B&W Signature 30 vs. Nautilus 803 speakers

The 30's do not use the Nautilus technology. The tweeter appears to be very similar to those on the 25's. Unlike the 25's it does not come with a separate crossover or dedicated speaker cable. The speaker is biwirable and the crossover is acoustically isolated and suspended within the cabinet.

Regarding bass, I've read the threads also and I am a little amused because the critiques rarely say "compared to what?" their bass is deficient.

My listening preferences are for Acoustic Jazz and Classical music. I don't feel that I am missing out; the 30's seem to load my 20x16 (plaster walled, maple floor with heavy rugs)room very well. I have heard these same speakers in a larger more square room and indeed in that room the low bass of bass drum in classical music was missing in action.

I think it is more a matter of room size and acoustics. I'm quite pleased with the depth and the articulate way that they handle acoustic bass.

Ray

Head to head the Sig 30's were more resolving, less smeared, more transparent, imaged and detailed than the 801n's. It was not even close. Was there less bass, yes, but most rooms can't reproduce real low bass anyway. In your room, you should not miss anything on the bottom.

not in the same league. Signature 30 together wirh SS25 are the most musical and resolving speakers B&W has ever made exluding the original Nautilus(Snails). I own both of them and would not trade them even for Signature 800.

I have a pair of Sig 30's. They are in my 2 channel room. Room dimension are 16.5' wide, 32' lomg and 10' high. I use a ARC VT-200 tube amp to drive them. The front-end is an ARC LS25 pre-amp, ARC DAC III Mk II tube D/A converter and a Theta Digital Jade trasport. All interconects are Transparent Reference. Speaker cables are Trasparent Reference Bi-Cable.

There is nothing quite like this system for jazz, smooth jazz, classical and assoustic music. Every single last one of my audiophile friends say it is by far the finest system they have ever heard.

I have a friend with a pair of Martin Logan Prodigies and 5 Velodyne subwoofers. When he comes to hear my system he always leaves mad. He cannot believe that 2 aluminum ceramic 7" drives can produce that much bass. Sure his system can create greater decible levels, but he cannot produce the same depth with the same articulation and speed.

I have tried all of the B&W line (from the 803 up to the Signature 800)in the same room on the same system. I stayed with the Signature 30's. The highs and midrange were leagues ahead of the other B&W offerings.

Granted, there is a lot of electronic in front of these speakers. But, what's a little money, eh? All kidding aside, you must have very solid electronics in place to make these speakers sing. If you don't, then you may be disappointed with the bottom end as I often see printed.