B&W 800D3 = Porsche GT3

[masterapex1]

I was looking to upgrade my HiFi speakers, so been doing a few auditions /evaluations on Magico A5/S5/M2 , Focal Maestro Utopia, B&W 800D3 (while waiting to get a chance to hear 801D4).

It seems to me that the B&W 800D3 as Hi Fi Speakers is like Porsche GT3 as Sport Car.
It is not the most exotic, most expensive but seems to hit the sweet spot for performance, resale, spare parts, looks.

The Z06 C6 have better measurement in term of HP, 0-100, static g-force traction limit but in real life road and track driving , 991 GT3 wins.
800D3 wins on the same real life listening to most people so I think I may just get 800D3 or get on wait list for 801D4

 

[AudioLibertarian]

801D4 has a waiting list?!! WOW.....

 

[davetheoilguy]

I tend to agree. I have 800D3s and love them. My dealer pretty much pushed me to audition 801D4s, and I strongly preferred the 800D3, even after about 50 hours of play. Dealer (who I will not narc on) agreed. He remained optimistic and thinks they are just extremely stiff and take some time to break in. They were just kind of flat and non-expressive.

It could be a mismatch in the system, but my amps are Classe Delta monos, which are the amps B&W most commonly uses to demonstrate its speakers (and, in fact, the amps and speakers were designed with each other in mind).

The remainder of my chain is nice, albeit not exotic: Nagra HD preamp, Van den Hul Grail SE+ phono preamp, VPI Titan turntable and I had the same issue on the digital side (actually more pronounced) and it's equally normal: Esoteric K-03XD CD/DAC and Lumin U1 streamer

He's now trying to get me to do a shootout with some used Wilson Alexx V (about the same price as the new D4s), but they're so ugly* and I don't want to mess with the complex dial in process.

* to me. Yes, I know a lot of people love the look. And a lot of people hate the 800 look. I also prefer brunettes with blue eyes.