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

Ended up going with the Exposure 3010S - had heard about the company from a co-worker. Got a good deal on this model and am very happy with it, for less than half the cost of Simaudio (which I'm sure I would really have loved). Haven't had the volume past the 1/4 mark, so no concern about power.

I'm also using the Wyred4sound class D amps on a pair of 802D's... no thoughts of changing. You need 300-500 hours for the amps to be at their best. I am bi-amping the speakers, 250's and 500's. All the current B&W's need.

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.

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.

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, how does the W4S Sti500 compare to your Cary S120?

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.

Small, but great used pre's..Forte, coda, threshold,
Magus

Thanks for the advice. Any recommendations on a good pre? I've heard Rogue Perseus and enjoyed it but obviously it's a big difference in price (about $1000 more than the Rotel 1550).

I would skip the Rotel pre... their amps are ok but I have found better preamps for the money.

As always use your own ears.

I used the now discontinued Rotel RB-1072 (class-D, 100 watt@8ohms, 190 watts@4ohms) with a pair of 703s for awhile and it did a very good job IMO. I paid $500 for it as a dealer demo off e-bay. I feel it is one of the best audio deals I have gotten.

From what I understand the new models from Rotel use the same basic internals as my RB-1072.

Over a receiver running B&Ws you will get a lot more bass power and control. I found the mids to be more fleshed out too. But the big difference will be in the bass.

There are lots of good amps out there and a lot more with big price tags too... No need to break the bank at this point because even a "budget" amp (from a good brand) will blow away a low end Dennon.

Another good budget brand that gets great review for playing out of it price class is
"Wyred 4 Sound"

nichomoff. sorry for the delayed response. i have concluded that given your space restrictions, there is no need to 'settle'. check out a cyrus 6 or 8 integrated. they are both about 8 inches wide and 14.1 inches deep. they are not as forward as the naim, and warmer than the sim. i've bought naim gear over the years, and except for a vintage nait 2, have found it to be fun for awhile, and then tiring. the cyrus competes with my mac gear, and ias infinitely smaller and more convenient. people are shocked when i play the tiny integrated...they assume its the mc275. the rotel is solid, but matching with a proper pre may present space problems, additional interconnects, etc. the b&w's will sing with the 6 or the 8.

Thanks for the response. Are you saying it's your opinion that the Rotel is the better choice, or that it's the one you've heard? Somewhat contrary to what the dealers say when I sugggest it, but then again, they're dealers and the other choices are more expensive. What type of pre would you recommend with the Rotel? Something to keep the sound warm?

Of the above, the rotel pair.