Amps for B&W 803?


I just bought a pair of B&W 803s and am looking to flesh out the system with new electronics. I am planning to use Resolution Audio CD50 or Theta Miles as a front end, connected directly to the amplifier, since I have a CD-only setup. Am looking for a power amp, in the $2000-$3000 range (used). Have been thinking about Bryston 4B-St, Classe CA-200, Krell KAV250, Conrad-Johnson MF2500... Don't have time to audition all these. Any opinions out there? Thanks.
mgavin
I'm currently waiting on a pair of N804s, myself. I have been looking around to answer the same question in a HT setup. Anyway, since I'm hardly an audiophile I've been trying to get smart quickly and I a came across an article you may find interesting. If you go to soundandvisionmag.com and do a search for B&W, you'll find an article regarding the HT setup THEY use in their lab. They happen to use all B&W Nautilus speakers with 803s in the front. I can't remeber what amp they were using (Krell, I think) but in any event, it would be an intereting data point. personally, i just got a marantz sr-18. I think that will be fine for now but will likely stepup to 803s and seperates before my year trade-in is up. also, what made you go for the 803s over the 804s? what do u think about 804s with a rel sub vs. 803s?
I've been using my B&W 802 with Chord power amp. Chord and B&W are excellent match, if you want "transparency" in your music; and they are often used together in many hi-fi shows (recently in U.K.). Here's my setup. Chord 12O SPM amp, B&W802 S80, Sonus Faber Conertinos, Proceed PDT3, Rega Planet CDP, Pioneer PD-65, & Meridian 506.20
I have 803s and recently upgraded my amp. I listened to the Krell KAV250 (with a kav250p)and the Conrad-Johnson MF2500 (with the CJ PRF). I bought the MF2500. While the Krell is fantastically detailed and a brute of an amp, we found the CJ combo to posses nearly the detail, but with a more "pollished" sound. In fact, I feel the PRF/MF2500 is a wonderful match for the N803s.
I've home demoed all the amps above. I bought the CJ, it has a much better harmonic presentation then the others. However I think you might need the Krell to control the 803 which I also used to own. I would suggest getting a CJ tube preamp to get the timbre and tone of the CJ and the Krell solid state for control of your speakers