B&W is a very reputable company, however it DOES NOT spend more money on research than the top 10 American companies, nor is its build quality necessarily better than some of the finer ones, i.e. Avalon. I would say the cabinets and the interior speaker components of the Avalons, as well as the company backing the customer is the best I have seen. I have experienced, however, that most of the long term hi- end players will do whatever they can to make the customer happy since it is expensive stuff and there are so many great choices. I also think the best speakers B&W makes are their little bookshelf guys that sell up to $800/pr. Their larger ones...803, 802 801 Nautilus series sound incoher- ent when I compare other comparably priced alternatives i.e Avalon, ProAc, Sound Lab, Vandersteen. Wilsons and Thiels are very well made but to my ear just don't sound like music and require way too much juice to get 'em up.
