Best speakers for amp

Okay, so yesterday I actually went to audition the 602S3, CDM1NT, and N805, with my own music (which varies from Classical to Opera to Jazz to Blues to Pop to Rock to R&B to Funk to Dance - pretty much everything). The salesman hooked it up to a Myryad MI 120 Amp, MCD 600 CD Player.

I know the equipment he used isn't in the same range as my NAD equipment, but I really enjoyed the N805s. The 602S3 definitely had more bass, but it was generally more cloudy than the 1NTs and 805. The 602S3 definitely lacked the huge soundstage that the 1NT and, even more, the 805s had. I also felt that the 1NT, although good in bass, was a little boomy in comparison to the 805s.

I felt that the 805s were essentially transparent, with fine, detailed bass, excellent mids, and amazing soundstaging. The CDM1NTs were good, but the 805s really shined.

Here's my situation. So, I found out that I am able to trade in my 601S2s full value to upgrade, but only once. I have 6 months left to do it before the offer runs out. I'm graduating from school, subletting for the summer, then moving into a new permanent place in late August. The salesman said I could borrow a pair during their slow times (which is earlier in the week), but by the time I move in, I'll be busy working on the weekdays (I travel weekly) and so I won't be able to audition them at home.

I could alternatively bring my kit in to audition with it too. At the moment, I am not willing to upgrade my amp and CDP for at least a year or so, as I am not fond of selling things.

What do you guys think about the 805s with my amp and CDP? I am not sure they are worth the extra $1400 I will be paying to upgrade. The 1NTs will cost $800 to upgrade, and the 602S3s will be $150 to upgrade. I am not considering floorstanders, as I feel the sound is much less focused in these units.

Thanks for any help you can provide!

No advice to give as I have not hear any of the speakers listed...can say this: Take it slow and have fun with it. The worse thing that can happen by waiting, is the price will drop eventually:)

Trust your ears!!

If you are not going to upgrade your amp or cdp, you'll be wasting some of your money with a speaker upgrade. You will be a wasting a lot with the 805s. They sound good in the store because $3k of electronics were telling them what to do. I have $1700 speakers, that are more forgiving/less resolving than the 805s. I have $2900 worth of electronics need to be upgraded long before i will consider changing speakers. Take your rig over and check it out, but the best you can do while staying with B&W is to upgrade to the CDMs and use the extra that you would have spent on the 805s to upgrade the CDP.

Ohlala, after a couple of days of sitting on it, this is my conclusion as well.

I am not even sure about moving to the CDM1NTs, which would cost me at least $700 to upgrade to. I have done some research and reading, and found that I will definitely need a better CDP and Amp to make the speakers worth it. I've decided I'm not really willing to spend $2000 right now, even in a CDP and CDM1NT upgrade. Small increments is the way to go.

So, I will look at the 602S3s and consider CDM1NTs, but my feeling is that it will probably be the 602S3s, which will be $150 to upgrade to.

A couple of last questions. I'll be using my current Atacama Nexus 6 stands (24" high). Will the 602S3s be too tall for them? Second question - regarding the difference between the 601S3 and 602S3, if my room size measures 12' x 14', do you think it would be wasteful to use get the 602S3s, and possibly be too boomy? If it will be too boomy, then the 601S3 would perhaps be more compatible.

Thanks for all your help.