While a few loudspeaker manufacturers do produce ‘monitor speakers’ very few deserve such an accolade.

Following my recent involvement in the equalisation of three television sound-dubbing studios, I am aware of just how critical the quality of a pair of monitoring loudspeakers has become to the recording industry. Although studio monitor loudspeakers are expected to offer a flat frequency response, few achieve that aim.

B&W’s 801 loudspeakers were first released in 1979. They were an instant success and I was but one of many international technical reviewers who adopted them as my reference against which all other loudspeakers were then compared.

B&W’s use of woven Kevlar diaphragms in the mid-range drivers and the application of laser holography to iron out the bugs associated with diaphragm and edge termination reson-ances gave it (and the 801 series speakers) an initially unassailable edge over virtually all its competitors.

In the ensuing 20 years, the 801 series 1, series 2 and most recently, the series 3, have been adopted by more than 80% of classical recording studios for their mix-down and dubbing suites.

A limitation in the original 801 loudspeaker was the presence of discernible cabinet resonances in the frequency range from 50Hz to 500Hz. B&W resolved that problem in the mid-1980s with their ‘Matrix’ composite foam and internally stiffened enclosure structure. This was featured in the 801 series 2 and 3 and was based on a honeycomb of rigid internal bracing elements filled with foam. The results were dramatic, with the cabinet resonances reduced to a very low level.

The quality of monitoring loudspeakers in the recording industry is critical. A pair of B&W Nautilus 801s have been chosen for the mixdown room at the famous EMI Abbey Road studio in London.

Then, in the early 1990s, B&W developed its controversial Nautilus loudspeakers. The Nautilus had a decidedly unusual appearance, with a stacked array of loudspeakers in what looked like four spiral conch shells of decreasing size, stuck one above the other. The tapered form at the rear of each loudspeaker driver provided an effective damped termination. This worked but its unusual appearance, weight and cost meant that relatively few enthusiasts were willing to accept it.

B&W have now taken a different tack, incorporating the Nautilus system into the 801 series 3 monitor speakers.

During my visit to B&W’s factory in Steyning, Kent, work on the development of the Nautilus 801 loudspeaker was in its final phase. On return from England, I was told that I would have to wait at least a year before a pair could be provided for review.