neutral,clean and clear,articulate and precise,smooth and refined,very often spectacular,open ,very detailed but not bright or too analitical.great focus of the instruments and singers positions in the space(in my room with the speakers in the midle of the room I can "see" the singers 3 meters behind the speakers as they moove on the stage on some classical recordings,thy are clearly distinct and ariculate with the focus but not only on the high frequencies.the highs are clear and non fatique,well extended wit a lot of air,they act like a supertweeters with good cables and equpement.if everithing is ok, the bass is deep ,tight and controled,many times it will surprice you concidering the size of the drivers and cabinet.In short this is a great speaker if you have the money to buy them and feed them well.

not very stable couse they are tall and slim(I use them without spikes),the bass is not fullrange(there is some litle energy in 20hz region but not enough)burn-in is very very long,i would say one year,burn -in cds will help you to burn-in the hole spectrum,radio all the time doesn't help very much,so if you count the ours of plaing than count the time of plaing with quality cds and equpement wit wide dinamic range,because if the speaker doesent recive some frequencies for a longer quantity of time,it cant be fully broken in.after seven mounths of normal listening I tried some experiment with this test cd's and plaing them on repeat starting from 20 and 25 hz to the top every time when I was out of the room,and that was the moment when the things dramaticly improved

I must tell you that I was so sceptical about about the burn-in period,even if I knew that every audio product needs at least one mounth.I expected that the Nautilus speakers will need at least 6 mounths.But even after 6 mounths the thinks were similar,the bass very shy,the mids clean and pure but still screemy on many recordings,some kind of harshness,and too dominating in the sound picture.These frustrations made me very depressed,but after andless experiments with possitioning,cables,and other tveakings when I was just prepearing my self that is time to give up and sell them or trade in with some other brand,thing begun to change dramaticly.They opened up,they become even more invisiable,more detailed,and the bass went deeper,and somehow more in balance with the mids.the bass gave influance to the mids and highs(as it should)and the picture become more balanced and warm,the stage even deeper.I must tell you that this changes become appearant in this period of experimenting wit all possible positions in the room.it turned out that the positions with the wall behind them were the most thin in the bass region,and normaly the soundstage was not very deep.I expected the deeper stage with no walls around,and the freedom of the speakers to breethe,but I didn't expected a deeper and more presence in the bass.possibly it's my room which is very inregular.another very significant point:try to unscrul the scruuls(sorry for my engish)on the back of the FST,and you'll be amazed of the transformation of the sound.everithing has changed-the bass ,the mids and the highs.The sound become more detailed both the mids and highs,softer,and some how I finally noticed very clearly that many of the records have the echo,specially on the classical vocals recorded in chirch ambient,you'll be supriced.but be carefull not to unscrew them completly,I can be shoure that two and half turns are just enough.for the other factors on the soun you allready know,they will play the way you feed them,I have the filling that I'm far from theyr limit,you just know that after long experiments,they deserve the best.For example ,the bass was two times deeper and stronger when I tried MIT-mh 750 instead my vdh-revelation,but the mids were colored in the MIT way.you 'll hear every single change with wires, tubes,cd's or amps.The better the electronics,the better they will sing.Amplification factor is maybe most important,they react dramaticly when conected with powerful clean amp,but again everithing must be perfect.Now with their bass and pressence limitations in my room i'm thinking very seriosly to change them but not with other brand,i'm thinking of 803 my friends.I was thinking of 803 even before I bot the 804,but the price was high,and after I sow how the 804 sing,now I can think of 803 or the asw -800,now that's a big dilema.maybe the 803 AND the nautilus sub will be the perfect full-range speaker sistem for me BUT, ah the price.After my experiance with 804,I thing that the 803 will be allmost fullrange in my room,and everithing will be better,specially because their ability to show the upgrades around them, and you can make serios sistem around them before you notice their limits,but I know my self,even when I will be able to give them what they deserve,i will need the sub informations which make that much contribution on the sound picture.no mater how good a sistem is,no mater how much it costs,only a trully full-range sistem can make you happy.the people who have used a good subwoofer knows what i mean.So in short the n-804 are superb loudspeakers,but like most speakers they are not full-range which means that youl not hear or fill all that sub informations in the bass region,and you have to be very carefull when you choose the subwoofer,if i buy it it would be the same Nautilus series,to keep the same caracter with the bass and mid-bass of the speakers.as I sow how deep they can play in my room(in some nonsence places)probably some of you wouldn't need a sub or at least not from the start,but after some time,you know when I am in some spetial mood sometimes I want to make litle party with my sistem(even alone)and when I do so I really miss my asw-1000(which is a bit boomy)or perhaps some more sofisticated model(asw-800)and for the late knight listening the combination of good speakers and very good sub is real heaven,so you can level the sub-energy you wish for,and enjoy the sound of your speakers.as you know like most of the speakers the n-804 likes litle bit louder plaing to show the best,they still play wonderfull on late-knight levels,but litle more bass energy woul'd be nice.So while I'm having my big dilema with mounts wether to upgrade to 803 or buy the asw-800,or both of them in perspective(which I think i'll do)I warmly recomend you the n-804 or better 803(if you have the room and cash)but i must tell you that if you decide to buy this calliber of speakers,you must be prepeared that you must have very good sistem to drive them.

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many kinds

mids and highs and low-end punch that is not muddy at high volume levels. Great looks and cabinetry detail.

$3600 price tag...wives don't understand.

I started my search for main speakers for my 2-channel and HT system at a local hi-fi retailer. I first listened to the reference series Klipsch line, followed by Dynaudio Audience, and then on to the B&W 800 series. The Klipsch speakers (model#?) w/ 10" woofer sounded very good to me, but lacked the warmth at lower volume levels in the mids and highs.....they had plenty of bass for rock-n-rollers and hip-hop enthusiasts, but I am not a fan of that type of music. The Dynaudio Audience 72 speakers were my next listen...I was blown away by these speakers in every way except low-end punch. Dynaudio's are not the most efficient speakers and need a lot of power. They sound amazing and the high's are very ear pleasing and not piercing after an hour of listening to them at high volume levels. I was set to buy these, but was worried that the low-end wasn't enough for me and I'm not a bass enthusiast. The dealer did not have the 82's in stock and was hesitant to order them for me to listen before a purchase, so I left to listen to the B&W's at another local dealer. The B&W CDM7's I first listened to was matched with a Rotel 1095 Amp and 1066 Processor. I put in a cd by 4-Play (between the sheats) and began my listening experience. The mids and highs were good, but didn't have the type punch I was looking for, but matched with the Rotel amp, I think any speaker will sound much, much, much better. I then moved to the Nautilus 804's on the same setup....Wow! These complemented with the Rotels was fantastic. They had the warmth, detail, and punch I was looking for. I was able to save some money by buying the floor models, so I purchased a set of CDM 1NT's for the rear. I can't wait until I'm able to afford the Rotel setup and move the Sony ES setup to another room.

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klipsch and Dynaudio

Creamy sound too smonth so that not expressive

the " super "tweeter can not be compared to the inverted dome tweeter of JMLab . Please check the JMlab when you intend to buy a BW

I not own this product , I listened the BW dm 604s3, N805 and 804 when drived by Yamaha Z2 and MIT cables I found the sound is so smonth, creamy but " boxy" and vocal is not emphersised and not expressive. I think in music production the bw sound like It scream into your face . BW is now only a name !

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KEF

Superb balance, sound great with almost any music style, midrange and treble are very very good, bass is tight and powerfull.

It's difficult to stop listening to them!

When I heard this speaker for the first time I was just amazed! This speaker sounded better then almost anything else I've heard. Vocals sound superb, treble very sweet and never..ever harsh. The bass may not huge but it's very tight and controlled. The sound is very well balanced even driven by my Technics SU-A900mkII intergrated amp. There's plenty of power and control. Bi-wiring is a must> the low-end improved a lot and the mid and treble got even cleaner then before.

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B&W nautilus 805 signature(the best midrange and treble i've ever heard!), Visonik Evolution 702 MKII(musical surprise), Mission 782(very nice sound), Dynaudio audience 122(not my taste> they just scr

Liquid midrange Images well Solid build and finish Unobtrusive

Sub required in a large space

I originally intended to purchase the Nautilus 803s, but came across a demo model of the 804s in the finish I wanted at a reasonable price, so I decided to try them. I had read all the reviews on this site regarding the merits and faults of both products--particularly the need to allow for an appropriate break-in period--so I felt I was making a fairly informed decision. More on this later. To counter the criticism of weak bass, I also purchased the REL Storm III as well, based on recommendations on this site. My reasons for choosing the Nautilus included, above all else, sound quality, but I was also drawn to the quality of fit and finish, as well as overall aesthetics. I had recently moved into an open loft space and was not interested in hiding the speakers in any way. They had to become part of the overall design, and these worked perfectly in that regard. My inital sonic impression was good, not great, however. The speakers sounded bright, clear, and accurate, but having to fill a volume with 14 to 20 foot ceiling heights, lacked depth. I began to think I made a mistake. My previous speakers, which I loved for years, were Ohms. The Ohms, though long in tooth, seemed a bit more effortless, and blended well with the Accuphase electronics that sit at the core of my system. Recalling the need to allow the speakers time, I decided to be patient. In short, I'm very glad I did. I must admit that I was a little skeptical of the "break-in process" concept initially, and one of the reasons I went with demo pair was to minimize the break-in time. Mistake. I'll tell you that six months later I'm thoroughly thrilled by these speakers. Part of me thinks that maybe I've just gotten used to the sound, but enough people who have visited and casually listened over this period of time have commented and asked whether I changed systems, that I must concede there maybe something to this. The only way I can describe the change is there is now a presence and fluidity to the music that wasn't there before. When the system is warmed up and playing well, I oftentimes catch myself smiling for no apparent reason. In short, it just sounds right. I'm sure there's room for improvement--playing with cables, tweaking the sub, etc.--but I'm sure I made the right choice. These are keepers.

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Ohm KEF NHT AR Stax

Worth the price; that simple.

None at 'tal.

I was hesitant to buy these speakers given the bashing they seemed to take from many reviewers. I've read nearly all the reviews for the Nautilus line and even though I couldn't come close to affording anything below the 804-803 models it helped to hear what others were saying about B&W speakers. After eight months of enjoyable use I cannot understand the varying references to B&W speakers as "trapping the sound", exhibiting "annoying brightness" or being without much punch in the bass range. For what I paid for the 804's I don't feel cheated at all. The soundstange for these speakers is superb and the bass is only lacking at the lowest range. That I solved by purchasing the new B&W ASW CDM sub. These speakers will give lots of pleasure and no remorse for your investment. For certain the 801-02 is a better speaker but not for an extra five to eight grand. Maybe if I had gone low to the 803 I could have saved on the new sub expenditure but I managed that for $1,200 to complement a fine B&W system (805's surround and HTM 1 center). No complaints here.

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Too numerous to mention

Beautiful design. Warm, inviting sound. Solid treble.

Bass extension is a bit limited, kevlar midrange seems to add warmth to the music, soundstage not as tight as one might like.

I went in August of last year to my local hi-fi store (Soundex) to audition speakers in the $3500 range. I ended up listening to the N804's and Dynaudio Contour 1.8 mk II's. They were run on a Krell KAV 300il integrated amp, rated at 200w/channel, and the matching Krell KAV 280cd. I listened to the 804's first, and while I have to say they offer a pleasing sound, it is not one that is as accurate as I would like. In comparison to the 1.8's, it sounded as if the 804's had cardboard grilles. They simply did not offer the transient response, that real feel to the voices or instruments that were played. Their soundstage did not seem as tight in comparison to the Dynaudio's either. In addition, their bass response did not approach that of the Dynaudio's. While I liked their design (which to some is very important), and enjoyed the warmth that they added to the music, I simply couldn't see myself building a system around them. While the 1.8's sounded a little cool, they offer what the 804's cannot: deeper controlled bass, more layed back, and possibly more accurate soundstage, and most importantly, a sound that is tonally neutral, without added midrange warmth. Audition them regardless if your looking to spend $3500 on speakers. Everyone likes something a little different in their sound, that's why tubes are still around. In my opinion, however, anyone more than a casual listener might be happier with a more neutral speaker.

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Dynaudio Contour 1.8 mkII's.

Clarity Imaging Integration over the whole spectrum (i.e. you hear a speaker, not a woofer, midrange, and tweeter) Physically attractive

Bottom end may not be enough for some personal tastes

Overall these are very good speakers. Regrettably they infected me with audiopilia nervosa and now I am saving up to trade them in for '802s. This is not because I don't like the '804s- it is because I love them and basically want "more"... These speakers are expensive but there is nothing pretentious about them. You can be a "novice" listener and appreciate them right away: When I first hooked them up and put in a Tallis Scholars CD, my fiance's mother, sitting in the next room, immediately commented on the clarity of the voices coming out of the speakers. There is a break-in period, after which the speakers do sound better. However I would not say that they sounded "bad" when I first plugged them in. If you are upgrading from speakers of a lower grade, the biggest improvement will be when you turn them on for the first time. I found this jump to be bigger than the gradual improvements over the break-in period. You will hear things in the music that you have never heard before. This is good and bad, as poorly recorded CDs will make you want to turn them off. After getting these speakers, you may find that your "favorite" CDs shift, as previous favorites turn out to be poorly recorded, and well-recorded sleepers suddenly shine. Also, you will find answers to long-standing questions such as: Q: How did the Police make that sound on song XYZ, A: The bassist and the drummer were perfectly in sync, so the sounds blended. Whether I recommend them to any one individual would depend on what they are trying to get out of their speakers. If you are interested in classical and jazz, and enjoy hearing all the details, then these are for you. If you want loud dance music with a "thumpathump" you can feel, or if you want to feel explosions while watching an action movie, then you are better off with something else. (However still give these a listen- you just might discover that clarity is more satisfying to you than boom after all...) But if you like good electronica or ambient music that is about more than just bass, then you will do well with these- I enjoy both Kraftwerk and Underworld with them. The same goes for rock and pop- do you want boom or clarity? There have been comments by others that the bass is lacking in these speakers. I do agree that the strength of the bass depends on the amplifier driving these speakers- the impedance of B&W speakers in general can vary between 3 ohms to over 20 ohms therefore an amplifier with a low output impedance (i.e. provides "high current") is necessary to flatten the overall system frequency response as much as possible. But the bottom-end still does not go down as far as some would like. Even the strongest amplifier cannot fix that. However the bass is definitely tight, and certainly sounds integrated with the mid-range and treble. My recommendation to you: if your budget for speakers is $3500, then ask yourself how much you want to put towards clarity, imaging, and integrity, and how much you want to put towards the last few hertz at the bottom end. Me- personally- I started out with a pair of Definitives that had heart-thumping powered subwoofers. (I am a bit of a Techno-junkie...) I then auditioned B&W CDM7-NTs next to the Definitives, and from that learned that I like clarity and imaging more than deep bass. (Good when listening to Miles Davis.) So I kept the CDM7-NTs and upgraded to the current N804's in early August. (Miles got better, so did Stravinsky) I still like bass, though, and so am saving to upgrade these to '802s and purchase a good Krell amplifier... They do look nice, by the way. They are quite stylish and blend well with contemporary and eclectic decors... The tweeters on the top are a nice touch. My fiance refers to them as the "zee zee speakers"... Value = 3 stars. You get what you pay for.

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Speakers: Cheap JBLs I had in college Definitive bipolars (forgot model#) CDM7-NTs CD: Adcom GCD-750 Some Sony CD-DVD player (returned it) Onkyo, Panasonic, etc. (college years...) Preamp

Excellent speakers. As previously noted, they are dependent on quality electronics upstream. Get it right and there is not much that can beat them. Get it wrong and you won't be happy with the money spent. I use the subwoofer for the lowest octave--this may or may not be needed based on your music taste. System: Linn Genki Musical Fidelity M250 monoblocks fed directly by Genki variable outputs via Audioquest Python Audioquest Bedrock speaker cable Velodyne HGS 12 B&W Nautilus 804

They look so good I get distracted by their appearance while in the listening mode.

As long as I own the 804s I will never be able to log in and submit a review as an audiophile. Or so it seems.

So what is it with these 'Audiophiles?' Style and substance are incompatible? My 804s not only are substantial in play but like my girl friends they look good giving it their best as well. My next speaker investment will be a Nautilus too: the 802.

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PSB, KEF, Vienna Acoustics, Thiel.