Classy, absolutely very classy.įor this Sneak Peek, there was not yet any official technical information but Rainer did provide a few highlights and mentioned that he had for quite some time been involved with a team of Engineers in the UK while they were working on optimizing and refining the 801 D4. Unlike in some of the official photos, the color is very subtle in real life, more black than blue, and rather reactive to flash photography and ambient lighting. It wasn’t until Rainer mentioned the Midnight Blue Metallic color and used his phone’s flashlight to demonstrate this that we noticed. He explained that we were about to hear the Signature version of the 801 D4 that was set up in place of the “regular” D4, now in a gorgeous blue so deep that it appeared as black in the dimly lit room. As we were led into the main audio room, we were greeted by highly knowledgeable and super-friendly Senior Sound Engineer Rainer Finck. Certainly, in the higher class components, the two brands shared virtually no similarities. The areas in which the sound is shaped are predominantly the DAC and output stages. As it turns out, the two companies have their own sound-shaping engineers who are responsible for the tuning, not unlike what Ken Ishiwata did for Marantz. One important question that came up is how Denon and Marantz implement their individual character. Interestingly, all models were opened up to cater to our journalistic inspection and the gentlemen were more than happy to answer all our questions. Next was a Product Portfolio update for Marantz and Denon and it was interesting to see how the brands make use of common electronic components where desirable or economical, and where they clearly differ, in order to maintain their two respective “House Sounds”. The CI demo, while of course not at the same level as the big system, was still impressive as the sound was not just decent but actually really great and certainly far better than anyone could reasonably expect from a flat built-in system. So I guess, when it comes to surround sound, I am more of a Denon person than a Marantz person. For me, it was just a bit too loud but otherwise, I was very happy with the neutrality and transparency. At times, I picked up that the sound was a little too bright or aggressive for some and it was suggested that a Marantz Home Cinema counterpart would be more ideal for these people. The 9.4.4 Home Cinema demo was quite impressive and it was amazing how the Denon AVR-A1H, AKA “The Beast”, drove all those Bowers & Wilkins 700 s3 series speakers at very high levels with superb solidity and perfect clarity. The Bowers & Wilkins main hall contains a very nice display of classic Denon, Marantz, and Classé gear. I quickly checked the small print to see if I wasn’t handing over my soul or the rights to all future reviews but all was clear and simple, and of course, after a lot of joking, all the available press signed the same form in eager anticipation. As the event came closer, I was informed that we would not be allowed to take photos and that an NDA would have to be signed before being allowed in the room to see the sneak peek. In retrospect, it makes perfect sense but I never would have guessed it. The invitation was accepted and as time passed, I speculated what would be the new product. Well, that certainly whetted the appetite! As all was still under wraps, he could not tell me much, only that the Sneak Peek would be of a very substantial product and that he was sure I would find it interesting. He suggested that, given my prior interest in the 801 D4, he would urge me to come to the presentation. Honestly, I did not think much about it until I received a phone call from Channel Marketeer Nico Bierhoff. The list included a Denon/Bowers & Wilkins Home Cinema demo, a Custom Installation audio/video demo, a general Product Portfolio lineup introduction, and, particularly relevant to this review, a not-further-described sneak peek of a new product. As a result, what you can read below is a bit of Company History, a Factory Tour, and of course, a Listening Impression of the 801 D4 Signature.Ī little over 3 months ago, I received an invitation to a multi-pronged press event. However, during my visit to Bowers & Wilkins in Eindhoven, I was provided with such a wealth of information that I felt I could not merely focus on the review and keep all the extra info to myself. Originally, I had intended to limit this review just to a listening impression of the new 801 D4 Signature. Review samples supplied by Bowers & Wilkins
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