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Review: B&W 802 Speaker

Category: Speakers

These speakers offer a rich and warm sound. The play music extremely well. However, they offer the best theatre experience I have heard outside of a movie theatre for the price. They require a great deal of energy. I originally installed a Pass Labs x 150w (per channel in 8ohms) for the pair, but found that they needed more drive. When I installed the Pass Labs X250 (250w oer channel in 8ohms), the speakers took on a new life.

STRENGTHS: Great clean sound at all listening levels. These are truly the best speakers that I have owned and would recommend them to anyone who is a true home theatre and sound enthusiast.

WEAKNESS: Require alot of energy to realize their true potential.

Associated gear
Lexicon MC-1, Pass Labs X250 Amp

Similar products
Avalon, Infiniti, Klipsch,
lebmiami2
bigkidz
3,381 posts
 
You are correct. The Matrix series B&Ws require lots of juice to make them come to life, Now go try some speaker cables and speaker stands to improve them even more. Go to Lowes or Home Depot and buy 6awg multi strand wire (30 cents a foot). Run one in one direction and the negatvie in the other direction. Buy some gold spades at a car audio store to fit the large wire. Let them break in for three weeks then take them out of your system. The after a week put them back in. Tell us what you hear.

Peter
jbatlanta
97 posts
 
6awg wire from Home Depot? You gotta be kidding.

Bigkidz...try som TMC speaker cable. You will be amazed at the performance improvement.

Cost more than 30c a foot, but worth it.
meimo
1 posts
 
Had a series 1 running for 21 years with great satisfaction. Added a Classe 15 amp in 1995 giving "only" 175 watts into 8 ohm. That rocks! Have been testing the Nautilus 802 too, but stayed with the "old" boxes.
poloman's avatar
poloman
96 posts
 
I have my Matrix 802 S3 for 8 years and still going strong. They are out for some Xover upgrades. Think Ill hang on to them for a couple more years.
poloman's avatar
poloman
96 posts
 
These Babies are still my favorite speaker. Had the Xover capaciters upgraded and the soundstaging and imaging are scary good. Bass is incredible and the sweet airy treble is amazing. Im now using a Mcintosh MC2205 which mates very well with the B&W's Def use high quality bi wire cables, Dedicated speaker stands, and a tubed preamp. prepare to be transported to audio heaven.
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