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Figure 6 is incorrect, it shows the waterfall plot instead of the vertical response.
Digital sources: dCS Bartók streaming DAC, Oppo DV-981HD universal disc player.
Analog sources: Technics SL-1200mk7 Anniversary Edition turntable, Shure V-15 Type III, Ortofon 2M Blue, and Grace F-9e cartridges.
Preamplifiers: Benchmark LA-4, Pro-Ject Phono Box RS2 phono.
Power amplifiers: Benchmark AHB2, LSA Warp 1.
Loudspeakers: B&W 808.Tom Fine
JA: "The minimum EPDR values are 1.24ohms at 72Hz, 2.3ohms at 362Hz, 1.62ohms at 912Hz, and 1.82ohms at 10.6kHz. The 801 D4 Signature has one of the most current-hungry impedances I have encountered"
This to me says just as hard or even harder load than Wilson Alexia's, and the amps/ that were used (especially the Class-D) for this review I feel didn't do the speakers justice that they rightfully deserve.
Cheers George
... for driving such a low impedance load include the ($3,400) Rotel RA-1592 MKII and the ($5,800) Rotel Michi X3 Series 2. Either amp can generate a peak output power of over 1.7kW into a 1ohm load.
https://www.hifinews.com/content/rotel-ra-1592mkii-integrated-amplifier-lab-report
https://www.hifinews.com/content/rotel-michi-x3-series-2-integrated-amplifier-lab-report
In case a professional Stereophile reviewer needs something with a higher level of audiophile credibility, there's the ($12,500) Hegel H600, which is capable of a peak output power of 2.3kW into a 1ohm load.
https://www.hifinews.com/content/hegel-h600-network-attached-amp-lab-report
If that's still too inexpensive, then there is the ($65,000) D'Agostino MxV Integrated, which is capable of a peak output power of about 1.6kW into a 1ohm load.
https://www.hifinews.com/content/dagostino-mxv-integrated-integrated-amplifier-lab-report
It's more current that's needed than wattage, because they are 90db efficient, so even a 100w into 8ohm amp will do, so long as it can "almost" double down it's wattage to 4ohm, and "almost" double again down to 2ohm. These sort of amps are linear big & heavy, and usually bi-polar output stage, like Agostino, Gryphon, Halo, Krell etc etc.
Cheers George
... nearly 1ohm. A "100W into 8ohm" amp that can "double down" into such a load would need to be capable of about 800W into 1ohm. How many amps can do that?
The Benchmark amp used for the test could only manage 230W into 1ohm:
https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0321/7609/files/HFN_Mar_Benchmark_AHB2_Reprint.pdf
As noted above, the less expensive of the two Rotel amps could output over 1.7kW into 1ohm, and it weighs less than 40lbs. The more powerful Hegel amp weighs lesss than 50lbs.
JAs measurements confirming tipped up treble. The ripeness / warmth of a Gryphon might make that less noticeable.
As a NON audiophile friend once said when we talked about my set, he was curious about the (financial) damage: "for that money I can go to a lot of live concerts, then I really hear the music live and I am really present. How real can you have it?".
He also said "I can't hear your speakers", the biggest compliment a audiophile can get.
If you already have a Bugatti, you can definitely consider these speakers. Yes, yes, I know, these speakers are mainly intended to show, um... hear what they are capable of (in order to sell cheaper models better, yes, I know) but then I want to read about a direct comparison with for example the Focal Utopia or price-wise comparable Wilson Audio. Now I don't know anything yet (about something I'm not even considering).
... assuming that you have a good seat and the sound system, if it's a non-acoustic performance, is of high quality.
But, what if you can't get to any of the venues at which the artist you want to hear is performing, or the dates are inconvenient? Or, suppose that you would rather hear the artist from when they were in their 20s-30s, rather than in their 60s-70s? Or, what if they're dead?
Then, you need a sound system of whatever level of performance (and affordability) will provide you with a satisfying reproduction of the artist's work.
B&W speakers will never have good off-axis response until they dump the FST midrange driver. This "technology" created far more problems than it supposedly solved. I have owned many B&W speakers over my years as an audiophile (I still own 802D2 in use with our TV), but I would never consider them now. The non-flat frequency response of the current designs do not lend themselves to long-term listener satisfaction. They may be impressive in a short-term audition but they don't resemble anything that would equate with neutral sounding.
It's interesting that you've deduced something from chart traces that oh, a thousand-odd people in B&W's chain of professional custody apparently haven't reported from real use.
Actually, the complaints about the off-axis midrange response date back to the Nautilus series, the first to use the FST driver.
I see three points: A fairly high crossover point, realistic overall sound quality, and the behavior of a 6.5" driver.
You asserted that this speaker was incapable of sounding good. I said that given its pedigree and the sheer number of experts involved with it for so long, it would be quite a trick to conceal that from everyone but a reader interpreting the charts at the end of a review.
Now the issue is the speaker's midrange behavior above 3-4kHz? I still don't see that correlating with practical listener feedback. If people need to address an eight-wide media room with absolute linearity maybe they could use something else and just give up on the center listener and stereo too.
Mr. Fine attributes Taylor Swift's Red (Taylor's Version) to Big Machine Records. The whole purpose of her re-recording all of the albums on that label is to circumvent ownership of the original masters, which happened without her consent. Taylor's Version releases are the anecdote to and antithesis of those originally released on BM Records.
Why don't you show the impulse response? You show step response, and on the old Dunlavy review both step and impulse measurements were shown.
I haven’t heard this Signature version but have spent a fair bit of time with the standard D4 (and D(1)-D3 versions before that). Super quiet cabinets (good) but bright and sharp tonal balance (not good). I know everyone hears differently (and has different listening tastes, to boot) but I’ve never felt like listening to these for extended listening sessions. Maybe it has something to do with my ability to hear highs (I’m pretty much good to 17KHz) but it’s never been truly pleasurable listening to the Diamonds. YMMV. Enjoy!