We received our first pair of the new B&W 800 Diamond series loudspeakers a few weeks ago, the 802 Diamond. The good news is that, despite how good the earlier 802D’s were, the new model is a definite improvement. There has been so much pre-release press on the new tweeter that we were expecting to find some subtle improvements in high frequency, and not much else. We were surprised (and pleased) to find that the new version was an improvement in almost all aspects. One of the great surprises is in the bass region, control, tightness and definition is far better.
This week we also received the baby of the series, the 805 Diamonds, and we will be receiving our first pair of the top-of-the-range 800’s any day now. It is rare that any release of a new range of loudspeakers creates this level of anticipation, but having lived with the 802’s for a couple of weeks now we understand what all the fuss is about.

While we are on the subject of great loudspeakers we have also just received stock of the fabulous Focal Scala Utopia speakers ($45,000pr). We have been out of stock of these for a couple of months now, so it is great to have them back in the showroom.

There was a system review in the January edition which caught my eye. Some of the comments on the system were “Poor dynamics, coloured, a bit anaemic at times,….” “Horrible hard strident and very fatiguing. Some of the more complex classical passages were completely lost on this system and you could not follow it.” Hardly flattering.

Yet – as the Club President and newsletter editor, John Vandyke, points out – each of the components in the system have been individually reviewed in glowing terms, and he believes that the findings are the result of poor system matching.

Everyone involved in the audio industry is aware of the importance of component matching in a system. A combination of very fine individual components does not guarantee a satisfactory result. However if the components ‘gel’ it can sound marvelous, and not necessarily be expensive. A classic example is the combination of the Marantz PM5003 amplifier and CD5003 CD player with the Focal Chorus 714 floorstanding speakers. This combination sells for less than $3,000 and if you are in the market for an excellent sounding, low cost system this would be a great start.

However it is a slightly more expensive combination that has really caught out attention. It is centered on the recently released Musical Fidelity A1 amplifier – which is a re-release of the famous A1 of 15 years ago, and one of the most musical sounding amps I have heard in a long time. The combination of this amplifier, the NAD C565Bee CD player and a pair of B&W 805 speakers (on good stands) is superb. It is one of the most enjoyable systems I have heard in decades, and considering it sells for around $9,000 with stands is tremendous value – I have heard many systems, costing many times this amount, which has not given me the enjoyment of this combination.

When it comes time to put together a quality component system it is essential that you listen to the combination. If this – for whatever reason – is not possible, you will need to rely on the advice of experienced listeners or good dealer (hopefully us). Like the Sydney Audio Club, your local dealer spends a considerable amount of their time listening to various combinations of equipment – some work, some don’t. But by consulting an experienced dealer at least you get the opportunity to find out.

If you would like some more information on the Sydney Audio Club go to www.sydneyaudioclub.org.au or email them on sydneyaudioclub@optusnet.com.au.