B&W Nautilus 802

BlueMDPicker
BlueMDPicker Posts: 7,569
edited August 2006 in 2 Channel Audio
Anyone owned them, heard them? Impressions? What were they powered with?
Post edited by BlueMDPicker on
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  • Frank Z
    Frank Z Posts: 5,860
    edited July 2006
    It's been a while so the details are a little sketchy. I'm certain that they were being powered by a BK amp and Pre amp. They sounded good, but not $$$$ good. I prefered my LSi's over what I was hearing from the B&W.

    Not junk or Wal-Mart stereo sound by any stretch, but lack-luster none the less.
    9/11 - WE WILL NEVER FORGET!! (<---<<click)
    2005-06 Club Polk Football Pool Champion!! :D
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  • crazy
    crazy Posts: 443
    edited July 2006
    Are you kidding - the best speakers in the world! - ask George Lucas and the Abbey Road Studios.

    I'm not fortunate enough to own them (maybe someday) but fortunate enough to have close friend (who also stays quite close to where I live) own them. Powered using Krells
    Distant Dream - A New Beginning
    www.distantdream.com
    (Now also available on iTunes)
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  • crazy
    crazy Posts: 443
    edited July 2006
    Frank Z wrote:
    I prefered my LSi's over what I was hearing from the B&W.

    Music is subjective!
    Distant Dream - A New Beginning
    www.distantdream.com
    (Now also available on iTunes)
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  • Frank Z
    Frank Z Posts: 5,860
    edited July 2006
    Sorry to let you down...
    9/11 - WE WILL NEVER FORGET!! (<---<<click)
    2005-06 Club Polk Football Pool Champion!! :D
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  • Dennis Gardner
    Dennis Gardner Posts: 4,861
    edited July 2006
    I like the D models better than the older tweeters. The 800 was preferred over the 802 due to better bass response, but both were driven with new Classe' electronics. The 400 watt monoblocks on the 800D really threw a huge soundstage in the treated large room I demoed them in. I will own a set of either of these Beemers someday, only to see if they reproduce well in my own rooms. Buy used when someone that was smitten with owning them needs the cash. They sell on Agon for 50% of new after only a year or two.

    Nice speaks.
    HT Optoma HD25 LV on 80" DIY Screen, Anthem MRX 300 Receiver, Pioneer Elite BDP 51FD Polk CS350LS, Polk SDA1C, Polk FX300, Polk RT55, Dual EBS Adire Shiva 320watt tuned to 17hz, ICs-DIY Twisted Prs, Speaker-Raymond Cable

    2 Channel Thorens TD 318 Grado ZF1, SACD/CD Marantz 8260, Soundstream/Krell DAC1, Audio Mirror PP1, Odyssey Stratos, ADS L-1290, ICs-DIY Twisted , Speaker-Raymond Cable
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  • shack
    shack Posts: 11,154
    edited July 2006
    crazy wrote:
    Are you kidding - the best speakers in the world!
    crazy wrote:
    Music is subjective!

    Point - Counter Point - From the same guy no less...

    Explains his user name I guess.

    I have heard the Nautilus 802s and they are good speakers. Some are "Blown Away" by B&W. I'm not one of them. Good company, good products, just not for me.
    "Just because you’re offended doesn’t mean you’re right." - Ricky Gervais

    "For those who believe, no proof is necessary. For those who don't believe, no proof is possible." - Stuart Chase

    "Consistency requires you to be as ignorant today as you were a year ago." - Bernard Berenson
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  • shack
    shack Posts: 11,154
    edited July 2006
    Oh...I forgot. The 802s were powered by beautiful McIntosh amps with big blue wattmeters. This is one of the few B&W setups I was able to enjoy at all. Just not good enough for what it cost IMO. Even with the McIntosh it seemed a little sterile and/or too analytical.
    "Just because you’re offended doesn’t mean you’re right." - Ricky Gervais

    "For those who believe, no proof is necessary. For those who don't believe, no proof is possible." - Stuart Chase

    "Consistency requires you to be as ignorant today as you were a year ago." - Bernard Berenson
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  • Frank Z
    Frank Z Posts: 5,860
    edited July 2006
    Zero wrote:
    Blue,

    You've been here long enough to know that this is not the group to ask.
    For those of us that don't know WTF you mean...care to explain that comment?
    9/11 - WE WILL NEVER FORGET!! (<---<<click)
    2005-06 Club Polk Football Pool Champion!! :D
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  • RuSsMaN
    RuSsMaN Posts: 17,987
    edited July 2006
    Love em, hope to own a pair from the current line in the not too distant future. The 'stock' 800 tweeter is great, but if you REALLY like it (and the price for the non diamond models), do NOT listen to the diamond tweeter - the difference is far from subtle.

    The diamond starts as an option on the 803, and is stock on the 802, 801, and 800. The purely non diamond speakers are the 804, and 805 - the entry floorstander and bookshelf model for the 800 line.

    If you have seen a recent drop in prices, it's for the LAST line of B&W - the diamond tweeter, plus a re-design of the entire line is brand new for late 2005, early 2006. One thing I like about B&W, is they won't release, MKII, III, 'i' etc..... they design and engineer their speaker lines to carry for at least 6, if not 8-10 years with NO changes. Not many manufacturers can do that, and continue to sell speakers. When the line changes (every 8 years or so), thats when you can find the best deals.

    If your having a demo soon, I'll be interested in your thoughts. For some reason B&W seems to be a love/hate speaker, with no in between - and for the life of me, I can't understand why.
    Check your lips at the door woman. Shake your hips like battleships. Yeah, all the white girls trip when I sing at Sunday service.
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  • crazy
    crazy Posts: 443
    edited July 2006
    shack wrote:
    Point - Counter Point - From the same guy no less...

    Explains his user name I guess.

    I have heard the Nautilus 802s and they are good speakers. Some are "Blown Away" by B&W. I'm not one of them. Good company, good products, just not for me.

    Shack - before you throw punches, realize that the point and counter points were for 2 different points .... first was saying that B&W, second was just a followup on Frank Z's that he likes Lsi... and I'm not going to argue against that since everyone has an own opinion - specially in music.

    Dude... before throwing punches, read the bloody thread. Explains your user name - go hide in a shack for goodness sake. Highly uncharacteristic of folks hanging out in the Polk forum - go to some other forum.
    Distant Dream - A New Beginning
    www.distantdream.com
    (Now also available on iTunes)
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  • crazy
    crazy Posts: 443
    edited July 2006
    Blue - if you're serious about B&W speakers, go check out HTguide.com

    This place is bias (for obvious reasons) on Polk speakers even though many members have Martin Logan's, B&W, etc. It's still the coolest place to hang out 'cept for a few bad grapes ...
    Distant Dream - A New Beginning
    www.distantdream.com
    (Now also available on iTunes)
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  • shack
    shack Posts: 11,154
    edited July 2006
    crazy wrote:
    Shack - before you throw punches, realize that the point and counter points were for 2 different points .... first was saying that B&W, second was just a followup on Frank Z's that he likes Lsi... and I'm not going to argue against that since everyone has an own opinion - specially in music.

    Dude... before throwing punches, read the bloody thread. Explains your user name - go hide in a shack for goodness sake. Highly uncharacteristic of folks hanging out in the Polk forum - go to some other forum.

    Sensitive....aren't we?

    Lets see...I've been posting here for over 4 years. I think I'll stay.
    "Just because you’re offended doesn’t mean you’re right." - Ricky Gervais

    "For those who believe, no proof is necessary. For those who don't believe, no proof is possible." - Stuart Chase

    "Consistency requires you to be as ignorant today as you were a year ago." - Bernard Berenson
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  • unc2701
    unc2701 Posts: 3,587
    edited July 2006
    Heard them on MF KW500 and bryston 14b w/ bp26 pre...

    Immediately compared to Wilson Watt puppies on KW500 & bryston and 803's on KW500, then went home & listened to LSi's on bryston 4b.

    First off, you need some room for 'em to open up. At low power, both them & the 803's were just dead to music... turn the volume knob a hair higher and suddenly everything is there & perfect.

    Both the wilson and the LSi's seem to dig lower on deeeeep bass, but in the normal 41hz+ (low e) range, the B&W's seem to have the tightest, most controled bass. Mid range & highs go to the wilsons and it's hard to really put the LSi's into the picture there.

    The wilsons were a slightly different experience, esp on the bryston. It felt like the dynamic range was beyond anything I've ever heard. Even in the loudest part of the songs you could still hear the pick on the strings. I imagine that a bad recording would absolutely make your ears bleed.

    So, are they worth it? New price, hell no. But for about $5k used, I can't think of any speakers that I'd rather have.
    Gallo Ref 3.1 : Bryston 4b SST : Musical fidelity CD Pre : VPI HW-19
    Gallo Ref AV, Frankengallo Ref 3, LC60i : Bryston 9b SST : Meridian 565
    Jordan JX92s : MF X-T100 : Xray v8
    Backburner:Krell KAV-300i
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,552
    edited July 2006
    Mike, quit looking at that B&W demo disc. ;)

    Somehow I don't see you as a B&W fan, but I've been wrong before.
    Political Correctness'.........defined

    "A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."

    President of Club Polk

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  • dorokusai
    dorokusai Posts: 25,577
    edited July 2006
    I wish I spent my time elsewhere after my 8 series demo.
    CTC BBQ Amplifier, Sonic Frontiers Line3 Pre-Amplifier and Wadia 581 SACD player. Speakers? Always changing but for now, Mission Argonauts I picked up for $50 bucks, mint.
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  • SRS_fan
    SRS_fan Posts: 11
    edited July 2006
    I like the D models better as well , but listened to the Martin Logan Summits and spent the additional money for the Summits. Impression? Straight forward and without predicting what they might sound like with your room, amp etc. They are a great sounding speaker, sonically clear and revealing but in that class of speaker $, listen to the Logan summits, I personally think/hear additional instruments and fresh sounds that were not there on the B&W. One major complaint with logans - B&W craftsmanship is beautiful and Logan needs to figure out how to get the wood grain to align on joins. Look at the edges of the B&Ws and they are the comparison to all others. once again... for that much$ the construction quality should be implied. p.s I still find that certain passages from my SRS_SDA's are better then both. Going over to my sons house to listen to carlos santana because the high dollar speakers are so "clean" it just doesnt sound right - if that makes sense??
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  • TroyD
    TroyD Posts: 13,077
    edited July 2006
    Put me squarely in the LOVE B&W camp.......I have yet to hear the new diamond tweeter version and can't wait to do so.

    BDT
    I plan for the future. - F1Nut
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  • mantis
    mantis Posts: 17,194
    edited July 2006
    Comparing Lsi to N series B&W is just wrong. Come on the Lsi's just don't compare.

    The N802's are an incredible speaker. I think there one of the best Jazz and classical speakers I have ever heard.Powering them is cridical. Like any other system, you have to match everything or the N802's will tell you how much your gear sucks.

    When you get into gear at this level, it's personal taste that will take you from one brand to another. Wilson , B&W ,Dunlavy , Egglestone , Dynaudio I have done crazy amounts of shoot outs with and I perfer Dynaudio over all of them.But thats my taste.Lsi can't compete with any of them. there good speakers for the money but it stops there.

    I would be proud to own a high end speaker like th N802's but I would have a hard time powering them.

    Dan
    Dan
    My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time.
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  • Frank Z
    Frank Z Posts: 5,860
    edited July 2006
    Troy,
    Didn't you read Zeros comments? Obviously you feel the need to be a rabble-rouser.

    DAN,
    Allow me to be the first person in this thread to give you a hearty STFU. Haven't you figured it out yet, every time you open your pie hole and spew out your opinion like it is pure FACT, you confirm my suspicion that you are a complete buffoon.
    And please spare me the standard mantis zen-whoopie response, we all know that you're the most experience box-cutting gear stacker on the eastern seaboard.

    Difficult as it may be, try to stay focused on the original question. Yes you're allowed to read it twice. Go back and take a look, I'll wait.....








    Glad you found you're way back, I figured you'd get lost. Blue is asking about B&W speakers, not dynaudio. I guess too much cardboard fumes clouds your thinking.
    9/11 - WE WILL NEVER FORGET!! (<---<<click)
    2005-06 Club Polk Football Pool Champion!! :D
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  • TroyD
    TroyD Posts: 13,077
    edited July 2006
    WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

    I got PLENTY o' amp for a pair of 802's

    BDT
    I plan for the future. - F1Nut
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  • reeltrouble1
    reeltrouble1 Posts: 9,312
    edited July 2006
    Simply irresistable.

    Shack thanks for all YOU do for this club.

    RT1
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  • unc2701
    unc2701 Posts: 3,587
    edited July 2006
    unc2701 wrote:
    But for about $5k used, I can't think of any speakers that I'd rather have.

    Quick edit- I left off the ML Summit's I listened to the same day. They're hard to compare to the others, but I'll never own a pair just 'cause I'd be too worried about what the pets would do to them. If that's not an issue for you, then they're probably worth a listen against the 802's... the active subwoofer also might be a turn-off there.

    Anyhow, the B&W's will hold their resale if you get them used and you can put me in the worth it camp, but as someone else mentioned, once you get to that price point, a lot of it is just personal preference.
    Gallo Ref 3.1 : Bryston 4b SST : Musical fidelity CD Pre : VPI HW-19
    Gallo Ref AV, Frankengallo Ref 3, LC60i : Bryston 9b SST : Meridian 565
    Jordan JX92s : MF X-T100 : Xray v8
    Backburner:Krell KAV-300i
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  • mantis
    mantis Posts: 17,194
    edited July 2006
    Frank Z wrote:
    Troy,
    Didn't you read Zeros comments? Obviously you feel the need to be a rabble-rouser.

    DAN,
    Allow me to be the first person in this thread to give you a hearty STFU. Haven't you figured it out yet, every time you open your pie hole and spew out your opinion like it is pure FACT, you confirm my suspicion that you are a complete buffoon.
    And please spare me the standard mantis zen-whoopie response, we all know that you're the most experience box-cutting gear stacker on the eastern seaboard.

    Difficult as it may be, try to stay focused on the original question. Yes you're allowed to read it twice. Go back and take a look, I'll wait....










    Glad you found you're way back, I figured you'd get lost. Blue is asking about B&W speakers, not dynaudio. I guess too much cardboard fumes clouds your thinking.

    My opnion is my own. Don't like it don't read it. **** off ****.
    Dan
    My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time.
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  • Rodney King
    Rodney King Posts: 4
    edited July 2006
    :( :eek:
    Can't we all just get along?
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  • TroyD
    TroyD Posts: 13,077
    edited July 2006
    Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
    I plan for the future. - F1Nut
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  • zombie boy 2000
    zombie boy 2000 Posts: 6,641
    edited July 2006
    Rodney King wrote:
    :( :eek:

    Two years from his join date.... and Rodney has finally decided to impart his wisdom upon us.

    Welcome to the forum Mr King:D
    I never had it like this where I grew up. But I send my kids here because the fact is you go to one of the best schools in the country: Rushmore. Now, for some of you it doesn't matter. You were born rich and you're going to stay rich. But here's my advice to the rest of you: Take dead aim on the rich boys. Get them in the crosshairs and take them down. Just remember, they can buy anything but they can't buy backbone. Don't let them forget it. Thank you.Herman Blume - Rushmore
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  • polkatese
    polkatese Posts: 6,767
    edited July 2006
    "CAN'T WE ALL GET ALONG?", says Rodney..

    btw, welcome..
    I am sorry, I have no opinion on the matter. I am sure you do. So, don't mind me, I just want to talk audio and pie.
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  • Frank Z
    Frank Z Posts: 5,860
    edited July 2006
    Gee Dan, you're post makes prefect sense in a completely bass-akward way. :rolleyes:

    How am I supposed to know if I like it or not if I don't read it first.
    9/11 - WE WILL NEVER FORGET!! (<---<<click)
    2005-06 Club Polk Football Pool Champion!! :D
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  • BlueMDPicker
    BlueMDPicker Posts: 7,569
    edited July 2006
    Thanks to all for the info and impressions. And, thanks to Mr. King for trying to wear the striped shirt for the rest.

    I doubt I'll pull the trigger on these (at least this pair and at this point in time.) A good friend has them and I'd have to roll to Boston to grab them. But, they will remain firmly on my want list.

    Now, back to your regularly scheduled ox goring.........
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  • ND13
    ND13 Posts: 7,601
    edited July 2006
    zombie boy 2000 wrote:
    Two years from his join date.... and Rodney has finally decided to impart his wisdom upon us.

    Welcome to the forum Mr King:D

    Somebody needs to take a remedial math course.;) :p:D

    That is unless I lost a year somewhere.
    "SOME PEOPLE CALL ME MAURICE,
    CAUSE I SPEAK OF THE POMPITIOUS OF LOVE"
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