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Amplifiers for B&W 803D/802D

I'm new to high end home audio (have extensive high end Pioneer ODR system in the car) and am looking for amps to pair with either B&W 803D or 802D. My local B&W dealer only sells Rotel and Classe and hasn't been able to set both amps up together so I can listen/switch between the two. Is there a significant difference in sound between these amps with these speakers and is it worth the expense? Are the Classe amps reliable long term? Has anyone heard B&W with Mcintosh amps? I listened to Mcintosh with Infinity speakers that sounded great but can't find a way to demo Mcintosh with B&W. Thanks a lot.
statusnine
tboooe's avatar
tboooe
1,009 posts
 
I used to own the 802D. Between Classe and Mac I would pick Classe. That being said, I still felt that the Classe we too polite and smooth sounding. I would consider getting something more dynamic as B&W to me sounds slow. A real good choice at a very reasonable price would be a pair of Parasound Halo JC1 monoblocks. I drove my 802D with the Parasound Halo A21 2 channel amp with good success.
bar81
791 posts
 
I've found that Ayre amps sound great with B&W. You could get away with a V-5xe with the 803D but you'd really need the V-1xe or preferably, the MX-R, for the 802D (and they definitely don't hurt for the 803D).
memo84
6 posts
 
I have an Accuphase E-450 and an DP-500 player and I need to know if I could drive the B&W 803D with them.My room has 20m2.
What about Accuphase and B&W?
Unfortunately in my country there isn't any B&W 803D on stock.

Thanks!
beerdraft
198 posts
 
My personal opinion is that isn't enough juice to really do the job on the 803D. I reccomend at-least 250 watts per channel but you're close and some amps seem to be stronger than advertised. I'm not familiar with accuphase. If I only had 180 watts per channel, I would go with the 803S. They would sing very nice at that power. Just my opinion. I was going to get the 803S because I was only going to have 150 watts mono per channel but then I upgraded to 300 watt mono's and upgraded to 802D. It may work but I know someone who drives the 803D with classe 200 watts per channel and he's in a small room but the speaker just wants more. My opinion is don't under power b&w, they won't sound right.

beerdraft
dob
577 posts
 
I have 802D for a few years and I tried to match it with (tubed) Audio Matiere, Classe, Plinius SA-102 and last year with Spectron Musician III SE. The last one is the best in all respect - very transparent sound, huge soundstage, very natural timbre, deep and powerful bass. On the top, it does not create heat like my "little oven" Plinius nor did it consume much electricity.

I think one can drive 802D even with medium power tube amp and enjoy the sound, so good speakers are but to utilize their full potential I feel that only superb and very powerful but musically involving amplifier shoulds be used.
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