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BC22 mated to Nautilus 804

Purchased in 2000 - I currently have a Blue Circle BC22 amplifier mated to B&W Nautilus 804s. And it has never been good sounding base wise. I've read many forum threads about the 804s and they say either you won't get great bass or you need a powerful amp to drive them, and or both. It was all boxed away, and I just hooked it all up to start spinning some vinyl, but yuck, the sound is almost no bass, nice transparency and staging but sounds a bit boxed in or like a blanket is over the speakers.

I'm using a BC 21 preamplifier, and I just learn that the BC22 amplifier is absolute phase non-inverted, and the BC21 preamp manual says “If your amplifier is absolute phase non-inverted, connect the + amplifier output to the - speaker terminal and the - amplifier output to the + speaker terminal. So, yea 22 years later I feel a bit stupid not having known this. This did seem to alleviate the ear fatigue but only slightly perceptively added more bass.

For the heck of it, I swapped some very old inexpensive Roger Sound Labs bookshelf speakers and they sounded like the blanket was removed from the speaker, the bass was far improved, but honestly they sound like what they are - cheap speakers.

I'm not looking for slamming bass per say, I guess it would be nice, but just any bass would be a welcome situation.

3 options, any help would greatly appreciated:

1) I can purchase a Parasound A21+ under 3000.00, which is my ceiling for this endeavor, and I'm told it would easily power my 804 speakers with its 300w at 8ohms. Amp recommendations welcome at 3000 ceiling 

2) Purchase a subwoofer, but I don't think my amp even pushes the mid and highs very well on the B&Ws, and not sure I can add a sub into current system, at least I don't know how yet.

3) Purchase new speakers, staying at the 3000 price point. But I really wish I could use the 804s if at possible. 

Current System:

B&W NAUTILUS 804s, BC 22 Amp, BC 21 preamp, BC 23 phono stage, VPI Aries turntable w/ Lyra cartridge, JPS labs interconnects, Lecture YBA Integra CD.

For the BC21, I've just ordered 2 Tung-Sol 6SN7GTB valves, my current are Philips ECG JANWTGA.

 

barrabee
russ69's avatar
russ69
3,360 posts
 

Go with the Parasound. Big amps give big bass.

jasonbourne52's avatar
jasonbourne52
2,863 posts
 

The Crown XLS1002 (350wpc@4ohms) can go toe-to-toe with the Parasound. $400 + 15 shipping from eBay seller crimim in Florida. Why spend more? Your 804's would love the Crown amp!

barrabee OP
3 posts
 

Thanks for the responses.

I decide to purchase the Parasound A21+ amplifier due to local audio dealers availability, I didn't want to buy something without hearing it, and I was given a nice dealer demo cost.

I had a Sonic Frontiers Line 1 preamp, and some NOS Mullard E88cc gold pin tubes boxed away in a closet. I don't recall why I stopped using this preamp, but with the NOS tubes I like it better than then the BC21, and it has a remote 😉. 

So, with the A21+, I now have enough power to drive the Nautilus 804 speakers (which drop as low as 3 ohms). This enabled me to move away from the rear wall and still have some bass. What I quickly learned is that room acoustics are as important as my gear. Almost 2' feet from rear wall and approx 18" from side walls with approx. 17 degree toe-in, and the speakers came to life - palpable and engaging.

The audio dealer loaned me some Synergistic Research speaker cables and interconnects, and they are way more sonically appealing on my system than the JPS Labs Ultraconductors that I replaced. Seem better in the lower registers, less congested, less harsh, and more balanced. 

Based on suggestions from other Audiogon threads, I purchased some used SoundAnchor stands specifically for the Nautilus 804s, and yet another step up in acoustics, and improvement in bass. 

I installed a curtain over a 9' span of French doors, and yet another large improvement. The room was apparently super reflective.

So, this story ends for now, and honestly if I didn't do another thing to the system, I am very happy with the really nice sound coming from the system.

Current System: B&W NAUTILUS 804s, Sonic Frontiers Line 1, Parasound A21+ amplifier, BC 23 phono stage, VPI Aries turntable w/ Lyra cartridge, Synergistic Research interconnects and speaker cables, Lecture YBA Integra CD.

Prior System: B&W NAUTILUS 804s, BC 22 Amp, BC 21 preamp, BC 23 phono stage, VPI Aries turntable w/ Lyra cartridge, JPS labs Ultraconductor+ interconnects and speaker cables, Lecture YBA Integra CD.

A quick shout out to Scott Walker Audio, they really took the time helping me out, and I greatly appreciate their advise, expertise, and attentive customer support.. 

 

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