Two weeks ago I became an 803D owner.
I can only compare the new 803Ds to the CDM9NTs that they replaced as the combination of my listening room and my gear is one of a kind (as they all are).
The tweeter in the 803D is a big improvement over the CDM9NT, which was too bright for some recordings and lead to fatigue over extended listening periods. I think this brightness may have been a flaw in the design of the crossover in the CDM9NT because I’m sure the same tweeter is used in lots of B&W models. The 803D is very smooth and stays smooth at high volume. Overall I’m very happy with this aspect of my new 803Ds.
The midrange is pretty similar on both speakers with both of them having the Kevlar midrange FST. The midrange on the CDM9NT is the main feature of that speaker and I have never had any criticisms in that area.
The bass on the 803Ds is much fuller than the CDM9NTs, which is what I expected and wanted. However it might be slightly less tight than the CDM9NTs, which produced very precise bass. I’m not saying that the bass on the 803Ds is bloated or boomy. It is just different. It would be interesting to hear the two speakers side by side. To get the bass performance I wanted from my CDM9NT system I was configuring my ASW750 sub to play up to 120 Hz and sometimes even as high as 160 Hz. In the current setup the 803Ds are playing 80 Hz and above, and the sub is playing 80 Hz and below. When I upgrade my amp (I want more power) I will experiment with running the 803Ds at full range and the sub playing 60 Hz and below (a kick drum is 60 Hz and my sub can move a lot more air than the 803D). But that’s in the future. in the meantime I’m really happy with the improvement provided by the 803Ds.
I have experimented with the position of the 803Ds to improve the imaging and soundstage. The sheer weight of the 803Ds makes this a challenge. I like to keep my floorstanders close to the wall when not in use and then pull them forward for critical listening. This was much easier with the CDM9NTs. I’m a fine physical specimen (yeah right) so this is not a big problem. Once the 803Ds have been pulled out and toed in slightly, I think that the imaging is an improvement over the CDM9NTs. The size of the soundstage is similar, but again it would be interesting to hear the two speakers side by side. I’m using the rubber feet supplied by B&W as spikes are not an option with my lovely wooden floors.
One small area of disappointment with the 803Ds is their performance at low volume. They don’t have much presence. They are definitely better than the CDM9NTs though, which sounded like a transistor radio. I wonder whether this is an issue with all B&W speakers. Even at the B&W shop I thought the 801Ds and 804Ss they had on display lacked presence at very low volume, and they were being driven by Classé amps of some description. In contrast all the Paradigm speakers I’ve listened to have had good presence at low volume. Have other members experienced this? Am I imagining it? Perhaps all I need is that powerful amp I mentioned earlier? I think I’m convincing myself.
All in all I’m a happy chappy and I have no regrets shelling out more money than my car is worth, but that’s one of the definitions of being an audiophile isn’t it? Actually I’m not an audiophile; I just like music.
By the way, my CDM9NTs have gone to my 20 year old son who has a Pro Tools studio in his bedroom. He loves them for mixing and mastering because they are so precise.
Nigel.
I can only compare the new 803Ds to the CDM9NTs that they replaced as the combination of my listening room and my gear is one of a kind (as they all are).
The tweeter in the 803D is a big improvement over the CDM9NT, which was too bright for some recordings and lead to fatigue over extended listening periods. I think this brightness may have been a flaw in the design of the crossover in the CDM9NT because I’m sure the same tweeter is used in lots of B&W models. The 803D is very smooth and stays smooth at high volume. Overall I’m very happy with this aspect of my new 803Ds.
The midrange is pretty similar on both speakers with both of them having the Kevlar midrange FST. The midrange on the CDM9NT is the main feature of that speaker and I have never had any criticisms in that area.
The bass on the 803Ds is much fuller than the CDM9NTs, which is what I expected and wanted. However it might be slightly less tight than the CDM9NTs, which produced very precise bass. I’m not saying that the bass on the 803Ds is bloated or boomy. It is just different. It would be interesting to hear the two speakers side by side. To get the bass performance I wanted from my CDM9NT system I was configuring my ASW750 sub to play up to 120 Hz and sometimes even as high as 160 Hz. In the current setup the 803Ds are playing 80 Hz and above, and the sub is playing 80 Hz and below. When I upgrade my amp (I want more power) I will experiment with running the 803Ds at full range and the sub playing 60 Hz and below (a kick drum is 60 Hz and my sub can move a lot more air than the 803D). But that’s in the future. in the meantime I’m really happy with the improvement provided by the 803Ds.
I have experimented with the position of the 803Ds to improve the imaging and soundstage. The sheer weight of the 803Ds makes this a challenge. I like to keep my floorstanders close to the wall when not in use and then pull them forward for critical listening. This was much easier with the CDM9NTs. I’m a fine physical specimen (yeah right) so this is not a big problem. Once the 803Ds have been pulled out and toed in slightly, I think that the imaging is an improvement over the CDM9NTs. The size of the soundstage is similar, but again it would be interesting to hear the two speakers side by side. I’m using the rubber feet supplied by B&W as spikes are not an option with my lovely wooden floors.
One small area of disappointment with the 803Ds is their performance at low volume. They don’t have much presence. They are definitely better than the CDM9NTs though, which sounded like a transistor radio. I wonder whether this is an issue with all B&W speakers. Even at the B&W shop I thought the 801Ds and 804Ss they had on display lacked presence at very low volume, and they were being driven by Classé amps of some description. In contrast all the Paradigm speakers I’ve listened to have had good presence at low volume. Have other members experienced this? Am I imagining it? Perhaps all I need is that powerful amp I mentioned earlier? I think I’m convincing myself.
All in all I’m a happy chappy and I have no regrets shelling out more money than my car is worth, but that’s one of the definitions of being an audiophile isn’t it? Actually I’m not an audiophile; I just like music.
By the way, my CDM9NTs have gone to my 20 year old son who has a Pro Tools studio in his bedroom. He loves them for mixing and mastering because they are so precise.
Nigel.
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