stereo_nut Posted September 21, 2015 Posted September 21, 2015 Hi All, I work for the B&W distributor and can confirm a couple of things. Pricing will start at $9,000/ pair for 805 D3. As for what's changed, well aside from the Diamond dome in the tweeter, nearly everything and yes it's meant a price increase across the board. After nearly 40 years, Kevlar is replaced by Continuum, a new woven composite material. Model 800 is currently projected to launch in the second quarter of 2016, possibly around April. Cherrywood finish is unfortunately gone- as determined by global trends. While it was a successful finish here, it won't be available in the new range. White will take its place alongside Rosenut and Gloss Black as the third option. Expect to see the new range start to arrive in Australian stores in November. Cheers 2
Guest Sime Posted September 21, 2015 Posted September 21, 2015 @@stereo_nut It'll be interesting to see if the $3000 price difference between the old and new 805 reveals itself in the sound.
Ray H Posted September 21, 2015 Posted September 21, 2015 (edited) Wow $9000 is a 50% increase over the current model ?! It would want to offer a fairly significant performance gain... Beat me to it sime ! Edited September 21, 2015 by Ray H
todagt Posted September 21, 2015 Posted September 21, 2015 @@stereo_nut Are you able to fill us all in with RRP's for the rest of the range? Thanks
Guest Sime Posted September 21, 2015 Posted September 21, 2015 Wow $9000 is a 50% increase over the current model ?! It would want to offer a fairly significant performance gain... Beat me to it sime ! I've read that they are better, but over 3K better is something else. Puts an upgrade out of my budget.
betty boop Posted September 21, 2015 Posted September 21, 2015 I've read that they are better, but over 3K better is something else. Puts an upgrade out of my budget. apparently its freq response is quoted down to 20z ! +/-3db which in itself is quite amazing feat for a stand mount ! the 805S actually rose to $8k if people remember when our dollar was shot previously. it only dropped to $5k in recent years with a much healthier dollar. so in some ways this pricing is just putting back to price back in the bad old days dollar wise. disregarding inflation and such. if you are bleating ...guys on the us forums are crying....theyre now looking at along the lines of price we were paying for 802D...quite a shock to the system !
Guest Sime Posted September 21, 2015 Posted September 21, 2015 And rosenut is so dam sexy with the new ones. Butt hurt.
maxspl Posted September 21, 2015 Posted September 21, 2015 apparently its freq response is quoted down to 20z ! +/-3db which in itself is quite amazing feat for a stand mount ! the 805S actually rose to $8k if people remember when our dollar was shot previously. it only dropped to $5k in recent years with a much healthier dollar. so in some ways this pricing is just putting back to price back in the bad old days dollar wise. disregarding inflation and such. if you are bleating ...guys on the us forums are crying....theyre now looking at along the lines of price we were paying for 802D...quite a shock to the system ! Their website states 42hz-28khz +/-3db for the stand mount 805 D3.
betty boop Posted September 21, 2015 Posted September 21, 2015 Their website states 42hz-28khz +/-3db for the stand mount 805 D3. yeah curious this, am seeing two quotes here, this is from their NYC launch. refer quote below, "The 805 D3 is a two-way 8-ohm bookshelf design that sells for $6000 per pair. It has a 1" diamond dome tweeter and a 6.5" Continuum cone midrange/woofer. Frequency response is listed at as 19Hz to 28kHz +/-3dB with 90 dB sensitivity. Frequency response is listed as 42 Hz to 28 kHz +/-3dB with 88 dB sensitivity. The maximum recommended amplifier power is 120 watts." I would suggest for a standmount 42hz is probably more realistic, am not sure the background on the higher efficiency 19z-28khz range quoted 1
maxspl Posted September 21, 2015 Posted September 21, 2015 yeah curious this, am seeing two quotes here, this is from their NYC launch. refer quote below, "The 805 D3 is a two-way 8-ohm bookshelf design that sells for $6000 per pair. It has a 1" diamond dome tweeter and a 6.5" Continuum cone midrange/woofer. Frequency response is listed at as 19Hz to 28kHz +/-3dB with 90 dB sensitivity. Frequency response is listed as 42 Hz to 28 kHz +/-3dB with 88 dB sensitivity. The maximum recommended amplifier power is 120 watts." I would suggest for a standmount 42hz is probably more realistic, am not sure the background on the higher efficiency 19z-28khz range quoted Must be a typo there. 19hz - 28khz +/- 3db just isn't possible from a single 6.5 inch driver.
Wilco Posted September 21, 2015 Posted September 21, 2015 Not only styling, it would almost definitly be worse acoustically with diffraction etc. judgement based on looks without listening to them?
Guest Sime Posted September 21, 2015 Posted September 21, 2015 I have no doubt, looks aside, they will sound better than their previous range.
Addicted to music Posted September 21, 2015 Posted September 21, 2015 personally am not sure on the looks ...apart from the 804D rest out a bit awkward seems to have followed the design lines of this model from some years ago http://blog.bowers-wilkins.com/speakers/kenneth-grange-designed-products-for-bowers-wilkins/ prefer the look of the current series, but quite likely as often the case photos dont do justice, Oh stop it.....Betty Boop They look AWESOME...... Don't hit them with the ugly stick yet, like you did with the Toyota Prius!!! give it a chance to grow on you LOL. However they look like a bit of........house plumbing....
betty boop Posted September 21, 2015 Posted September 21, 2015 Oh stop it.....Betty Boop They look AWESOME...... Don't hit them with the ugly stick yet, like you did with the Toyota Prius!!! give it a chance to grow on you LOL. However they look like a bit of........house plumbing.... hey its not me that hits them with the ugly stick, its the designers that are responsible for that. thank goodness these are not the new range, just some older signature model. am sure the new range look a lot better in the flesh !
Briz Vegas Posted September 21, 2015 Posted September 21, 2015 Headline "B&W designer surprised by reaction to signature diamond"
betty boop Posted September 21, 2015 Posted September 21, 2015 Must be a typo there. 19hz - 28khz +/- 3db just isn't possible from a single 6.5 inch driver. I checked with Patrick butler of B&W North America and he responded promptly to confirm a typo. Have provided a link to report in question and he is going to have it corrected He said it is instead spec of the B&W 803 which in itself is also very Impressive ! 1
Guest JohnA Posted September 21, 2015 Posted September 21, 2015 judgement based on looks without listening to them? Doesnt surprise me around here. @@stereo_nut Are you able to fill us all in with RRP's for the rest of the range? Thanks According to aus hifi Htm2 6900.00 Htm1 9500.00 805. 9000.00 804 14500.00 803 27900.00 802 33900.00
Guest Sime Posted September 21, 2015 Posted September 21, 2015 Yes, 802 owners won't be happy. Big money.
Guest JohnA Posted September 21, 2015 Posted September 21, 2015 Yes huge jump on all of them Will be interesting to see what the 800d comes in at. Thank goodness i dont like the look of them so not tempted one little bit.
frankn Posted September 21, 2015 Posted September 21, 2015 Quite like the new look. Presumably the slightly rounded front provides an improvement from internal resonances. The forward drivers have a "look at me" attitude - look forward to seeing them in the flesh and importantly hearing them one day. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
betty boop Posted September 21, 2015 Posted September 21, 2015 It looks a bit more like the original nautilus where drivers were prominent facing forward. Plus appears a bit more of s slim tall look. Will appeal to those preferring that to the more short stout fat lady look of the current 802D ? Anyways definitively one to check out in person rather than rely on photos I would think if considering In the centre speakers been some change in looks there to !
Guest Hensa Posted September 22, 2015 Posted September 22, 2015 Yes huge jump on all of them Will be interesting to see what the 800d comes in at. Thank goodness i dont like the look of them so not tempted one little bit. Not sure they'd even compete with your current speakers as per your sig....
Guest Sime Posted September 22, 2015 Posted September 22, 2015 The drivers have to stick out because the rounded front is to narrow to sit them in flush. I'm pretty sure the new cabinets are heavenly on the eardrums.
Guest JohnA Posted September 22, 2015 Posted September 22, 2015 Not sure they'd even compete with your current speakers as per your sig.... Not much can
captaincheeese Posted September 22, 2015 Posted September 22, 2015 Hhhmmm, $9k is a bloody lot of money for a smallish standmount. Back when the diamond series came out in 2010 the 805s were $7500 here in Aus. After a few years when the Aussie dollar was good they had a huge price drop on the entire 800 series range and the 805s came down to $5500. Then about a year or so ago they crept back up to $6000. The jump up to $9k is a jump too far in my book. I know a big part of it is the weakness of the Aussie dollar but if you check the pound sterling to AUD conversion rate we're actually getting them for less money than in their country of origin...and it's been that way for a while now...go figure. This doesn't change the fact I still think $9k is just too much money for what you're getting. I don't doubt they are a better speaker, maybe even a MUCH better speaker,but when it's getting close to double what I paid for my 805 diamonds I'm out. One other thing is that they seem to have dropped the HTM4 diamond centre speaker which was/is a perfect match for the 805s. That leaves the next option as an HTM2 which is now $6900 and is a MUCH larger speaker than the 805s. I don't think the main target audience for the 805s is home theatre but I use my set up for both music and movies and find it absolutely fantastic at both. In a way I'm really glad the new ones are so much more expensive as it totally rules out an upgrade for me. For that sort of money I'd likely head in a different direction. I do think the new ones look awesome though. I'm going to go against the consensus and say I think the entire new range looks awesome! I do wish they would add some more exciting timber veneer options though. As ghastly as the old "tiger's eye" finish was it really was stunning, or shocking depending on your taste and you've gotta give them credit for being unique. 1
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