Topic: B&W 802 (Read 10628 times)

mcsnare · « **on:** April 23, 2004, 11:25:10 PM »

Brad,
My buddy scored a pair of 802's off ebay for our studio. YES!!! What is the best way to interface subs? What are you using for crossovers?
Dave McNair

bblackwood · « **Reply #1 on:** April 24, 2004, 08:01:17 AM »

Congrats - with a good amp, I've not heard a better speaker for mastering.

I run mine full range with no crossover in the path tot he main. The Velodyne DD12 sub is crossed over at 36Hz @ 18dB/oct slope, but that will vary slightly with room placement/acoustics, preferences, etc.

Placement of the N802 can be tricky as well as they have very wide dispersion, so side wall reflections can be more prominent.

Let us know how they work for you...

lucey · « **Reply #2 on:** April 25, 2004, 02:05:46 AM »

mcsnare wrote on Fri, 23 April 2004 22:25

Brad,
My buddy scored a pair of 802's off ebay for our studio. YES!!! What is the best way to interface subs? What are you using for crossovers?
Dave McNair

were they from Ohio for around $5000 ?

a guy here had a pair

lucey · « **Reply #3 on:** April 25, 2004, 02:07:32 AM »

bblackwood wrote on Sat, 24 April 2004 07:01

Congrats - with a good amp, I've not heard a better speaker for mastering.

has anyone heard the ADAM S4Va or Thomas' MiniMan12 ?

bblackwood · « **Reply #4 on:** April 25, 2004, 07:12:32 AM »

I've not heard the Minimain 12, but I have heard the Adams (both the SCIV and the mastering towers). I don't like the tweeter on the Adams, more specifically how it sounds in relation to the midrange - it always feels like the midrange and tweeter are out of polarity with each other to me...

mcsnare · « **Reply #5 on:** April 25, 2004, 09:15:28 AM »

Different pair, these are in Connecticut.
I have used the ADAMs a few times, the 2 way, 2 woofer side by side ones. I think they sound good, very smooth but detailed at the same time. I don't know what the mastering version sounds like.
Dave

lucey · « **Reply #6 on:** April 26, 2004, 12:49:13 PM »

bblackwood wrote on Sun, 25 April 2004 06:12

I've not heard the Minimain 12, but I have heard the Adams (both the SCIV and the mastering towers).

Which one is the SCIV?

I'm looking at the S4VA (vertical)

The Adam Mastering Piece is a no go ...

bblackwood · « **Reply #7 on:** April 26, 2004, 04:40:42 PM »

lucey wrote on Mon, 26 April 2004 11:49

bblackwood wrote on Sun, 25 April 2004 06:12

but I have heard the Adams (both the SCIV and the mastering towers).

Which one is the SCIV?

I'm looking at the S4VA (vertical)

Sorry, that's what I meant. Thinking Adams and typed Dunlavys...

mcsnare · « **Reply #8 on:** April 27, 2004, 08:49:14 PM »

I got the 802's up today. VERY impressive. I started the required experimentation with placment. In the spot where my Dynaudio's were, the mid didn't sound right. After moving them back about 2 or 3 feet the magic started to happen. I'll be moving them around and adjusting the room treatment a bit for the next few days but even after the smallest of futzing about today, they sound incredible. It's funny, they don't have a massively different spectral balance than the Dynaudios. They DO have more headroom, lower distortion, and a generally "bigger" presentation, without any sense of hype. I really like how effortless the low end sounds. I'm gonna REALLY enjoy the session tomorrow!
Dave McNair

graham · « **Reply #9 on:** April 27, 2004, 09:01:12 PM »

Has anyone here heard the NotePerfect monitors? A mastering acquaintance in Australia swears by the Symphony and Maestro models. Unfortunately it is hard to hear them without purchasing since they have no US dealer.

Graham

bblackwood · « **Reply #10 on:** April 27, 2004, 10:28:30 PM »

Mcsnare, not surprised at all by your reaction - similar to mine even after a year plus. What kind of amplifier are you driving the N802s with?

mcsnare · « **Reply #11 on:** April 27, 2004, 10:58:17 PM »

I know, I know, you're gonna say I need the Pass. Still using the Bryston 4B. I thought some of what I was dissatisfied about before was the Bryston, but it turns out to have been the speakers. The 4B will be fine till I have an extra wad of cash come my way, which is not likely to be anytime soon. And I like how when one side went out last week, Bryston fixed it quickly and for NOTHING, and I'm definitely not the original owner, hehe.
Dave

mcsnare · « **Reply #12 on:** April 27, 2004, 10:59:47 PM »

Graham, I have not heard the Note Perfect monitors. What's the story on 'em?
Dave

graham · « **Reply #13 on:** April 28, 2004, 04:48:10 PM »

Well, it sounds like I want to hear the 802s and the Symphony/Maestros (if I stay in audio to the point it makes sense spending that much).

These NotePerfect models have some interesting design ideas. They have an adjustable rear-firing tweeter to give some Magnepan-style bounce off the back wall, a crossover that supposedly gives a very clear midrange response, and they integrate powered subs into the same enclosure for time alignment. They still need a power amp for the rest of the spectrum.

I'll ask Sakis from digisound mastering to stop by this forum sometime to give more details.

Thanks,

Graham

ps - Dave, I have to say I really love Sonny Landreth/South of I-10...

mcsnare · « **Reply #14 on:** April 28, 2004, 08:29:28 PM »

Thank you very much, Graham. If you heard the original release, it had a very bad mastering job. Waaay compressed and other problems. Some audiophile label did a remaster at some point. I never heard it, but it has to be better. I mixed Sonny's earlier record "Outward Bound", I think it's good too.
Dave McNair

bblackwood · « **Reply #15 on:** April 29, 2004, 01:52:37 PM »

mcsnare wrote on Tue, 27 April 2004 21:58

I know, I know, you're gonna say I need the Pass.

Dave - check this out...

hehe

lucey · « **Reply #16 on:** April 29, 2004, 04:29:06 PM »

I meant to ask previously about the ADAM S4Ca ?

the Vertical Column with the separate mid and hi boxes, anyone heard them?

bblackwood · « **Reply #17 on:** April 29, 2004, 04:43:19 PM »

After looking at the site, I realize I heard the S4A...

mcsnare · « **Reply #18 on:** April 29, 2004, 09:20:59 PM »

Yeah thanks....I love the way you taunt me with the Pass web site.... I have seen some good deals on Ebay for those puppies.
I tried the sub today and I couldn't make it sound as good as the 802's on their own....Even though I had the input to the sub coming from the unbal input to the Bryston, it seemed to take out too much around 100hz on the 802's. What's that about?
Dave

dave-G · « **Reply #19 on:** April 29, 2004, 11:19:47 PM »

I'm curious.. I've worked on the 802s at Skywalker a couple of times, and they seem to be getting some love in mastering studios like Brad's, but what about the 800? On paper, it looks like they might not "need" a sub, and may have some other "Nth degree" component improvements over the 802. Is the 800 not the topic of this thread because of its high price, or is it that the 802 is somehow 'the' magic box for critical monitoring in the B&W line?

-dave

MASSIVE Mastering · « **Reply #20 on:** April 30, 2004, 12:58:33 AM »

I find that my 802's are "just right" to coin a 3-bears scenario... There are speakers that are more flattering, "bigger" sounding, etc.

The 802's are right in that "real-world" position. I do use a sub, just "for feel" and that I'm just used to a sub.

I suppose if "everyone" used cabinets with 10's & 12's in them, a larger loudspeaker would be the choice.

Just my thoughts...

mcsnare · « **Reply #21 on:** April 30, 2004, 06:54:31 PM »

John,
How do you have your sub interfaced? What kind of sub are you using? Anything you can think of as pertinent would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Dave

MASSIVE Mastering · « **Reply #22 on:** April 30, 2004, 09:09:47 PM »

Please don't laugh, and for God's sake, don't tell Brad... Shocked

I'm using a regular ol' Sony sub - Don't even remember the model. Probably cost me $200. It's run parallel and hard-switched so I can shut it off at any time *or* listen to it alone if need be.

I just wanted that little tiny push from it. That's all I ask of it, and that's all it gives me.

Gonna switch to something a little more "worthy" at some point... Velodyne perhaps... B&W maybe...

jfrigo · « **Reply #23 on:** May 01, 2004, 05:10:09 PM »

MASSIVE Mastering wrote on Fri, 30 April 2004 18:09

Gonna switch to something a little more "worthy" at some point... Velodyne perhaps... B&W maybe...

Don't forget REL. It came down to REL and Velodyne for me.

Nathan Eldred · « **Reply #24 on:** May 02, 2004, 09:34:29 PM »

jfrigo wrote on Sat, 01 May 2004 17:10

MASSIVE Mastering wrote on Fri, 30 April 2004 18:09

Gonna switch to something a little more "worthy" at some point... Velodyne perhaps... B&W maybe...

It came down to REL and Velodyne for me.

Which one did you get Jay?

matucha · « **Reply #25 on:** May 03, 2004, 07:03:27 AM »

Brad Blackwood:

Quote:

I have heard the Adams (both the SCIV and the mastering towers). I don't like the tweeter on the Adams, more specifically how it sounds in relation to the midrange - it always feels like the midrange and tweeter are out of polarity with each other to me...

That was my observation too when S3A arrived. Maybe it is because of the phase response is more flat than with dome tweeters. Whatever. You get used... funny but after some time it sounds ok to me. At one moment I got pretty frustrated, because this out of phase feeling combined with some stereo-imaging problems due to inappropriate placement made me really mad. After correcting the placement I'm happy and no more discomfort... only very nice representation of how the damn mix really sounds.

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Author Topic: B&W 802 (Read 10628 times)