B&W 801 Series 2 - vs - KEF Reference 203/B&W N805

N805 with sub will still give you better bass definition and details vs. N801 which may dissapoint you.

Do you mean those gigantic, aging, hard to drive beasts, Matrix 801's? I won't make any more comments since that is unclear, to me at least.

Yes, I was referring to the B&W Matrix 801 series 2's.

Thanks for the comments.

If Nautilus 801 (or 800) are your dream sprs, you would probably find the old 801s ("matrix" IIRC!) insufficient. By comparison they are "sweet", with a rounded top range, blown out/ beefy mid-bass & insufficient lower bass. Romantic sound! They are also very difficult to drive well. But whenever you play 1812 or Symphonie Fantastique etc on them they have this impressive "dynamic" effect ... i.e. they go "boom" nicely:)

As suggested above the 805s + sub do a better reproduction job (i.e. more extended, if somewhat tricky to integrate well).
BTW, are you sure they are better than yr KEF Reference 203.1? I don't think so, but I haven't lived with your speakers.

IMHO 801's have is 'bottom flagship' of all speakers for price vs. performance(burp).