I own a pair and also find Doug’s report of the speakers to be accurate. These babies are very recording dependent and not very forgiving at all. Feed them the right recording and they will fill your ears with happiness and joy.
I have owned my 805 D4s for 9 months now and find their resolution over the full frequency range to be unmatched at its price point. Coming from decades of owning Martin-Logan electrostatics, it is the lowest noise, most unboxy sounding dynamic speaker I’ve heard, (that will fit in my new home). I only find that the treble could be overly generous only when the recording had treble that was overly generous which, I would think, is as it should be. I’m lucky that on those trebly occasions, my Luxman L-590AxII has tone controls and the treble control at 11 o’clock does the trick without losing resolution. Simple. Free. An amp in Class A (like several Luxman and Gryphon models) is a particularly good match for these speakers, or the autoformers in better McIntosh amps, as someone else mentioned. Too bad tone controls are still taboo for many audiophiles.
@@soundstagenetwork Their rosewood finished ones, along with MA's rosewood finished Platinums were absolutely stunning, but they don't use those finishes anymore since the increased restrictions on all rosewood species from the new CITES international treaty in 2018. The most beautiful speakers I ever saw were some Brazilian rosewood Klipschorns back in the 70s, with stunning grain patterns in the rosewood. There were some amazing looking Brazilian rosewood guitars made during that era too
The speaker is not bright. It's an honest representation of the music. As a young physician, I can tell you that most older audiophiles suffer from significant conductive hearing loss and tinnitus. These are unavoidable medical problems that occur with age and with the unsafer sound exposure levels experienced by many centaurians, octogenarians, and similar groups with the resources to make these purchases. These are biologic processes / medical problems that must be addressed by your geriatrician. Few older adults realized how significantly impaired their ability to precept sound is. The actually results and failure in hearing is astounding. This is from a recent study showing just hope dramatically older adults average, yet profound hearing failure is. "This was the conclusion in an Italian study involving hearing testing at six different frequencies of 13,710 people over the age of 60. The study showed that the loss of hearing is most pronounced in high frequencies, but over time it becomes difficult for most people to hear ordinary speech at frequencies between 500 and 3,000 Hz, as well. At low frequencies, between 250 and 1,000 Hz, the loss of hearing is almost identical among men and women. In these frequencies the average hearing loss increases from 22-25 dB among those aged between 60 and 64 to 38-48 dB in the highest age group. A different pattern is found in high frequencies of 2000-8000 Hz, with men suffering much higher hearing loss than women already from the age of 60. At 4,000 Hz the hearing loss among men is almost 20 dB greater than the hearing loss among women of the same age. However, the difference becomes less in later years."
Michael Fremer is a legend is his field and has done legion to promote audiophiles; however, for the most honest assessment of sound, search out malachi lui
You can only review the speaker in the context of the equipment you used it with as well as the room. I think Musical Fidelity Nu Vista amplifier would balance the 805 D4’s nicely. I heard a pair of 804’s with a Nu Vista amplifier and it sounded gorgeous. I auditioned mine with a Classe amplifier, Audio Research Pre and a Lumin streamer. It never sounded elevated once, in fact if anything, a bit too polite. I am using mine with a Hegel H190. The Hegel has a leaner top end and midrange which doesn’t always help the 805 D4’s balance.
Great review. I was glued to your next words. Thank you. I have the 800d3 and the 801d4 will be here next week. Have had the 800d3 for around 6 months and I do not find at all the treble to high. I am wondering if you have noticed the same. Thanks
Awesome and extremely honest review Doug, as always, which is why I never doubt you, because you have more credibility than just about any other reviewer, IMO. I preferred the older B&W speakers with Kevlar woofers and aluminum tweeters. I liked their fuller and more forward midrange, which I thought still had a bit of a dip, compared to Monitor Audio and Wharfedale, for instance, and they still had a bright and airy tweeter, but the current B&Ws sound too recessed in the mids to me, and way too hot and shrill in the treble, which hurts my ears. IMO, the 805S was superior to any of the 805D models, and the 600S3 series were also better than the current 600 series, at least to my ears. I think the current ones do better in a large room (with no toe-in) and being driven by a very fat warm sounding amp like a McIntosh, but will be painfully bright in a small room driven by a brighter amp
@@soundstagenetwork Monitor Audio has also changed, at least with its current Bronze range, voicing them with a more recessed midrange and hotter tweeter than they used to, I guess because they see how well that voicing does for B&W's sales, and for Klipsch too, with their bookshelf models like the RP600M. I know that kind of sound calls attention to itself in the showroom, and can be enticing at first, but may become tiring compared to a more neutral speaker over time, especially with poor recordings that may also be too bright, since many current pop records seem to be mixed with that smiley face curve. Couple that with a speaker that is also voiced with a smiley face curve, and it's a recipe for disaster IMO
@@DougMen1 We don't have any experience with Monitor Audio's Bronze series, but we have a couple reviews coming of the new Silver series. Measurements show a VERY flat frequency response, on and off axis.
@@soundstagenetwork Yeah, the new Silver Series are awesome and a different animal entirely. Some of the finest in their price range, IMO. I still like the current Bronzes, but I liked the older ones more, in the same way that I liked the older B&Ws more. Dean Hartley, MA's chief engineer, certainly knows what he's doing, and has been with the company for decades. Monitor Audio has always been one of my favorite speaker companies, along with the older B&Ws, older and current Wharfedales, classic dual concentric designs form Tannoy, and KEF's Uni-Q designs. And the Klipsch Heritage series, especially the K'Horns and La Scalas, but also the Fortes and Curnwalls (their RP500M is the most neutral and best designed of their bookshelf models). I think I like them all as much as anything from Paradigm, and more than PSBs. All the Revels and Focals are too expensive for me (actually, they all are with my meager income), but I love the Focals I've heard. The Sopra 1 is one of the most awesome two ways ever. As far as affordable two ways, I'm also very impressed with the Triangle BR03
@@DougMen1 Dean isn't with Monitor Audio anymore, though. He left a few years ago. Replacing him is Michael Hedges. Dennis Burger interviewed Michael and lead of industrial design, Charles Minett, for us on SoundStage! Access. Here is the link: www.soundstageaccess.com/index.php/feature-articles/1160
I don't know... The 805's are largely considered the best bookshelves in existence, and my guess is he pointing out a potential flaw in the echo system of a zillion things to love about them. Add a sub and all of what he is talking about disappears. Also, are these broken in?
The problem with the review is you say that the sound changes playing it a much louder levels why don’t you say a number like 80 DB 90 DB or right before reference of 75 DB that would be more informative
Absolutely correct. There is no perfect speaker. I wish people would get that. I guess they just like chasing after the unattainable lol it’s the same way that there is no presentation that is flawless especially if people are trying to pursue live performance. If anything that’s probably even more pleasant way to you are because you’re dealing with it over bearing audience ambience. If you have an unruly crowd, you’ll have a very sad experience.
I own a pair and also find Doug’s report of the speakers to be accurate. These babies are very recording dependent and not very forgiving at all. Feed them the right recording and they will fill your ears with happiness and joy.
I have owned my 805 D4s for 9 months now and find their resolution over the full frequency range to be unmatched at its price point. Coming from decades of owning Martin-Logan electrostatics, it is the lowest noise, most unboxy sounding dynamic speaker I’ve heard, (that will fit in my new home). I only find that the treble could be overly generous only when the recording had treble that was overly generous which, I would think, is as it should be. I’m lucky that on those trebly occasions, my Luxman L-590AxII has tone controls and the treble control at 11 o’clock does the trick without losing resolution. Simple. Free. An amp in Class A (like several Luxman and Gryphon models) is a particularly good match for these speakers, or the autoformers in better McIntosh amps, as someone else mentioned. Too bad tone controls are still taboo for many audiophiles.
did you compare with kkef ref 1?
Yup B&W has a house sound, one I like actually depending on source and amplification.
We agree with you -- it's consistent through all their lines for a number of years now.
The company definitely does have a "house sound."
I have mine on order since Monday!!! In walnut...i listen low so i'm good to go!!
The wood looks like a beautiful finish.
@@soundstagenetwork Their rosewood finished ones, along with MA's rosewood finished Platinums were absolutely stunning, but they don't use those finishes anymore since the increased restrictions on all rosewood species from the new CITES international treaty in 2018. The most beautiful speakers I ever saw were some Brazilian rosewood Klipschorns back in the 70s, with stunning grain patterns in the rosewood. There were some amazing looking Brazilian rosewood guitars made during that era too
The speaker is not bright. It's an honest representation of the music. As a young physician, I can tell you that most older audiophiles suffer from significant conductive hearing loss and tinnitus. These are unavoidable medical problems that occur with age and with the unsafer sound exposure levels experienced by many centaurians, octogenarians, and similar groups with the resources to make these purchases. These are biologic processes / medical problems that must be addressed by your geriatrician. Few older adults realized how significantly impaired their ability to precept sound is. The actually results and failure in hearing is astounding. This is from a recent study showing just hope dramatically older adults average, yet profound hearing failure is.
"This was the conclusion in an Italian study involving hearing testing at six different frequencies of 13,710 people over the age of 60. The study showed that the loss of hearing is most pronounced in high frequencies, but over time it becomes difficult for most people to hear ordinary speech at frequencies between 500 and 3,000 Hz, as well.
At low frequencies, between 250 and 1,000 Hz, the loss of hearing is almost identical among men and women. In these frequencies the average hearing loss increases from 22-25 dB among those aged between 60 and 64 to 38-48 dB in the highest age group.
A different pattern is found in high frequencies of 2000-8000 Hz, with men suffering much higher hearing loss than women already from the age of 60. At 4,000 Hz the hearing loss among men is almost 20 dB greater than the hearing loss among women of the same age. However, the difference becomes less in later years."
Michael Fremer is a legend is his field and has done legion to promote audiophiles; however, for the most honest assessment of sound, search out malachi lui
You can only review the speaker in the context of the equipment you used it with as well as the room.
I think Musical Fidelity Nu Vista amplifier would balance the 805 D4’s nicely. I heard a pair of 804’s with a Nu Vista amplifier and it sounded gorgeous.
I auditioned mine with a Classe amplifier, Audio Research Pre and a Lumin streamer. It never sounded elevated once, in fact if anything, a bit too polite.
I am using mine with a Hegel H190. The Hegel has a leaner top end and midrange which doesn’t always help the 805 D4’s balance.
Great review. I was glued to your next words. Thank you. I have the 800d3 and the 801d4 will be here next week. Have had the 800d3 for around 6 months and I do not find at all the treble to high. I am wondering if you have noticed the same. Thanks
Glued is good!
Awesome and extremely honest review Doug, as always, which is why I never doubt you, because you have more credibility than just about any other reviewer, IMO. I preferred the older B&W speakers with Kevlar woofers and aluminum tweeters. I liked their fuller and more forward midrange, which I thought still had a bit of a dip, compared to Monitor Audio and Wharfedale, for instance, and they still had a bright and airy tweeter, but the current B&Ws sound too recessed in the mids to me, and way too hot and shrill in the treble, which hurts my ears. IMO, the 805S was superior to any of the 805D models, and the 600S3 series were also better than the current 600 series, at least to my ears. I think the current ones do better in a large room (with no toe-in) and being driven by a very fat warm sounding amp like a McIntosh, but will be painfully bright in a small room driven by a brighter amp
Very good assessment. The company certainly changed its sound.
@@soundstagenetwork Monitor Audio has also changed, at least with its current Bronze range, voicing them with a more recessed midrange and hotter tweeter than they used to, I guess because they see how well that voicing does for B&W's sales, and for Klipsch too, with their bookshelf models like the RP600M. I know that kind of sound calls attention to itself in the showroom, and can be enticing at first, but may become tiring compared to a more neutral speaker over time, especially with poor recordings that may also be too bright, since many current pop records seem to be mixed with that smiley face curve. Couple that with a speaker that is also voiced with a smiley face curve, and it's a recipe for disaster IMO
@@DougMen1 We don't have any experience with Monitor Audio's Bronze series, but we have a couple reviews coming of the new Silver series. Measurements show a VERY flat frequency response, on and off axis.
@@soundstagenetwork Yeah, the new Silver Series are awesome and a different animal entirely. Some of the finest in their price range, IMO. I still like the current Bronzes, but I liked the older ones more, in the same way that I liked the older B&Ws more. Dean Hartley, MA's chief engineer, certainly knows what he's doing, and has been with the company for decades. Monitor Audio has always been one of my favorite speaker companies, along with the older B&Ws, older and current Wharfedales, classic dual concentric designs form Tannoy, and KEF's Uni-Q designs. And the Klipsch Heritage series, especially the K'Horns and La Scalas, but also the Fortes and Curnwalls (their RP500M is the most neutral and best designed of their bookshelf models). I think I like them all as much as anything from Paradigm, and more than PSBs. All the Revels and Focals are too expensive for me (actually, they all are with my meager income), but I love the Focals I've heard. The Sopra 1 is one of the most awesome two ways ever. As far as affordable two ways, I'm also very impressed with the Triangle BR03
@@DougMen1 Dean isn't with Monitor Audio anymore, though. He left a few years ago. Replacing him is Michael Hedges. Dennis Burger interviewed Michael and lead of industrial design, Charles Minett, for us on SoundStage! Access. Here is the link: www.soundstageaccess.com/index.php/feature-articles/1160
Hi Doug, I've noticed that your website has a database of measurements, but not of past reviews. Is that something you would consider doing?
If you go to www.speakermeasurements.com you'll find all the measurements we've ever done -- right back to the year 2000.
@@soundstagenetwork I know you have a database of past measurements, but you don't have one of past reviews! That's what I was asking for
Interesting how you never used the work “bright” to describe the elevated high frequency levels.
I don't know... The 805's are largely considered the best bookshelves in existence, and my guess is he pointing out a potential flaw in the echo system of a zillion things to love about them. Add a sub and all of what he is talking about disappears. Also, are these broken in?
The problem with the review is you say that the sound changes playing it a much louder levels why don’t you say a number like 80 DB 90 DB or right before reference of 75 DB that would be more informative
This speaker would be perfect with the Gryphon Diablo 120 amplifier.
Likely!
so EQ the top end down a bit. Boom. i dont get why people just dont use an EQ. There are no perfect speakers.
Absolutely correct. There is no perfect speaker. I wish people would get that. I guess they just like chasing after the unattainable lol it’s the same way that there is no presentation that is flawless especially if people are trying to pursue live performance. If anything that’s probably even more pleasant way to you are because you’re dealing with it over bearing audience ambience. If you have an unruly crowd, you’ll have a very sad experience.
This has been a huge mystery to me too. I suspect it’s for reviewers to have something to talk about.
@@JayGreezy This is when the Schiit hits the fan is a good thing
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