I can't say enough good things about these speakers. Their clarity and overall tonal balance are astounding. They are incredibly revealing, yet never clinical. They just get the music absolutely right. They are very lush and rich sounding and absolutely fill the room with music without ever sounding strained. Their imaging is amazing and they have the uncanny ability to completely disappear.

I really can't think of anything negative to say about them (granted, they're expensive). They have brilliant crystal clear highs, rich smooth midrange, and deep, powerful and well articulated bass. Overall, the best speaker I've ever heard. In my opinion, even slightly better than the N801, whose bass can be a little overpowering in a moderate sized room.

Inredible sound, among the best I've ever heard.

Slightly forward, a little too bright, and a little lacking in the deepest bass... understand these are very slight complaints.

I've been shopping for speakers for the last year and a half or so, and I've listened to tons of different speakers in that time. I've heard many speakers in the $8k and up price range, and I can't understand why anyone would ever give any of them less than 4 stars overall. Even the Martin Logan Prodigy, which just doesn't do it for me at all, I couldn't honestly give less than 4 stars to. Anyways, back to the review. I'm finally at the point of making my decision, so I went and listened to the final 2 contenders for my purchase today, the 802 and the Revel Studio. I listened to the 802 first, and I was very impressed. I hadn't heard them in a while, I guess I'd forgotten what they could do. After the 802s, I listened to the Studios. I can't honestly say the Revels were any more than slightly better, but they were definitely different, and I did prefer them. The 802 is a great speaker, among the gest at its price point, but tomorrow morning I'm bringing home the Studios. The 802s were a little brighter, a little forward, and didn't quite have the bass of the Revels, which would be very easy to ignore, but to me, the Studios were just more involving, and that was the big decision maker.

Similar Products Used:

Revel, Dynaudio, Magnepan, Martin Logan, Infinity Preludes, and many more.

Unrestrained dynamic capability; superb high freq. extension

None

Compared these with AP Libras, Revel Studios and Merlin VSM SEs. Although not perfect, they represent a compromise of all three of the above speakers. Excellent imaging, beautiful high freq. extension, smooth but articulate midrange, tight deep bass. The Studios came the closest to beating these, but since I did not fiddle with the Studio's tweeter level I found them to be a little more "polite" in the high frequencies than the 802s, which does not suit my taste. The Revels may have the best midrange of the group however, if that is what you value above all else. They are all excellent speakers. What can I say, I am a little biased since I just bought these puppies, but I did listen to most of the state-of the-art in speakers in the same price range before I ended up buying them, so that has to be worth something.

Similar Products Used:

Matrix 804s

tight powerful base, takes you into the studio with musicians, incredibly accurrate soundstage, sound just as good on low volume as on high (of course high is a lot more fun), Long break in period.

Still paying them off after more than a year
Are a little lucious (but very little, enough to notice though)

I guess this is mostly to people who have recently bought these speakers and may be thinking, "what the !$@$".
I thought that when I first got mine, they sounded incredible in the store but strait out of the box left much to be desired. These have an incredibly long break in period. I say that is a strength because even after a year of much use I can still hear them sounding better. The base will take a long time to come but it will come, trust me. The base may be one of the strongest points in these speakers. Do you know that feeling you get when you hear and feel tight accurate base just snap at you? We'll you will just give it time, a lot of time. Like I said, mine are still improving beyond what I previously thought was a "couldn't get any better" sound. You also may think someone else is in the room with you when you hear the vocals, they can be that realistic with a good recording. And wow! The sense of "air" and sounding almost exactly like the studio is in your room, once again with good recordings. I should also tell you to pick you cd player with the most care. If you buy one of these real lucious sounding, "digital" sounding cd players you are going to get that same sound out of your speakers. Since these speakers are a little on the lucious side and may (minutely mind you) exacerbate the digital/lucious sounding cd sound, I went with the CAL cl-15, this is a great cd player which can be "stolen" for around $1500. I also went with the CJ MF2500 Amplifier. This amp is very musical sounding and the cd player sounds somewhat analog to a lot of peoples ears. This combination is perfect for these speakers imho. Cables are mit shotguns (which also take a lot of breaking in). Some prefer not to choose MIT's, but I have been more than happy with them, they cost about the same as the cd player if I rememebr right, the amp is around $3500. You really don't need to spend more than this for your equipment but if you can afford to all by all means go for it because these speakers spit out exactly what you feed them. You can also turn these speakers up as loud as you want and the sound will not hurt your ears. This is because the speakers themselves have such low destortion, etc. The soundstage may take some time to open as well but when it does , wow. I actually found that these speakers are the best on earth for listening to electronic music like The Chemical Brothers, Orbital, etc. You just have to hear it to believe it. I love listening to classic rock on them as well, things like Bob Dylan (ever wanted to go to a Dylan concert when he could still sing coherently (well kind of coherent) lol.

This is the kicker

If you put in a cd that is not a good recording (even if you thought it was before) and it is not your speakers will tell you so. You will get exactly what you put in, out. If you are going to test these speakers I suggest you get "The Counting Crows" cd that mobile fedility has out (gold disc), and also for fun listen to some new recording of electronic music, it will really blow you away. A lot of older recording sound a lot better than you might of thought they would too. Of course try all other genre as well, classical, jazz ,etc. These sepakers do, do better with simpler music (but this is also true with all speakers) but they do lack somewhat with more complicated arrangements, this is nothing to be concerned about but if I had to find a weakness this would be one of them. It is not that serious though because now we are starting to compare these speakers to ones costing much much more and for the price I believe these are the only choise because nothing else touched them overall. I also find that every single time I sit down to listen to a couple of songs it always becomes a couple more and then I will find soemthing else to listen to, etc. It is hard to walk away from them once you start listening. You also defiently has to be sitting down when you listen to them (DUH), but I believe with the 802's that this is a little more exagerated than with other speakers. It also took me a long time to get them positioned perfectly. Once you do though you honestly forget they are there and simply listen to music, and that's what it is all about. After a while you stop nitpicking too because all of those little things (like base) end up sounding better than you ever drempt they would before. You are really getting a speaker that will end up being far beyond your wildest expectations. Mine are still getting better. Also realize that all my equipment was new, amp, cd, cables, so that had to break in as well. I have the cd player plugged directly into the amp by the way. If you can afford them I would recommend them but if you can't I would defiently reccommed getting the 805's with a very very good subwoofer that integrates perfectly, will be well worth the time to make sure you have a perfect match. All of that should run you about half of these speakers and some would say will sound better. I obviously think not because I bought these but you get my point. Happy listening all audiophiles out there and non for that matter.

ps - please excuse any spelling mistakes because I can't spell to save my life.

Thanks!

Superb soundstaging, and liquid smooth highs

At present the bass is a bit on the shy side, but i presume that since these are still new would require at least a few more months running in period. I have heard well run versions with bass more fuller and rounder

The standout features are its soundstaging and clarity of the midrange and highs. The bass is at present a bit laid back but I have heard them sound more forceful. So it needs a good running in period.

Comparisons with Wilsons is interesting. To my ears the 802 simply sound better and of course cheaper to boot.

It terms of finish, the 802's are exempelary. The wilsons just look industrial.

But it is clear that you do need high power quality amps. I am using Chord Electronics which seems to have synergy with the speakers.

Similar Products Used:

have tested Nautilus 801, Tannoy Definition D700 ( previous speakers) Wilson System 5 and Proac

When I heard a pair of N802’s for the first time, I couldn’t understand what the fuss was all about.
At a later stage however I visited a demo that sounded so great that I could hardly believe it was the same speaker.
Over a period of time I heard several pairs of N802’s playing in different circumstances and the sound quality varied from average to top. I can honestly say that apart from the ‘earbleed’ I experienced all the pro’s and con’s of these speakers that are written in these reviews.
My dealer granted me two weeks of testing at home with the N802’s. Well that did the job. After two weeks I bought them and didn’t regret it for one moment.
To get a optimum result you will need to experiment with the placement of the speakers, it really makes a huge difference where you put them.
Based on my own experience, it makes perfect sense to me that in all the reviews here, all the owners (but one) tend to rate their N802’s with 5*.
All criticism comes from NON-owners and I can understand them too.
If you can arrange it, get a demo pair in your own living room and I bet that most of the critical reviews will need rewriting.

clarity,overall sound, build quality

bass not as strong as 801

I had to respond to the 1 star posts and quoting of Sensible Sound reviews. No way this is a 1 star speaker.
Sensible Sound gave its highest ratings to the Legacy Focus and Classics. I have owned the Legacy and 802's and there is no comparison in the sound. While I loved my Classics, after getting the 802's, I realized how raw and boomy the Classics could be. All speakers need the right set up and right room and my comparison is based on the same room and same ancillary equipment. The 802's are the smoothest, most open speakers I have ever heard from top to bottom. Yet, the very first time I heard them I was not impressed. I went back again and decided to purchase after a 2nd listening.

Rather than basing a choice on the review by a very, very small publication who ALWAYS gives rave reviews to their largest advertisers, you may want to base it own other sources that are large, who do give bad reviews to their advertisers products if warranted because they can afford to, or sources who don't have B&W as an advertiser. Some of these are Stereophile, AV Interiors, or,online, E-town.com.
The reviews from these sources call the 802's (or 801's)
one of the best speakers ever made, maybe the last speaker
you'll ever need to own, or just give it a 98 rating overall.

Your ears may not rate it that high, but not a 1 star speaker either. The e-town review is particularly good but is hard to find. You must get the product description then go to the right hand side of the page to click on "product review".

Probably the last speaker I'll ever own.....Nah, but it will be a long time till I buy again.

It's hard to believe that an $8,000 pair of speakers can get a 5 star value rating, but these do because of the sound, looks, and quality of construction. These things are works of art.



to get where you want to go

Similar Products Used:

Legacy, other B&W, Celestion

Clarity, detail

Clarity, detail

I have to put in my 2 cents. I do not own these speakers, but I have listened to them extensivly with a lot of different equipment. I have never found them to be compelling in any way. The are Detailed. The have decent base. They look cool. The image pretty well. But they did nothing for me...nor the music, for that matter. Then when I read the review (as noted below) in the Sensible Sound, they concluded, amung other things, that the speaker was "shouty". BINGO! I could not have thought of a better word.

Without a doubt the N802 is the weekest link in the new line. All sizzle and no steak. I have never been able to sit with the speaker for very long, I feel that my ears will begin to bleed. But of course, decide for yourself. I was once a big B&W fan, but I over came that and have had the opportunity to listen to an own some great speakers. To this date the onlt B&W that sticks in my mind (and heart) are the DM3000's. Remember those?

As plug: ProAc 3.8's Kick the N802's out of the room and my 2.5's are more of a "speaker' then the N802's could hope to be.

Similar Products Used:

ProAc 2.5, 3.8. SF Gunari Homage

These are the best sounding speakers I've ever heard. They really do not have any weaknesses. Their clarity and detail is phenomenal, and yet they have a very warm, rich sound. The overall tonal balance is superb, from the crystal clear highs to the deep, rich, and well articulated lows. They image beautifully, and they have a very deep soundstage. I really couldn't find another speaker to compare to them at the price, and I listened to a lot (Aerial, JMLab, Sonus Faber, Proac, Revel, Wilson). I also think they're stunning in appearance.

Everything

Non that I've noticed. I even like the way they look.

I recently upgaded from the Nautilus 804's to the 802's and moved the 804's to my bedroom system. I also own a pair of CDM7NT's. I upgraded not because I was dissatisfied with the 804's. In fact I love the 804's. I just fell more in love with the 802's. They have a significantly fuller, richer sound and a much deeper, more powerful bass. They really effortlessly fill a room with music.

I really can't find any weaknesses in these speakers. The treble is crystal clear, yet very sweet and musical. The detail is incredible. The midrange is very clear and stunningly smoothe. The bass is well articulated, deep and powerful. I'm not into home theater, so I don't measure a speaker's bass response in terms of accuracy of explosions and car crashes. For a wide range of musical listening, I've found the bass to be very, detailed, musical, and powerful. The bass really clearly delineates each and every note. It's never boomy or mushy. I can't imagine finding these speakers to be bass shy--quite the opposite.

I guess the main thing about the 802's is that they are so effortlessly musical. They image like mad, better than any speaker I've ever heard. As everyone else has pointed out, because they're so revealing they need really good electronics, wires, and source recordings to really shine. Isn't that what you want though? These speakers are the pinnacle in accuracy and musicality. If you're willing to shell out $7-8k for speakers (admittedly it's more than a little nuts), you should definitely give these a serious listen.

The rest of my system:

Linn Sondek LP12 turntable
EAD T-1000 CD transport
EAD DSP-7000 Series III D/A converter
McIntosh C15 Preamp
McIntosh MC202 Amplifier
Nakamichi CR7A and CR5A tape decks (rarely used anymore)
Straightwire speaker wire and interconnects

Similar Products Used:

Also own Nautilus 804's and CDM7NT's (in different systems). Auditioned Proac, Revel, Aerial, Dynaudio, and JMlab