I have the N803 and I doubt that the 804 is better, even in it's newer iteration. With usual caveats (setup, room, ancillaries) you will simply get better bass response from the N803 and you can tame what some claim is a sometimes bright treble with softer electronics (ie, amps like Sunfire, McIntosh). I am looking to possibly upgrade myself, and I know that even the newer 803S doesn't warrant the upgrade (the 803D slightly does). Just my two cents, and just my experience. I will add one more thought: that Denon will not sound good with any of the models you are considering. I had a Pioneer flagship recvr putting out 140wpc and it just didn't sound good. I stepped up to Sunfire separates (TGP5 and TGA5200) and the improvement was DRAMATIC. You can get a good sunfire amp cheap here on agon, and they put out 200 into 8ohms, and double down (400/4, 800/2), which is critical for B&W 800 series as they can dip to 3 ohms and need power/current. Good luck.
B&W suggestions - N803 vs. 804S
Good afternoon. I'm looking to get some good speakers and have been to a local shop to demo the current B&W 800 series. I really like the sound, and can certainly hear what happens as you progress from each model up. My target price range is a bit below entry level floorstander for this series, thus have started looking for a used or demo model.
What I'm seeing is an affordable used N803 from the previous Nautilus line that selling in the late '90s, and the 804S, which has been selling from the mid-2000's until now. From what I understand, they will be upgraded again this year.
Given I'm looking at two different models for roughly the same price, N803 and 804S, I'm wondering if anyone can offer some suggestions on these. Were the technical improvements in the 800 series over the Nautilus series good enough to warrant the step down from 803 to 804?
Note I'll be setting up in a midsize room (12x20) with the speakers on one end, away from the wall. My current Denon receiver puts out 90wpc. I will upgrade to a higher-powered amp in the future, but for now am planning only the speaker purchase.
Thoughts?
What I'm seeing is an affordable used N803 from the previous Nautilus line that selling in the late '90s, and the 804S, which has been selling from the mid-2000's until now. From what I understand, they will be upgraded again this year.
Given I'm looking at two different models for roughly the same price, N803 and 804S, I'm wondering if anyone can offer some suggestions on these. Were the technical improvements in the 800 series over the Nautilus series good enough to warrant the step down from 803 to 804?
Note I'll be setting up in a midsize room (12x20) with the speakers on one end, away from the wall. My current Denon receiver puts out 90wpc. I will upgrade to a higher-powered amp in the future, but for now am planning only the speaker purchase.
Thoughts?