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B&W 802d3 vs 802d2

The B&W 802d3's are everything the 'Stereophile' and other reviewers stated.
I cannot improve on their descriptions, including the d3's better integrated diamond tweeters.
Comparison with the d2's, which I just sold, 'gives one pause'.
'Two roads diverged...', and 'would I could travel them both'.
On first audition of the d3's I wondered if I'd made a big error.
Where was the immediately exciting and enchanting resonance of the d2's ?
On further audition of the d3's resonance emerged, but now it derived
more or less entirely from the audio source rather than as an accoutrement of the loudspeakers themselves.
The d3's required higher volume settings in order for the audio source resonance to emerge.
Whereas the d2's accorded a pleasing resonance to older and 'thinner' piano recordings, the d3's
did not yet convincingly conveyed the resonance of a fine piano recording.
Which brings me to ask if anyone has A/B'd the 802d3's with the 800d3's, if the latter convey a degree
of concert hall ambiance where the 802d2's may improved upon, and if a subwoofer might render the 802d3's a bit more exciting even if less realistic. 
Thanks for any input.

seventies

Showing 1 response by auxinput

auxinput
2,920 posts
 
@seventies - I would not make any judgements on your new D3 speakers without breaking them in at least 100 hours (possibly even 200+ hours).  The speaker cones need mechanical break-in and the Mundorf capacitors do need 100-200+ hours of electrical break-in before the speaker loosens up and settles down.

@arty-vandelay - Hmmm, I actually kind of disagree with you Arty, in some ways.  I have transition from 805D2 / HTM2-D2 to a st of 805D3 and HTM2-D3.  The D3 models actually have deeper bass and a much better midbass strenght (which is the upper bass / lower mids).  I can see where you might say the D2 series sound warmer and richer, but in my opinion, what you are actually hearing is the breakup distortion of the D2 kevlar speaker cones.  I had a significant issue with my D2 and kevlar breakup-distortion.  It made the upper mids sound harsh and distorted in comparison with the new D3 models.
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