Bowers & Wilkins 805S Bookshelf Speaker Review

[tecnogadget]

As Mr Dallas wrote (...I wonder how my 805Ns from 1999 would measure on Amir's Klippel...), similarly, as a very long time owner of the B&W 801 S2 (w/S3 x-over mod), I've searched for spinorama data for the 801 S2 and/or S3 but have found nothing. Has anyone found or generated any such data since the Stereophile review of the 801-II in Dec 3, 1995?

Fig.4 B&W Matrix 801, anechoic response on tweeter axis at 50", averaged across 30 degrees horizontal window and corrected for microphone response, with the nearfield woofer and port responses plotted below 1kHz and 600Hz, respectively.

It seems there are many references to the B&W of old and such a venerable design for it's time, yet no one has acquired a full(er) data set on this grail (holy or otherwise)?

That graph you’ve uploaded is a clear proof of a good performing speaker. It’s a shame they stepped away from there.

 

[envydd]

That graph you’ve uploaded is a clear proof of a good performing speaker. It’s a shame they stepped away from there.

I recall they also have a signature edition with better cross overs and fancier finish. Anyone measured those?

 

[Katji]

What is with the people who lurk round this forum saying things shouldn't be reviewed?

All the reviews add to our knowledge and help us understand the audio world a bit better.

This one in particular is a no brainer its a classic speaker by a well known company, how is it not useful to know how it measures?

As people have already mentioned there are reviews out there you can compare to which is really interesting, you might see one second hand and make an informed choice wether to pick it up, it gives you a sense of what that manufactures products were like and how they have evolved.

It's such a wierd thing to complain about what someone has done for you, for free no less!

+1 !

Irritating.
I hope they read [what you said] about secondhand, and..wtfu. These speakers were popular, still get sold on forum classifieds, many people who like B&W, many get into upgrading to bigger/better ones. [...............................and often provides justification for a big powerful amp.]

such a wierd thing to complain about what someone has done for you, for free no less!

"entitled". next level consumerism. "millennial." internet taken for granted, like electricity out the wall and water from the tap.

 

[Razorhelm]

+1 !

Irritating.
I hope they read [what you said] about secondhand, and..wtfu. These speakers were popular, still get sold on forum classifieds, many people who like B&W, many get into upgrading to bigger/better ones. [...............................and often provides justification for a big powerful amp.]


"entitled". next level consumerism. "millennial." internet taken for granted, like electricity out the wall and water from the tap.

Just want to point out I'm a millennial and age has nothing to do with it as far as i can see, the internet just brings out the worst in a lot of people of all ages!

 

[envydd]

how do the newer D3/D4s compare with this? Are these more neutral than the newer ones

 

[Chicagorob]

The most accurate 805s were manufactured in the mid-to-late 90s. My 1997 pair measure +/- 1.5 db from 55Hz - 18KHz. If that isn’t good enough, it’s time to take up a new hobby like knitting or stamp collecting.

 

[Newman]

The most accurate 805s were manufactured in the mid-to-late 90s. My 1997 pair measure +/- 1.5 db from 55Hz - 18KHz. If that isn’t good enough, it’s time to take up a new hobby like knitting or stamp collecting.

Floyd Toole has written that, paraphrased, a specification of the sort you noted above is about as useless and misleading as it gets.

Yet you think it is the 'QED' of all discussion?

 

[Chicagorob]

Floyd Toole has written that, paraphrased, a specification of the sort you noted above is about as useless and misleading as it gets.

Yet you think it is the 'QED' of all discussion?

All I said was that earlier B&Ws were more neutral/accurate. Someone piss in your cornflakes this morning?

 

[Newman]

That’s not “all you said”. You added that the spec you quoted is good enough for anyone. Plus you implied (twice now) that it was enough to prove something about what sounds better.

None of which is true.

 

[Chicagorob]

That’s not “all you said”. You added that the spec you quoted is good enough for anyone. Plus you implied (twice now) that it was enough to prove something about what sounds better.

None of which is true.

Fair enough. There has been a lot of complaining on this site about products that don’t measure well. I just wanted to add that B&W produced several highly regarded speakers that did measure well and sounded good(witness Larry Greenhill’s and JA’s very positive Stereophile review). But, for whatever reasons, B&W decided to abandon linearity for the ”showroom sound.” A big step backward, IMO.

 

[Pio]

Fair enough. There has been a lot of complaining on this site about products that don’t measure well. I just wanted to add that B&W produced several highly regarded speakers that did measure well and sounded good(witness Larry Greenhill’s and JA’s very positive Stereophile review). But, for whatever reasons, B&W decided to abandon linearity for the ”showroom sound.” A big step backward, IMO.

Agree. Almost 20years ago, I remember listening to the Nautilus 801's and being blown away.. the big alien looking "Nautilus" is til today, the most 3D speaker I've ever heard. When the (then) new D3 versions came out, it was a huge disappointment. I am a big fan of older B&W, pass on the new ones..

 

[preload]

how do the newer D3/D4s compare with this? Are these more neutral than the newer ones

I had the 805D2 for a while. Compared to the Revel M126be in the same room, both compared for about a year, the m126be was more neutral and surprisingly had deeper bass (for a bookshelf). However, I also thought the Revels sounded more rolled off and dull in the highs and required EQ. The 805D2's were a bit bright, but that was easily alleviated by adjusting toe-in.
Overall, the Revels were perhaps slightly better but definitely did not knock the older 805D2's out of the park, which the so-called measurements would have predicted (the m126be's measuring nearly perfectly by ASR standard with the exception of the directivity at the crossover region).

People need to remember that unlike solid state devices, measurements of loudspeakers do not completely correlate with listening impressions, particularly if those measurements are not a spinorama interpreted through comouterized formulas.

 

[roxor]

Hello,
for an amateur, seems hard to go thru that thread.

Is it possible to say how good compatible are these speakers with musical fidelity nu-vista m3? Is it required to do some correction via equaliser ( I use roon player).

Also is it possible to say whats the minimum range/width in placement between L/R speaker?

thanks