B&W vs Thiel vs Dunlavy 6K LIST

I've had Thiel 2.2s, Dunlavy IIIs, and now Alethas. I've heard B&W 802s and 804s. B&Ws have excellent midrange and high-end, but seem to me to be a bit bloated on the bottom. Thiels and Dunlavys are much the same on the bottom, very tight and resonably extended. Midrange in the Alethas is the most natural and open of all three. Top end is similiar to the Thiels but not as bright sounding. Of the three speakers mentioned here, the Dunlavys are the best to my ears. Unless you have a huge room, the Alethas are the best Dunlavys for the money.

I have a set of Thiel CS 7.2s and B&W 801 series IIIs. The B&Ws sound better to me, but they are biamped with a Krell KBX active crossover and Krell bass alignment filter. The B&Ws have better low end and deeper sound stage.

Hi Djbaudio,

This is my question also. As you alone, thus far, have listened to all 3, I have listened to B&W's and Thiel's, you are the resident expert. :-)

You say that the B&W's have excellent midrange and high-end, but seem to me to be a bit bloated on the bottom. Are their mids and highs on par with the Dunlavy's so that only the bass is a real issue?

Thanks,

Lou

I haven't listened to hte Thiel but to me there was no comarison between the B&W 801n and the athenas. the highs on the athenas were much smoother and the mids more open. The athenas sounded mushc more realistic. Maybe the set-up sucked for the 801s in the room i heard them in but they never even made it into the game for me.