B&W 800 D3 vs KEF Blade. Let's discuss.

[Dana]

I might be a little late to this but here’s my story. I’ve owned a pair of Blades and listed to the B&W’s quite a few times. Both are great. If I had to choose I’d get the Blades. They are amazing speakers that could could live with forever. Same with the B&W’s. Strange thing is I actually sold my blades and went back to my old speakers. They are Dynaudio C2’s. While they aren’t as accurate as the Blades and don’t quite have the house rattling bass as Blades they suit my space and listening habits better. So I’m not ever really sure what I’d tell you to do just throwing my experience into the mix.

 

[Pharos]

They aren't investments.

They're depreciating assets, just like cars.

They go down in value over time whether you hold on to it forever or sell every 3 years.

Not always so, especially if one manages to get a gem; I bought Tannoy Gold Lancasters in '72, and sold them to a dealer at over 100% profit in '85.

 

[Chromatischism]

They aren't investments.

They're depreciating assets, just like cars.

They go down in value over time whether you hold on to it forever or sell every 3 years.

"Trust me.. never buy a depreciating asset. If it drives, flies, floats or f*cks - lease it!"

 

[thewas]

While they aren’t as accurate as the Blades and don’t quite have the house rattling bass as Blades they suit my space and listening habits better.

That's often a disadvantage of loudspeakers with relatively deep anechoic bass, namely that in many usual rooms and placements they cause rather a bass peak and thus loudspeakers with earlier dropping frequency response may work better if no EQ or room correction is available. Often closing the bass reflex ports can help too.

 

[watchnerd]

Not always so, especially if one manages to get a gem; I bought Tannoy Gold Lancasters in '72, and sold them to a dealer at over 100% profit in '85.

Hence the collectibles caveat.

Most speakers don't become collectible.

 

[w1000i]

I get why some people go gaga over the Vivid audio speakers. They have an extremely detailed, boxless, clear sound. "Vivid" is the right word!
However, I've heard the Giya 3, and auditioned the Vivid Oval speakers, and spent a fair amount of time listening to the Vivid Kaya speakers at my friend's place. When I'd come home and play the same tracks on my own speakers at the time (Thiels) everything sounded more natural to me, the sax sounded more like it could be a real saxophone playing in the room, voices more like real human voices vs hyper-detailed electronic holograms on the vivid, etc. And in comparing vivid speakers in the same room at my dealer with the Joseph speakers, I preferred the Josephs easily and bought those. Of course, like your post, this is subjective, but that's the point

Yah, maybe vivid audio has that wow factor to it which hit you at first. But living with it I'm sure thing may change.

 

[617]

Hence the collectibles caveat.

Most speakers don't become collectible.

I would expect the blades and any top model b&w to become somewhat collectable. How much does a pair of Nautilus go for? Even the big dunlavys are somewhat desirable today.

 

[watchnerd]

I would expect the blades and any top model b&w to become somewhat collectable. How much does a pair of Nautilus go for? Even the big dunlavys are somewhat desirable today.

It's going to be a while until they're even potentially collectible as they're both in current production.

As compared to say, my Studer reel to reel decks. Which have gone up 300% in the last 3 years because you can't get them anymore and the remaining units are being cannibalized for parts.

 

[Dana]

I think you’d be surprised if you got a pair. My house isn’t even slightly elegant but I had a pair and I think they fit in well. Upscaled the entire room

 

[Pearljam5000]

I'm surprised they weigh only 57.2 kg (126 lbs), they look huge.

 

[Frank Dernie]

I would expect the blades and any top model b&w to become somewhat collectable. How much does a pair of Nautilus go for? Even the big dunlavys are somewhat desirable today.

The Nautilus was made in tiny quantities compared to the other big B&Ws and Blades.

 

[watchnerd]

The Nautilus was made in tiny quantities compared to the other big B&Ws and Blades.

+1

People don't seem to grasp the rarity component of collectibility.

 

[Frank Dernie]

+1

People don't seem to grasp the rarity component of collectibility.

Indeed.
I collected cameras for 40 years. Not all rare ones went up in value but the ones that went up most were rare and iconic.
Leica made a camera for pros in 1956/7, the MP.
They made 311 in chrome and 138 black. Because they were used by pros they got pretty battered and most were thrown away when they were no longer wanted there are not many left.
I had one of each in my collection. They had been expensive to buy but had more than trebled by the time I sold them. The black one went to a museum in Japan for almost 7x as much money.

 

[FrantzM]

I think you’d be surprised if you got a pair. My house isn’t even slightly elegant but I had a pair and I think they fit in well. Upscaled the entire room View attachment 103127

Damn! They're pretty!

 

[Kachda]

I'm surprised they weigh only 57.2 kg (126 lbs), they look huge.

Could be because i think they are polycarbonate rather than wood

 

[steve59]

How did they sound with the amplification pictured? That might be a clue as to why you scaled back

 

[Frank Dernie]

Could be because i think they are polycarbonate rather than wood

I think they are polyester resin matrix glass fibre composite, a lot of the weight will be in the plinth because otherwise they would be top heavy and unstable.(Blades, that is, the B&Ws are laminated wood for bass and a metal casting for mid iirc)

 

[steve59]

I think it would be just wrong to put them in my basement.

 

[Pearljam5000]

I think they are polyester resin matrix glass fibre composite, a lot of the weight will be in the plinth because otherwise they would be top heavy and unstable.(Blades, that is, the B&Ws are laminated wood for bass and a metal casting for mid iirc)

I wish they were made out of aluminum (not that i can afford them lol

 

[Kachda]

I wish they were made out of aluminum (not that i can afford them lol

Why? A metal enclosure may resonate more than the composite