Affordable amp for B&W 803

The Rotel 1090 is a very nice affordable choice to match with N803's. The 1090 is very good on the top end. It is detailed without a hint of shrillness. B&W produces a wonderful mid-range, to my ear, and the 1090 does nothing to detract from it. At the bottom end the Rotel produces a tremendous amount of base, however, the weakness of the 1090 lies in this area. The base it produces is not the ultimate in being tight and quick. It has a tendency to be toward the soft/slow side. Which is not to say it is sloppy (far from it) but in comparison to an amp like Krell. I know this is true with speakers larger than the N803. I suspect it would be less true with your speakers. On the other hand, you can listen to the 1090 all day long. It is very easy on the ears.

Krell is a different price category. If you move to that level I suggest you listen to Simaudio. It mates wonderfully with B&W.

second the krell, I have it with my N802's and it is made in heaven...

I have the 803's with a Krell FPB 300x running them. I auditioned Bryston, Proceed, Levinson before getting the Krell. YOU MUST GET A KRELL AMP WITH THESE SPEAKERS; IT IS A MATCH MADE IN HEAVEN. Truly mind-boggling how good it sounds.

It is important also to know your processor. I have the Proceed AVP2. PHENOMINAL

I've used Krell Kav 300i, Bryston B60, and currently Plinius 8200 mkI. My favorite so far is the plinius. Very powerful & sweet.

I owned a pair of 805's and 804's that I upgraded too. Tried all kinds of amps, Bryston, Levinson, Audio Research, Proceed, Anthem, Magnum Dynalab, Rotel, and preferred the Musical Fidelity gear. Those big 250watt mono's and there A3cr preamp, did the trick with Transparent cable. Nice and round and plump and smooth. The Bryston was exciting but over the top. The magnum 308 receiver was very nice but not enough oomph! The rest were either too boring and nice or much too expensive like the levinson intergraded and the powerful tube gear. Maybe Sim Audio since I understand they made the gain stages of the receiver. Never heard it though. I always thought of the speakers as pretentious sounding and demanding of rather polite and refined sounding stuff. That my story and I’m sticking to it.
Frog