not so much the room size but rather --aesthetically i thought the 46 inch height for the 803'ds might be too large- sort of have a contemporary look going... i just thought the new 804d's might be more streamline and not as large -- but i imagine the new 804d will be considerably more $ than the 803d's i can get now... i might have a little time left to make my decision-i was planning on using a marantz sr8002 receiver which i was told would be enough power because of the way it will be hooked up as far as the low frequencies going to the sub or something like that thanks..

I have a very similar setup: open floor plan with kitchen/dining/living room all in one space, tall ceilings, 46" TV, contemporary decor, etc. When I first put my 803D (in rosenut) in that space, they look huge. Over time, I got used to them and they are now the most beautiful pieces of furniture in the room.

Have you purchased the Marantz receiver yet? If not, you may consider going separate with processor and amp. With the Marantz you are approaching the price point where you can get some decent separate components. IMO, separates are just more convenient and versatile. I have a Bel Canto amp powering my 803D, but there are many that will also do a fine job.

[arube1]

thanks.... i felt the marantz would not be enough for the 803d's but the price is right ( 1750) and i was told it would work fine....

[arube1]

Kmcheng- sounds very similar to my setup- i have an elite 60 on the wall with a fixed hung cabinet underneath which i was planning to either put the center on top of or underneath- i have maybe just enough clearance under the plasma...and have about 16 inches underneath.... thanks

[miner]

Can you give us an idea of the 'good deal' you are being offered? With new models on the horizon what can one expect for a discount on the current models?

[aarsoe]

With CES starting tomorrow I would ask for a couple of days thinking time - or to try them out at home before you make a decision. By then you should know what the new line up will be like - if the rumors are true anyway..

[timjclark]

I'd say if you can get a great deal on the current 803D's then even if you do decide later to purchase the new line of speakers, that you'd be able to sell the 803D's for little loss. That was my thought when I bought my 803S's last month.

[tyreman]

Honestly I would purchase now! If my assumption is correct the 804D will probably be the same as a 804S just added with a D tweeter and some minor revisions and will be around $7500 a pair! LOL 804's costing as much as 802 just 5 years ago, nuts! I think the best bang is in the used market or in the now older 800 series. N802's can be had for $4500 and overall is a better speaker in terms of technology than a 804D (again if assumptions are correct). If I was you snag the 803D's and never look back. B&W's use to have value but not so much anymore in my opinion. Theres 1k price increases every year it seems. Hey its whatever the market can bear right? Well, im officially going used here on out!

yes B&W is certainly pricing high new.
Unbelievable really.
If you have been in this "hobby" for years.
I recently sold my dm2000's for 400 cdn and they got snapped up in a day!
guy drove 100kms each way late at night to snag them.

[emig5m]

I also had an issue with the size of the 803D with turning down an AMAZING deal when I was really after something the size of the 804 but it wasn't only that - they weren't setup very good and my 683's sounded better (nice sweet spot dialed in). Plus it was running on a $9000 Classe amp and I was just thinking to myself....I have a cheap ass Yamaha, the entry level 600 series speakers, and I have better sound quality? What's up with that? And that just put too much doubt in my head about spending that much for speakers when I wasn't too impressed by them. Why spend that money when it isn't better? Too bad the guy wouldn't let me move them around a bit. A half a foot here or there could of made all the difference (although there wasn't much furniture for dispersion and absorption in the room as it was more of an empty room in the basement that was an unfinished theater project).

BTW, I talked the guy down from $6200 to $4800 over a two week period and I was there with the cash in hand and walked away from it.....Grrr.... They where mint (one year old) with all boxes and manuals and obviously weren't used often. I could of just turned around and re-sold them for a profit! It would of been worth it just to let me have a hand at setting them up better in my own home then re-sell if I still didn't think they where worth it. But I walked away from the deal... :M But whatever, I got a sweet deal on brand new 804S's for not that much more than they where going for used on Audiogon so all is good.

But yea, the 803D are HUGE speakers, heh. Kinda ironic coming from someone who was always about going overkill for size speaker vs size of room and now I've done a total 180° and would rather try to fit the speaker to the room, heh. Heck, I contemplated ditching towers for bookshelf speakers and if it wasn't for the FST midrange I would of done it. Yea I know if you're after a certain size speaker and a good deal comes up on the larger model it does make the decision much harder.