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In Reply to: Any one here familiar with Bowers@Wilkins 808 Monitors? posted by "skeptic" on February 21, 2007 at 09:30:44:
I owned this pair of 808's that I donated to the local university last year (I used them to DJ dance parties at their science building atrium). They weren't high efficiency (this is the wrong forum for this speaker), around 91 dB/w/m, but could be driven to adequate levels in a home environment with 100-200 wpc. They were produced in the mid-80's as B&W's attempt at a "high output" studio monitor with comparable neutrality to their 801 Series II. High output meant 120 dB peaks, wimpy by horn standards. But they were voiced quite flat and went very deep (30 Hz flat anechoic). In a room without extensive bass traps, boundary reinforcement yields TOO MUCH bass (this can be a lot of fun). They were approx. 44"H x 25"W x 21"D, weighed 178 lbs., used two 11" woofers in a 12 cu.ft. vented enclosure, two 3" midranges back-loaded with a transmission line, and a 1.5" soft dome tweeter. Midrange and tweeter drivers were protected from overload with B&W's APOC circuitry. The speaker could be tri-wired and was rated to handle 800 watts, but I could bottom the woofers playing hip-hop music with a Bryston 4BSST before clipping the amp.There is a world of difference in the deep bass content of music from '80's (when the 808 was created) compared to the bass content in modern hip-hop (try Fergi's "London Bridge" if you want to bottom the woofers).
Follow Ups:
Cripes, most university music departments that I've visited have some lousy JBLs (not saying that ALL JBLs are lousy in any way) or maybe Klipsch LaScalas for monitor duty (if they are lucky).
I have sold a Scott 130 preamp and a Scott LK-150 power amp to a friend and he informed me he has purchased a pair of these 808's.The Scott has been rebuilt and modded and now runs a quad of SED-Cyro-KT-88's.
On the test bench the output is now right at 70/71 WPC.
Would your opinion be that this would be enough power?
I apologize for posting here, I thought it was the place to be. At any rate I do appreciate your response.
Your pictures are awesome! My trek in this field started back in 1962 and my personal gear will walk with the best!
Further comment welcome.
Cheers!
Darrell
I think the Scott amp can probably play them loud enough in a medium size room. But I don't know if the Scott can sufficiently control the woofer section, which is a 4 ohm load and modestly damped (again, you'll get TONS of bass in a medium-sized room). YOur friend will just have to try it and see. Good luck.
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