Suncoast Audio welcomes B&W

Re: Suncoast Audio welcomes....

Oooh, nice. Congratulations Mike!
I really think the D3 series is a major step forward for B&W after hearing them a few times. (Having lived with quite a few B&Ws over the years, including 803D2 and 802D2).
 
Re: Suncoast Audio welcomes....

rrwmd said:
Oooh, nice. Congratulations Mike!
I really think the D3 series is a major step forward for B&W after hearing them a few times. (Having lived with quite a few B&Ws over the years, including 803D2 and 802D2).
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Thanks Rance. I was really looking for an entire lineup of floor standing speakers below $30k (not just one or two). For example, the 702 S2 is $4500/pair. I will be starting with 800D3 in black, 802D3 in Prestige (shown above) and 803D3 in white.

I’ll be looking at the 702 S2 and new Formation wireless speakers as well.


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Re: Suncoast Audio welcomes....

Will be interesting to hear what you think about them once you have them in the store.
I know you've had some positive things to say about recent B&W offerings and must say, as always, glad that you filter out the noise (positive and negative) about products and let your ears be the judge. A lot of us have benefitted from this mindset......
 
Re: Suncoast Audio welcomes....

rrwmd said:
Will be interesting to hear what you think about them once you have them in the store.
I know you've had some positive things to say about recent B&W offerings and must say, as always, glad that you filter out the noise (positive and negative) about products and let your ears be the judge. A lot of us have benefitted from this mindset......
Click to expand...

Thank you Rance. I have a theory about the 800 series (D3). Based on Hi-Fi News Review Measurements (and others), the speakers dip well into 1ohm territory and therefore, in my opinion, require an amplifier with a bipolar output stage which will can handle a 1ohm load. Examples would be: Luxman, Hegel, Bryston, Gryphon and SimAudio, among others.

With the right amp, the speakers really shine.

HiFi News Review:

https://files.hifiklubben.com/49968e/globalassets/tester/bw/hfn_bw_802_d3.pdf

Stereophile Review:

https://www.stereophile.com/content/bowers-wilkins-802-d3-diamond-loudspeaker

802D3 is Stereophile Class A rated.


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Re: Suncoast Audio welcomes....

Audio 1 said:
That image bothered me and stuck in my head all afternoon as I was certain it was the rear of a speaker I was familiar with. Once it clicked and I looked at an image it was so obvious.
After I posted I noticed Mike’s signature already had the answer!
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Congrats Buddy for figuring it out and winning the album!

Congrats to Mike for picking up a terrific brand in B&W!

Best,
Ken
 
Re: Suncoast Audio welcomes....

Mike said:
Thank you Rance. I have a theory about the 800 series (D3). Based on Hi-Fi News Review Measurements (and others), the speakers dip well into 1ohm territory and therefore, in my opinion, require an amplifier with a bipolar output stage which will can handle a 1ohm load. Examples would be: Luxman, Hegel, Bryston, Gryphon and SimAudio, among others.

With the right amp, the speakers really shine.

HiFi News Review:

https://files.hifiklubben.com/49968e/globalassets/tester/bw/hfn_bw_802_d3.pdf

Stereophile Review:

https://www.stereophile.com/content/bowers-wilkins-802-d3-diamond-loudspeaker

802D3 is Stereophile Class A rated.


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Click to expand...

Alpinist said:
Congrats Buddy for figuring it out and winning the album!

Congrats to Mike for picking up a terrific brand in B&W!

Best,
Ken
Click to expand...

Thank you Ken!

I think that often the larger B & W speakers are not demonstrated properly.
At Axpona this year I thought the 802 D3's sounded very good and much better than I expected them to sound.
 
Re: Suncoast Audio welcomes....

Gratz Mike.... I have always heard good things about their products...

I just saw this thread this morning. The funny thing is, I saw that picture clue and first thing that popped in my head was B&W. :) so I thought it was funny reading the replies...

BTW- I am a B&W owner.... hehe I have their computer speakers, the MM-1's on both mine and my wife's Falcon computers!

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Suncoast Audio welcomes....

Randy Myers said:
Gratz Mike.... I have always heard good things about their products...

I just saw this thread this morning. The funny thing is, I saw that picture clue and first thing that popped in my head was B&W. :) so I thought it was funny reading the replies...

BTW- I am a B&W owner.... hehe I have their computer speakers, the MM-1's on both mine and my wife's Falcon computers!
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Thanks Randy. With Mike in the store 5 days a week, we are seeing, to my surprise, a lot more walk-in traffic and I observed what people were asking for. If someone has a max budget of $15,000 or $5,000, you can’t just say “well here’s a speaker at $33,000 or here’s a speaker at $13,000”. The jump is way too high and not everyone is comfortable with a stand mount like Harbeth. I hear the “what if my dog knocks it over?”

Finding a great speaker or two under $30k is not that difficult. Finding a company that has all their speakers under $30k, was the task. Plus, that company had to have a great story to tell. It’s very difficult to have someone walk in and then you have to start telling the story (as LeRoy says) about who that company is.

Even my wife has heard of B&W!


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Re: Suncoast Audio welcomes....

Mike said:
Thank you Rance. I have a theory about the 800 series (D3). Based on Hi-Fi News Review Measurements (and others), the speakers dip well into 1ohm territory and therefore, in my opinion, require an amplifier with a bipolar output stage which will can handle a 1ohm load. Examples would be: Luxman, Hegel, Bryston, Gryphon and SimAudio, among others.

With the right amp, the speakers really shine.

HiFi News Review:

https://files.hifiklubben.com/49968e/globalassets/tester/bw/hfn_bw_802_d3.pdf

Stereophile Review:

https://www.stereophile.com/content/bowers-wilkins-802-d3-diamond-loudspeaker

802D3 is Stereophile Class A rated.


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Click to expand...

Interesting. I know when I put a Hegel H30 amp on my 802D2s they really blossomed. That amp showed them who's boss!
 
Re: Suncoast Audio welcomes....

rrwmd said:
Interesting. I know when I put a Hegel H30 amp on my 802D2s they really blossomed. That amp showed them who's boss!
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I bet that was great!


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Re: Suncoast Audio welcomes....

Mike said:
Thanks Randy. With Mike in the store 5 days a week, we are seeing, to my surprise, a lot more walk-in traffic and I observed what people were asking for. If someone has a max budget of $15,000 or $5,000, you can’t just say “well here’s a speaker at $33,000 or here’s a speaker at $13,000”. The jump is way too high and not everyone is comfortable with a stand mount like Harbeth. I hear the “what if my dog knocks it over?”

Finding a great speaker or two under $30k is not that difficult. Finding a company that has all their speakers under $30k, was the task. Plus, that company had to have a great story to tell. It’s very difficult to have someone walk in and then you have to start telling the story (as LeRoy says) about who that company is.

Even my wife has heard of B&W!


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Click to expand...


Agreed Mike, I love KEF but B&W also has a great reputation and probably more brand recognition then KEF. They both have great stories for sure. For whatever reason people do get the BMW and the B&W names confused or interchanged. As silly as it sounds it gives people a more comfortable feeling about B&W.

I know from years running stereo stores back in the day, it is very important to hit (or come close) to peoples stated budget. I used to find putting together a system in their budget almost always led to a step-up or few because you really are trying to give them what they ask for. Many times, if handled right, they will ask what this step-up or that will will do for them.

Yamaha used to push this theory of flagship selling. Not sure I 100% agreed with it, but basically showing their top model and then bringing people to the lower model in their price range and showing the similarities or trickle downs. I thought it could turn people off thinking you were trying to sell them way above their budget. I found giving them the system in their range and casually mentioning or a quick point out of the higher model would sometimes led to people wanting to know about the higher version. So long as they didn't feel like you were pushing them to more expensive models. I gained a great following by always trying to help people, give them the best they could get in their budget and sometimes having a good customer want me to show them why the higher model might benefit them. Man I have not thought about those days for a long while :)...

Anyway, the B&W line should be a good added line for you and give you a wider range, especially for the walk in customer!
 
Re: Suncoast Audio welcomes....

Congrats Mike, request for you. If possible, pair those high end B&W models with Gryphon Diablo 300, VAC, Audio Research, especially M160, and high end Constellation gears. One thing I noticed is that B&W hardly pairs with Tube gears. I follow your Youtube channel. Would love to see how B&W sounds with those electronic brands. Can't wait:celebrate008_2::congrats:
 
Re: Suncoast Audio welcomes....

ben said:
Congrats Mike, request for you. If possible, pair those high end B&W models with Gryphon Diablo 300, VAC, Audio Research, especially M160, and high end Constellation gears. One thing I noticed is that B&W hardly pairs with Tube gears. I follow your Youtube channel. Would love to see how B&W sounds with those electronic brands. Can't wait:celebrate008_2::congrats:
Click to expand...

Sure. Sure. I just worry the tube gear will struggle with the impedance swings, but I have to try it to really know.


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Re: Suncoast Audio welcomes....

In my mind B&W along with McIntosh are probably the two value leaders in Hi-Fi. You will usually pay more for equal quality and both hold their value better than most products out there. Nice addition.
 
Re: Suncoast Audio welcomes....

still-one said:
In my mind B&W along with McIntosh are probably the two value leaders in Hi-Fi. You will usually pay more for equal quality and both hold their value better than most products out there. Nice addition.
Click to expand...

I agree and would throw in Focal


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Re: Suncoast Audio welcomes....

Mike said:
I have a theory about the 800 series (D3). Based on Hi-Fi News Review Measurements (and others), the speakers dip well into 1ohm territory and therefore, in my opinion, require an amplifier with a bipolar output stage which will can handle a 1ohm load
Click to expand...

I'm not familiar with other markets, but B&W speakers are really popular in Hong Kong and China. My boss has a pair in his office. A coworker has an older pair. Perhaps too popular it drove up prices in our used market as well. There was one year when we had a Lumin exhibition using B&W speakers, many visitors really loved the sound.

Please handle the B&W tweeters with extra care.

When you have a chance please try Lumin AMP with it, I think it should work great.
 
Re: Suncoast Audio welcomes....

Nice score, Mike! I have about an hour of listening to the 802 D3 through both Mac and Audio Research VS75i amps and they are very impressive to say the least.
 
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