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Good amp for B&W 804S for the space-constrained

Good morning folks. I've recently purchased a pair of B&W 804S speakers and need to upgrade my electronics (Denon AV Receiver) to get the most of their sound. Unfortunately the shelves I can use are somewhat shallow. Thus, I'm looking for a solid amplification system that will fit in, let's say no more than 16" including space for the interconnects. Not an easy task, unfortunately. Some ideas I've had (and even demo'd to some extent):

Naim NAIT XS (or maybe even SuperNAIT)
Simaudio Moon i3.3
Rotel RB1552 + pre?

Anything else I should be looking at? Has anyone had experience with any of these in combination with B&W 804S?
nichomoff
rhljazz
1,254 posts
 
Wyred 4 Sound STi 500 is only 14.5 deep. I have a ST500 running my N802's right now and it is excellent, punching way beyond it's price point.
jdec
123 posts
 
Rhljazz, how does the W4S Sti500 compare to your Cary S120?
dylanhenry
52 posts
 
I think a Rotel Class D amp would be a great choice. They match well with B&Ws, particularly the 800 series, and have very small footprints comparatively, and run cool, so you can fit them in a cabinet without worrying about any over-heating issues.

The RB-1552 may be a good choice, but only runs 120 watts per channel. From my experience, the 800 series usually runs better with loads of power. The Rotel RB-1092 fits that description though a bit more expensive than the 1552. It's probably more wattage than the 804S needs, though it never hurts to have more headroom!
rhljazz
1,254 posts
 
Jdec, I tried the W4S briefly (new out of the box) on my ESP speakers which were designed for a tube amp and it sounded ok but not awesome. I only ran it for about 14 hrs, and in that application I preferred the Cary which is second fiddle to the VAC. I have since swapped speakers to the N802 and plan to put at least 100 hrs on the W4S. I have not tried the Cary on the N802's and at this point a comparison would be unfair until the W4S has broken in. I am using a generic 14/3 power cord which I also used with the Cary. My guess at this point in time, is that the W4S will win.
nichomoff OP
16 posts
 
Thanks for the suggestions. Will see if I can find a dealer. Someone I work with mentioned the Exposure 2010S. I've since done some reading and it seems this is a popular unit. Wondering how it may fare with the 804S and how it compares to Nait XS or Simaudio i3.3.
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