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Bowers and Wilkerson B&W 802 D3: an impolite Brit?

I heard the new Bowers and Wilkerson 802 D3 today, only the second time they have been heard in public, at an L.A. Audio society event. They have a very large soundstage, and are exceptionally dynamic. The bass is not as good as Magico for example, because of the ported design, but is nonetheless quite good. Detail is excellent, perhaps to a fault. What I don't like about them is that they are quite forward, an anomaly among British speakers. I was experiencing listening fatigue after an hour.I don't know if that is the diamond tweeter, or simply how the speaker/crossover is voiced. Tone of the speakers is not quite real. Being this forward and somewhat more detailed than real life, sells well, but does not please as years and decades go by in my opinion.
FWIW, my mom still has a series 802 that I still find pleasing, and neither too forward or polite, with sealed woofer and bextrene midrange.
Not too sound like sour grapes, it is fabulous pop/rock and home theater speaker, and worth its price given the economy of scale B & W possesses and 8 year redesign effort by a talented team with huge technical resources...but the tone thing is critical for jazz/classical/acoustic instrument lovers. I don't think it's the right choice for them. I am a high quality 2 way stand mount plus subwoofer kind of guy.
(Harbeth Compact 7 ES3 with REL Strata III sub)
Your thoughts?

Tom
tompoodie

Showing 1 response by barto

barto
52 posts
 
I totally agree with most that is said above.

I found all B&W speakers I have heard for the last 10 years unbalanced, unnatural, colored and not enjoyable to listen to.
I even heard them combining the downfall of laid back and forward at the same time. Sounding dull overall en too forward in a certain part of the sound spectrum at the same time.

I owned a 800 series B&W in a time I did not know any better.
And I had listening fatigue even a year after I sold them.
Must sound like a joke, but in a way it is true.
They always portrayed a certain edge or harsh strain that I battled to get away as long as I owned them.
Resulting in selling them and having some kind of listening trauma.
Had to listen for a year to ultra-smooth systems afterwards for my listening focus to be balanced again. (I am probably the only one who understands me right now)

I read B&W defenders stating a lot that the combining gear is the answer for the mentioned B&W "flaws", but I can't agree.
The combining gear will have an influence on how obvious the typical B&W flaws will be in the sound, but I never heard them without. At least not in loudspeakers produced in the last 15 or so years.
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