2. speakers
  3. 158531-5435

Why hasn’t B&W ever entered the ultra hi-end for speakers?

Being one of the biggest speaker manufacturers in the world and arguably some of best sounding, they have never gone past their 800 series and produced anything beyond that point. Don’t get me wrong, $30k ( 800 D3 ) is expensive and most people wouldn’t be able to afford to pay that much for a pr of speakers even if they wanted to, but in today’s market that really isn’t considered ultra hi-end considering some speakers now days cost close to a million and many in the $50-200k range. You would think with the knowledge they have and for the years they have been around they would go the distance and build 
beyond the 800 series? 
hiendmmoe
yogiboy's avatar
yogiboy
5,510 posts
 
"Kef LS50 cost under one thousand dollars and are supposedly the best small speakers in the world "

 Says who?
gosta's avatar
gosta
839 posts
 
There are a few. ATC and Revel is another examples of manufacturers that don’t charge you insane dollars for highest quality. A box with three or four drivers is just a box with three or four drivers.
.
clearthinker's avatar
clearthinker
1,582 posts
 

Selling ultra hi-end speakers for north of $200,000/pair is a risky business.  Based more on fashion than quality.  Better business to capture the mid and upper mid levels.  Volume speaks louder than pricing.

I had 801s for 20 years.  Can someone tell me if today's $30k B&Ws are better than $30k Wilsons?

kenjit
1,771 posts
 
Says who?
Check the reviews 
smandlej
70 posts
 
At least two of our most respected reviewers here in the UK have 800 series B & W speakers in their own systems (Paul Miller of Hi-FI News & Paul Messenger of Hi-Fi Critic), and they are not alone. Our listening rooms are somewhat smaller over here and there is no real demand for anything larger.
More to discover