B&W had offered Stereophile the first US review of both products-look for John Atkinson's review of the 805 D4 Signature in the coming months-and Jim thought the big 801s would be "right up my alley." Indeed! The voice of my full-range system in the living room is a pair of B&W 808 speakers, ca late 1980s. The smaller-scale system at our house upstate features a pair of B&W 805 D2s. So, outside of my mastering studio, most of the music I listen to is through Bowers & Wilkins speakers. I am accustomed to and enjoy B&W sound and styling.
A whole lotta speaker, with a heritage
Before the introduction of the Signature, the standard 801 was B&W's top-line offering; "D4" indicates the design's fourth generation. The Signature Editions are occasional special releases featuring upgrades both functional and aesthetic. B&W describes Signature speakers as "the culmination of Bowers & Wilkins's enduring dedication to performance and elegance."
Compared to the standard 801 D4, the Signature Edition uses heavier bracing, upgraded bass motor systems, a flared metal, downfiring port, and extra high-quality parts in the crossover networks. On the aesthetic side, there's a choice of two high-end finishes: "Midnight Blue Metallic" and "California Burl Gloss." The pair I enjoyed in my living room for two months were the former: a rich, deep, dark blue. They scored high with the Wife Acceptance Factor (WAF), though most importantly, she really dug the sound.
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Denne historien er fra March 2024-utgaven av Stereophile.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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RABBIT HOLES
The best Christmas gift in history was George Bailey being shown what the world would be like without his being born, courtesy of Angel Second Class Clarence, in the classic 1946 film It's a Wonderful Life.
REVINYLIZATION
As one of the first live albums to be recorded in the hallowed space that is New York City's Village Vanguard, Sonny Rollins's A Night at the Village Vanguard (recorded November 3, 1957, released in 1958) set the template, proving that recording in the odd, triangular club could not only work but could also produce distinctive, satisfying sound.
AURAL ROBERT
Recording music is complicated, and without the crucial assistance of producers and engineers, a lot of great records-not to mention successful musical careers would not happen.
Linear Tube Audio Aero
This paragraph from Linear Tube Audio's website description of their new Aero DAC sets the tone for the story I'm about to tell.
PrimaLuna EVO 300 Hybrid
Hybrid\" technology-specifically, mixing tubed and solid state in the same amplification device-stirs a deep desire for many enthusiasts.
SPIN DOCTOR
There once was an ugly duckling
BRILLIANT CORNERS
Stereo is the most successful audio gimmick of all time. While dashboard record players, quadraphonic LPs, and MQA have gone the way of Ron Popeil's hair-in-aspray-can infomercials, stereo remains king. And I am guilty of loving it.
Franco Serblin Accordo Goldberg
As founder and chief designer of Sonus Faber, Franco Serblin designed and manufactured many loudspeakers of acclaimed high quality, mainly in box form.
Grimm Audio MU2
For several months, my wife and I had been living in a cozy studio apartment in New York's Financial District while our apartment underwent substantial renovations.'
GoldenEar Technology T66
Loudspeaker company GoldenEar Technology was founded in 2010 by audio industry veteran Sandy Gross¹ after he left Definitive Technology.