[rec.audio.high-end] B&W 801s

ed@maxed.amg.com (Ed Whittemore) (10/17/90)

In article <6966@uwm.edu> Daniel_Rai@ub.cc.umich.edu writes:
>
>     ==========================

...

> 
>     RE: B&W Bashing
>     ---------------
>     After all the fanfare and rave reviews, I was dying to
>     be blown away by the $5500/pair.
> 
>     Store 1:  Denon CD (no vinyl), Adcom electronics
>          Blurry image, confused transients, nasal, boxy,
>     hollow, in a word - irritating.  The eager salesperson
...
>     wrong with the player or electronics.  The speakers
>     COULDN'T POSSIBLY sound THAT bad.
> 
>     Store 2:  LP12/ITTOK, MAC electronics
>          Sounded much better. About as good as a pair of
>     medium floor standing Boston Acoustics. (Let me see,
>     equivalent performance , at a 900% premium - well, the
...

I have heard the 801s sound very good with ARC electronics--
SP15-II, Classic 60--and Sota Cosmos/SME V/Carnegie 2; don't remember
the cables.

They threw a convincing soundstage with real depth, excellent
instrument localization, width well outside the speakers, and
less height than I would have hoped for.

As others have noted, the 801s have a rich, warm sound, which
is especially pleasing with strings, massed or solo--you can
almost smell the rosin on the bow.

The Mac and Adcom electronics don't do these speakers justice, I guess.

-- 
Ed Whittemore   uunet!maxed!ed   ed@maxed.amg.com
American Micro Group, Inc.   201-944-3293