BEST match for B&W Natilus 802s


i am seriously considering buying these speakers solely on the combination with classe amp. for me the combination can sound a bit analytical and too precise. has anyone heard a good amp around classe range with the 802s? please let me know
davejms
I have actually had a set of 5 of the new B&W "D" model sperakers in my home recently to demo with my full Chord Electronics A/V System and they sounded fanatastic together on everything I could throw at them! I have a Chord DSP 8000 processor, 2 Chord SPM 6000 mono-amp on the front L&R's and 2 Chord SPM 1200c's driving the center and rear surrounds with Chord top-of-the-line cables on everything. I would highly recommend the B&W and Chord combo as i think you will really like it! FYI, in the end I bought a full compliment of Mbl speakers instead of the B&W's for personal preference only.
Jim
I run my 802's with 2 Pass Aleph 5 60 watt amps and they sound fantastic. However my room is not that big so you'll probably want amps with more balls. Check out Bryston or Ayre.
I paired a set of 804's with the new Krell integrated amp, the KAV-400xi, 200 wpc. Sounded great, even w/ a crappy Sony carousel CDP. Less than 2500 bucks, much cheaper than most of these other fine recommedations.
I'm the owner of a pair of B&W N803. Until last year, I had the Musical Fidelity A3 as amplifier. The sound of MF was very good, detailed and with a good soundstage. But this type of loudspeakers (I think also the N802, only with a bit less bass) needs a lot of current to exploit all the dynamic. Then, I switched to the Symphonic Line Kraftwerk, advised from my dealer. The difference is enormous: the sound is more stable, dynamic, and balanced. Bass are very good. But this amplifier has two problems:
- It is very sensitive to interferences coming from power cables.
- It takes about one hour to reach the maximum of performances.
In any case, these loudspeakers are very sensitive to the position in the room. Before evaluating the different amplifications, take in care that they need space behind and on the sides: at least 0.5m. The angles are important too for the soundstage.
B&W's 800 Series Speakers driven by Krell is a match made in heaven. Listen for yourself. Classe and Musical Fidelity are distant seconds. The new Krell Evolution series is in a league of its own as is their Master Reference Series. I'm useing a new SACD Standard/KAV Amp. into a pair of N803s in a large room and the sound is jaw-dropping good. The people on this board that knock Krell have obviously never listened to it (probably because they could never afford it), let alone paired with the new B&W 800 Series Speakers. There can by no doubt that Krell sets the standard to which all other hi-fi manufacturers are judged by. Buying a Krell is like buying an S-Class Mercedes or a Rolex, it's a no-brainer purchase that you will never regret - if you could afford the best of the best!