Really looking to get into B&W - 800 Diamonds or 802 Diamonds

[Joey_V]

Joey,
For that kind of money they should be more than willing to provide a home demo. If not I would check with another dealer. The room is going to make a huge difference or it did for me. I really liked the 804's at the dealer in an 8' ceiling room (maybe 20' x 14') but they got lost in my room. They have a smaller listening room that is fully treated and maybe 16' x 12' and the 803's are too much in there but the 804's really shine.

My room is 28' x 17' with a ceiling that goes from 8' to 15' and back down to 12'. In addition the room loses sound to a 8' opening to an adjacent room and on the other side a hallway. The 803 Diamonds are more than adequate to fill that space and I am sure the 802's would also be great. All I am trying to illustrate is hearing them at the dealer is one thing and hearing them at home is another program. Some dealers provide a one year upgrade where they give you full credit for the speakers you purchased as long as you buy a more expensive pair? That makes the purchase pretty easy.

Yeah, I'll ask them...

I have a much larger room (i.e. family room), but I really plan on putting this is in my media/audio room. Enclosed and without windows and no odd openings.

My concern has always been the size, I wish it was 20x17... but alas, it's 17x15.

Either way, I think with proper room acoustic treatments (diffusers and absorbers in the right places), I think I could pull it off. The speakers will just have to be about 18" clearance from the front wall, about 10 feet apart, and I'll sit about 12 feet back from the tweeter plane.

[Antioch]

Joey,
For that kind of money they should be more than willing to provide a home demo. If not I would check with another dealer. The room is going to make a huge difference or it did for me. I really liked the 804's at the dealer in an 8' ceiling room (maybe 20' x 14') but they got lost in my room. They have a smaller listening room that is fully treated and maybe 16' x 12' and the 803's are too much in there but the 804's really shine.

My room is 28' x 17' with a ceiling that goes from 8' to 15' and back down to 12'. In addition the room loses sound to a 8' opening to an adjacent room and on the other side a hallway. The 803 Diamonds are more than adequate to fill that space and I am sure the 802's would also be great. All I am trying to illustrate is hearing them at the dealer is one thing and hearing them at home is another program. Some dealers provide a one year upgrade where they give you full credit for the speakers you purchased as long as you buy a more expensive pair? That makes the purchase pretty easy.

[Joey_V]

Make sure you audition those speakers in your room. I don't know what audio shop you are working with but there are high end shops in the Chicago area that will definitely let you take them home. I had five sets of speakers at my house over several months before deciding on the 803 Diamond. They may work fine in a properly treated room but you may get better sound from the 803 or 804 in that size space.

I'm over here in Dallas now. The shop is High End Audio in Dallas.... great room and great equipment. I will probably have them place both the 802Di and the 800Di in the same room under the same equipment and listen in A/B... then right before I purchase, I will bring in my own equipment.

Not sure if they're very willing to loan out the 800Di.

I think my room should be decent... it is purely an audio 2ch room. 17x15, graduated ceiling from 8 to 9ft front to back. Dedicated 20amp outlets in the front.

[Antioch]

Make sure you audition those speakers in your room. I don't know what audio shop you are working with but there are high end shops in the Chicago area that will definitely let you take them home. I had five sets of speakers at my house over several months before deciding on the 803 Diamond. They may work fine in a properly treated room but you may get better sound from the 803 or 804 in that size space.

[Joey_V]

The 800 Diamonds are a magnificent speaker but they do like space. How high are your ceilings and would they be on the narrow or wide side of the room?

The other question relates to the amplification and sources you plan to use. I find the 802 Diamond a little less demanding / more forgiving than the 800 series. For example there are 100 to 200w amplifiers driving the 802 Diamonds well. I have even heard a high end Denon receiver doing a surprisingly good job. Whereas the 800 diamonds seem to love high quality, high current and high power and space.

Given the right source and room, the 800Ds are clearly superior speakers... But underpowered or in a too small room they can struggle.. High ceilings make a big difference.

In terms of sound difference.. the 800 Diamonds have the potential for deeper more natural base and clearer, more seamless sounding midrange. But I have found the 802 Diamonds to be easier and more forgiving of room placement. Still with your room and the need for only only comfortable chair, you should be able to find a place that works for both...

Cheers

Geoff

My ceiling starts is 9 feet back where I plan on sitting with a slant to 8ft front where I plan the speakers and equipment to be.

I was thinking the speaker could be about 8-9 feet apart in terms of tweeter to tweeter and I should sit back about 12 feet from the tweeters. I was thinking of buying a chair that allows my ears to be at a 42-43" height.

[Aussie Geoff]

The 800 Diamonds are a magnificent speaker but they do like space. How high are your ceilings and would they be on the narrow or wide side of the room?

The other question relates to the amplification and sources you plan to use. I find the 802 Diamond a little less demanding / more forgiving than the 800 series. For example there are 100 to 200w amplifiers driving the 802 Diamonds well. I have even heard a high end Denon receiver doing a surprisingly good job. Whereas the 800 diamonds seem to love high quality, high current and high power and space.

Given the right source and room, the 800Ds are clearly superior speakers... But underpowered or in a too small room they can struggle.. High ceilings make a big difference.

In terms of sound difference.. the 800 Diamonds have the potential for deeper more natural base and clearer, more seamless sounding midrange. But I have found the 802 Diamonds to be easier and more forgiving of room placement. Still with your room and the need for only only comfortable chair, you should be able to find a place that works for both...

Cheers

Geoff

[Joey_V]

So I'm looking into getting into the club. I've heard my fair share of speakers and although I have to seriously audition the Sophia 3, Sasha 2, and the Alexias from Wilson - I am looking like I enjoy the sound coming out of the 802 Diamond and the 800 Diamond.

My room is a dedicated 2 channel room, it is 17'1" x 14'8". Rectangle, symmetric on either side and enclosed. It will be heavily treated with absorbers and diffusers and bass traps.

It will be just a pair of speakers and a small chair for me.

Any thoughts?