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What speakers do you recommend? I'm considering B&W 804 D3 or Sonus Faber Olympica II

My current system consists of mostly older Primare components (SP31 processor, A30.2 amplifier, T23 tuner, and I’m using a Denon DP as a transport), Audioquest cables (Mont Blanc bi-wire (two run) speaker cables, Eagle Eye digital cables, NRG 5’s and NRG 3 power cables, and Jaguar XLR interconnects), and Polk Audio LSi-15 speakers. I am looking to finally upgrade my speakers.

The B&W 804 D3 sounded good in the show room, so did Sonus Faber Olympica III. (I feel the Olympica III is warmer and more extended in the highs, and the 804 D3 is cleaner and more involving in the showroom setup.) The Olympica III’s bass is a little big (in the showroom), so I am deciding between Olympica II and 804 D3; but the dealer here does not have an Olympica II, so I cannot audition it. What are your experiences / recommendations between these two speakers? (Of course, you can suggest other speakers in the similar quality/price range, and please feel free to suggest other improvements as well, though my primary interest now is between these two speakers.) Please let me know your reasons for your recommendations if possible.

Thank you all so much!
Leon
lzuo
lzuo OP
15 posts
 
Hi, Melbguy1:

Thank you very much for your detailed recommendations!

I will definitely check out Wilson Benesh, Revel Ultima Salon 2’s, and Magico S3’s speakers and perhaps other components later when I am ready to upgrade them.

I am noticing all the amps in the showroom are integrated, which is different from years ago when they were all separates. There appears to be a new understanding that the integrated is better than separates, I guess?

Happy New Year!

Leon
lzuo OP
15 posts
 
Hi, Jafant:

Thank you very much for your suggestion!

Funny that Vienna Acoustics was coming into my mind on its own lately for no reason at all. Now you suggest it, I got to look into them and let you know what I find after I got a chance to audition them. Yea, I won't be able to move away from Primare soon because of time concerns in changing them and in part for their looks (I like the Primare simple and elegant look).

Happy New Year!

Leon
lzuo OP
15 posts
 
In case this is interesting or helpful to anyone, I bought a pair of B&W 803 D2’s (Diamond) from the local Magnolia. I didn’t get the 804 D3’s because I needed more bass than they could give even though they are sonically superior to the D2’s. Out of the box, the 803 D2’s didn’t sound as good as my LSi-15’s. After 10 days of constant break-in / burn-in, they improved considerably. I must say the Diamond tweeters are quite good, but the mid is a bit muddy (the mid for D3 is much better as I compared them in the store and a friend’s home who owned both). Plugged my LSi-15’s back in, I couldn’t believe it, they are far clearer and more extended on both the highs and the lows! Though the 803 D2’s have their strengths, but overall, my old LSi-15’s are definitely clearer and more pleasing! I knew the LSi-15’s are as good as speakers cost two or three times as much, so I went for the 803, which cost more than five times as much as the LSi-15’s MSRP! (Of course, the 803 went back, thus began a new hunt for speakers to upgrade.)
joey_v
644 posts
 
I like both, bought both.

802D3 incoming.  

SF Olympica III enroute.  

Both good speakers, but I prefer the 802D3 for overall presentation.  It gets me to the event better.  


luvwine
44 posts
 
Surprising to me that you liked both the B&W and the Olympica III's.  We listened to both and for us, it was not contest--went with the Olympica III.  We found the B&W very bright and the tweeter harsh (my wife has sensitive ears to high frequencies).  We also own an older set of Vienna Acoustics Beeethovens.  Silk dome tweeters are much friendlier to the wife's ears than metal dome.  We also love our Magnepan 20.1's. We use the Olympicas in our TV room with the Olympica center, McIntosh amp and pre/pro (MX-160, which is great if pricey) a pair of 12" velodyne DD subs, some in ceiling rears, and it sounds great.  Really like the SF Olympica III speakers.  For serious stereo listening (classical and jazz) we still prefer the sound of the Maggie setup (20.1s, Rel Britannia B1, Audio Research reference 3 preamp, Cary 308 pro SACD, and Cary 500MB monoblocks), but the Olympicas do very well.  Their sound is fairly neutral, detailed, and not fatiguing at all.  It does not throw the soundstage of the Maggie's (what does at a reasonable price?) but the differences are not that dramatic.  
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