Ct,
I don't own 801's. I would never think of owning 801 for few reasons: 1. I don't like it's sound(which is main) 2. I haven't heard any successful demo in any room auditioned and with any amp. 3. I can't afford it or simply I would not waste money on the product that I don't like.
I fix tube, solid state and pro audio equipment part time at my dwelling knowing a large array of reasons why I get equipment to fix. After I've got equipment fixed, I'd have a very big chance of it comming back to me in few months guess why?? Because there are too many philes that think they could get arround with low-powered amp or having no idea what is impedance mismatch.
JohnnyR is a dealer that may demo or connect it for a few minutes to the unused speaker and let it go. OP wants to listen I guess a-bit longer. On a used speaker the outcome may become different when speaker breaks-in and voice coils become working at much larger dynamics and frequencies creating substantially more complex loads to the amp resulting higher operating temperatures on all circuit elements becides tubes.
If you listen to small band(no piano) on low volume levels or spoken word you can even use SET amp driving your speakers. Otherwise refer to majority of above posters.
