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Speaker upgrade help?

Mostly use the stereo for learning songs. (I'm a bass player and saxophonist) Presently use B&W 685 with B&W 650 sub. Decent front end: Oppo, Arcam, Dynaco. Room 8X14X24'
This system hangs a clean, deep image up to a point. But being a lifelong musician I occasionally indulge in loud sessions and it doesn't sound like clipping when the image starts to flatten out and get abusive. My guess is I'm starting to overload the 685's?!? (No I don't keep listening @ these abusive levels.) After about a year and a half the 685's are starting to seem zippy or bright and I have experimented with dangling paper napkins (1 ply) in front of the 685 tweeters. The napkin mod reminds me more of the good old days with Doubled Advents. Ah youth...

Considering B&W 803's(used), NHT Classic 4's, NHT xD 2.2 or Definitive Technology Mythos ST. All available $3K or less. Would love to get rid of sub for room clutter. But the NHT xD promises so much? Any thoughts? I can demo the 803's but odds are I won't be able to demo the others.
markws
romanesq
86 posts
 
Have had the 803 Nautilus and matched them with a one of a kind McCormack DNA-2 Deluxe (Rev. Platinum). They eat power endlessly. You need the finest amplification to drive them and the bass will still be on the lighter side.

Replace with the NHT Xd system. You can not really go wrong with the 2.2 and NHT is selling them direct for 3K. Very hard not to take advantage of this great value.

Forget the passive speakers. The future is active for the 21st century.
You get a five year warranty with NHT. It's a steal marked down to 3K from 7K+.
rleff
1,065 posts
 
What did you mean when the image starts to flatten out?
markws OP
10 posts
 
When pushed too hard the sonic image looses depth or "flattens out."
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