Hi Elee,
Ok, no problem. Yes, I have read that too. Definitely the Matrix 800. Looking back, it was a bargain at the price (I believe $15k USD) and will probably blow away the current 800 series, or at least be very comparable. Yeah, you really need to invest money in amps and cables as the 800s are quad wired. |
They've certainly have stood the test of time, and they're the most well known high end speaker from the 80s. But, as others said, you need a lot of power, highest quality cables (bi wire,) high quality preamp and sources, bass alignment filter, and good stands. However, if you have carpet on concrete floor, listening to them with just the castors is not bad at all, imo. |
You're welcome, Wemfan. Another amp would be the Luxman B-1000f monoblock amplifier, but that is quite expensive, I believe. It is rated to go 2000W into 1 Ohm. |
Yeah, congrats Wemfan! How do they sound? |
So which is he better version? Series II or III? I don't believe there's a definite consensus. From what I remember, I believe there's more in favor of Series II. I'm not sure why, though. |
Hi Elee,
Thanks for the info. Would you say then that the S3 is the better speaker? |
As for amps, I would go for the bigger Pass Labs .8 A/B amps. At least the X350.8. Bryston 28BSST2 might be another consideration, as is the Accuphase P-6100. These are my favorite amps at the moment, and should drive your 801s to the fullest. |
Cool, sounds good. Thanks for the report. I can't say too much about the matching amps and preamps as I've never owned the 801s. However, the better the components, the better those are gonna sound. I personally wouldn't screw with the crossovers, I'm not that big into mods as you ruin the resale value and it's hard for me to hear the difference anyway. However, you can get new crossovers from B&W if you feel the crossovers are too old. Just a thought. Not sure on the availability at this time. go to bwgroupsupport.com for more details. |
Congrats Wemfam. Happy listening with your new amps! |
Well, if you're gonna go over $10k, then again the Pass Labs X350.8. And sure, call Pass Labs about it just to be safe. |
Also, consider the Parasound JC-1 monos. Those are $9000 (?) retail. |
You're welcome, Wemfan. The Parasound is a solid contender and is great bang for the buck (in high end terms.) There really isn't anything wrong with it. It's a very good set of amps.
The Pass Labs, however, is something special, imo. It does cost more than the Parasounds, but I will say it's worth it, especially this new .8 series. From reading on other forums, just about everyone who has bought a .8 series amp has been very satisfied with the sound, and feel it is better than the older .5 series. |
Ok cool, Wemfan, you're on the right path. |
The Krells are no slouches. Definitely give them a try. What do you have to lose? |
