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B&W 804 Nautilus help

Have a friend who wants to build a system around B&W 804 Nautilus'. He has a rather awkward room, a bit on the small side with many varying dimensions which don't permit equall distances or surfaces to the side walls, little distance to the rear wall and a requires a near field listening postion. The room does have quite a few openings to adjoining spaces how ever.
Now to the heart of the matter, any thoughts on complimentary components. B&W indicates that these speakers drop down to 3 OHMS and suggest 50 to 200 watts per channel. First prioroity, power amp and line level only pre-amp (remote would be nice, but not absolutley required). Would like to keep these two units under $2500. Second priority is the digital source. He is interested primarily with CD playback but has some interest in DVD and digital recording. Would like to keep this under $1200. He currently has some single ended and balanced Wire World Eclipse interconnects and Wire World Polaris speaker cable. He is willing to consider other cable options after the first and second priorties are resolved.
He has requested a warm yet detailed sound and has eclectic taste in music.
As always thanks in advance for your help.
unsound

Showing 3 responses by unsound

unsound OP
7,338 posts
 
Thank you everyone for your thoughtfull advice. Sorry for the confusion but the $2500 mentioned was for pre and powered combined. This price point isn't carved in stone though. My friend is not interested in tube poweramps but does not care if the pre it solid or tube. He is also a devote of FM so a stand alone DAC with volume control would not work . I understand that the B&W 804 Nautilus' have two sets of binding posts. Do these speakers benefit from bi-amping and/or biwiring. As niether the CJ or Brystons offer extra post for bi-wiring. Perhaps a pair of 120 powerpacks with option of adding another two if needed might work? What preamp with dual pairs of balanced mains would work with the Bryston? Would two CJ's be over kill?
As always, thanks in advance.
unsound OP
7,338 posts
 
Thank you everyone for your thoughtful replies. Sure seems to be some very different ideas out there. It's obvious that there can be many different roads to the same destination.
I will be posting a new thread with the latest development (TacT 2.2).
unsound OP
7,338 posts
 
The Audiogon moderators have refused application of a new thread for reasons I am unaware of (perhaps continuity). As such, the quest goes on with the system at this time including the a fore mentioned B&W 804 Nautilus' and TacT 2.2. With this update are there any new thougths on transport, digital cable and amplifiers?
As always thanks in advance ( and to all those who have already responded).
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