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802d for a 10x13 room, 8ft ceiling - am I nuts?

Hello,

After years of patience and savings, I an afford some decent speakers. I have auditioned many (Revel, Sonus Faber Cremona, Dynaudio, B&W, Dali) and have discovered I love the B&W sound.

I am considering either the 803d, 803s or 802d. I love the way the 802d looks, but am concerned that my room is way too small for them. It is 10ft wide, 13ft long and the ceiling is 8ft tall. One side of it has a 4ftwide opening into a much larger room. It is carpeted and has many nooks and crannies, mostly filled with records and books.

I have an MC252 amp that I will be using to power the speakers and I like my bass. My preamp is an old Bozak CMA10-2DL mixer (all discrete circuitry) from the 70's and I play mostly vinyl - lots of esoteric electronic music at loud volume :)

Is the room too small for the 802d's? Should I consider the smaller 803s or 803d even though I love the look of the 802d's?

Help.
skipervarg
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mapman
15,679 posts
 
If you like large sound stage and accurate imaging, consider a pair of good monitors in a room that size, or a different model floorstander with drivers physically located closer together at listening level.

I had B&W P6s and large Magnepans in my room that size and moved to monitors or more monitor like floor standers. By monitor like, I mean the drivers are physically located closer together at listening level to simulate a point source. That kind of configuration produces the best imaging and SS results in a small room, I have found.
rhljazz
1,117 posts
 
You're nuts. What's plan B if you follow your dream and buy the 802's and it sounds as bad as I and most respondents think? Do you knock out walls or move? Maybe it is best to start out with plan C, that is to match the speaker to the room and your musical tastes, not to the speaker you are absolutely in love with. You will be far and away happier with the result. I would go with the 805's and a small sub that will offer some flexibility in placement.
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mapman
15,679 posts
 
Get speakers that fit the room as recommended up front and get teh best possible sound and save money on speakers and perhaps room treatments as well rather than attempt to reel things back in after the fact appropriately by trying (probably unsuccessfully) to adapt the room back to fit the speakers.
keithr
950 posts
 
i would just get 804 or 803. why fuss with it?
james63
501 posts
 
Oh man I just realized they got rid of the two bass driver 803s... That was a good speaker for the money and the sweat spot in the B&W line.

What is the list price on the new 804Diamond?
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