marcus_helsinki

Overall Rating
 3 of 5

Value Rating
 1 of 5

Used product for
Less than 1 month

Visitors rate this review
2.00 of 5, 8.00 votes

Price Paid:  $0.00 from 0

Summary:
Summary:
good for midrange detail revealing, but not for everyday nice listening

Strengths:
Strengths:
very few background noise, much detail in midrange. Nice to hear so much detail with almost silent background. Player's attack/strikes to instruments can be heard clearly. Vocal have a natural, deep sound. Clear vocals.

Weaknesses:
Weaknesses:
too few and odd lean bass, too bright, especially with home listening sound levels. Loses detail when played at moderate sound levels and too few bass makes home listening tirying. Pushing volume up to get makes higher frequencies hard for your ears. Vocals little laid back, with some "nnnn"-sounding-edge. Doesn't sound airy. Uninteresting overall balance, where's bass?

These were explained by the fact that Kevlar cones have their own sound compared to other cone types. In a source it was said that designers have to be careful with cone resonances with Kevlar. I wonder why the crossover is so high, at 4 kHz, it will be bad for just these cone resonances. In the frequency graph i think the beginning of those resonances are seen just below 4000 Hz as a peak and a dip then towars 5000 Hz. The dip in the end of the human voicer frequency range may explain the lach of air. And another, much higher peak (very high, 9 dB smoothened) is seen just above 20 kHz, which may be bad for at least ears if not heard by al listeners. The test can be seen in Stereoplay. Remember the Frequengy graphs are smoothened!

Similar Products Used:
B&W620i (bad)
JBL MRV 308 (nice)

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Price Paid:  $2100.00 from Audio Images

Summary:
I think my system is finally done, for now. I''ve had been for a while, slightly disappointed with my former DM604 S2''s but had not been willing to really admit it, or take any steps towards buying anything better. But when a chance to get a pair of these for $2100 presented itself, it seemed like the opportunity I needed and not the kind of thing to pass up. I went back the next day and bought them. Now, don''t get me wrong, the 604s are still a great speaker for the price, but working at a dealer that sells the Vienna and Sonus Faber lines had me constantly aware that no matter what I used to run the 604s, that they would never cross the boundaries into the high-end realm. When I got the 804s home the differences weren''t as immediate as I had hoped for them to be. I guess it was me being too eager to HEAR a difference instantly... I was trying too hard. Then as I spun a few more tracks, subtle nuances began to obviate themselves in a way the 604s never had. I noticed for the first time, a prolonged decay on crash cymbals, strings sounded more true to life, and piano recordings rang through with an eerie realism. THIS is what I had been longing for all along. The bass response is also quite formidable for a relatively small speaker. They have a strong presence down to around 35Hz in my room. Tympani and concert bass ring through with power and clarity. My "vintage" Velodyne ULD-15 takes care of the rest. All in all I''m very happy with them. And I will no longer say my equipment is outclassing mt speakers (the older 604s) My system: Preamp: Anthem AVM-2 Amplifier: Rotel RMB-1095 CD: Rotel RCD-991 DVD: Pioneer Elite DV47A Cables: Straightwire Encore II, Chorus, Monster M1000i, Kimber 8tc Surge protector: Monster HTS5000 Subwoofer: Velodyne ULD-15 Center: LCR-6 S2 Surrounds: DM-601 S2

Strengths:
Depth of soundstage, bass (in my room anyway), midrange clarity.

Weaknesses:
At $2100 there are no conceivable weaknesses. Had I paid full price I may have a gripe, but I can''t think of any at this time.

Similar Products Used:
DM604S2, Vienna Motzart, Beethoven; Sonus Faber Grande Piano

Price Paid:  $0.00 from Sound Advice

Summary:
After looking at a number of B & W speakers, you really have to move up to a 802 to find a speaker significantly better. The only difference between this and a 804 is the cabinet and price. Even an 803 is not significantly better. I strongly recommend this speaker in the B & W line until you can move into a 802. The sound improves with age. The speakers have a heavy or bass sound. They are so good I''ve purchased 4 more to round out my home theater system and replace my Infinity Interlude IL-40. I use two ACI Titan Le II sub woofers for the low ranges. My crossover is 40 hz. I use a Lexcon MC-12, a HTM-1 center, 2 Bryston 4B-ST, and a Bryston 6B-ST with the CDM 9 NT as the mains. I would buy a 802 but it is too big for my room. I strongly recommend the CDM 9 NT. Best regards-Henry

Strengths:
dynamic full range sound

Weaknesses:
long break in period; needs to be coupled with a subwoofer

Similar Products Used:
Infinity Interlude IL-40

Price Paid:  $3150.00 from Almas Hi-Fi in Detoi

Summary:
Just wanted to drop a quick line saying that I truly enjoyed the break in period. They drop the "throaty" quality they have out of the box and imaging settles beautifully. I loved witnessing this process and almost miss it... almost.

Strengths:
Everything is of course amazing, but they do a great job with imaging and someone did a great job building them.

Weaknesses:
Can be warm on the low-side if poorly placed. Avoid listening positions by walls. Try facing them the long dimension of your listening room.

Price Paid:  $3300.00 from Sound Advise

Summary:
These speakers I ran across a few times, hooked up to many different choices. I heard them in NYC hooked up to CLasse' audio which I’m very familiar with and owned.
I also heard them hooked up to Proceed and so on. I like to judge a system as a whole. It gets tricky when you try to judge one component at a time, because when you try to do that you might be making a big mistake, it can be something else within the system.
I have to say after so many years of this audiophile madness I can honesty say I have a very amazing set up.
To many times you hear I’m happy with this stuff and kick yourself in the mouth again, not here.

People at B&W are so helpful, Mike Sheenan (hope I spelt that right Mike) is a great guy and he would stay on the phone as long as he could.
Ok first off the best cables in the market for these guys are HarmonicTech, Not a small difference a big one And the only cables that are jaw dropping in my opinion are HarmonicTech. I had many come and go as far as cables and stereos.lol Ok I said cables? Lets go.
Cables- Straight Wire-Transparent-TARA-KIMBER-CARDAS-MONSTER-SYNERJESTIC- XLO-ACROTEC-AUDIOQUEST-Iox-and more trust me. lol
These cables (HarmonicTech) do make a great change. Speaker cables are the pro 9plus biwire 8’ inter connects are truth link 1 meter 2 pair, digital is on its way and that is the cyber link copper by Harmonic, power cords are XLO er10 and soon to come is the ac11 power cord from harmonic. I had cables costing much more so don’t pre judge this review to quickly upon price because you will get snagged on the price hype.
Well this about speakers so I must go on.
Bass- is tight magical and in the right room you will be pleased as long as its hooked up to a great system like Plinius which all I can say, I must have the most amazing synergy going on here. I had this system setup in two different sized rooms, one small one medium, and wouldn’t think for a minute to place this in a large room with a sub.
804s’ has the dynamics, just get a REL sub or a B&W sub if that makes the match.
I love REL subs.
Highs are as good as it gets as long as you have the whole system matched, which takes trail and error. After many years of losses and lessons this is a great lesson and a great match.
Highs will be awesome as long as you believe in room treatment, put that on your list, very important. I don't like to get crazy with that but hey you need that also.
I play many types of music on this system. I can play the worst recorded CD’s and get relaxed. Doors Led zeppelin Elton John to name a few.
And when I play audiophile CD’s wow.
My digital DAC I use is the THETA DAC dsp pro 3.
Just to name a few amps and preamps.
KRELL FPB 300 not worth a dime, KRELL kav 250 a Classe’ ca 100 amp great amp,Aragon 4004,Sim audio w3 (good amp)Sim audio p5 pre,KRELL KRC3 pre(good preamp)Placette passive and active,the passive is better, Virtual Mode passive preamp,McCormack tlc passive buffered pre,AudioResearch Ls3,Aragon 18k preamp I’m just wondering if that’s the right Model number its been so long, that’s the one with the penny and Giles volume control think I’m right. Conrad Johnson’s’ Premier 8a mono Blocks good for the winter. And the Rouge preamp the two thousand dollar one, Hey its hard to remember them all and its late tonight. I got bumped off so many times, Aol you stink.Rotel, 995 pre,Rotel,971 pre-Classe cp35 pre-Sonic Frontier sfL1, also the Sonic Fontier pre one and Sonic frontier amp one, CROWN Macro tech E, CROWN MICROTECH 1000, CROWN MACRO 1200, this stuff goes way back in time, and some old tubes from Scott. I also owned a CROWN preamp, got to go get that model number for my records.Where was I? wow….. ok just buy the damn speakers.
Just don’t buy them with an amp that has no balls I mean get a lot of current.
If you have the beans to go out and buy a whole new set up, Then try my set up it may be your last .
I’m very confident of having this stereo after what I just listed above. I know I left out some.
Twenty-three years of being an audiophile and its time to enjoy my CD’s.
I just listen for a system that can give me the most of tonality and the elusion and the most out of the recording.
Thank you B&W and PLINIUS and THETA and HARMONICTECH for being such a truthful product.
I’m a very satisfied customer.

Strengths:
Everything, worth every nickle and dime.

Weaknesses:
Break in period, This isnt't a weakness, everything needs to break in.

Similar Products Used:
I have used similar products, Such as DYNAUDIO,MAGNEPAN,CELESTION,GERSHMAN ACOUSTIC,MARTIN LOGAN,PROAC,ALON,ZALATRON custom speaker co.,TANNOY,MIRAGE,SOUND DYNAMICS,VANDERSTIENS,SOLILOQUY and more. enough don't you think?