Do Any High End Speakers Boogie/Rock? BW 804 Blues


Hello Fellow Audiogoners: I am interested in hearing if any audiophile sytems (speaker plus amplification) that can boogie and rock! What I mean here is a detailed but coherent and rich sound, not like a bunch of separate instruments that don't gell together. And not biased so brightly that symbols and highs dominate, making a thin and grating sound. I wonder if it is possible in what appears to be the analytical world of high end audio.

I'm a frustrated B&W Nautilis 804 owner that likes rock/blues/ok recorded cds in addition to jazz, classical, vocal etc, and I'm not interested in endless tweaking of cables/amplifiers/source to try to get these revealing speakers to sound good on a majority of my music collection.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.
jeffsel

Showing 2 responses by cinematic_systems

804's like the other Nautilus speakers are too bright and that brightness makes them very unforgiving which means 90% of your CD's don't sound good. Just measure one sometime and you'll understand why your ears are getting sawed off with heavy rock and roll. Rotel is a fine amplifier if you have a balanced Sounding speaker. As some have assessed a bright speaker with raucous music and the rotel will give you a headache.

ATC SCM20 A2, no amp needed and will peel the semi gloss off your listening room wall.

SCM35 redefines midrange dynamics in its price class, tears the VSR's a new one in every area but the bass.

Dynaudio Contour(any) & Audience 82, instant gratification

Dali Evidence 870 will work great with your Rotel

Meyersound HD1 (little pricey but WOW super dynamic--powered also)

Eton 11.2 DIY kit (if you're on a tighter budget, under $2K with local guy building the box) If you want an active Cinematic 11.2, $4500

VSR 2000 also good choice.

There's some variety, choices that will play Megadeth to SRV to Patti Smith. I feel your pain with the musical "flexibility" issue. B&W's are not flexible, trying to fix a problem that requires an equalizer with an amplifier is not a good idea.

have fun shopping.
So your solution was to spend more on your electronics than on your speakers?

That makes a good deal of sense.

Measure your speakers sometime than explain to me how its response makes it a rock and roll speaker. If your explanation is convincing then I will concede. But something you are not aware of is that many people have Jeffsel's complaints and rightfully so.

You on the other hand you seem to benefit from the boost in the high frequencies which is why it is there. So Audiobugged if you look at the facts, you have every right to like these speaker as they have been contoured to your preferences, just as Jeffsel dislikes the speakers for the same reason you like them so much.

But when you "customize" the response like B&W has then you will create love & hate. Measure you speakers and "see" what you like to hear so when you upgrade you know what you like and you won't be starting from a blank slate.

With 300 watts on the 804's you are on the cusp of their destruction.