B W 802N versus 801M

Thanks for the response. I am running the Cal amp, a McIntosh MX-132 preamp and the McIntosh DVD. I notice the M801's need more power than I have, odd, but true.

So as I expect, I lose a bit on the bottom end, but gain in the clarity of the mid/high frequency of the Nautilus line.
I love the M801's, but was hoping for a bit cleaner sound at HIGH levels.

Worthy?

If you want better resolution, cleaner highs, better bass, you must upgrade your front end before you worry about the speakers.

Upgrade my front end? What is the recommendations?

Thanks,
Dan

I think Audio Magazine did a review of the 802N in Feb '99. And I also think they compared the 802N to the 801 Matrix. You might want to see if you can track down a re-print from a local B&W dealer or better yet take a pair home and audition them yourself. :-) Good luck. - Dan

A couple of things you can do to improve the 801M beyond the North Creek cross-over.
1, the internal wire - find some good quality 9Ns (8Ns at least) wire and connected it from your cross-over to the speaker elements. Make sure you, do it very carefully, use good quality solder to weld it directly to the tweeters, mid-range and your base speakers.
2, put a round wooden pole, 1 to 1.5 inch in diameter, to the side of your tweeter. This is to reduce cancellation, which is to avoid the frequency to do a wrap around. Similiar to the effect currently used by the new 801N series.

There are a few more tweaker's idea, however, I won't go into more details. Try these out and if it works and if you like more, email me, I'll reply.

By the way, most of these ideas are from an editor of a major Southeast Asia magazine who published the article in the magazine a while ago.

Have fun tweaking.