Soundstage

If you require substantial bass this is probably not the speak for you though the bass increased to what I find more than acceptable levels and quality after several months of break in and when I changed my Classe .5 cd for the Mark Levison 39 CD (which took a long time to break in).

I found the speakers quite "clinical" and lacking bass when first set up. After several months the quality of the output changed substantially. They provide a wonderful soundstage, sufficient bass, excellent highs and mid-range. They are not particularly warm, but that happens to be my preferance in any case, nor would I suggest them to someone who listens primarily to rock. They are, as most good speakers, subject both to the room (mine is 20' by 25') acoustics, setup and the accompanying equipment. I am extremely pleased with them and, yes, I would purchase them all over if I had to do it again.

Similar Products Used:

Other equipment includes Mark Levison 380S, ML 39 CD player, ML 335 amp, B&W stands, Zoetheus system stand, MIT interconnects and speaker cables.

Neutral, Detailed, Great Soundstage

Not The Best for Rock Music, but still more then acceptable.

If you love Jazz or Classical music this is the speaker for you. What clear and precise imaging this speaker projects. I use mine mostly for music, but they are more then admirable for movies. I got mine with the with the matching silver stands, which are highly recommended. I couldn't imagine the speakers on any other stand. They are striking to look at and listen to. Feed these babies good clean power and you will be rewarded. I have mine paired with a B&K Avr305 Receiver.

A big thank you goes out to Alonso from Camera Shop of Hanover. A pro that goes out of his way to help in any way he can, way beyond the call of duty. I recommend him as much as i do the speakers, which is Very Highly. The Porsche of bookshelf speakers! There is no substitute.

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Paradigm Studio 20, Paradigm Mini Monitor

Excellent sound. Incredible quality. Beautiful speakers.

I couldnt be more pleased with these speakers. I am using them in my home entertainment system. I have 4 805s, HTM1 for the center and the ASW3000 subwoofer. I think it is a gorgeous setup and the sound is wonderful.

Good high and mid range

the type of electronics needed to make them sing

I was looking for a hi-end speaker for quite some time to complete my sound system in my room of 10 by 16.My search included (all bookshelves model)

Hales
dynaudio
acustik lab
harbeth
focus audio
jm lab

while I must say that the 805 sounded good and has the qualities of a great classic in the making I could not help but notice the kind of amps that this little guy needed to really sound like true high end.I heard this speaker and compared itself using different amps. And my conclusion was right. If you have a krell or mark levinson (min 250watts per channel)by all means go for the 805 but if you are like myself with a pathos 50watts per channel integrated amp don't even touch it unless you intend to change what you own. nonetheless I guess it is the charcteristic of B&W to design the speaker as such.As for my eventual choice I am still considering.

Similar Products Used:

dynaudio 1.8
acustik lab stella melody

Well-balanced, across the board performance

Slightly sweet-sounding; not for small rooms; ugly-looking product

The ratings for this product are all over the place. That leads me to believe that some users have not paid proper attention to room acoustics, associated equipment, and proper burn-in time.

If you have a small room, you'll probably criticize the midbass for being too overwhelming. If this is the case, then nothing else about this speaker will be enough to please you. But don't go blasting the N805. Instead, take your money, and check out the ProAc Response One SC or Totem Model One Signature.

If you have a BIG room, then you'll probably criticize the bass for not moving enough air, for being too bloodless. But rejoice! If you have a BIG room, then you have all those BIG speakers to choose from.

But if you have a mid-sized room, you now have another great choice. If you don't like the sound of small floor-standing speakers, seriously consider the N805. It has a no real sonic weaknesses. The detail is there, but it is not thrust in your face. Dynamics are pretty good, the music flowing relatively quickly. The treble is extended, opoen, airy, and just a little sweetened. I've played around with different cables, and imaginig is pretty good. No, you don't get razor-sharp specificity. No, you do not get life-like 3-D images. But you do get about 90% of the way there. At this price range, that's good enough for me.

After re-reading the other postings about the N805, I disagree with those who slag the N805, but I don't have as much enthusiasm as those who give it five stars. This is, after all, a very competitive price point. Indeed, we're fortunate to have so many choices here. Overall, the N805 is a solid, well-rounded, neutral speaker. If you are tired of other speakers' quirks, imbalances, and flaws; and if you have a medium-sized room, the N805 may be just what you need. It won't bowl you over with sonic spectaculars, but it is neutral and fast enough to let your system shine. A solid, if unspectacular, recommendation.

Similar Products Used:

Sonus Faber Concerto, Totem Model One Signature, ProAc Response One SC; Thiel CS1.5

Let any music live

Not that I am aware of

I own the 805's for more than a year now. I have noticed many times that people visiting us are grabbed by the music: nice music, nice CD. They never say: nice sound. Yes, they like the shape of the speakers, but that's about all attention they get. Pity for them, but I must admit we also simply seem to ignore their existence. In this one year I have never had the thought: that could sound better, or how could I improve this. If the sound is not good enough, it's simply the quality or character of the CD. There is not even discussion about it; we take it out and never use it again.
The 805 does not add to the music, but I would not call its character neutral. It is a lively, very balanced speaker, fast, brilliant, hungry to play music. We play all sorts of music, from pop, symphonic rock, jazz, vocal, choir, chamber music, symphonies, organ. With smaller amps the 805 is somewhat limited in the very extensive orchestra work. I have listened it with Arcam 8 amp in the shop, but it surprised me when I hooked it up to the Arcam 9 amp at home. More breath, richer in sound, easier. It surprised me again when I bi-amped it with the Arcam 9P amp. If you don't believe in bi-amping, you should try the 805's!
I am convinced that they would surprise me again with an Arcam 10 combination.
The 805 discloses every individual instrument and voice, without breaking down the overall musical sound. Its definition can really be supported by using silver interlinks and a superb CD player. There is so much to hear on a good CD, but you really have to feed the 805 with appropriate info. If you do so, these speakers are very rewarding. The speakers have a high bass efficiency, certainly more than the CDM1. The bass clarity is striking and it still lets me hesitate about adding subwoofer sound. I would not like to give up this clarity for deeper bass.

Something about the listening environment. The 805 has a very smooth and equal horizontal soundspread. The soundstage is very transparent and stabile also from various listening positions. The vertical dispersion causes some colouring in the midrange. If the room contains sufficient dempening materials it is no problem at all.

For your reference I use the 805's with an Arcam combination:
Arcam 7 tuner
Arcam 8 CD player
Arcam 9 integrated amplifier
Arcam 9P power amplifier
Silvertech silver interlinks
Oehlbach speaker cables (copper)

The 805's are an excellent choice if you are planning to update your source components in the future. Let them surprise you by proving that every update reveals unexpected musical surprises. You won't have time to buy new CD's, since you want to rehear your old collection first.

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CDM1

Brings vocals LIVE, Neutral, Detailed, Great Soundstage

Expensive Stands

Could’nt agree more on every good comment on this speaker in this product review. I felt like I missed what music was. I had go dig up to all the old cds/tapes listen to them over and over again. One thing for sure, you need lots of clean power to drive them and a good subwoofer for the lower octaves. I could not resist giving five stars.

The price on the stands or so RIDICULOUS...they are cute thought without the B&W logo on them.

My equipments:
B&W Nautilus 805
B&W Nautilus HTM1
B&W DM 601 S2's Surround Rears
B&W LM1 for Surround Backs
Dual SVS 20-39CS with Samson S700 amp
Acurus 125x5 amp
Denon AVR3802 (Receiver)
Sony SAT A4 (Satellite Receiver)
Sony CDP-C545(CD Player)

Similar Products Used:

Sonus Faber Concerto, Martin logan Scenario, B&W CDM 7NT

Outstanding clarity, detail, sweet midrange, large soundstage -- and they keep getting better

Make me want to upgrade the rest of my equipment

I've had these speakers for about a month now, and I can't stop listening to them. They are truly outstanding. Their soundstage is broad, and focused: you always know where instruments are located in the mix. They also have suprisingly good grip on complex music - only the lowest of the low notes are missing, and I don't care. Their "lack" of bass is largely a misnomer; what bass these do have is tight and punchy, and as deep as many floor standers I've heard. (I for one do not want powerful but flabby bass that may shake my neighbors' foundations but makes me cringe at the lack of cohesive sound.)

I didn't spring for the matching stands (kind of ugly), but did get the CDM stands instead. These are solid, can be filled with sand or shot, and really help to help tighten things up.

The B&Ws do what my previous speakers did not: make me want to listen to straight-up, old-fashioned, two-channel music again. I haven't watched a DVD in a month (not that these are bad for movies either...)

My (soon to change, thanks to these speakers) set-up:

B&W Nautilus 805
B&W CDM NT speaker stands
Denon AVR-3300 amp
Denon POA-5200 power amp
Music Hall turntable
Salamander equipment stand
Tributaries speaker cable
NO subwoofer

Cheap CD player, Cheap DVD player, and Cheap interconnects (equipment made by manufacturers normally ridiculed in forums such as these, so better off left unlisted!)

By the way, there are two stores that sell B&W in the city of Chicago, and Audio Consultants is the far better store. Recommended highly.

Similar Products Used:

Tested B&W CM and CDM series; Linn, Monitor Audio, Dynaudio

soundstage, size, B&W gift

Need the costly stands

I've got four of these, five counting the center, which is the 805 sitting on its side. I spent some quality listening time comparing these to the CD9-NT B&W speakers. "Let the Big Dog Eat", as Lee Trevino would say. The Nautilus 805 has more punch by far than its B&W cousin. The only speaker in the showroom that could out- perform the 805 was the 802. I liked this speaker so I ordered two more to run on another receiver. Four fronts of 805s can compete with anything. Imaging and soundstaging for classical music with the 805s is precise, right where you want the musicians to be. Everything sounds good with the 805s.

These speakers are not as sensitive to placement as the floorstanders. I couldn't fit (nor afford) the robust 02's into my room and the 803 model is known to give some owners fits for room placement and accompanying good sound. I have but one place to fit my speakers; the 805s are perfect. The stands? The B&W stands are attractive but at $600 a pair I feel I paid much too much. The others are mounted on Sound-Anchor stands. These are more solid than the B&W's, come packed with sand, and are about $150 less expensive. Must not be much sand in England; Sound Anchors are made in Florida. Register your B&W speakers online and you get a surprise gift from B&W. First a key ring for me and now a nice Parker pen. Not much but a nice gesture.

You won't be disappointed with the 805s unless you have the space and bucks to get the 802 or 03s. Break-in time for the 805 is about 50 hours or so. I had MIT make special order T2cable for these. Big, fat, hose-like cable but a real performer.

The rest of the system:

Denon AVR4800
Onkyo TX-DS939 receiver
Onkyo Integra CD player
Denon 4800 DVM player
B&W 303 for surrounds
Boston Acoustic VRS for rear channels

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Infinity, Sound Dynamics, many others of little value

Imaging, Clarity

I've drempt of owning B&W speakers for a very long time. Now able to afford them, I cannot say enough. The M&K's are great, but I'm hearing nuiances never before heard. Music I tired of is new and exciting. I still have the S-85c for center and there was some concern about mixing the two but it's not too bad for home theater. I haven't noticed any problems with movies. Eagles-Hell Freezes over, there was a subtle mismatch but it didn't detrack from the experience. Music listening is two channel only and that's where I love these babies.

I really thought I had a good sound staging with the M&K's but it didn't take long to realize I was missing out. The B&W's just open up the field. I haven't heard any style of music, (Jazz, calssical, rock, pop, standards) that doesn't give me that choked up feeling of being in the presents of greatness.

For the $ concious audiophile wanna be, these are tough to beat. The M&K's will remain with me becuase they are good and I have need of them in another room. But as bookshelf speakers go, these are the best in show.

Similar Products Used:

M&K S-85