Just off the top of my head, I'd say the trickle down is mostly the concepts not the actual hardware. Expensive materials don't get trickled down, they get replaced with cheaper materials. Probably more of a marketing tool than anything else.
Trying to understand B&W’s trickle down strategy
Hi everybody,
I'm trying to understand what B&W's trickle down tech strategy actually means. I've searched the internet, but not much comes up. So I figured I'd try here instead.
Does the B&W approach e.g. mean that a modern entry level speaker such as the 606 S2 AE sounds as good as (or better) than the older high end Matrix 805?
I know there is a difference in the bracing of the cabinet (in which, as I understand it, the Matrix 805 is far superior).
To my knowledge it would seem that a 606 S2 AE uses the same midrange as the 805 D3 - which is insane. I don't know about the tweeter though, but since the Matrix 805-design is 31 years old my guess is that the 606 S2-tweeter would also be trickled down several generations ago and that this newer one is as good as (or better) than the Matrix 805.
Is it only the drivers they are trickling down or is it also the crossovers and the whole technology here which tell the drivers how to interact?
I'm debating this because I'd like to know if my money is better spent on a used Matrix 805 than a new 606 S2 AE. The used price of the Matrix 805 is very similar to the new price of 606 S2 Anniversary Edition (at least where I live).
I hope someone can shed some light upon this issue - thanks!