In my experience, B&W's require power. For your budget, you could buy 2 used Bryston 4b's and bi-amp the speakers or look for a used Krell KSA 150. Good luck. |
"Best..." is a relative term; system compatibility is the ultimate goal. Another "best" might be a used Classe' DR-9 or DR-10 (sold as the Ten in script on the frontplate). They were very conservatively rated at 100wpc at 8 ohms. I've owned them with ribbons, planars, cones--big, medium, small and DRs sound excellent with all. They run $1000-1200 when you can find one. My final Classe' was the Ten (DR-10), that gave much satisfaction with various tubed preamps driving ribbons, planars, and lastly, the Avalon Arcus. The legendary DRs were designed by Dave Reich before leaving Classe' in the early 90s. Do not compare Reich's amps with later Classe's; in the opinion of many I have spoken with (myself included after auditioning later series, including the newest), they are "coarser" than the DRs. There are also a number of other excellent used and new pieces available, but take the time to audition in your system, at length. Your ears only are the final decision maker. |
IF YOU HAVEN'T CONSIDERED THE MUSE MODEL 160($1,900.00 NEW)YOU'RE MISSING THE BOAT. COMPARE IT WITH THE BEST AND BE READY FOR A PLESANT SURPRISE. STEREOPHILE'S MICHAEL FREMER REVIEWED(VOL.20 NO.10). AND FOUND HE WAS "SUPRISED AND DELIGHTED BY THE TUBELIKE SHIMMERING LIQUIDITY" AND FURTHER COMMENTED "THE 160 CAN FIT COMFORTABLY INTO ANY EXISTING AUDIO SYSTEM". THE 160 EARNED A (CLASS B RECOMMENDED COMPONENT) RANKING BY STEREOPHILE. |
Belles 150A. Beats the McCormack DNA 1 on all fronts and costs less. |
I have some experience here with my second true love-B&W. Got 801m sIII, 801m sII/Northcreek, 802 sIII, & 805. Don't even think that you will be realizing the potential of the sepeaks unless you put some massive power behind em! Forget all those light duty recomendations because you will follow the road to trade-up unless you buy heavy-duty. My amps? I found a pair of Lightstar Reference 2.0 NIB for $3600. eighty pounders that can pass household current. You want big transformers & caps inside for those dynamics. (MFSL Dark Side of The Moon). Others I'd love to try-KSA250s, ML 23.5, T800, CA400, Rowland 8T- OOPS wrong price range, what the hell you only live once and youre ears aren't getting younger. The only speak I'd give up a set for would be the puppies. On the 801 sII/Northcreek set I use C-J Prem. 5"s ah! life is good with B&W in front. |
Buy the Ayre V-3 and call it a day. On the used market for $1500+/-$100. There is no bigger steal in audio!! Retails for $3750-$3850. This amp is KILLER!!! |
I hate to be a salesman, but I just happen to have a bunch of Bryston 4B ampliiers (250 w p/ch 8 ohms) available for $650.00. they are all 10 years old and come with the balance of the manafacturers 20 year warranty! all have been tested and are in good working condition. rob@westbury.com |
My spelling might be lousy but my ears are just fine. |
I have a pair of 802s series 2. First of, find someone who knows what there doing and remove the protection circetry from the crossover.There was a dicussion about this a few years back in Steriofile and B&W also agread it would do no harm.I did just this and my speaker srarted to wake up.My problems were still not over yet. The Aragon 4004 Mk2 or something else wasn't right, the speakers stil seemed veiled.My front end was not the problem so I went looking to find what B&W used for voicing them speakers; they use chord amps from England whitch are difficult to find here. I was lucky and found a used pair of chord spm600 for $2000 and it was just what the doctor ordered. Since then I've also had the oportunity to listen to them with a Bryston 4B ST, also avery good match. The problem with the 800 series is that they are ruslusly reveiling off every thing up stream. Unfortunatly that means $$$$. Good luck in your quest. |
McCormack DNA 1 dlx (or the 0.5 dlx), one of the best bargains in audio. |
Levinson. I may not win any style points for suggesting obscure brands, but you really can't go wrong with this. You can get a used No. 27, or even better, a No. 23 for around $2000. I did and it has served up nothing but pure joy. |
Bryston 3B ST matches very well with B&W speakers. |
Virtual Mode Amp: 100 w/pc Class A, custom wood enclosure, extensive shielding against EMI/RF, this is one of the best amps under $2000.00 also one of the best solid state amps under $5000.00. Compared against Krell, Aragon, McCormack, Bryston, VTL, Clayton, Belles. You will be hard pressed to find better especially for the money! |
buy the used Krell for the following reasons. 1. The krell match up with the 801's very well 2. The krell is over all better amp than most amp out there 3. If u decide on something else, it is easy to sell 4. get 200 KSA-S, best quality krell to buy for ur money. might be little more than what u want to spend...hell, save some more money and get the right one...do not settle for A/B rated Other good ones are Levinson No.27 or No.23 |
There are a bunch b&w have always liked krell the bottem end deserves it but you would have to get a tube pre to sweeten the mids also perhaps a threshold one of my favorites was the sa 3.9 60 pure class a now there is sweetness and punch another is the classe dr 9 but once again you need tubes or a matching pre to really enjoy it ... you can pick up the krell ksa 150 ...$ 1700-1900 the threshold sa 3.9 ...$ 1500 and the classe dr9....1300-1600 think krell the 801 need the control in the bottom end also if you have stands fill them with sand that helped when i had them good luck enjoy |
bryston 3B-ST ... new lists at 1650 |
Monarchy SE100 Deluxes used run about $1300 or so. These amps are the best sound I have heard under my Plinius SA100 mk3 amps ($4500 a piece) |
bryston 4nrb. Used will run about $1100. |
No question in my mind it is the Conrad-Johnson MV-55. All the tube magic without the high cost and "tubey" sound. |
ATI 1505 1500.00or Parasound 2205 .Both are 5 channel amps.ATI is 150x5 and Para is 220x5 2000.00 either will take you where you want to go!!! |
mc cormack power drive dna-0.5 brand new 1795$ |
