B&W 805D

Is that not the Signature Diamond you refer to? A two-way floorstander? It's on their website...

Not coming anytime soon.

I couldn't find a 805D on the website. Found the 805S but that doesn't have the diamond tweeter.

I would be worried that they would be too fatiguing to listen to...I guess if you had "warm" equipment it wouldn't be too bad, but you would have to be careful. I have heard all of the diamond speakers and they seem pretty balanced, but once you cut out the lows, I am not sure what to think...I guess I would just have to hear them!

What are you talking about? The diamonds are about as non-fatiguing as you can get. Anyway, we tried to retrofit some diamond tweeters into the demo 805S at my dealer's shop several motnhs ago and while there were issues as the speakers are not made for the diamonds, nevertheless, the new tweeters vastly improved the performance of the speakers. When it happens it's going to be something the WAF limited are going to flock to.

Not in the current form of the 805.

To my knowledge there have to be some significant changes in terms of the entire box architecture... They are searching for better bass response too, but not in expence of other major issues. All affair much more tricky than simple swap of tweeters.

Silly me, I went to the 800 series page since we were talking about an 805. Anyways thx for the help Liz.

Ah, yes, why didn't I think of it earlier, the Signature Diamond...they are supposed to be getting a pair at my local dealer as soon as they are finished with the dedicated "Nautilus" room...but I do stand by my earlier quote:

I would be worried that they would be too fatiguing to listen to...

I have spent a good deal of time in the Nautilus 800D room at my local dealer and have decided that after about 15 minutes the forward presence of the diamond tweeter just becomes a little too much for my ears to handle...I also recently acquired a pair of 804S's (granted not the diamond tweeter) to try out and after about 5 minutes I decided that my JM Labs were much more musical and clear...the instruments actually sounded like what they were and not colored (as in the case of the horn in one of my favorite recordings) or hidden (as the inner detail of the winds) by the b&w's approach...Give me a pair of Aerial Acoustics, or some Focal's or some Wilson’s or or or....I love the look of b&w but for critical listening (especially to symphonies and other orchestrated music) I can put a lot of speakers ahead of them at fractions of the price points.

What you're hearing is the front ends that are being used. The 80xD series sounds like absolute crap at my dealer (ear bleeding crap for that matter) and yet my 803D speakers sound nothing like that. The sound of the 80xD series reflects whatever you put in front of them. Essentially, if the diamond tweeter is fatiguing it's because there's an issue upstream. Source first, always.

System was all Classe Omega series...I happen to like these componets a lot....Interconects were audioquest sky...something else I like a lot....speakers were 800D...just happen to not like them so much...They were under-powered by about 600 watts, perhaps that would make a difference...when I have the chance I will get ahold of a pair of 803s with the diamond tweeter (have to wait for the right deal) but I have a feeling that they just will not sound as musical as many other speakers I have heard, most of which cost a lot less.

There you go, Audioquest Sky. Silver cables, das is no goot. Stick with copper. Also, personally, not impressed by the Classe as that's what my dealer was pairing with the 80xD series.

I think for some reason since the b&w audio group sells Classe that they mandate to the dealer that they are supposed to have the Classe hooked up to the b&w's...Why this is I do not understand...I would much rather hear the Mac amps that the dealer also sells, or perhaps the Krell and even some of the rotels than the Classe all of the time...but I do like classe gear a lot...just not paired with the b&w's all of the time...I still however, do not believe that b&w's are the most natural sounding speakers available.

I'd be surprised if the dealer wouldn't allow you to swap the Classe out. When I bought my first pair of N804 in NYC, I was swapping in everything including my dealer's used gear (from lines they didn't sell new) and when I bought my 804S I brought with me and used my CX-7e and AX-7e (my front end at the time) and my local dealer has nothing to do with Ayre. To my knowledge there is nothing from B&W that says a dealer can under no circumstances allow a demo with other than Classe/Rotel gear. They may be required to use them as the default demo gear but if you ask, most (all?) dealers are smart enough to want to make a sale and will do anything within reason to make it happen, particularly on speakers from US$ 8,000 on up.

Ok I talked with the B&W rep at RMAF and he did verify that the signature diamond and the 805D were different speakers. We will not hear the 805D untill spring middle of next year.

I am not a lover of B&W speakers, so I will say In a word 'bad'.

I didn't like the new B&W's at the Denver show although I did give them a listen, to be fair there was a lot of people In the room, about 2 (only kidding), talking etc so my quick listen was quick, I still can't get on with B&W.

I'm wondering if the 805D will still be a monitor or
will they follow the trickle down technology of the
Signature Diamond and make it a small floor stander?

I guess we will find out soon enough. Keep the rumors
coming.

Gawdbless,

What day did you listen to the signature diamonds. On friday they S&*%$d. They air fraighted in a brand new pair of speakers for the show. I listened to them on friday first thing. They only had 12 hours on them. They were shrill with bloated bass and flat mids. This was not a smart move on B&W's part. I listened again on sunday and they were a much better sounding speaker. I would like to listen again after they have about 500 hours on them.