[DeusEx]

Bowers & Wilkins updates high-end 800 Series speakers, diamond tweeters? - SlashGear

Interesting.

 

[Dinan]

The finest diamond tweeters are manufactured by Accuton in Germany and used in the Avalon Sentinel/Isis/Diamond, and many of the other "big guns" out there.

I have not been nearly as impressed with B&W's effort by comparison as they seemed to jump on the Diamond bandwagon more for marketing reasons after the big-guns had already paved the way. Much like Usher going to Beryllium long after Focal paved the way with the success of the Utopia and ELectra Be series. The material is only part of the equation, it is how you use it, form it, what the motor assembly is, and what you do with the surround that really counts.

That being said, the B&W Diamond range is still an excellent speaker, I just feel that there is better performance for the money out there using the Eton tweeter.

 

[brat]

There are thousands of new high end speakers/amps/sources...... Should I expect a detached thread for everything new on the market?

 

[AudioDwebe]

Quote:

Originally Posted by brat /img/forum/go_quote.gif There are thousands of new high end speakers/amps/sources...... Should I expect a detached thread for everything new on the market?

Yes.

It forces you to exercise your research skills, and becomes a bit painful.

And, if it's a bit painful, obviously it's somehow good for you.

Ya know, the "no pain, no gain" motto.

 

[tarnajiro]

price are considerably higher than the current 800 (non diamond)...

Some of the 800 already have the diamond dome e.g. 802d 801d 800d, Just wonder how much improvement that made over the current diamond range over the new price...

The B&W 800 Series Diamond will be available from February 2010, and priced as follows:

800 Diamond $24,000 per pair

802 Diamond $15,000 per pair

803 Diamond $10,000 per pair

804 Diamond $7,500 per pair

805 Diamond $5,000 per pair

HTM2 Diamond $5,000 each

HTM4 Diamond $2,500 each

 

[atothex]

Quote:

Originally Posted by brat /img/forum/go_quote.gif There are thousands of new high end speakers/amps/sources...... Should I expect a detached thread for everything new on the market?

You mean like the HD800 or JH13 threads or threads for all the new interesting things that show up? People talking about new stuff is the worst!

 

[dura]

Quote:

Originally Posted by brat /img/forum/go_quote.gif There are thousands of new high end speakers/amps/sources...... Should I expect a detached thread for everything new on the market?

Isn't it horrible how full the internet is of people posting about what they find interesting instead of what you find interesting?

 

[anetode]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dinan /img/forum/go_quote.gif Much like Usher going to Beryllium long after Focal paved the way with the success of the Utopia and ELectra Be series. The material is only part of the equation, it is how you use it, form it, what the motor assembly is, and what you do with the surround that really counts.

Usher's first Beryllium tweeters only used a thin layer of the element sandwiched on top of aluminum. Once this was found out, it became a minor embarrassment for the company, given their heavy marketing of be drivers as a special feature. I have a pair of Be-718s with two 1.25" of these quasi-be drivers and they sound fantastic. They probably would sound just as good if made from a more common metal.

Diamond & beryllium are very expensive to manufacture and are mechanically one-trick ponies. Diamond diaphragms are very stiff, but they weigh 3-5 times the Beryllium ones, so either material involves a trade-off. I've yet to see a convincing argument to their necessity, since better performing units are available from companies like ScanSpeak that don't use diamonds.

In a decade or two, once nano-engineered materials like carbon nanotubes become available, there may be greater leaps in performance.

 

[SilverCans]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dinan /img/forum/go_quote.gif The finest diamond tweeters are manufactured by Eton in Germany and used in the Avalon Sentinel/Isis/Diamond, and many of the other "big guns" out there.

Actually I believe that would be Accuton, Eton makes the bass drivers for Avalon. Accuton also makes a diamand 106mm mid

 

[9pintube]

Nice speakers, YES INDEED........Just to bright for my ears!! But with that being said, If I owned a pr. I would get rid of their X-over and use my outboard 850 and use my 4 tube amps, 2 per side to smooth out their sound.....Have you listened to (stock) B&Ws for very long, My buddy has the Diamond monitors and they tend to make my ears bleed.....But I still wouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth!!!!!

 

[Jon L]

Quote:

Originally Posted by anetode /img/forum/go_quote.gif Usher's first Beryllium tweeters only used a thin layer of the element sandwiched on top of aluminum.

I have read Usher's original Be driver was Titanium/Be Alloy, albeit mostly Titanium. Where did you read that aluminum story?

 

[anetode]

My bad, titanium's correct

 

[DaveBSC]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dinan /img/forum/go_quote.gif Much like Usher going to Beryllium long after Focal paved the way with the success of the Utopia and ELectra Be series. The material is only part of the equation, it is how you use it, form it, what the motor assembly is, and what you do with the surround that really counts.

Now if only Focal could make a speaker that doesn't sound like a Polk Audio from Best Buy. Every JMLab/Focal I've ever heard, right up to the megabuck Grande Utopia Be, has been a complete and utter disappointment. I remember going to a dealer that had a dedicated room for the Utopias, and a dedicated room for the Dynaudio Confidence C4s right next to it. The C4s blew the Utopias to absolute smithereens, at about 1/5 of the price.

I'll take the Be-10 or the Be-20 over any Utopia, no matter what Usher is using for the tweeter. Frankly, I think both diamond and beryllium tweeters are a bit gimmicky, the very best speakers mostly use ring radiators.

 

[Skylab]

I own the original B&W Nautilus 800's, with the titanium tweeters. I went to my B&W Dealer and auditioned the 800D, and I thought it sounded good, but if anything, I prefer the version I have. Maybe it's just my comfort level/familiarity with them - but I certainly didn't have any desire to upgrade (not that there was really an upgrade path anyway).

So my take - it's cool, but far from the be-all and end-all.

 

[thrand1]

The part of this new line that really shocked me was the price increase on the 805D. The now-discontinued 805S retailed for $2,200-2,500 per pair. Now the price is up to $2,500 per speaker! I'm not sure if the upgrade to the diamond tweeter plus whatever enhancements B&W integrated merits that kind of price increase. At that price level one might be more inclined to get a floorstanding loudspeaker with better bass performance unless they specifically wanted to B&W sound in that form factor.