Whis is better B&W CDM 9NT or Signature 805?

I would imagine the Sigs and I own the CDM-9NTs.

Dont get me wrong the CDM-9NT is an awesome speaker. I whole-heartedly endorse it.

The real question might be is the Sig805 better than the N804? Since they cost about the same. Some folks like monitors. I do think monitors image better. Some folks like floorstanders, bigger box = better/deeper bass, for the most part anyway.

An audition would tell, but I imagine the N804s would the ones that stayed, if it wwere my money on the line.

I've auditioned the 805sigs and the N802's in my friends system which consisted of an ML dac/transport, krell pre and aragon palladium mono's(4). Speaker wire was cardas golden cross and the room is 22x16 with 10' ceilings. The 805sigs imaged better, throwing a deep, wide and high soundstage and the N802's had more impact. With the addition of a rel sub we both prefered the 805sigs. Now, he's thinking about selling his N802's and either buying the 801sigs or 805sigs. I originally owned "stock" N805's and was looking to upgrade and listened to speakers from about a dosen different manufacturers including the new B&W 704's. When I heard the 805sigs I was blown away and this was a speaker that I was not considering. Even my wife, who is not an audiphile, loved them. She said that the sound was good enough to look the other way when it came to the black finish. She hates black speakers. Now I'm hearing things that I never heard before. I've been going through my music, and movie collection, and listening to things that I have not picked up in years.

A few weeks ago, I had another friend over and we were watching a show on TV and he turned to my and said that we must be watching in surround sound because he was hearing things behind him. My reply "this is in two channel stereo!" Then I put on DSOTM while we were talking and every couple of minutes he would stop and ask me to replay a track. He was telling me that he was hearing things in the recording that he had never heard before. Now he's going to spend his tax return on a modest 2 channel rig and a pair of 805sigs. We went over to the local B&W dealer and put down a deposit on a pair last week. BTW his current system consists of a pioneer receiver, sony CDP and a pair of Kef Q55's.

Anyway, I'm rambling on now. Give the 805sigs and listen and judge for your self.

Good Luck,

Goodness gracious 4 out of 4 chose the Signatures over the 9nt! I'm amazed people actually preferred this little standmount, and whatmore 'upgrading' from the N802 to this cute little S805? Wow man...

Anyway I will be going to the B&W showroom and have a listen to myself maybe end of this week. Looking for a used pair since the price for a brand new one cost a bomb. Apparently those dealers are also using Classe amplification to drive all their complete range of B&W's so good for me.

And Keith, the terms you used are too technical but anyway get what you mean.

In my opinion, there is probably a fair balance of pros and cons between these two that require a personal listen, as you intend. I contemplated the same issue and ended up w/ the floorstander since I deemed it to be more kid-proof. I had visions of spectacular topples. I even dreamed of a stand-related bowling contest. Yikes.

I own a pair of Cdm-9nt's as the fronts in my 7.1 HT set-up, they shine w/ a Bryston 250 wpc 4b-st. And really come to life w/ 500 wpc Bryston 7b-st's. Sam Telling gave these speakers a bad rep., mighty underrated!!! Like Sleeping Beauty, they just need a little more power to wake them up! The Sound Anchor craddle stands also make a major difference. They dog a pair of regular N805's, after 300 hours of breakin! At $2600.00 list the 9's are the Underdog in the B&W stable, & worthy of additional auditioning.