Nautilus (the snail Shape) vs. 800D/801D

[cug]

Simpler to lock an account, no? The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few (to borrow the phrase). :W

Because you don't like an opinion? Cool man.

[cug]

All this hobby is about the music, when we talk about what much you should spend in each component we always forget that the main component is our music collection.

That's the best comment in a long time. But an audiophile is not necessarily a music enthusiast. There's a huge difference and nobody will ever be able to convince one or the other.

To the topic: I never heard the Nautilus (never had a chance). The 800D is pretty impressive. But the differences get smaller and smaller the higher you go. It's up to everybody's own taste whether it's worth or not. So even between the Nautilus and the 800D - some might say the 800D is "better" and others will say the Nautilus is better. All according to their own taste.

[wettou]

That's the best comment in a long time. But an audiophile is not necessarily a music enthusiast. There's a huge difference and nobody will ever be able to convince one or the other.

To the topic: I never heard the Nautilus (never had a chance). The 800D is pretty impressive. But the differences get smaller and smaller the higher you go. It's up to everybody's own taste whether it's worth or not. So even between the Nautilus and the 800D - some might say the 800D is "better" and others will say the Nautilus is better. All according to their own taste.

I think that the Nautilus is as much about music as a fashion statement.

I would love to be able to afford them. My dream music/home theater room would be based on the Alien ship with 7 Blue Nautilus as speakers yes I know I would need 24 amps preferably the Pass X600.5. ($210K + $480K)

[cug]

I think that the Nautilus is as much about music as a fashion statement.

I'd also love to have them in my room because I think they look really cool. But as optimistic as I am I will never be able to afford them. Meaning, I could probably buy them, even right now, but I will probably never be in a position to say that I can put out that money just for a pair of speakers. May they be as good as they are and even if my business skyrockets and I have a couple of millions left over, I'd probably not buy them ...

[RebelMan]

Because you don't like an opinion? Cool man.

The opinion is welcome but not at the expense of the thread. To bad man.

[Marco Lisi]

Stop worrying that much on all the technology a speaker has, just get your ass to a showroom and audition all the speakers you are thinking about, erase all that super duper information the companies are trying to dent in our brian and LISTEN.

Thank you for this input Aldo, I find it very refreshing! It's perfectly normal that people at some point take "technical matters" into consideration. When you buy a car, don't you look at the specs? Ofcourse the most important thing is to drive it... In technical matters I must confirm your statement, I was not aware on the speakerupgradability of the Nautilus, nor that each unit comes with a chip!? Fabulous!

I like the form of the Nautilus over any 800 series speaker every day, just being in the room with them makes one silent. When you're sitting down and just look at them, they already sound great ;x(

Now, my opinion is indeed based on listening experiences. The Nautilus was powered by former Threshold amps, no attention was spent on cables. But still, the sound was reference and veryyyyyyyyyy impressive. Still, the best thing I've heard (to my personal taste) was the 800D on a pair of Pass X600.5! In terms of forgetting your system, the audiophile comments, hi-fi in general, but just taking the "set" out of the eqasion and listen to real music. Very emotional, real, organic and physical. This demo overclassed all previous ones. There my "listening" experience ends and that is the downside. I can only imagine how the Nautlus would sound, amped up with at least 4 Pass amps???

Kind regards

:T

[RebelMan]

Still, the best thing I've heard (to my personal taste) was the 800D on a pair of Pass X600.5!

More importantly, what were/are you using for a front end?

[Marco Lisi]

More importantly, what were/are you using for a front end?

Bryston preamp (some to gain here)
DCS Pucini
Kimber Select Silver speakercables and interlinks
Siltech powercords

PS/This was a demo setup @dealer

:T

[Aldo]

That's the best comment in a long time. But an audiophile is not necessarily a music enthusiast. There's a huge difference and nobody will ever be able to convince one or the other.

To the topic: I never heard the Nautilus (never had a chance). The 800D is pretty impressive. But the differences get smaller and smaller the higher you go. It's up to everybody's own taste whether it's worth or not. So even between the Nautilus and the 800D - some might say the 800D is "better" and others will say the Nautilus is better. All according to their own taste.

I agree!

[Aldo]

Thank you for this input Aldo, I find it very refreshing! It's perfectly normal that people at some point take "technical matters" into consideration. When you buy a car, don't you look at the specs? Ofcourse the most important thing is to drive it... In technical matters I must confirm your statement, I was not aware on the speakerupgradability of the Nautilus, nor that each unit comes with a chip!? Fabulous!

I like the form of the Nautilus over any 800 series speaker every day, just being in the room with them makes one silent. When you're sitting down and just look at them, they already sound great ;x(

Now, my opinion is indeed based on listening experiences. The Nautilus was powered by former Threshold amps, no attention was spent on cables. But still, the sound was reference and veryyyyyyyyyy impressive. Still, the best thing I've heard (to my personal taste) was the 800D on a pair of Pass X600.5! In terms of forgetting your system, the audiophile comments, hi-fi in general, but just taking the "set" out of the eqasion and listen to real music. Very emotional, real, organic and physical. This demo overclassed all previous ones. There my "listening" experience ends and that is the downside. I can only imagine how the Nautlus would sound, amped up with at least 4 Pass amps???

Kind regards

:T

Then you should try to get your 800Ds!
I'm absolutely shure that you never, ever regret it!
And it is a waaaaaaaaaaaaay better god Value!

Thanks!

[Marco Lisi]

Then you should try to get your 800Ds!
I'm absolutely shure that you never, ever regret it!
And it is a waaaaaaaaaaaaay better god Value!

Thanks!

Hi Aldo

Please look @ the photo under my name...that's my living room...the 800D's are already there ops:

I'd like to talk some more about your setup please. Which amplifiers do you use? Source? Would appreciate your input!

:T

[Aldo]

Hi Aldo

Please look @ the photo under my name...that's my living room...the 800D's are already there ops:

I'd like to talk some more about your setup please. Which amplifiers do you use? Source? Would appreciate your input!

:T

Sorry, didn't realised you already had them!
I'm running 1 CM400 for the bass drive, 1 CM400 for the mid, 1 CAM2200 for the Lower mid and tweeter, all from Classe to have the same gain (that for each Nautilus).
Halcro SSP100 as processor, Classe SACD player.
Marantz 9300 DVD player, Bluray, PS3, bla, bla, bla.
For the surround I have 4 802Ds with 2 McIntosh MC250 amps and 1 CM500 for the HTM1D center chanel. (I will upgrade or at least change the Mcs for Classes as soon as I can).$$$$$
Marantz VP11S1 projector with a stealth gray Halk Stewart screen.
3 ASW855 and 1 ASW 850.

[wettou]

Sorry, didn't realized you already had them! I'm running 1 CM400 for the bass drive, 1 CM400 for the mid, 1 CAM2200 for the Lower mid and tweeter, all from Classe to have the same gain (that for each Nautilus). Halcro SSP100 as processor, Classe SACD player. Marantz 9300 DVD player, Bluray, PS3, bla, bla, bla. For the surround I have 4 802Ds with 2 McIntosh MC250 amps and 1 CM500 for the HTM1D center channel. Marantz VP11S1 projector with a stealth gray Hawk Stewart screen. 3 ASW855 and 1 ASW 850.

Whoa! that must be an amazing sound? Can I come and have a demo! I thought Classé didn't make a multichannel SACD?

My humble system seems tame in comparaison!

[btf1980]

In case anyone has not seen Aldo's system.

http://www.htguide.com/forum/showthread.php4?t=24794&page=1&pp=35

;x( ;x(

[musicgioni]

Sound and music are things very subjective...

I have been told by a person who should know more than a little about B&Ws that the Nautilus has been bettered by the current top of the range 800 series speakers. This is one persons opinion of course.

I cannot comment from my own experience as I have only heard 802D, N800 and the Signature Diamond......and my own "humble" 804s of course.

The B&W Nautilus are w/o any question bench mark speakers. However, technology changes very fast and what was a bench mark yesterday is bettered by lesser and cheaper products today. I remember the first time I listened to the Infinity IRS V (back then arguably the best spekers in the world) I thought that I was done! No more to look forward to in speaker design and life like sound...still a few years later an array of new speaker designs bettered the IRS V by a wide margin.

Moreover, please keep in mind that sound is a very subjective matter. What sounds shrill to your ears may sound just fine to mine...what sounds great to you may sound bad to me and BOTH of us are correct. I know I am being very extreme here (thankfully we DO agree in a lot of matters audio and otherwise), but I am just trying to make a point. For example I have a serious senitivity to metal drivers. Although they have come a long way I still can not stand the sound of metal drivers in any speaker be it aluminum, berylium or whaever... I rememebr the first time I listened to the big Revels (I do not rememebr the model) I thought that the store owner in Omaha was Crazy! Shrill, unevolving, clinical, dry... I then listened to the Eggleston Andras and I was in heaven. The store owner prefered the Revels I prefered the Andras...

The same applies to the Nautilus and the Wislon Alexandrias, and Maxxes and every other speaker out there... I like them all but I would NOT live with just any of them if I had the choice...It would be one or another one for me.

[wettou]

The B&W Nautilus are w/o any question bench mark speakers. However, technology changes very fast and what was a bench mark yesterday is bettered by lesser and cheaper products today. Moreover, please keep in mind that sound is a very subjective matter. What sounds shrill to your ears may sound just fine to mine...what sounds great to you may sound bad to me and BOTH of us are correct. I know I am being very extreme here (thankfully we DO agree in a lot of matters audio and otherwise), but I am just trying to make a point. For example I have a serious senitivity to metal drivers. Although they have come a long way I still can not stand the sound of metal drivers in any speaker be it aluminum, berylium or whaever... I rememebr the first time I listened to the big Revels (I do not rememebr the model) I thought that the store owner in Omaha was Crazy! Shrill, unevolving, clinical, dry... I then listened to the Eggleston Andras and I was in heaven. The store owner prefered the Revels I prefered the Andras...

The same applies to the Nautilus and the Wislon Alexandrias, and Maxxes and every other speaker out there... I like them all but I would NOT live with just any of them if I had the choice...It would be one or another one for me.

Very good point to each is one otherwise we would all be owning the same things!! Did you ever try the Diamond tweeter?

[Marco Lisi]

Sorry, didn't realised you already had them!
I'm running 1 CM400 for the bass drive, 1 CM400 for the mid, 1 CAM2200 for the Lower mid and tweeter, all from Classe to have the same gain (that for each Nautilus).
Halcro SSP100 as processor, Classe SACD player.
Marantz 9300 DVD player, Bluray, PS3, bla, bla, bla.
For the surround I have 4 802Ds with 2 McIntosh MC250 amps and 1 CM500 for the HTM1D center chanel. (I will upgrade or at least change the Mcs for Classes as soon as I can).$$$$$
Marantz VP11S1 projector with a stealth gray Halk Stewart screen.
3 ASW855 and 1 ASW 850.

My God Aldo, you are in AV heaven already, still being on earth 8)
That is quiet a nice setup there! Congrats!

May I ask why you use 2 802D next to each other?

What are your thoughts on the SSP-100? I"ve tested a SSP-200 recently but will not say anything yet...

Greetz

:T

[wettou]

My God Aldo, you are in AV heaven already, still being on earth 8) That is quiet a nice setup there! Congrats! May I ask why you use 2 802D next to each other? What are your thoughts on the SSP-100? I"ve tested a SSP-200 recently but will not say anything yet... Greetz :T

802D for the rear that is overkill! But the sound of symphonies in multichannel SACD must be heavenly!!

[Aldo]

My God Aldo, you are in AV heaven already, still being on earth 8)
That is quiet a nice setup there! Congrats!

May I ask why you use 2 802D next to each other?

What are your thoughts on the SSP-100? I"ve tested a SSP-200 recently but will not say anything yet...

Greetz

:T

The speakers are close because that is the THX Ultra2 recomended placement when the speakers are close to the listener and to get best results with movies and music.

The SSP-100 is a great processor (I got mine running fine after 3 units) but now that it is working I believe it is one of the best processors in the market today for about 10Ks.
Thanks!

[Aldo]

802D for the rear that is overkill! But the sound of symphonies in multichannel SACD must be heavenly!!

Multichanel SACDs at least the ones I have are just 5.1
But in movies it is also great.

[RebelMan]

The SSP-100 is a great processor (I got mine running fine after 3 units) but now that it is working I believe it is one of the best processors in the market today for about 10Ks.
Thanks!

The SSP-800 will take the crown next month. :B

[Antus]

i don't know if there is such a thing as overkill, besides, at Abby Road, they use 5 800D and 10 CAM400. anything below that would be considered a "compromise" in some ways.

[Marco Lisi]

The speakers are close because that is the THX Ultra2 recomended placement when the speakers are close to the listener and to get best results with movies and music.

The SSP-100 is a great processor (I got mine running fine after 3 units) but now that it is working I believe it is one of the best processors in the market today for about 10Ks.
Thanks!

Hello Aldo

I also thought that the SSP-200 was and is the best processor on the market.
What is more, I don't find it disappointing in "stereo" mode, where other brands or types fail to deliver...and as I said in another post/topic: the Halcro matches beautiful with the Pass power amps.

How do you seperate you stereo/surround but still use the same fronts? How do you do that? I'm very interested in your solution here???

What is the real benefit of using a 'full range" speaker for surround modi instead of...let's say the DS-6 of the SCM-S that I use?

I utilse a 7.1 setup (will upgrade to 7.2), the dipoles are mounted on the cealing for pratical matters, the SCM-S on the rear walls. But I cannot hang them next to eachother because of big window-doors in between.

So, I could upgrade the rears tot max 803D (no more space available), the dipoles must stay because of the room size in general.

I'm curious for your thoughts...

:T

[Marco Lisi]

The SSP-800 will take the crown next month. :B

Hello Rebelman

I did indeed receive a presskit from B&W @ High End Munich pronouncing the SSP-800. I do think this will be a very interesting piece of equiptement. Why do you think it will be superior? I realy want to hear you opinion on this.

Greetings

:T

[Aldo]

Hello Rebelman

I did indeed receive a presskit from B&W @ High End Munich pronouncing the SSP-800. I do think this will be a very interesting piece of equiptement. Why do you think it will be superior? I realy want to hear you opinion on this.

Greetings

:T

There is a full discussion in the Club Classe about that topic posted by Rebel, you should take a look there!

[Aldo]

Hello Aldo

How do you seperate you stereo/surround but still use the same fronts? How do you do that? I'm very interested in your solution here???

What is the real benefit of using a 'full range" speaker for surround modi instead of...let's say the DS-6 of the SCM-S that I use?


:T

I use the Halcro Balanced input which bypasses any processing right from the CLASSE SACD 2, the result is better than great.
I also use the extra outputs from the Halcro for the 2 front Subs. That gives extra depth and imaging to the equation.

About the SCM-S in theory the dipoles you are using are the way to go because they are intended to be non directional (Surround) and the result with movies should be better.
But with the right placement (which I do not have now) the 802Ds can give you great results.
The thing is Multichannel, my priority now is Music and with the right SACD or DVD audio they really sing.
Speakers on other hand in words of THX, DTS, Dolby, etc should be identical what seams to be impractical must of the time but we should try to stick to that rule as much as we can.
The bass is also one of the main differences of what you get in a movie.

Thanks!