B&W Signature Diamond : Anyboy heard them?


A couple of days ago I had the pleasure of auditioning the limited edition B&W Signature Diamond speaker powered by all Ayre gear.

I thought for a very small two way speaker they were superlative for the following reasons:

1) offered electrostatic speed and details with very natural timbres.

2) For such a small two way speaker it had great dynamics and bass extension. These would not do well in a very large acoustic environment, but that's not the reason way B&W built them, there for smaller listening spaces.

3) Totally open, you don't "hear" the speaker at all.

These speakers are quite expensive, the retail price is $17000.00, B&W is only going to build 500 pairs, but I think they out perform another highly regarded two way speaker, the Magico Mini, for almost $10000.00 less. So, if you were thinking of auditioning the Magico Mini, I would recommend you put on your list the Signature Diamond which is a floor standing speaker and does not need stands like the Minis, but are still very small in their footprint.
teajay
I have had a pair for about a month (white). They are driven by AR REF 3, Ref CD7 and AR Ref 110 stereo amp. I thought I would buy a pair just for fun and probably sell them quickly. After hearing them, it will be a long time before I make another change. They are the most accurate and natural sounding speaker I have ever heard. I am in the business, so I have heard a lot. There is almost no coloration from the lower mids on up. The blend between the tweeter and mid is seamless. They have a lot of detail, but sound buttery smooth at the same time (the AR gear helps I am sure). There are more powerful and dynamic speakers out there, but for listening at moderate levels in a medium size room they are among, if not the best in the world.
I also got to listen to the Signature Diamonds fronted by the top end Classe gear and what I heard was quite impressive. The midrange was fantastic (although still not quite as transparent as the Focal Alto Utopia Be) and, as stated earlier, blended seamlessly with the tweeter. The bass also went surprisingly low for their size and a two-way speaker. Other than the fact that they are unattractive aesthetically imo, even with room reinforcement, the bass just doesn't go low enough to justify the price imo. But for those looking for a superior two way, they might be the best deal in the business atm.
Purchased the Dynaudio Sapphire instead. Listened to the Signature Diamond for some time and could not bring myself to justify. Have deposit down if anyone really wants them.
Would try the Wilson Benesch Trinity before final payment. Heard at the RMAF! Tough to beat.