B&W 802N


To be honest with you I have never really liked B&W speakers but my brother loves them. He recently purchased a pair of them on here and now he is looking for the right electronics. Also with so many great things people have to say about the 802N's I am wondering why I do not like them. Maybe I have not heard them with the right electronics. I know that they are overall really efficent speakers (8ohms nominal and 91DB) so I am wondering if tubes would make them sound good.

I can get decent pricing on a pair of PrimaLuna Dialogue Seven Monoblocks (70 watts). Now as efficent as these speakers are I would figure these amps would power these nicely. One reviewer said that these amps would have no trouble with speakers as efficent as the 802n's!

Any thoughts on this combo??

Or if we need to go with a high power Solid State amp I was thinking that the Parasound A21 (250 watts) is a great deal here on Audiogon. We would pair the A21 with the matching JC2 preamp.

Any thoughts on this combo?
Ag insider logo xs@2xbrandonosman23

Showing 1 response by audioquest4life

Your own opinion and listetning experience is all that matters.

From my experience, I can tell you that I drive a set of N800's with tube mono amps rated at 140 per channel, but with an external power supply with plent of reserves when you need it. My room is 25x18.5 and I can fill the room loud enough where you have to shout to hear each other, and the music will sound sound crisp, playing from my turntable to boot.

Having experienced a myriad of amps with these speakers, I can tell you that most of the time, it will be your very own listening experience that will let you know if it sounds right. I have used transistor and tubes and for me by far, the sound of using tubes is way better, even with my flea watt sized 140 watt mono amps.

Everyone is going to say somehting differnt, and I have heard the same things being said about other speakers as well. I highly suggest you take a test drive and evaluate for yourself, but to just jade your opinion more, tubes can drive both the N800's and the N802's easily, loudly and with great musical pleasure. That is my experience. No issues and no hassles. BTW, I am using German amps called Octave.
Ciao,
Audioquest4life