B&W 8 Series Newbie

AudioFeil - Even someone of limited intelligence should know that everyone has an opinion, and there are ways of recommending brands you prefer without speaking negatively about other brands you don't like. I rarely reply to these threads, but I often look at them. I have seen countless threads you repsonded to critisizing established and respected brands such as Krell, B&W, Merlin, etc. Just because you don't like them doesn't mean that others are idiots because they have tried them or owned them. You could recommend certain brands without badmouthing others. Believe it or not, there are other intelligent human beings in this world beside yourself.

"Newbie" and B&W are quite common. Many new audio hobbyists make the same mistake. It's a dinosaur brand living largely off a reputation.

Look (listen) to other brands for better value.

Are you already dead set on the B&W series? If so, the 805's are a great bookshelf speaker. There are many accolades about the 805. The 800's series in general are a great looking speaker that fits into any decor, and they do sound great if you have the right matched components. I drive a pair of N800's with tube amps and all I can say is wow. The B&W line is offering the C series now and are a great alternative to the 8 series for less money.

You must determine what you like and how speakers will sound with your equipment, until you do that, do some good research on specs, home demos / in shop demos, and of course if you like the looks. Good luck.
Audioquest4life

My advice would be to look at something other than B&W. In my opinion, you can do a lot better for much less money than the B&W 800 series speakers. There are so many great speakers out there that it's hard to potentially point you to a model without knowing your electronics, room, preferences, etc. Go out and listen to as much as possible to see what you like.