Pair of B&W 808 speakers in black ash. Original and in good condition. Fantastic reference studiomonitors built around two pairs of B&W 801 speakers.
"The 808 was B&W’s flagship master monitor system available new from 1984 to 1988 with a selling price of $10,000.00 for the pair. They were developed after the famed 801system for recording engineers who wanted very high sound level reference-standard music reproduction. A trio of horizontal 808’s were first installed in the famed Abbey Road recording studio, the audiophile version was released shortly thereafter, offered in upright enclosures with a superior mirror driver configuration and premium wood veneer finish. The 808’s 10k price tag in the mid 80’s was amongst the very highest offered, though it is one of the few speaker systems with the ability to safely deliver 120dB of reference level sound reproduction, and today it is still considered one of the most impressive monitor systems ever created.
Sonically the 808 is in a league of its own. It has the distinct B&W sound, which is characterized by lack of coloration with highly accurate musical reproduction, yet at much higher sound levels. It is one of the few reference monitoring systems that can fill large rooms with concert level sound levels. The 808 system presents the full dynamics and life of music in a manner that is truly amazing. From the highest audible note to the lowest, music is rendered in the clearest, most articulate manner. Voice and instrument are utterly natural. The bass is tight, clean, and thoroughly musical; it dips down to amazing depths providing heart stopping slam when called upon to do so. The highs and mids are smooth, coherent divulging even tiny details at low volumes. When properly set-up in the right size room the 808’s sounds balanced and articulate, they are really hard to beat. "
The enclosure design of the 808 was well thought out and executed. The problems posed by the necessary large enclosure of the 808 are met by the closed box system of utmost rigidity. To defeat coupling with the large bass enclosure, a quarter-wave transmission line rear-loading system is incorporated. Two 11in bass unit operating within the enclosure of 220 liters fulfill both the bass extension and sound pressure level requirements. To achieve 91dB efficiency in the bass extension computer predictions indicate a fourth order alignment vented system and 808’s drivers are optimized around this design.
| Frequency Response |
30Hz to 20kHz ±2dB |
| Low Frequency System |
Descriptor Bass reflex employing two 300mm drive units. Helmholtz box resonance 22Hz |
| Mid-Range System |
Acoustic line loading employing two 100mm units |
| Drive Units |
1 x TX32 high-frequency dome tweeter
2 x 100mm (4”) Midrange frequency drive Unit
2 x 300mm (12”) low frequency drive units |
| Dispersion |
Vertical: +0,-1.5dB over 10° arc
Horizontal: +0,12dB over 40° arc 20Hz-15kHz |
| Impedance |
8 ohms nominal, not less than 4 ohms at any frequency |
| Sensitivity |
1 watt into 8 ohms load for a spl of 91dB at 1m Sinewave input at 1kHz |
| Power Handling |
No upper limit on midrange and tweeter due to automatic protection circuits
Bass: 200W continuous sinewave below 400Hz |
| Dimensions |
25 1/8" W x 44 1/2" H x 21 5/16" D |
| Weight |
171. 5 lbs each, unpacked |
Postage Cost: 300,00 €
