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4M views 30K replies 3K participants last post by  Tank_PD 
#1 ·
I noticed that I hadn't seen B&W OWNER'S thread , but that there are a lot of owners on this forum and I think that the consistant bashing from about 4 posters makes people hesitant to get involved in any of the many threads that keep getting nasty. So, to that end, I think that if there was a thread where the Lovefest could be conducted without bothering NON-owners and the bashers weren't welcome, maybe some good info could come out of it.


My challenge would be to ask people here to keep it civil and that if you don't like B&W there is no point in you being here. If you want to talk about other comporables, start another thread.


For the record, I am a B&W dealer , and most know this, and as such , if I can find out any important info on the brand or certain models, I will be happy to. Don't , however, post or pm me regarding sales, I don't use threads as advertising for my business, and I won't sell you anything .


So what do you own and how is it set-up?
 
#27,901 ·
I'm a strong believer that if you're going to use a center, it needs to be your best speaker or at least equivalent to your best speakers otherwise you're better off without it.
I agree having an 802D2. The diamond tweeter and mid-range has a wide horizontal dispersion. I find the sweet spot as wide as 6' or more with the speakers 13' away and 6' apart. There really isn't a bad sitting area in the room. If you measure with an instrument that's not true but to the ear it is.
 
#27,903 ·
#27,905 ·
I have 703S2 fronts. I was playing around with a decibel meter and noticed that as I vary the frequency of an input sine wave in the 20-250Hz range, the sound volume fluctuates by up to 5-6db. Like even between 150Hz and 160Hz there could be a 5db difference. This is with the sound meter sitting on the floor in front of the speaker.


I'm using an app on my iPad with AirPlay to my AVR (Denon X6500H), in pure direct mode to defeat Audyssey and hopefully produce as accurate of a sound as possible from the input sine wave.


I don't think there's a problem with my speakers (happens both L and R) but I thought this was interesting. Maybe the iPad app or AirPlay is introducing a volume difference?
This is a perfect illustration of why eq below Schroeder, along with bass management to a good, properly placed pair of subs is all but necessary for high fidelity. Two speakers in a room without eq and subs will almost always yield a low fidelity frequency response below 3-400 Hz. Turning off Audyssey for a "pure" sound is actually degrading sound quality. Get the phone app in order to limit eq to below Schroeder. This holds true for well designed speakers with neutral on and off axis response. For speakers that aren't well designed and neutral, full range correction might even prove beneficial.
 
#27,908 ·
Hello there.... looking to possibly upgrade from my Klipsch Reference II. Primarily Movie/gaming.... zero music.

Looking into the CT series specifically the CT7.5 and 7.4. What difference would there be between the 2. I like my klipsch but wanting to see what is out there. Also I find the klipsch to be very localized with the speakers needing to be on axis. Looking to get some off axis performance as well.
 
#27,910 ·
if you had the chance to pay $3k extra to go from 702s to 804s...worth it?
I've heard both in person...the 804s sounded better but idk if $3000 better.

Change my mind.
I found the 804D3's far too bright. The 702S2's were much more pleasant sounding to me. However, the 804's have a wider and more open sound stage. I prefer the 702S2's over the 804D3's even if both were the same price. I had the 804D3's in my room for a couple weeks and my ears were ringing for about a month :(
 
#27,912 ·
I found the 804D3's far too bright. The 702S2's were much more pleasant sounding to me. However, the 804's have a wider and more open sound stage. I prefer the 702S2's over the 804D3's even if both were the same price. I had the 804D3's in my room for a couple weeks and my ears were ringing for about a month :(

Goes on to show how different human hearing it ... and therefore reviewers and second hand information is of little to no value when it comes to HiFi.

I had 702 S2 for about 2 weeks and really didn’t like them. They are okay speakers but they sounded muddled and the lack of sound stage was really bothersome to me. Personally I can always dial down the treble (not that I have since I like the high end on my 804s just right) but I can never EQ the bass muddiness and lack of soundstage in the 702s. Also the while the 702 have more bass volume I don’t think the quality of bass is as good.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
#27,913 ·
I have Nautilus SCM1 surrounds. They were laid down on their backs during transport when moving and the tiny little plastic plugs that are in the binding posts all seemed to have jammed inside. I am unable to remove most of them so i can use my banana plugs. Is there some way to get those plastic pins out? I have fiddled with them extensively and only got a couple of them out. I am not sure if the binding posts will come apart so I am afraid to break them.
 

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#27,914 · (Edited)
I have Nautilus SCM1 surrounds. They were laid down on their backs during transport when moving and the tiny little plastic plugs that are in the binding posts all seemed to have jammed inside. I am unable to remove most of them so i can use my banana plugs. Is there some way to get those plastic pins out? I have fiddled with them extensively and only got a couple of them out. I am not sure if the binding posts will come apart so I am afraid to break them.
Last time this happened to me I used a small self tapping screw (wood screws also work) to remove the bung. Getting the right size screw is important to prevent damage to the post.

Obviously you need to be very careful, place the point of the screw in the centre of the bung & give it a few mild taps to get it started & then with a screwdriver (or by hand if possible) turn the screw so it cuts a thread into the bung.

Get about three or four threads worth of penetration into the bung & then you should be able to use the head of the screw to pull the bung out.

Sounds complicated but in reality its very simple.
 

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#27,915 ·
I have 703S2 fronts. I was playing around with a decibel meter and noticed that as I vary the frequency of an input sine wave in the 20-250Hz range, the sound volume fluctuates by up to 5-6db. Like even between 150Hz and 160Hz there could be a 5db difference. This is with the sound meter sitting on the floor in front of the speaker.


I'm using an app on my iPad with AirPlay to my AVR (Denon X6500H), in pure direct mode to defeat Audyssey and hopefully produce as accurate of a sound as possible from the input sine wave.


I don't think there's a problem with my speakers (happens both L and R) but I thought this was interesting. Maybe the iPad app or AirPlay is introducing a volume difference?
The problem isn't with your speakers. The problem is with your room. 5-6db is actually not that bad(I usually see 10+), especially in "pure direct" mode, which disengages the room correction. If you want truly accurate bass, definitely don't use the pure direct mode. That mode puts your speakers 100% at the mercy of your room, ensuring a terrible bass response. In the bass region, Audyssey takes the room out of the equation(at least that's what it tries to do, but it's not perfect) so that you can hear your speakers as they were designed to sound.
 
#27,916 ·
I have Nautilus SCM1 surrounds. They were laid down on their backs during transport when moving and the tiny little plastic plugs that are in the binding posts all seemed to have jammed inside. I am unable to remove most of them so i can use my banana plugs. Is there some way to get those plastic pins out? I have fiddled with them extensively and only got a couple of them out. I am not sure if the binding posts will come apart so I am afraid to break them.
Unscrew the caps completely off so you can have access to the gold electroplated brass posts. The stuck plugs shoulder out on the end of those, and with the caps removed you can use a razor knife to force them off by working the blade between the post and the plug. That way the plugs aren't ruined.
 
#27,917 ·
Goes on to show how different human hearing it ... and therefore reviewers and second hand information is of little to no value when it comes to HiFi.

I had 702 S2 for about 2 weeks and really didn’t like them. They are okay speakers but they sounded muddled and the lack of sound stage was really bothersome to me. Personally I can always dial down the treble (not that I have since I like the high end on my 804s just right) but I can never EQ the bass muddiness and lack of soundstage in the 702s. Also the while the 702 have more bass volume I don’t think the quality of bass is as good.
The EQ is a good point. I didn't have one back then but I do now. I also didnt have my mcintosh amps back then I wonder if those 804D3's would still be too harsh on those amps.
 
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#27,918 ·
Unscrew the caps completely off so you can have access to the gold electroplated brass posts. The stuck plugs shoulder out on the end of those, and with the caps removed you can use a razor knife to force them off by working the blade between the post and the plug. That way the plugs aren't ruined.
I guess that was my main question is will those unscrew off? i turn them until they stop and will not go any further? I am afraid to turn harder that i might break them. Are they designed that way so that i just need to turn them really hard and they will unscrew the rest of the way without breaking?


Thanks
 
#27,919 ·
I guess that was my main question is will those unscrew off? i turn them until they stop and will not go any further? I am afraid to turn harder that i might break them. Are they designed that way so that i just need to turn them really hard and they will unscrew the rest of the way without breaking?


Thanks
My N802s have the same caps and I had similar issue. I didn't want to unscrew them all the way and break them, I used 1-2 small pick tools on mine and a good needle nose pliers.

Newer B&W can unscrew all the way.
 
#27,920 ·
My N802s have the same caps and I had similar issue. I didn't want to unscrew them all the way and break them, I used 1-2 small pick tools on mine and a good needle nose pliers.

Newer B&W can unscrew all the way.
That's why i asked here. I am trying to determine if i can unscrew the binding posts. I have already spent hours with various little tools and was only able to remove 2 of them.
 
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