mark_nz

Responses from mark_nz

B&W 803D crossover caps
Thank you for sharing your crossover upgrade experiences - I previously owned the 803D and 803 Diamond speakers - great value high tech speakers with timeless industrial design. 
Footers under big heavy speakers (Stillpoints Ultra 5, Sistrum rack, Finite Elements,..?)
Also adding my more recent experience with StillPoints under B&W 800 Diamond. The 800 Diamond is so heavy and stable that I initially left it with the steel ball rollers on the carpet (suspended chipboard floor). I then replaced the rollers wi... 
Footers under big heavy speakers (Stillpoints Ultra 5, Sistrum rack, Finite Elements,..?)
Re-posting my experience with StillPoints and Townshend Audio Seismic Pods under the B&W 803 Diamond speakers.For many years I used a solid plywood base platform with 3 spikes that went through the carpet into a chipboard suspended floor. Th... 
Bowers and Wilkerson B&W 802 D3: an impolite Brit?
It is disappointing to see sweeping comments about B&W speakers as "bright", "edgy", "fatiguing", "never had bass" etc without identification of the speaker model and system components. I have owned the CDM1, CDM2SE, CDM1NT, CM1, 804S, 803D, 8... 
B&W 800D2 - Bi-amping vs Bi-wiring
While passive bi-amping does not provide a theoretical increase in dynamic range, subjectively it does.If the amplifiers driving the woofers are stressed (close to clipping), the amplifiers driving the tweeter and mid will not be, resulting in sig... 
B&W 800D2 - Bi-amping vs Bi-wiring
My experience across various B&W 800 series speakers is that both bi-amping and bi-wiring are worthwhile and discernable. The improvements from bi-amping are obvious in improved both sound-staging precision and detail, while bi-wiring improvem... 
What is the best Amp/pre Amp for B&W 803 diamonds
Classe CA2300 is a good match, which I have used for few years with 803D/Diamond speakers. Smooth, detailed, neutral. Bass extension is very good, but not as good as e.g. Devialet.Classe preamp+amp will exceed your budget unless you consider use a... 
Stillpoints Ultra SS under your speakers?
Re-posting my experience with StillPoints and Townshend Audio Seismic Pods under my B&W 803 Diamond speakers.For many years I used a solid plywood base platform with 3 spikes that went through the carpet into the chipwood room floor. This was ... 
B&W 800D vs 800 Diamond
The following reviews describe the differences:http://hometheaterreview.com/bowers-wilkins-800-series-diamond-800-diamond-loudspeaker-reviewed/http://www.stereophile.com/content/bampw-800-diamond-loudspeakerhttp://www.audiovideo2day.eu/en/article/... 
B&W 800D vs 800 Diamond
Not in my experience - I have been listening to my 803Diamond the whole day - crystal clear open sound.The trick is careful system setup. And careful component selection (not necessarily expensive gear, but good quality gear) because the Diamond s... 
Refined SS Stereo pwr amps under 10K?
Classe CA2300 is powerful, very refined, neutral with good tonal balance and does a great job revealing layers of musical information. A couple of caveats: it doesn't quite have the inner glow that is unique to a pure Class A amplifier, and the in... 
Stillpoints and reference-level speakers
I have been experimenting over a number of years to get the best out of my B&W803D/Diamond loudspeakers which are hampered by a suspended wood-frame chipboard floor. The floor is both resonant and energy absorbing. For many years I used a loud... 
B&W 803D - Best amplifiers to drive them
I previously owned the 803D - it still a great easy to listen loudspeaker. Re your questions:1. auditioned 802D a few times - more open midrange, bigger bass not as well controlled as 803D. So for 802D recommend choosing an amplifier with reputati... 
Anyone tried the ARC REF75 with B&W803D?
I owned the 803D for a few years before upgrading to the 803Diamond. They worked surprisingly well with a pair of 60W Marantz SM17 amplifiers. I once measured the power output for a typically music listening session and was surprised that it avera... 
B&W 802 & B&W 803 Nautilus
I previously paired the 803D with a pair of Marantz SM17 bi-amped. The 60W per channel SM17 worked surprisingly well. The Onkyo M504 will work fine as long you like how it sounds with the B&W. Try it first with one before buying another to bi-...