Thoughts on 804 Nautilus

[HTSteve]

Originally Posted by rumnyc

Thanks!

I just sold my N804 last week and am in the process of breaking in a new pair of 802D2

Excellent! That's the same general path I went. That is a nice big jump.

What amp are you driving them with. The more current, the better......

[rumnyc]

Originally Posted by HTSteve

Excellent! That's the same general path I went. That is a nice big jump.

What amp are you driving them with. The more current, the better......

Currently driven by my Linn Majik DSM integrated (~50wpc on 8ohms). Yes, I know they are vastly underpowered, but I am waiting on a new rack due in about 3 weeks and then I get my new pre (Linn Akurate DSM) and a new amp.

Pretty much decided on Mcintosh, but not sure which model--MC302 or MC452.
Mac dealer is trying to convince me to get the 452, but during auditions between the two, I honestly can't hear any difference and don't want to pay 2k for the handles alone!

[allen_bh]

I used to own 804's before (like HTSteve) upgrading to 802's. The 804''s are pretty good for the money, but have a definite weak spot (heck most speakers do for under $2500 or so) in the low end.

If you crave frequencies below 70Hz, either get a good sub that will integrate well, or consider a used pair of N802's. You can get a pair of used N802's (not diamonds) that will outperform even the newest 804's in my opinion.

[1KW]

Had them , sold them after 2 months. Tweeter was very harsh with the kind of music I like . The Sonus Faber Cremona's and Magnepans are some other speakers you might want to look at.

[Briz Vegaas]

Originally Posted by 1KW

Had them , sold them after 2 months. Tweeter was very harsh with the kind of music I like . The Sonus Faber Cremona's and Magnepans are some other speakers you might want to look at.

Of couse that was your system, your power or your room (or all of the above)- not the speakers. They can old reproduce what the are fed. Can't think of any sort of compressed or old recordings that sound harsh on the 804s. They did sound a little strident when I first got them but I dealt with that, and not by going for less revealing gear, I went for the opposite, tamed the room and fixed the power. Highs are now excellent and more than adequate bass as well.

Of course if you don't want to change anything else then your best bet is a speaker that gives you joy despite all the factors listen above.

[HTSteve]

Originally Posted by rumnyc

Pretty much decided on Mcintosh, but not sure which model--MC302 or MC452.
Mac dealer is trying to convince me to get the 452, but during auditions between the two, I honestly can't hear any difference and don't want to pay 2k for the handles alone!

I started with my MC205 driving the 802D's. Very nice. A good combo with the B&W's. I added in the MC252. Increased bass quality, soundstage. And quieter.

I then replaced the MC252 with my current MC402. There was a pretty nice jump with the MC402. Soundstage, bass depth, very quiet background. And it runs cool. An awesome amp.

In the 252 vs. 402 debate (the predecessors to the 302 and 452), I would definitely say go for the MC402.

But the MC302 has the Autoformers, whereas the 252 didn't. That plus the extra wattage should make the 302 formidable.

If your ears tell you they are pretty even, then the MC302 does make sense. Take the money you save and get a nice power cord for it. And maybe a dedicated circuit.

Do you have acoustic treatments? My 802D's were really good. They then got awesome when I started adding acoustic treatments to my room (I use Real Traps).


Hope this helps.

[1KW]

The mc252 has autoformers but it is not fully balanced

[HTSteve]

Originally Posted by 1KW

The mc252 has autoformers but it is not fully balanced

I stand corrected.......

[andest2003]

804s speakers quick question sorry cant start new thread as new to site

I have a set of 804s speakers my question is would you think sound is better with 2 x NAD 300watt amps bridged that's 300watt per speaker bi wired or a single NAD 300watt amp @ 150watt per channel bi wired. I like a good base sound I switch between the two but just cant make my mind up. the what hifi review said at least 150watt per channel but highly recommended 300watt per channel. also the wire I am using is qed silver anniversary I must admit when I changed wire I could not tell the difference from standard.

[Briz Vegaas]

Originally Posted by andest2003

804s speakers quick question sorry cant start new thread as new to site

I have a set of 804s speakers my question is would you think sound is better with 2 x NAD 300watt amps bridged that's 300watt per speaker bi wired or a single NAD 300watt amp @ 150watt per channel bi wired. I like a good base sound I switch between the two but just cant make my mind up. the what hifi review said at least 150watt per channel but highly recommended 300watt per channel. also the wire I am using is qed silver anniversary I must admit when I changed wire I could not tell the difference from standard.

What NAD amps are you using? You will be better off with a good 300 watt amp rather than a 150 watt amp bridged. With the amps you have Biamping would be my preference. It does not deliver 300 watts but it would be less demanding on the amp compared to a single amp and avoids the pitfalls some get from bridging amps.

From reading around the web it seems that by bridging an amplifier you get extra power, but also limit the impedance it can drive. When bridging an amp a pair of benign 8 ohm speakers look like a 4 ohm load. 804s go down to 3.6 ohm, or there abouts, so that would look like 1.8 ohms to your amp. Therefore you need to be sure that the NAD will be stable down to that impedance ( which it may or may not be).

I also understand that it's not so much the impedance but the phase angle as well, and the 800 series are not amp friendly in this regard. Don't ask me more on phase angles, I have not read any deeper into the theory in this area. I am but a fellow punter, not an electrical engineer.

You can't really get around the fact that the 800 series need serious amps "to sound their very best". The NAD is a good amp but it not really at the cutting edge level to get the very best out of the 804. I did ok with my Conrad Johnson CA200 but it was able to achieve 300 watts into a 4 ohms load, the NADs seem to be rated at 150 watts into 4 ohms. Amps like the bigger Krell and Classe amps are best suited to optimally driving B&W 800 series. That is not to say that the NAD will not sound good.

Don't forget that your CD player or DAC will also make a significant difference in the apparent power and quality of the sound you get. I was reminded of this when a added the Naim XPS2 power supply to my Naim DAC a couple of weeks back. Bass control and quality were both enhanced significantly. The sound you get depends on all the components and the interaction of those components with your room.

Enjoy your system.