STATUS - AVAILABLE
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Description :
The relatively new B&W 805S and its Nautilus 805 predecessor look so much alike that most people will think they are the same speakers. There are very minor visible changes like the grill cloth, mid-bass driver and the slightly different location of the tweeter on the top. Regardless of how close they are in looks, most of the parts in the new 805S are different from those used in the Nautilus 805, specifically oriented towards improving the performance and sound quality. The design goal is for the 805S to totally outperform the Nautilus 805 and cost nearly the same as the old design. The curved cabinetwork at the back avoids the parallel sides found with many conventional loudspeakers and thus avoids the modes that develop in a traditionally shaped cabinet. Even though this design makes them already very sturdy, B&W still reinforces them with their famous internal ‘honeycomb’ matrix.

For the midrange and bass, B&W is using a considerably refined version of its familiar Kevlar/Polmer cone driver. The familiar looking B&W Nautilus alloy dome tweeter is mounted externally on top of the speaker. The tapered tube shape that looks a lot like a microphone acts as a small horn/transmission line to absorb the output radiated behind the tweeter dome. The 805S tweeter just like the Nautilus, but B&W points out a number of changes. First, the dome's surround has been changed, from a foam to a polymer roll, lowering the fundamental resonance, and thus allows for a much gentler, simpler crossover filter. The tweeter has also been relocated to work with the new crossover. B&W set out with the 805S speakers to provide a true, high end/high performance speaker for the person who does not have enough space for a floor-standing speaker. The B&W 805S was for a compact 2-way system that would give a surprisingly full sound and not intrude in the room.

The B&W 805S is a special sounding speaker that many music lovers will find to be just right for their taste. The bass is very deep and satisfying for any speaker, and has more visceral power than anyone would expect especially for a speaker its size. The bass is beautifully balanced with their tweeter so as to produce a very coherent and musical sound. It is slightly warm without any boominess. The B&Ws have a clean and clear midrange. Voices sound very natural without the least bit of a nasal tone or over emphasis of sibilance. The midrange is well balanced, detailed, and beautifully smooth, although it is understandably not the very last word in transparency. This smooth and balanced midrange allows strings to sound very beautiful. Strings come across appropriately sweet, and extended. The 805S have a very extended top-end that goes way out beyond hearing, but still it never sounds bright or etched. As always, a speaker with a proper and extended top-end gives cues that make the whole spectrum sound more like music. They have very nice air and shimmer on the top-end, yet they never bring attention to the treble like the 805 Nautilus did. However, the 805S did get a bit fatiguing over time, especially at higher volumes.

The B&W 805S speakers have a very coherent sound and a very good sense of tonality. The B&W 805S speakers never sounded overly analytical, strident or dry; but they sounded very musical indeed. The 805S speakers have always produced a soundstage that is holographic and has that ability to give palpability to voices and instruments. The soundstage has an expansive side-to-side and back-to-front soundstage, and they also have a very lifelike up-and-down soundstage. Image specificity is startlingly good. The images are precise in their front-to-back and side-to-side placement as well as on specific space. It has the ability to allow a performance to have a lifelike size as well as volume. The B&W 805Ss do this better than most small speakers because of their weight in the bass, their coherency, and without a doubt their ability to allow the listener to experience a good, vertical soundstage. This combination of qualities allows this small speaker to have a remarkably natural sense of scale. The B&W 805S speakers will serve with the most irresistible music and provide many years of satisfaction with their system.

Specifications :
Type................................................2-way vented-box system
Tweeter............................................2.5cm aluminum dome
Mid/bass Driver.................................16.5cm in woven Kevlar cone
Crossover Frequency........................4kHz
Frequency Range.............................-6dB at 42Hz and 50kHz
Frequency Response........................49Hz to 22kHz, +/- 3dB on reference axis
Dispersion.......................................Within 2dB of reference response
               .......................................Horizontal: Over 60 degrees arc
               ........................................Vertical: Over 10 degrees arc
Sensitivity........................................88dB SPL (2.83V, 1m)
Harmonic Distortion..........................2nd and 3rd harmonics - 90dB, 1m
                            ..........................<1% 100Hz to 22kHz, <0.5% 150Hz to 20kHz
Impedance.......................................Nominal 8 ohms, minimum 3.7 ohms
Power Handling................................50 to 120 watts
Recommended Power.......................50 to 120 watts into 8 ohms on unclipped program
Max Rec. Cable Impedance...............0.1 ohms
Dimensions(w x d x h)......................24 x 34 x 42.5 cm
Weight............................................11kg per side

Miscellaneous :
Matching.........................................B&W 805S Speaker Stands
Made In...........................................UK, England
Condition.........................................9/10

Product Information :
http://www.bowers-wilkins.com/ (Manufacturer's Website)

Reviews :
http://www.audioreview.com/cat/speakers/bookshelf-speakers/b-and-w/805/prd_334886_4290crx.aspx
http://www.tnt-audio.com/casse/bw805s_e.html
http://www.dagogo.com/View-Article.asp?hArticle=141
http://www.whathifi.com/review/b%2526w-805s
http://www.avforums.com/forums/what-speakers-should-i-buy/1183452-opinions-b-w-805s-please.html
http://www.tonepublications.com/review/bw-805s-loudspeakers/