So how do I find them, well amazing really. They do expose poor recordings, my partner has given up trying to listen to many of her recent top ten CD purchases as the poor recording qualities and ‘mix for radio’ sound drives us both crazy. Other CD’s (such as Craig David’s Born To Do It) sound great. They are a very dynamic revealing speaker which can really create the physical presence of an instrument, all the sonic clues that create the illusion of the instrument are there, the sound of the string being plucked, the initial attack of the note and then the decay as it fades away, these things all help to create the experience of the music being in the room. Detail isn’t everything though and having lived with the Naim system which is famous for is ‘pace and rhythm’ more than detail and accuracy I was expecting to perhaps miss this, quite the contrary though as I find my feet tapping just as much and in many respects understand more of what the artist was intending. It’s amazing how much detail and delicacy are contained on CD’s that you never realised were there and how much emotion is in the finer detail of the reed in a saxophone for example.

The downside? Well nothing’s perfect, half my CD’s I really don’t enjoy because the poor recording quality is painfully obvious, the system can be a bit overpowering at times (but not due to brightness at all) just because there is so much going on and it can be so dynamic – imagine living with a symphony orchestra in your living room! Also, because they are so revealing I’m thinking, what if I add the power supply to the CD player, new speaker cables – they must make a difference, stands, surely they’d be better than the castors? When does it ever stop? And the looks, well when my partner first saw them in the shop she said ‘look, karaoke speakers’ and tried to pick up the ‘microphone’ conveniently placed on top of the speakers, my sister jumped back out of the room when she saw them – ‘aghh … the Daleks are attacking’. Me – I love ‘em!

I recently decided to 'put together' a second system and wanted something different from my existing Naim/Epos system. Whilst listening to a few different speakers one pair stood head and shoulders above anything else I listen to. It's one of those experiences where you walk into a shop and ask what they recommend (and I remember saying you really can't expect a 'live sound' from any system) and then they played a drum demo disk on the 802s which stopped me in my tracks! The drum sound was so real, you could hear the sound of the drum skins being hit not just the drum beat itself; each drum had a real presence in space. Whilst my ‘reference’ CD’s I took didn’t sound quite as good, the 802’s stood head an shoulders above anything else I listened to. So to cut a long story short I managed to find a second hand pair in New Zealand (the owner is upgrading to a pair of Signatures and apologies to the dealer – I genuinely couldn’t afford the $19,000 they sell for here) and imported them into Australia. I use a Plinius M16 pre amp, Plinius SA250 power amp and surprisingly perhaps my Naim CDX (which was a big step up from the second hand CAL transport and Adcom DAC I bought for the system). I’m currently using Chord Co. CD to pre, Tara Labs balance pre to power and QED Silver Anniversary bi wire speaker cables (cheap but very good value). As they were a year old when I bought them they are well broken in, I don’t think I have found the best position for them in the room yet, the bass is a little less detailed than the reviews suggest they should be but they do need to be 12 feet or more apart. They need a largish room and plenty of power, often I can feel the bass in my chest and that takes a few watts!

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None

Soundstage, Construction(High end furniture)

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If you are looking for a speaker that reproduces exactly what source material you give it and enjoy modern stylish good looks the 802’s are for you. I have been a B&W aficionado for 5 years and I find the 802’s to be an unbelievable speaker. Let’s start with an accurate midrange that reproduces voices that will bring to life nuances in recordings that before were muddled. The tweeter produces lovely highs that are defined and yet not harsh. The bass is very fast and tight but will not satisfy the disco lovers thumping hungry. I find the speakers to be very well balanced and produce beautiful sounds throughout the sound spectrum. The most unbelievable characteristic of the 802’s is the incredible wide soundstage. Closing your eyes during your recordings, you can picture where all the instruments are across the stage and the depth is phenomenal. I have read that you need proper electronics to drive these speakers, in this range matching good electronics with speakers is just plain common sense. I have the 802’s about 11ft apart and 3 feet from back wall and this has produced the best sound in my room (20 x 15). Best speaker I have heard in this price range System: B&W 802N Front B&W 805N Rear B&W HTM-1 Center B&W AS2000 Sub B&K Ref 30 Pre B&K 7270 amp Monster 1.4 BiWire Sony SCD-C555ES SACD Denon 2500 DVD

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Martin Logan, Thiel,B&W 803

Everything -- musicality, detail, soundstage, warmth, vocals are unbelievable, finish (red cherry is stunning)

Heavy to move around, cost is high, but worth every single penny! Have to be 5 stars!!! (Some may find black bowling ball top to look offensive, I don''t)

Unbelievably great speaker -- far better than you can imagine. Superb imaging, tremendously large soundstage, crisp vocals -- the best I have ever heard !! Light years better than the Nautilus 803''s (I have a pair) -- they are worth every penny. Very heavy, well built, gorgeous speakers. Went to listen to Aerial Acoustics 10T -- after reading the rave reviews -- well, the B&W Nautilus 802''s blow away the 10T''s. No comparison. Price is no bargain, but they are worth every penny. Easier to break in than Nautilus 803''s (curiously enough). Buy these, you will not be sorry! Demo''d at one store with a Rotel amp -- even the Rotel sounded good with these terrific speakers!

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Kef, Infinity, Mirage, demo''d Aerial Acoustics 10T, Mcintosh, Threshold, Krell, Martin Logan, Conrad Johnson

You-are-there sound. B&W knows something that others don''t.

Hard to drive. Must be careful with electronic matching.

For those who are looking for Power Amp to match these speakers. Please make sure you have a chance to hear what kind of sound that these speakers can make pairing with a good high power amp. (250wpc minimum). I used a pair of BAT VK-60 bridged to 120wpc monoblock driving my old pair of Matrix801s3. Thes power amp has no problem driving them. After I have changed to 802N. I have found that the deep bass is missing. I tried to change a few other things in my system. eg,cables, CD player, etc. It has not improved. Until I recently trade up my tube gears to solid state from the same company. I am using BAT''s VK-500 to drive a pair of 802N. I have found that although I missed the silky smooth sound of tube, but I have a more balanced sound and the 802N now becomes a truly full range speakers. My new power amp is said to take at least 200 hours to break in. I shall report the outcome after that period.

none

Muddy bass, tizzy highs, sucked out midrange, and too analytical

These speakers are a big, BIG disappointment. At $8,000, come on! $8,000 is still $8,000 and these speakers don't deliver. The problems in earlier models have been smoothed
out a little bit(see above), but they are still there. What is most annoying is the obvious hole in the midrange and the gooey-gluey kevlar drive unit. I, like the legendary J. Gordon Holt cannot stand a sucked-out midrange! Also, more (more?) annoying is that they are too analytical yet at the same time to bloated and warm-sounding in ther bass. I dunno, the Celestion A3, which at full retail is not even half the price of these, blows them away (even though the treble is a little bright). The same would go for the Dunlavys, VMPS, and Novas. I recommend to any stereo fiend that if you like British speakers, look for the Celestion A-3's used (you can probably get them for what? $2,000) If region is not important in speaker design, then go for the Dunlavy SC-IV, or the VMPS Super Tower III, FF-3, and FF-1.
Your ears will thank you (so will your wallet!)

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Celestion A3, VMPS FF-3

Detailed, clear, spacious, neutral, forward

none (cost)

These are the best speakers I have ever heard! Better, clearer, and more spacious than Wilson Watt-Puppies. Different, but to my ear better sounding than Revel Ultima. Definitely tighter and more pleasant than the 801s. They perform fabulously on any music I throw at them. They make the music sound "real", like sitting at a live concert, or in the studio with the musicians.

I'm using them as well as the front main speakers in my home theater. Combined with the HTM1, ASW2000, and 602s(rear), the system sounds better than most theaters. Soundtracks jump out at me, bringing me into the movie experience.

Truth of what is being sent to it. Incredible mid-range, high's and tight bass. Doesn't add what is not there.

Truth of what is being sent to it.

I've be sitting on the sidelines reading these reviews for over the last several months. I decided about nine months ago to upgrade my system to a class act. I was so confused as to why there was such a love or hate opinion about the N802's. I got my answer when I heard them with Mark Levinson's, Bryston, Krell, Proceed, and Plinius. I must say, each time I heard a different speaker. My conclusion, is that the N802's strength/weakness is that it does what a speaker should do. It produces the sounds that are sent to it with little input from the circuitry. I don't claim to an audiophile like most of you. I'm an engineer that adores great music. Bottomline, it comes down to personal choice of sound. If you don't like the way the N802's sound with your other components, don't blame the speakers. People hate to blame there high priced components. This has nothing to do with cost of components, it is purely about do you like the sound of your components without additional influence.

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Dynaudio 3.3

Imagine, large soundstaging

Extreme bass extension slightly lacking

Fine treble and midrange, smooth, easy sound with fairly good (but not the best) 3 dimensional imagining. Better than Ruark Excalibur, but not quite the best in class.
I heard them running at a hi-fi show and a few other places, (dealers etc) and they at least made me sit down and listen when I heard them. Capable of filling a huge room with sound and obviously can drive hard from my experience, but the lack of ultimate extension (30hz and below,) is a bit dissapointing at this price point. Beutifully put together though.

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JA Campion

the speakers are incredibly detailed and accurate.vocal reproduction is uncanny.the speakers are elegant and to my eyes very attractive.

so far none stand out

i owned the large and rather ugly B&W 800 matrix and traded then in for the 802s due to size and cosmetic restrictions even though i loved the way they sounded.i was shocked at how much better these 802s actually sound.the clarity is astounding and i find myself hearing things i never knew existed in some of my favorite recordings .i am using the 802s with a mark levenson amp and the levinson #39 cd player and i couldnt be happier.to me there isnt a better speaker available for the price .

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b&w matrix 800

My wife and i love the looks and the sound of these awesome speakers.

NONE.But like poker you play you pay $$$$.

The Nautilus 802 perfectly matches our home theater room. As a matter of fact, it should feel right at home.The other siblings are: a B&W HTM1, a B&W asw 4000, and four ROCK SOLIDs .The amps are: a KRELL 250 and a B&K 7250. Since we have used our dvd player, we have become very spoiled. Not only do we get terric sight, but we also get outstanding percussion thanks to our fabulous, intergrated system. The rest of our modest setup consists of: a PIONEER PRO 710hd,a PIONEER DV 38A, and a B&K REF 30,JVC S9800 and connect to the stars via THE DISHNETWORK....Thank you.

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a/d/s L1590