[marvda1]

it is my understanding that the usher drivers are only clones of scan speak drivers in the sense that they look alike. they should be considered more of a jbl clone than scan speak.
here is what an usher dealer (response audio) has posted on the subject.

"USHER WOOFERS ARE NOT MADE BY SCAN SPEAK"
 
 
"Despite what they look like, the Usher carbon reinforced drivers used in the Compass Series loudspeakers are not Scan Speak drivers....they are designed and manufactured by Usher.
 
Here's the reason they look the same: 
 
Scan Speak does not manufacture the carbon reinforced  cones used in their drivers.  They are made by a German company called Mueller.....Guess what, Usher uses the same Mueller cones in their drivers.
 
Also, the motor structure of the Usher drivers is not the same as the Scan Speak motors.  They are actually a derivative of a JBL design that has been around since the 1950's.
 
So there you have it!" 

[Gizmo]

Jim,

I can appreciate the problems a touring pair would present.  I will be in Ohio this fall a couple of times, I may be able to arrange a side trip.  In the meantime if any Floridians want to arrange a get together, please let me know.

David

[95bcwh]

Gizmo,
  Have you ever listened to a pair of B&W 802? It's about $12k a pair. If so, what do you think about that speaker?

  barry

[Gizmo]

Barry,

I had a chance to hear the 802D's in December.  I am going to go hear them again at a different dealer.  I feel the set up and the room acoustics did a great disservice to the speakers in December.  I will wait till I get a chance to listen to them again to make any comments.

David

[95bcwh]

The reason why I asked you about the 802D is because I just went for an audition today at the local Hometheater Store. I wanted to listen to 800, but they said they don't stock them, they told me that I can listen to 802D which use the same tweeter.

Anyway, my impression about the 802D is, in terms of tonality, it's closer to Jim's HT3 among all the speakers I've listened to so far, however, it doesn't image quite as well, the bass is not as clean and refined, and overall it's not as transparent as the HT3.

The 802D was powered by Classe CA-M400 monoblocks, Classe CP-700 preamp, and a Denon SACD/DVD player..

This 802D setup is certainly better than the other system that I auditioned within the last two days: JM-Lab Focal 1027Be and Tannoy TD-12..

However,... I won't swap my $8k system with any of the above.

After listening to speakers up to $15k mark, I still cannot find one that can beat Jim's HT3...hmm.. maybe I should save my time and only audition speakers above $30k in the future...

Barry,

I had a chance to hear the 802D's in December.  I am going to go hear them again at a different dealer.  I feel the set up and the room acoustics did a great disservice to the speakers in December.  I will wait till I get a chance to listen to them again to make any comments.

David

[avahifi]

I listened to the $20,000 a pair B&W 800D loudspeakers a year ago driven by our electronics in the home of the reviewer who wrote the 800D speakers up for The Absolute Sound.

Other than the fact that the 800Ds had really poor deep bass performance and cost 4-5 times as much as the Veracity HT3s and at 250 pounds each are nearly impossible to move and are really ugly, they sounded nearly as nice as the HT3s.

Frank Van Alstine

[95bcwh]

Frank,
  Do you remember which issue of the Absolute sound it is? I am just curious to find out whether the reviewer is an honest guy who speakers true to his conscience

  Rgds
  barry

I listened to the $20,000 a pair B&W 800D loudspeakers a year ago driven by our electronics in the home of the reviewer who wrote the 800D speakers up for The Absolute Sound.

Other than the fact that the 800Ds had really poor deep bass performance and cost 4-5 times as much as the Veracity HT3s and at 250 pounds each are nearly impossible to move and are really ugly, they sounded nearly as nice as the HT3s.

Frank Van Alstine

[avahifi]

I don't remember the issue number, but it has a photo of the B&W 800D plastered all over the cover page.  The reviewer was not a guy, it was Sue Kraft, a nice gal who also reviewed our electronics therein recently.

Frank

[Gizmo]

Barry,

That Classe set-up you described is almost identical to the set-up I heard, exception being they used a Classe source as well.  I can't remember the name of the place but they were located in a suburb of Dayton,Oh.  It was a great audio/video store, but they had the B&W's in a poor room I believe. 

David

[95bcwh]

Barry,

That Classe set-up you described is almost identical to the set-up I heard, exception being they used a Classe source as well.  I can't remember the name of the place but they were located in a suburb of Dayton,Oh.  It was a great audio/video store, but they had the B&W's in a poor room I believe. 

David

The store I visited keep these speakers in a large room (20ft wide, 30ft long)...I checked the placement of the speakers they're a least 3 ft off walls, I saw some bass trap behind the speakers, they also have some diffusors on the ceiling and on side wall.