Shhhhhh Don't tell my wife. Looking at B&W 802Ns


OK, they're bigger than my NHTs and look a bit like Robby-the-Robot, but there sound brought a tear to my eye. One of those deals that I'll just show up with em' one day, "Honey, what ya think?" Then Katie Bar the Doors! But first, before turning my living room into the WWF, will the room support these?
My room dimensions are about 13'W X 30'L X 9'H. Speaker spacing will be about 10' apart. Some doors and windows. McIntosh MC 352 (350 W) amp and McIntosh C2200 tube pre-amp. Is it worth the body slams I'll take?
slhijb
I'm sure that would sound pretty darn good and probably make you very happy but nothing is sadder than having to return a piece of gear becaue "the wife said no." I used to work in a high-end store and I've seen it happen. I almost had to take an N801 return because the wife thought they looked bigger in their house than in the store. Fortunately they sounded awesome and as long as the grills were kept on he could keep them. B&W has taken some slams here recently but trust your ears, that's who will be enjoying them.
Actually, my friend had the N802s & the Mac 352 & C2200. You'll be very happy with the sound.
Depends how YOU talk to THEM!
Appears that your room is long enough for proper coherence of these drivers. Just make sure you don't sit in the nearfield...HER'S either for awhile!
And NO, they don't sound AT ALL like 804s to me....have fun.
(MY wife thought the N802 looked like Darth Vader trying to sneak into a convent! Ha! She also thought Disney designed the Revel Salons....)
You *just* get by size-wise; a little room treatment on side walls wouldn't hurt the sound (but that's stretching the waf, isn't it?). Otherwise, I'm not sure you can get 10 b/ween the speakers--too close to side walls? Just to be on the safe side, ask Rives about treatment b/ween the speakers.
WAF: Try showing her a pair of big Apogees first -- by comparison, the B&W's look normal...
(My wife thinks Duevels look like an old laundry machine with a traditional chinese cap on it, & Apogees belong to a construction site.)