B&W Nautilus 803's versus 804's and 802's

I just bought a pair of N804's. The 803's did have a slight more bottom end and a slight more definition in the highs. However, I didn't feel the slight difference in sound justified the much higher cost. I was able to get a (barely) used pair from my dealer for 50% of retail, making the N803's twice the price!

I am very happy with the result!

=== Tim

You could get a REL Storm III sub to fill in the bottom. Just keep in mind the N804 plus the REL is equal to the cost of the N803. Some folks like the 804 with the REL better than a N803 without a sub, so if you can give that combo a listen (or with the dealers most musical sub, then try it). Pick up the REL elsewhere later.

I second Sugarbie... the REL is quite "friendly" and is one of the few subs that I really like in this world. The Storm goes great with my Sig 30s which have little in the way of low bass.

Also keep in mind that the 801 and 802 are power hungry and like large amplifiers(especially the 801).

Room size dictates your choice.

The 803's will give you what you want, maybe you should buy the sub later. Those 804's and 3's will still need a strong amp, say 100W. or more per channel minimum. There is a real difference between the 4's and the 3's. I prefered the 805's to the 804's, but liked the 803's even more. Size and budget lead me to the 805's with a REL Strata III sub. What amplification do you have?

What is your opinion on the size of my listening room with the 803's. The actual room size in the basement is 19.5 ft wide by 16 ft deep. My listening is done in an area 11.5ft wide by 16ft deep along the long wall. The 804's currently are 10 ft in front of me with 2ft 4" behind my sofa. The ceiling height is 7ft 5" except for a boxed beam where the height is 6ft 11". The speakers are 2.5ft from the back wall. The left speaker is 2.5ft from the side wall. The right speaker is 8.5 ft from the side wall which leaves a lot of space on that side where a futon bed is and an end table. The speakers are almost 6.5 ft apart.

I found the 802's too big for the room. I feel i needed to sit back a lot further to enjoy the 802's. The midrange is very clear, there was more bottom end and wider soundstage than the 804's. However i prefer the 804's in my basement.

I'm using the MF Nu-vista m3 integrated with a Linn Ikemi cd player.

I agree with BM. Get the 805 and a good sub. the 805 has more detail with a good sub, and it will have more bottom end as well comparing to 804 and 803. Only the 802 is better than the 805 in terms of higher resolution beyond the mid-bass range.

The only draw back is you need to find a sub that will blend in seemlessly with your speakers, room and electronics. Velodyne ULD series is the only sub I know that does it well in audio terms.

Bring back to ULD, VELODYNE!!

For the N805 you will also have to get a really good pair of stands to really get the really good bottom end.

Sugarbrie is right. I bought the B&W stands that were made for them, but have heard that there may be a few superior alternatives. They just looked right to me. I have a sort of 40's/2002 style in my living room, and the semi "Bauhaus" design of the B&W stands fit right in.

I found the 804s WAY too anemic in my room, and much preferred the 803s. Neither cohere well in the nearfield, so your 9' listening distance I consider a minimum for the Nautilus. Good luck.
PS If your budget dictates the 804 level, and you prefer to not get a sub, then I'd seriously consider the Revel F30 instead. Much better than the 804 alone, and I actually preferred it to the 803.

As you can see from most of the responses, Natalie is right,"the size of your room dictates "which model you should use. B&W even say that the N804 is for small to medium size rooms, while the N803 is for medium size rooms. At 11'X13', my room is small, with 24" behind my speakers and a foot behind my head, I am right at 9' from my N804s. I have all the bass I want or need. Power is BelCanto EVo 200.2 through a Cary SLP 2002 preamp.
I think your N804s are all you need for your room size. These speakers need at least 300 hours to breakin. They will improve up to 500 hours according to many posts I have read. If you need more bass, add a sub , REL comes to mind.
claud

A very good friend is using the 804's with the Sunfire Signature subwoofer. The blend is seamless. The combo sounds more impresssive than the 803's.

I would keep the 804's and look into the possibility of buying a subwoofer.