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Searching for new speakers: Wilson, B&W, ??

My quest continues for the "right" speaker. I am looking for a good match for my current system. All ARC with a VT100MKII (100watt per ch) amp. I don't want to go any bigger with the amp (not any time soon) It sounds really good with my Martin Logans, but I am looking for more low end and mid bass. I listen to rock, classic rock, and jazz mostly. I want something that I can listen too for hours at low volume without fatigue. And for it to be musical and engaging with good bass response at lower volume. I occasionally get loud. My room is about 15x22 with a vaulted ceiling. Its hard for me to demo these where I live, I have heard and like the B&W 804 or 803 ,really like the look. And I like the Wilson Sophia which at its used price would be about my spending limit. Thank you
vdosc
gpgr4blu
1,077 posts
 
The sophias will provide better bass at lower volumes than most high end speakers on the market today. Plus the Sophias excel at just about every aspect of musical expresion. I see no downside to Sophias based on Vdose's needs.
mr_m
1,900 posts
 
Larry, don't worry. No trap here. Just glad to hear a civil comment about the B&W's. Yes I own a pair of the "infamous" 802D's. I also have heard the midrange coloration you have heard, but I found out that experimenting with different interconnects seemed to tame that a bit. Seems like some of the regulars in this forum have a very strong feeling about their loudspeakers of choice. I've been in this hobby for forty years now and by what I have read about audio, I still have alot to learn. I recently went to a highend store in the mid-west. Listened to Wilsons both Sasha and Sophia 3's, Spendors, and Vandersteen 5A Carbons, only to have them all obliterated by a Pair of Magnaplanar 3.7's with a Rel Gibraltor 2 sub woofer. My point is how do you make a rational choice and feel you have not wasted your money on the wrong product? This is especially true for guys like me with limited funds. Anyway, thanks for the resonse.
lrsky
1,118 posts
 
Mr_m,
We can all agree to disagree when it comes to loudspeakers...thanks for reading with a neutral eye.
I suppose, I've always 'liked' the British sound, but don't hear it, per se, in the B&W's, in the same way as the older Brit products...Spendors, et al.
They're pleasant...colored, to my humble old ears, but colored nonetheless--BUT a color I could live with...again, the B&W, not so much.
The shocking thing here was...comparing them to the 'ML's a very neutral (throughout much of the spectrum) speaker.
We could discuss the midbass/bass blend and such...but to me, minor niggles. ML made a good product and they were good people to boot.

Great hobby...you keep on loving it...I will...

Good listening,
Larry
schubert
7,386 posts
 
Lrsky,B&W engineers know exactly what they are doing and that is voicing their speakers the way typical rock releases are.
And yes, many classical releases are voiced with B&W,EMI etc aren't going to change a studio around for that tiny
market share.
IMHO your description of the B& W sound is perfect,spot on !
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