Understood
Still sound great in my very large room.
Would love to try a 500 but that’s not happening …yet
Hi @arekey before I got the B&W 804D3, I had the B&W 805D3 Prestige Editions.
I had the 805D3s on my previous system which comprised of NDX2/282/SCDR/250DR. This was a great sounding system. When I decided to move up to NDX2/252/SCDR/300DR, I also planned in a speaker upgrade to follow suit to the 804D3s.
The NDX2/252/SCDR provides a nice high-quality source for the 300DR and the 300DR has the grip, power and weight to control the 804D3s. THe 300DR has a bigger (500Va) transformer and because of active cooling and architecture etc can happily drive speakers all day long down at 2ohms ( so something like 350 Watts x 2 at 2ohms) without clipping.
The 804D3 have been measured to go down as low as 3ohms in tests, so can pose a problem to weaker amps with complex pieces of music at higher volumes. With the 300DR that’s simply not a problem. The bass never becomes flabby or overblown. It extends down well, but is always well controlled.
The thing I’ve found interesting is that in comparing the 805D3 and the 804D3 on the same 252/SCDR/300DR system, I’ve found the 804D3s to have more clarity in the midrange than the 805D3, which surprised me, probably since the 804D3 (since they have 4 drivers and 805D3 only has 2 drivers) has a more complex cross-over network and clearly isn’t asking as much of the mid-range driver.
The 804D3 on the 300DR also gives more scale, depth and weight even when the pre-amp is set to lower volumes - which is great when playing something whilst reading at say 7 oclock on the dial as opposed to 9 oclock on the dial.
4 Likes
Ever tempted to try your Sats?
Indeed I think they are good value for money, while I never liked the signature so much…
Shahinian Obelisk 2 for me.
Another summary: 52 users reported so far. 36 different speakers.
Most popular brand Naim (15 speakers). Most popular speaker: NBL (5), though if you count the different versions of B&W 802 as the same basic speaker, then that also has 5 users.
B&W 802 D
B&W 802 D2 (3)
B&W 802 D3
B&W 803 D3
B&W 804 D2
Focal 1028 Be
Focal Supra 2
Gauder Acoustik Berlina 7 Diamond Mk 2
Harbeth 40.2
Kudos Titan 606
Kudos Titan 808 (3)
Kudos Titan 88 (3)
Linn Isobaric
Magico S3 MkII
Mission 70
Naim DBL (2)
Naim DBL (Active)
Naim NBL (5)
Naim Ovator 600 (2)
Naim Ovator 800
Naim SBL
Naim SL2 (3)
Neat MF9
Neat Ultimatum MF7
Neat XL6
PMC Fact 12 (3)
PMC IB2 se
PMC Twentyfive.26
Proac K6
Proac K6 signature
Shahinian Diapason
Shahinian Obelisk 2
Sonus Faber Amati Futura
Spendor Classic 200
Totem Mani 2
Verity Audio Sarrastros II
Interesting no ATCs, though perhaps at the top end more people go for the actives. Also interesting no PMC MB2 - but perhaps the natural pairing there is Bryston. And others have mentioned the absence of Dynaudio and Wilson Benesch. Other higher end brands are also conspicuous by their absence.
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yes 1 no pair of PMC mb2s here, and I love them
Focal 1007be for me
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I was thinking about that today! I am packing up my NaitXS system to ship to my son but he is not ready for the speakers yet!
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Mission 70 mk2 were my first ever speakers- still have them (no idea why)
Focal Maestro Utopia here, thanks to Tyler.
My favourite speakers (though I haven’t heard them with XBD rather than on stands…!)
My last speakers were NBL’s and I am currently using B+W 802D3’s.
I was very impressed by the kudos 808 speakers which I should really have auditioned at home before plumping for the 802’s.
Peter
surprised to see no Wilson Audio…
I recently carried out a home dem of a 500 for 2 weeks
The tall fraim has been installed waiting the arrival of the 500
The B&W 804 D3 speakers sound great with a 500
5 Likes
I’m wondering if the 300DR is already the perfect fit for the 804D3 in the line of Naim NAPs (@marka), and the 500DR is just “nice to have”, or if the 804D3 - with its smaller bass drivers in comparison to its bigger brothers - really does benefit from the power and quality of the NAP 500DR?
@Ironcobra can you please go into detail a little bit more how the 804D3 benefits from the 500DR in comparison to your 300DR? I would appreciate your opinion a lot! Thank you.
Usually I don’t value reviews and don’t use to read them unless I’m planning to buy something.
But HiFi Critic reviews are rather interesting and can be useful.
“
One might have assumed that a 500DR would essentially be a moderately louder version of a 300DR, but this didn’t prove to be the case. Although the 300DR is undoubtedly a class leader in image scale, detail, and rhythmic musical drive, the 500DR adds substantial extra majesty, alongside a further expansion of spaciousness, the image width, and depth actually rivalling the Statement monoblocks.
“
When I chose to buy the NAP500DR (I had the NAP300DR) I had rather small speakers.
The NAP500DR makes a real and immediately noticeable difference. Grea great amp!
6 Likes
IMHO
Its not really how the 804’s benefit from the NAP 500, its more about what the 500 brings to the overall sound.
I agree with what Thomas has said and the excerpt from the review sums everything up about the 500
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