B&w 801 series 80

[ac81017]

Hello, i was wondering if anyone has any tips on ways to improve the sound from my beasts. I´m using A luxman pre-amp, Bladelius advantage A300 power amp, Sony xa50es, Mcintosh dream system speaker cable.

Is there anything that I can do with the filter???

Does anyone know about the settings on the back of the midrange A B and C settings??

cheers :T

[Antus]

i think the weakest link is the tweeter. u can consider upgrading it with the 801 Series 3 version of the tweeter. In addition, u can completely rebuild the crossover with Series II or Series III schmics, but with better componants.

[aarsoe]

Hi

Had such a pair myself and I did the following with very good results:

1: Crossover modification/upgrade. All of the components are now quite old and new far better ones can be had for very little money.

2: Tweeter replacement. Replaced to the newer aluminium type ones from the Matrix types 801 or 802 Series 2 or 3. I still believe spares can be purchased through HiFi-Klubben at very low cost.

3: Speaker binding post replacement. Get a decent pair to replace the old brass speaker binding post you have in your system.

4: If you have the version with protection circuit built-in, then remove it. You can see if you have such a model by looking at the front. If there is a protection circuit then you should have a built-in LED that wil light up. There will also be battery close to the cross over that you can/should remove.

Best of luck and keep us posted on the progress

[ac81017]

Hi

Had such a pair myself and I did the following with very good results:

1: Crossover modification/upgrade. All of the components are now quite old and new far better ones can be had for very little money.

2: Tweeter replacement. Replaced to the newer aluminium type ones from the Matrix types 801 or 802 Series 2 or 3. I still believe spares can be purchased through HiFi-Klubben at very low cost.

3: Speaker binding post replacement. Get a decent pair to replace the old brass speaker binding post you have in your system.

4: If you have the version with protection circuit built-in, then remove it. You can see if you have such a model by looking at the front. If there is a protection circuit then you should have a built-in LED that wil light up. There will also be battery close to the cross over that you can/should remove.

Best of luck and keep us posted on the progress

I have a pair of tandberg studio monitor and the tweeters are so perfect, am i right in saying that my present 801 tweeter seem to block or not produce of all the super fine details that should be there???? Example, a Ry cooder song which is FULL of detail and fantastic stereo seperation yet when the drummer hits a cymbal on the tandbergs you this smooth and gentle sweet TING TING, where as the 801´s give a slight sharp TING. Midrange is MAGIC, the bass, well it´s a 12tommer, i live 12inch bass, they may not as be as tight as 2x8 inch or a 10inch but it´s what i like for live music and i like to feel my bass. I´ve just got hold a pair of DM6, a friend and is going to fix them up. thank you for your advice, i have copied your comments and saved them. I will start today by removing the safty overload. :T

[aarsoe]

I would suggest starting with the crossover modification as it will give you by far the biggest impact.

Also it is a pretty straight forward thing to do if you know how to solder a couple of new components instead of the ones you take out.

[ac81017]

I would suggest starting with the crossover modification as it will give you by far the biggest impact.

Also it is a pretty straight forward thing to do if you know how to solder a couple of new components instead of the ones you take out.

I´ve never played around with a crossover, what components do I need to replace?

I´ve spoke to my local Hifiklubben and there weren´t very helpfull? Maybe I should call a hifiklubben in DK?? At least they will be more helpfull. I miss DK (Silkeborg og KBH) :cry:

[Antus]

i think u can buy drivers directly from B&W, with a peace of mind they will work as they should.

u can download different version of the service manual from B&W. comparing the differences between series.

[ac81017]

Amazing, I wrote an email to B&W in the UK, 4 hours later I got a reply! they have tweeters for 801s3 at £174 including postage! So i will order them and sell my old one on ebay ;-)

[ac81017]

Next week i will start on disconecting/bpassing the safety overload with help from my father just to make sure i don´t cut the wrong cables and blow up my speakers! I will lwt you know how it goes ;-)

[JürgenW]

Next week i will start on disconecting/bpassing the safety overload with help from my father just to make sure i don´t cut the wrong cables and blow up my speakers! I will lwt you know how it goes ;-)

I am curious how big the effect will be.
If possible you should try to compare one speaker with the old tweeter tot the other one with a new tweeter - and tell us about it.

[ac81017]

I´ve opened my 801´sand found that they have been modified with Van den Hul 352 cable! is this cable any good??? So i guess next step is to but new tweeters. Any more tips or ideas on what I should do??

;-)

[aarsoe]

Maybe do a summation of what you have done so far.
After all you have received quite a number of suggestions already..

[ac81017]

I have do some serious listening. What a difference, it´s like i´ve set them free! The stereo seperation is bigger than ever, more laid back. The tweeters have come to life. The bass seems a little more tight, well for a 12inch at least! I will order new tweeters in few weeks unless my friend said that I could swap tweeters with his 802s3?? So far I´m over the moon. I was also wondering if B&w matrix would make a good home cinema?? I have been thinking of Infinity kappa 8 as front, Kappa 6 or 7 as center and Kappa 5 or 6.1 or 6.2 as rear! I was thinking maybe B&W 802matrix front, 803 matrix as center and 804matrix as rear?? ;-)

[JürgenW]

So what did you do?

1. disconnecting/bypassing the safety overload ?
2. chance the tweeters??

I get the impression that up to now you only disconnected the safety overload. Is that right?

If so, I am impressed with the advantage of the sound you got. With my 801 S2 I didn't gain far so much improvement by just disconnecting the safety overload.

[ac81017]

So what did you do?

1. disconnecting/bypassing the safety overload ?
2. chance the tweeters??

I get the impression that up to now you only disconnected the safety overload. Is that right?

If so, I am impressed with the advantage of the sound you got. With my 801 S2 I didn't gain far so much improvement by just disconnecting the safety overload.

Yes, I´ve only disconnected the overload and measure the output before and after to also confirm any difference which there was!

I might chance the new tweeters, I´m thinking of contacting b&w again and asking if it would work with a more newer tweeter from the S,N or maybe even the diamond series?? I´m hoping it would be enough with the series 3 tweeter.

Have you tried changing the internal cables??

What electronics do you use??

I´ve also tested a sony ta-e80es preamp, and that was a huge lift compaired to my Luxman C03 preamp. Do you have the TEXT on all your cables going in the right direction??

I´ve never seen or heard series 2, I´ve heard that Matrix 3 is the best??? I bought series 80 because I don´t want any booooming bass, and series 80 is a closed box which in my mind gives a deep, tight and more physical bass!

;-)

[JürgenW]

I am using the S2 nowadays only for the sleeping room; for my main stereo/AV-installation I am using the S3.
I am very satisfied with both speakers, exspecially with the S3, and I think what them (the S3) does good is the stands; they let the speakers breathe a bit more.

I run the S2 with Quad amplificers (and now with Marantz) and found both adequate.

The S3 are driven by Audionet amplification (MAX, monobloks, very neutral), which control the S3 with a strong hand [the preamp is Audionet's PRE G2]; and the sound is very very sweet (a friend of mine said a few days ago that it would sound 'analogue', although I am playing cd's - he thinks lp's generally sound better).

Anyway: in general I get seldom strong differences in the sound quality. The only time I thought there was an amazing improvement, I had fooled myself.

I would expect more improvement by changing a tweeter than by disconnecting the bypass. But I understood that one can't 'simply' use a tweeter from another range.

Several years ago there was an article published about improving the 801 S2. If you are interested (probably it contains something for the 80 series, too), give me a pm, with an e-mail adres for sending the digital file.

[ac81017]

Does anyone know what when series 80 came out?? or what the difference is between series 80 and the matrix series? I found a date inside on the crossover/filter 27-10-1987.

[Alettagla]

just had some time left to open up my b&w 801 series 80

it became clear to me that none of the info i could find about the circuitry on the internet would match with the circuitry I found inside

inside there are 3 pcb's

1 small pcb for overload protection
2 a larger (20x20 cm ) pcb on the bottom of bass cabinet
3 a larger than the prvious underneath top of bass cabinett

on both pcb there are reasonably large inductors (look like aircore inductors)
capicitors seem to be cheap bipolairs (red plastic cover arround them)

there are date stamps in it stating 1989 and 1990

Here my question

does anyone out there have
- a schematic of the internals of this type of 801
- experience with modifying this type of 801 loudspeakers

I just disconnected the overload protection connectors from the pcb.

thanks in advance

René

[JürgenW]

I would advise you to send a pm to ac81017 in case that he doesn't have a look (so often) in this forum.

Jürgen

[mucke]

Amazing, I wrote an email to B&W in the UK, 4 hours later I got a reply! they have tweeters for 801s3 at £174 including postage! So i will order them and sell my old one on ebay ;-)

I have order the serie 3 tweeter for my 801 serie 80.
I have not get them yet, but hifiklubben dk say that they will not fit.
is that true ?

[ac81017]

I have order the serie 3 tweeter for my 801 serie 80.
I have not get them yet, but hifiklubben dk say that they will not fit.
is that true ?

I thought you were going to sell your 801 series 80?? ;-) As i once told you you won´t find a better speaker for the money :-)

It turns out that mine were series 3 tweeters?? I removed the tweeter and checked the serial numbers and date, and called B&W in the UK and the owner before me had upgraded everything!

libom .374366-8670 (från right till left)

Mvh William

[ac81017]

I have order the serie 3 tweeter for my 801 serie 80.
I have not get them yet, but hifiklubben dk say that they will not fit.
is that true ?

Just wondering , what amp are you running your 801´s on???

[mucke]

I have a rotel rb 1582 amp.

[laama86]

Those who have changed their tweeters to new series, do you have old series 80 tweeters left? I would like to buy one pair.

Please contact me to my email:
hannes.hamalainen@gmail.com

[mucke]

I have now sold my rotel rb 1582 amp.
I dont know what amp i should get.
I have an old rotel michi combo that i used for now, and what the f...k is this.
Now the bass comes back and the sound stage is much deeper and whider.
What is this?
That old michi ( rhb 05 2x100w ) out perform the rb 1582 ( 2x200w ) whith a mile.
How come ?
On paper it should be the other way.
I am confuse !!!