Time to change. But to what?


I've had my B&W N803 for a while now. Love them. But have a craving for a different type of sound.

I want speakers that play all kinds of music equally well. Excell at soundstaging, imaging, resolution, are NOT analytical, sound natural(this is very improtant...I hate artificial sound), and do the bass so you not only hear it but feel it as well.

I started building a list of potential candidates.
Here goes it:
1. B&W 803D
2. DALI Helicon 800MkII
3. DALI Euphonia MS4 or 5
4. Dynuadio S5.4
5. Sonus Faber Cremona

from the list I am familiar with S5.4, 803D and Cremona. I have never heard DALI speakers.

Room width is about 14 feet. Length is 18 feet. Speakers are on the short wall. Behind the speakers corners are treated with 8th Nerve Rectangles and Triangles, there is an area rug in front of speakers.

I listen to rock music, jazz(vocal and instrumental but dynamic stuff...no smooth jazz at all), acoustic music, solo, chamber and large orchestral classical(Tchaikovsky, Mahler, Bartok, Shoenberg, Shostakovich, etc). I would like the orchestra to be rendered as large and real as possible within the natural limitations of my room, system, listener.

I like to listen on realistic levels when I can, but since I have a 5 year old who goes to bed early, low level resolution is VERY IMPORTANT. I do a lot of late night listening at low levels and want to hear as much information out of the speakers as possible. My B&Ws excell at playing loud without strain. I want this quality to remain with the new speaker as well.

The speaker upgrade will most likely force me to use my Bel Canto DAC3 as a preamp for a while.

I am selling my BAT VK-51SE preamp right now to raise some funds for the speakers. Once I sell the preamp I plan to sell the B&Ws.

DAC3 isn't that bad direct into my Pass Labs X250.5 and I have a feeling I can deal with it for the time being.
No plans to change the amplifier, or anything else. Just the speakers.

What are my options?

Your advise is greatly appreciated.
128x128audphile1

Showing 3 responses by chadnliz

What about Vandersteen Quatro in standard or wood finish? With powered woofers and 11 band bass EQ room adjustment it excells in most any room within reason, your main amp only needs to work above 100 something cycles so its gonna sing. These image great with minimum baffle, feature first order crossovers and are allingned properly......most anyone will tell you right away this is not at all a analytical speaker and excell at all but the most abusive (and unhealthy) sound levels. Couple that to Pass Labs and I cant imagine a more well rounded real world priced performer period.
The Vandersteen Quatro is offered in a standard finish which is a wood capped speaker with cloth surrounding the entire body of speaker, the wood version is a typical wood speaker but comes at a $3000 premium, but for that you also get a bit better trickle down technology from the Vandersteen flagship model the %A. Call Richard Vandersteen himself for any and all questions as he is a refreshingly straight shooter among a world of slick sales efforts and hyperbowl. The Quatro models are across the board well reviewed and highly recomended by all who review them . There are far better folks to talk to about this speaker line but I will help if I can.
Samhar, the Wood Quatro (my dad owns them) is not only a cosmetic upgrade but there is improved parts taken from the 5A so they offer I would say close to 10% better performance over the sock Quatro. Sure the biggest expense is cosmetic but it also comes with a bit better musical performance aswell.