B&W Nautilus Loudspeaker story - Laurence Dickie.

Laurence DIckie's Nautilus loudspeaker origins. Nautilus was made at B&W and evolved into the Vivid Audio Giya G1 of today. This version of the 'Project Nautilus' promo video I made for B&W and Robert Trunz, now features the original digital sound track recovered from the 1993 optical disc master. Previous versions of this video has a analogue sound track from the U-Matic SP video tape. The audio is now correct and high fidelity stereo sound.

[@catleaderk]

It's my pleasure to find and watch this video, I appreciate the glamorous natural design !

[@robm8067]

💯🔥🤩I never really cared to make a lot of money until I think of these speakers…. Beautiful!

[@theprof291166]

We have a pair at our studio - although they are not functioning at the moment.

[@btsr2553]

That‘s what I call it a full perfect loudspeaker. I’m proud to say, I heard them several times. Each time it blowes me away. At every presentation I had from the first second pure goosebumps and tears in my eyes. The problem nothing comes so close since them.

[@zoxwolf2133]

Awesome video. I am so glad i stumble upon. I met Laurence few years ago in my small town during summer vacations. He is very interesting person. He even check my loudspeakers as well :) I am so glad bout that. Thanx for upload Jake Cheers

[@theprof291166]

A pleasure!

[@julesdumont1492]

You have my gratitude for the gorgeous sound track update.

[@theprof291166]

I am glad that was appreciated Jules! Took some digging and restoration. Sounds good now doesn't it?

[@jeremytravis360]

Thank you for this amazing video. When I was the assistant manger of the Hi Fi department at Harvey Nichols in London back in the seventies the buyer had opened an account with B&W. The DM70s were amazing but beyond my wallet at the time. I did settle for a pair of DM4s as my speakers. I later built a transmission line cabinet for the DM4s to sit on. I have never been able to afford a better set up but I would consider a pair of these now if I could still try buy them.

[@juanwatson9153]

instablaster

[@gavincurtis]

Nice that this video exists. Thanks for the upload.

[@theprof291166]

+The Dollar Guy A pleasure!

[@linandy1]

Thanks for sharing this video !

[@theprof291166]

Thanks for watching!

[@brutiebear964]

I have a pair of B&W DM2 and also DM5 monitors. Both from the 1970's. I loved them then and I love them now. I wanted the DM 70 but I could neither afford them nor fit them into my home . Wonderful to see the company has elevated itself to the top of the heap World wide.

[@SgtSteel1]

I still have a pair of CDM1's from about 1997 or something. As you say, I still love them now. At the time they blew me away. I wish I had gone for Audiolab amplification when I got them as they are more transparent sounding amps than the Arcam I got. The sound ended up being a tad rich and weighty.

[@btsr2553]

I‘m proud to say that in our main music room contains a pair of a Diamond 803 D3 amplified by a pair of Devialet Experts. Believe it or not, the procurement was a hard job, especially with respect to my minister of finance. After tough negotiations and seemingly endless discussions about the latest financial budget, the female acceptance factor finally triumphed. In the end, it was a purchase for the rest of our lives and very likely beyond. Neither of us has regretted it to this day.

[@Octocoupler]

Laurence is the man, his new stuff is amazing, I told him when I win the lottery I'll give him a call.

[@20gibbon]

These are in a league of there own in many ways, so clear, open and transparent, they will always look like a piece of art in any home, I'm tempted to sell my house to buy a pair, but i don't think they will sound so good in a tent! 😜

[@tonyhiu6995]

But you will have a “Picasso” in your tent! 😂😂😂

[@onemantwohands5224]

My God they are beautiful!!! :-) this is what sound looks like :-) :-) :-)

[@cerka92]

Interesting story. Iliked this

[@guidewell]

The B&W flagship DM70 of the late 1970s was the talk of hi-fi shows with its stunning white finish and black grilles in a wide, curved-front cabinet - a revelation in those days of walnut-veneered, grey-fronted rectangular boxes. The only rival in sonic quality and appearance was the long-in-the-tooth Quad ESL with its more crystal upper range but no real comparison in the low frequency department. The DM70 had the family character of the D and DM series but more of everything and it was an aspirational product with very few in private hands. While less in grandeur than today’s top models, it had a less hard edge which might still appeal to some - and you only needed moderately powerful dual mono vacuum tube amplifiers like Quad 202s to power it effectively!

[@scottlowell493]

Actually, rivals included KEF 107, ADS/Braun, infinity and Gale. All those I mentioned were as good or better.

[@Formatdon]

Копил деньги 💰 со школьных обедов, потом продал папкину машину и недавно бабушкину квартиру и вот наконец-то моя мечта сбылась! Я приобрел этот шедевр! Теперь Свинка Пеппа зазвучала новыми красками!!!

[@bertramlefarge69]

I remember the DM1600 with the matrix cabinet, excellent speaker, you never see them for sale :(

[@tomaburque]

Fascinating.

[@MusicAnirban]

Amazing.

[@metalmartin6.6.6]

Incredible technology!

[@nrs6956]

Impressive and wondrous video. Have four B&W sound devices. All exhibit extremely enjoyable levels of performance. When I purchased such devices I realized these are design and application of an extremely high level. When I reviewed simple "ear buds" some one remarked about there are better. But to me they were and are more than adequate. The nature of such sound is to a degree subjective. Installed in a BMW auto, I wonder if such engineering can be appreciated. In a residence questionable. Sound specifically music is the "unseen magic of life," with the exception of the application of technology, totally invisible. Nevertheless I applipluade B&W, along with others to pursue the holy grail of application. Thank you.

[@andershammer9307]

We sold the 802 at Audio gallery but it was too warm sounding. we did sell some.

[@99thDimension]

When Bob Carver made a pair of natural resonance headphones he said he got them to work only one problem the tuning ports stuck out 30 feet on each side.

[@bujoun76]

Wonderful! If I only had 57,000 dollars I would get a pair...

[@scottlowell493]

I believe they are more like $27,000.

[@Glock_4717]

Pick up a pair of pioneer sp-fs52 or a pair of Polk audio t50’s they are both under 200$ I have the pioneers they are a good starting point to get you into high end audio

[@hapkrs]

Badass speaker.

[@youghurt2k]

I wish I could have listened to these 30 years ago, but now my ears are shit, so it doesn't matter. I have heard some other speakers that was great too, and I loved it. Time waits for nobody. If you ever get a chance... just do it.

[@fabiotardivelli6104]

Il diffusore dei miei sogni.

[@juliaset751]

Imagine if B&W and KEF got together to work on a speaker. B&W on the enclosure and KEF on the drivers.

[@theprof291166]

KEF are only just catching up. 30 years later!

[@odincoulombe706]

lol that q driver is nothing more than a coaxial driver lol,,dont know much ayy

[@lowerthetone]

@@odincoulombe706 Coaxial drivers and particularly the UNI Q one's are a great idea, they're just a pain to manufacture. Getting a tweeter inside of a mid-driver is hard... Getting it to sound correct is even harder. Why do KEF do it? Because if you get it right, you can set up a UNI Q driver at any distance from the listening position. This is why the LS50 is such a flexible speaker. Tweeters and Mids that are separated out in the front baffle are set to fail unless (according to the manufacturer) the speaker is totally level, the room is the perfect dimension and the listening position is in the "right place..." This is foreign speak for people living in the real world. We want speakers that fit in with our lives, not to make our lives fit in with the speaker!

[@mornecoetzee735]

What you are talking about is basically Vivid Audio.

[@vangmx]

A nice and interesting video. Anyway, to reference the author's story of finding the original optical disc audio master, I find it interesting that analog/digital video has gone through various formats and technical development throughout the last decades, where one can visually see the differences in quality, yet it's audio that has primarily remained the same. A well recorded piece of audio from decades ago survived better today than analog video footage taken from the same era. Or in other words, you got low resolution 240i video that looks horrible on today's HDTV screens yet decades' old stereo audio still sound great if not better on today's hifi equipment. :)

[@vain8687]

Absolutely. This video was shot on broadcast equipment and cameras which by today's iPhone and Galaxy standard is almost hopelessly dreadful. But back then there was no other way other than film which would have cost 10 times as much. However digital audio (44.1kHz) was reasonably mature. The master video tape only had a analogue linear track and it wasn't that good. I am glad I had the sense to do a digital back up to a CD-R.

[@vangmx]

You're absolutely right. Shooting on film would've been very expensive, even if the production team decided to save money by using 16mm rather than 35mm. And unfortunately a lot of material will only exist on low resolution analog video. Though with the resolution of digital video cameras today which has surpassed the resolution that the human eye can visibly see, I wonder if decades from now people will say 1080p looks like junk on their 24k TVs. :)

[@theprof291166]

@@vangmx It will!

[@aug.jam.1]

Love the narration, like as if I was listening to a Harry Potter movie :P

[@theprof291166]

Yes - an old fashioned tone. The voice of Peter King. Long deceased RIP.

[@michaelprexler9351]

Ich habe schon fast alle Modelle gehört ! der Mittelton ist das beste was ich je gehört habe ! der Diamanthochtöner ist mir noch eine Idee zu Zahm !

[@kksurfraz7027]

super sir

[@whollymindless]

Updated audio track was worth the re-upload.

[@JakePurches-Base2music]

Thank you!

[@bigdogaxis]

This is what I envisioned HiFi magazines to be in the future back when I was a child.

[@Dubselekt]

Классный фильм!

[@pinoynga]

Sound reproduction, most especially music (from vocals, to jazz, to classical, movies, etc.) is always a work in progress. I'm happy with my old B&W speakers.

[@guitarfoundry]

i've had a pair of series 80 802's (pre matrix) which have given me decades of joy. I have a pair of N802's which ARE superior, but that 80's are still a joy to listen to in their own right...just so....'musical'.

[@arswendoswissrianto3406]

The Legendary Loudspeaker. Very interesting to know the story...

[@theprof291166]

+Arswendo Swissrianto Thanks for the comment - Salaams Jake

[@LordVictorHalgaard]

A shame they never applied much of this to their production loudspeakers, other than in visuals, and now somewhat in baffle design.

[@theprof291166]

It did - but it went to break away company from B&W now called 'Vivid Audio Loudspeakers'. You will see all the Nautilus tech there now.

[@ampaioyarzo5624]

creo que es el mejor sonido del mundo, me gustaria tener uno !

[@theprof291166]

Check out Vivid Audio then. They are also made by Laurence Dickie using more advanced techniques, and more affordable!

[@ampaioyarzo5624]

Jake de que pais eres

[@theprof291166]

+kopjesenseo Actually the Vivid Audio IS a Nautilus speaker. But because it can't obviously be a snail shell - because B&W own that, it has to be a different shape. And the horns are internal on Giya G1 and G2 but are showing on the Giya G3.

[@alex336k]

Bowers and Wilkins keeps me all ways busy.

[@stevefisher3337]

Great article with superb soundtrack. Can anybody tell me what the background music is?

[@theprof291166]

There is a mix of music - its mentioned in the end credits.

[@stevefisher3337]

@@theprof291166 Thanks

[@NelsonBigGunP200Fan]

wish i had a couple grand to buy a set of these. I heard em before at a hifi store. Best i ever heard.

[@simeh8458]

A couple of grand? Last I checked they were £19,000 for each speaker (£38k for the pair), and that's when they're available to buy brand new.

[@misho2184]

I've paid $140.000 for a PAIR in mid nineties! TWO PAIRS (Piano gloss AND bright Yellow) - including delivery, new cables, crossover's "reconditioning" etc... cost me OVER $300.000. WAS IT WORTH IT ??? (At that time when l could buy a bedsitter at Sydney's CBD or a brand new average HOUSE in Sydney's (Australia) suburbs for the similar price??? NOW l could sell the properties at FIVE TIMES more than purchasing price, and l will be happy to get AU$100.000 for the B&W ! (Each pair, 190.000 for the two sets) ! Loudspeakers are EGO, (mine is bigger than yours) ! Sonically? Hmmm. There is a SPECIAL category (like with EVERY other item(s).... for THIS kind of speakers... They are someone's pinnacle - zenith of their career. They (or a team) dedicated years of their lives to this speaker design... RESPECT IN ANY WAY TO THOSE PEOPLE; But l think they are like a "Super cars") - Show ponies, not practical for EVERYDAY USE. You need the "ROOM" FIRST, (and if you are renting a two b/r unit in multistory building) - THEY ARE NOT YOUR PRIORITY, (EVEN IF YOU WIN THE LOTTO). BUT - IF YOU HAVE A CONDITIONS TO AFFORD THIS (and dedicated room to put them, l'll be happy to hear from you). ORIGINAL B&W NAUTILUS : _____________________________ PIANO GLOSS: AU$100.000 BRIGHT YELLOW: AU:100.000 ----------------------------- BUY TOGETHER: AU:190.000 Or nearest offer... IMAGINE IF you could to choose between B&W NAUTILUS, FOCAL's UTOPIA GRANDE and WILSON'S AUDIO "ALEXANDRA"... (It can be arranged too). P.S. PLEASE ONLY SERIOUS OFFERS, AND CONSIDER THE CUSTOM DUTIES WHEN YOU MAKE AN APPOINTMENT FOR AUDITION OR PICK UP. Location: AUSTRALIA I think l was honest explaining WHY l am selling the speakers addressing potential buyers.

[@MauricioRodriguez-xf8hs]

❤️😍

[@bottomburp]

I would love to own a pair of these , but I could only afford a pair of DM 603 series 1 which I still have and love.

[@theprof291166]

I sympathise. But the spirit of Nautilus lives on in Vivid Audio and for £6000 you can get the astonishingly good S12 now. Its small but it does everything the Nautilus did in a small form factor. And easier to afford too - with some saving.

[@rb032682]

cool

[@gilmoreskeen1234]

The speaker box design is new but the operational principle is not, it's just an acoustical labyrinth invented in the sixties.

[@FVDaudio]

✨✨👏🏻👏🏻👌🏻👌🏻🎶🎶

[@petrovicdragan446]

👍

[@endrizo]

also check VIVID audio speakers

[@PedroECalvo]

Ok this is a transmission line speaker with a non traditional form .

[@vain8687]

Not quite.

[@extremumone]

its sealed. so, no, no TL.

[@logotrikes]

Brilliant commentary on the Nautilus. Way above my pensioner paygrade sadly. I've heard the soundtrack with the organ before, and feel that I should know it, but I don't. Can anyone enlighten me?

[@theprof291166]

Yes glad you liked the video. The music you are thinking of is Saint-Saens Organ symphony.

[@logotrikes]

Thanks for that Jake, I would never have got that. I thought perhaps Tchaikovski. I'll hunt it down, a great piece. My BIL has a pair of B&W speakers. Large ones, at least 20 years old. He swears by them and never thought to change them. I'd have them for sure if he gave them away;)

[@ct5006360]

@@theprof291166 #3

[@Kolfonik]

Yes... a snail.

[@mariog711]

Tienen un sonido increible yo los escuche la primera vez hace 27 años en una exposicion de electronica y recuerdo q eran de la marca yamaha creo q ellos fueron los q los diseñaron

[@marcusm5127]

I wish they made a new nautilus with new electronics and bigger woofers.

[@theprof291166]

See Vivid Audio Loudspeakers.

[@marcusm5127]

@@theprof291166 Cool.

[@DGFishRfine1]

Honestly, at $60,000 base per pair, I'm sure B&W would gleefully customize your speakers for a bit of extra cash. (Let's face it... If you can spend $60k on these, you can spend $100k too)

[@johnmejia4222]

Bowers and Wilkins Listen and you'll see! Real World! ¨Passion for Sound and Music¨

[@guitarfoundry]

'Bowers and Wilkins Listen and you'll see'* 'Bowers and Wilkins Listen and you'll HEAR'. you're welcome.

[@johnmichaelrichards]

Indeed, even the humble but wonderfully sonic DM22 of the early 80s used the tag line "Bring your music into focus."

[@trevorwaterfield604]

I'll stick with me amstrad....

[@boggsy84]

So why didn't they call it the snail?

[@jeanpierresnyman652]

Because nobody would want a speaker called the snail

[@theprof291166]

@@jeanpierresnyman652 Yes, that is right. The marketing boys came up with the 'Nautilus' name. Sounds more snazzy. Actually its original prototype name was 'Brian' from the snail on BBC's Magic roundabout children's programme of the 70s.

[@tonyhiu6995]

It’s funny that it didn’t bother the whole world by calling it the “Snail”! Very Iconic.

[@joeyg7458]

What ticks me off is that these days the drivers are built in China

[@joeyg7458]

Assembled yes made in China

[@joeyg7458]

Brian Barratt they are all made in China under licensing ...look it up...cabinets and assembly in England.Even the Nautilus

[@joeyg7458]

Brian Barratt all the drivers are made in China period..Crossovers I don’t know .Cabinets and assembly are in England for the nautilus line and above..Cheaper ones upto 9000$ models are also made in China..All people pay for is the name..Since B&W bought out classe this is the move they’ve made.

[@blarkdexture8899]

China = better quality

[@mornecoetzee735]

@@joeyg7458 You are sorely mistaking. The Nautilus and 800 range of products are still COMPLETELY made in England.

[@guitarfoundry]

oh no..it's that bloke with the poorly fitting dentures with the herbert the pervert whistle....i always laugh when i hear him whistling away.. I have a pair of 802 Nautilus speakers in cherry which i adore, and a vintage pair of 802 series 80's which i also love and have had for nigh on 20 years. almost everybody tells me that the Nautilus 802's look like Daleks!

[@TheJagzy]

I heard they make them in China now ? Is that true ?

[@theprof291166]

TheJagzy High end still made in UK as is Nautilus.

[@Supra_Mare_Cultro_Bloke]

Available on taobao for rmb 4000

[@josefk5659]

@@Supra_Mare_Cultro_Bloke lol really?

[@rockys7726]

Probably fake knock offs.

[@xprcloud]

B&W snail speaker - pursues flat FR. WHILE IGNORING NON LINEAR DISTORTION (IMD,THD). and efficiency. The later being waaaay more important than FR BS. FR which your room and the recording engineer turn into a mess anyway, B&W meant for highly paid CEO's that never actually listen to them.

[@cpunter]

Really? Commercials after only 1,5 minutes?

[@theprof291166]

Depressing I know.

[@barnauletskirill8606]

Я так и не понял?! Они что, лучше RADIOTEHNIKA S-90?

[@user-lz8vm6qt9d]

barnaulets Kirill а что такое S-90 это 💩!

[@toono21]

so where o& earth exactly is this fa&tastic beemer??

[@odincoulombe706]

At the end of this video i was hoping to hear,,and in the end the most ugly pair of speakers was born with a price not many are willing to pay lofl.

[@kevinbeckenham3872]

All B&W lack decent clean sub bass.

[@jakepurches9162]

Not this one.

[@robpeters5204]

Kill the background music!

[@Ride_on54]

What a horrible looking speaker looks disgusting I’d never buy anything like this

[@blazuma111]

I know, and these probably sound worse whenever you listen to dubstep music as these seem like they are only built for either music with vocals, or classic music using real instruments, and I've also heard that these Don't kick the bass to it's absolute best. I use a single pioneer S-p340v bookshelf speaker which I bought for 50 dollars and it outputs bass for those amazing sounding drops and wubs from the bass of dubstep and electronic music! These are likely a huge scam and ripoff big time!