Smooth, full, detailed, relaxed/non-strained sound

Weight

After re-discovering the magic of music in the last 5 month, I spent way more money on my (new) hobby than I ever planned. My recent addition and overall highlight are the 802s.

Being not broken in yet, they already sound very good. While the CDM 9NT (now my rear speakers, and a great speaker for the price) have almost the same amount of detail, the 802s excel in being considerable smoother, fuller, and more relaxed sounding.

One thing I was worried about reading all the reviews bellow was the issue about the need for high quality amplification. My already extended musical budget does not allow for any further extension in the next 6 month (or my wife will kill me). Therefore, I have to run the 802s over a B&K AVR 305 receiver for the time being.

With the firm belief that the 802s will be totally underpowered by the B&K, I hooked them up to the B&K and ... surprise!!! They sound fantastic. I believe with a better amp the sound quality of the 802s will still improve, but for the time being the B&K does a good job driving these speakers, good enough to really enjoy my CD and DVD-Audio collection.

My current system:
- B&W Nautilus 802 (Main)
- B&W HTM2 (Center)
- B&W CDM9 NT (Side)
- B&K AVR 305 Receiver
- Technics A10 (DVD-Audio player) - use it for CDs, DVD-A, and DVD-V
- JPS Ultraconducters (Interconnects + bi-wired center and main speakers)
- DH-Labs Q10 (bi-wired for side speakers)

My next purchase will be a good amplifier for the 802s. Any good suggestions?

Similar Products Used:

CDM 9NT and auditioned several other speakers

Excellent integration and imaging with speed that rivals thebest ribbons.

Anemic deep bass. Highs are too analytical. A clinical rather than musical Tonal balance. Oh yeah, the price.

I auditioned this speaker at a local high end shop and came away very disapointed. The great soundstage it threw does'nt make up for the over analytical tonal balance. Bass extension was good; but considering price it have extended
MUCH lower.

The 2 Dynaudio speaker's that were also on hand were not only better speakers, but much less expensive as well. It would also be very unfair to B&W to compare these new 802's
to my Uncles Diva's ( NOT EVEN CLOSE.) Quite frankly, I even prefer my Mani 2's to them. As a final note, I probably will end up purchasing a pair of Contour 3.3's.

Similar Products Used:

Countour 3.3, 3.0 Apogee Diva's, Mani 2's

Imaging, Soundstaging, Clean Tight Bass with clear non-fatiguing highs.

None.

My new reference speaker.

Views expressed below just about some up this speaker. Setup is critical, but this is true of all speakers. Look at any hi-fi magazine or a book on acoustics and they all say the same thing - Minimize direct reflections and room modes.

I can only attribute the negative reviews to poor setup or poor room acoustics. I have heard these speakers with Krell and McIntosh in different settings. Both times these speakers were true to the components they were attached. Imaging is first rate as is the soundstaging. Bass is deep and powerful and well controlled. Midbass is superb. Highs are clear and natural, not tizzy as some people say here. If you hear bad things coming from these speakers -more than likely - it's coming from upstream in your system or from your room.

Five Stars all the way around. Thanks B&W!!

Associated Equipment:
CAL Delta
CAL Alpha
SF Line 3
Pass Aleph 5 Monoblocks

Tara RSC Master Gen 2 Interconnects.
Tara RSC Master Gen 2 Speaker Cables
Tara RSC Digital 75.

ASC Tube Traps
RPG SkyLine Diffusers
RPG Absorber Panels

My impression of the 802's: Using my usual testing discs, i was instantly repulsed at the lack of presence and tonal balance of the 802's. Their "dry" and "sterile" sound failed to properly re-create the music as it was intended. Soundstaging was decent, but a little forward. Bass extention was resricted and weak sounding. For the price, i would be much happier with the Von Schweikert 4.5. Although the construction quality and finish are excellent, overall I was dissapointed with the sound quality of the 802's.

stunning appearance especially in the red cherry finish every visitor to my home have complimented on the look of these speakers, 3 D soundstage, tight, deep, tuneful bass,

none

The B&W N802 replaced a pair of Thiel 2.3 in my listening room. They are truly amazing speakers. The high is very sweet, detailed, never harsh. The midrange is so crystal clear especially in comparison to the Thiel 2.3 (whose midrange by comparison is very fuzzy). They are very dynamic with a very powerful bass.

You really need to give these speakers very long break in time ( at least 200 hours for them to sound their best). You also need to drive them with a very high current amp. The spike feet make a HUGE improvement (more transparent, tighter bass). And they should be Biwired, NO jumper.

Before I purchased the N802, I listened to the Revel Studio. By comparison, the Studio sounded a little tizzy on the top, less full body in the midrange. Both speakers have comparible bass. On top of these, the N802 is $4000 cheaper!!!

My system: Muse Model 8 and 296, CAT Ultimate preamp, Krell FBP 300, NBS Monitor I interconnect, NBS Monitor II speaker cables for the high Monitor III speaker cables for the Bass. PS Audio PP300, Synergistic Designer's Reference power cords.

Similar Products Used:

Thiel 2.3, Revel Studio

I've been in the market for speakers for about 4 Mos. now, auditioning quite a few. Not being a true Audiophile, I've been asking alot of questions trying to find the right speaker for my system, which is a Classe CA-200 into a Wadia 850 CD. After looking at the design and hearing the N 802's I fell in love. But alot of people that I spoke with told me that the CA-200 wouldn't push the 802's. So I auditioned the Speakers with my system for about 2 hours in the store. For the Wattage and design the CA-200 did a great job (not saying that there isn't room for Future improvement). First I started with Dire Strait's "Sultan's of Swing" Knopfler's guitar jumped right out as it was in the room, next skipping to "Money for Nothing" , and cranking the Volume on the Wadia, simply speechless. Next I put in Meshell Ndegeocello, I've read a couple of reviews about lack of Bass response, the 802's hit me right in the Chest. The Nautilus 802's definately have Plenty of Bass response. To show you that all music sounds well with the 802's I put in some Jazz, and some Classical, everything had great Dynamics and Voicing. The 802's had a great soundstage. And I love the Cosmetics of the Nautilus line. Mine are on the Truck as we speak to my House. I rely alot on this sight for information on audio gear, and speaking for myself. I can't see how alot of people can give a review of a product with a short demo in a store without owning, or taking the product home for Break-in. I give 5 Stars for the B&w Nautilus 802's Both Sonically, and for Cosmetics.

I had the B&W Matrix 802's series III for only about one year.Then I heard the Nautilus. I like the B&W's sound, but it is certainly not
as propulsive as in other B&W speakers.
This speaker is magic.
The only problem is that it reveals EVERY clipse of error in source equipment. So just get the right material to drive it! (remark that all the reviews that say it's a bad speaker, do not mention what kind of amp or cd-player they use).
The speakers are not cheap. They are affordable. The problem is... it doesn't stop here: you have to get (in the end) the appropriate products that go with it (like Classe Omega).

Qa'pla. Nestre ir el' forte es grande cinemo.Porta es no boombido ir las harnesse.
Forte fortun el vacacionesse ir las formadble.
iey misse da bus , yo misse da bus, thday misse da bus.
forma ir la woofer es slamindino las via vifimino essentionte.
Por na Por na !!!!!
Formete es las vista rippa con solo.
'for'te no'te las via fortne prier con Klipsh y NHT y Martin Logan !!!!!
pria no ir le tele con Dynaudio :(

All I have got to say about the N802's is that they are a tremendous dissapointment.Everytime that I hear a pair I leave with an ear bleed!They are bright,thin,fatiguing,are way too open in the midrange,and lack bass punch.
Sure they are a hi-fi spectacular that are good for about 10"referance recordings".Most recordings however,sound awful through them.This could be due to the fact that most recordings are less than perfect.I am not sure though.I think that buying a hi-fi system should be to enjoy music.Not to be in pain as the N802's present it!The N802's are really pretty to look at but aren't very
appropriate for a domestic setting.For a recording studio maybe.Technically the N802's are a far more superior speaker than the old Matrix series and are more seamless from top to bottom.I just think that they aren't as appropriate for home use as the Matrix series was.The more laid-back,warmer and fuller sound presentation was more forgiving on all sorts of recordings with the Matrix series.The N802's might be"Too Perfect"for practical use.

Went to a local B&W distributor the other day checking out spekers in my area (among other resellers). I'm looking for a great all-around speaker that will provide music and movies.
The sales guy was a total snob, but I didn't let that affect my review. He had a whole room with a couch dedicated to these speakers. There was special directional speaker cabling run to each of the speakers and (I don't remember which one), but a very high-quality amp and processor.

I first listened to the CD's that were in the cd player. It was some Jazz dic with a very good horn player. Sounded great, but I noticed that if I wandered 1' above or below the listening position, or more than about 2' to either side the soundstage disappeared. When sitting in the ideal listening position, the highs and mids were phenomenal. Very good postioning of instruments and vocals. I felt the bass was a little shy.

I next popped in some of my CD's and started to focus on the soundstage and bass problems I heard in the Jazz cd. On my Gary Numan Exile CD, the speakers just fell apart. They were stressed even at low volumes trying to reprodcue the bass. They bass was very flat and didn't sound good at all. These speakers simply NEED a good subwoofer to reproduce the lows. I confirmed this by putting in Sarah Brightmans' Fly album and playing track 3 "Why". It has a very low heartbeat effect at the beginning. No way these speakers could handle it. Very flat and unfulfilling sound. Once "Why" kicked in and all the instruments started the speakers were again, very good at reproducing the highs and vocals, although they seemed a little hard-pressed to give any "umph" to the fast paced music. When stressed at high volumes the speakers tended to get shrilly. The lack of bass was a serious flaw IMHO.

My conclusions were that for Jazz / Classical / Opera / Jewel / Etc. these speakers will perform beautifully. The highs and mids are definately some of the most accurate and positioned I have ever heard. Horns sound EXACTLY like horns.

For Dance / Rock / Movies however (anything with punch), these speakers fall apart and do not even come close to providing good enough bass response. I'm sure if you pair these speakers up with a good subwooofer that problem will go away, but why have such a major flaw in a speaker? Music with deep bass simply doesn't sound accurate and these speakers are designed for accurate music reproduction.

My biggest problem, however, is the lack of a soundstage. unless you sit and watch movies or listen to music by yourself, I don't feel this is a good solution. There is a narrow 4' x 1' area that you will HAVE to sit in to get the best sound. Outside that area the speakers don't sound very good.

As far as my decision goes, I believe I will eventually purchase the Definitive Technology 3000TL's. While they do not reproduce the highs as well as these do (they are bipolar speakers), they do an excellent job on the mids. The 2 18" woofers handled everything I threw at them even at incredibly high volumes (They were so good that even though we had CD's literally shaking off of the table because of the bass, the speakers were not stressed). I am very satisfied with the music reproduction. The best thing to me is that they have a huge soundstage and the WHOLE family can enjoy the movie.

Pair the B&W's up with a good subwoofer and I'd give them at least 4 stars. Without a subwoofer, I can only honestly give them a 3.

Best,
- Andy...