rotel+b&w=true?

[vonlarsson]

Hi there!

I was just wondering if anyone out there have the combo ROTEL+B&W...

I´m considering to buy the new Nautilus 804s. How does the combo sound to you?

Can my rb-985 handle 804s+ htm3s +a pair of small dipoles from mourdant short or do I have to upgrade to rd993 or equal for the fronts?

THANKS!

[PewterTA]

I have the Rotel RSP-1098/RMB-1095/RB1080/RT1080 all matched up with my B&W Dm604/LCR600/DM602 (x4) and love the combination. Pure bliss!!

I really wanted to move to the N802/HTM1/N805s, but money wouldn't allow it. Probably by the time I'm ready to upgrade again, I'll get the 802D, plus that will give them some time to have those speakers out there and hopefully drop the price somewhat as I'm sure they will come out with something else by that time. lol.

Or if I stumble across some perfect N802s used, I might go that way... Tough decision...just wish money grew on trees!

[Fraise]

my opinion...the rotel stuff doesnt do the nautilus line justice.

[Blazar]

The Nautilus line really belongs with the new Classe amplifiers...

Since B&W bought classe, they have been working hard to marry the speakers and amps.

[turbokuo]

PewterTA,

How many watts per speaker do the 802's need? 200watts?

[PewterTA]

200watts is a decent starting point, but pushing them up is much better.

I've heard the bi-amped by an Earthquake Cinenova Grand 5 (300-325watts x 2 to each speaker then one channel to HTM1)...and I can't even explain the sound they put out. My jaw litterally hit the floor. So powerful.

I have yet to find a Classe dealer that sells B&W around me that I can get to. I'd like to hear them and Mark Levinson amp....I hear that's pure bliss...and what I'd like to get to at some year (probably provided the wife never comes).

[Cowanrg]

i suggest you guys do a little side by side listening before thinking that classe will beat out rotel.

true story...

i have a customer that has the old 802's. he got bit by the upgrade bug and wanted to audition the new 802D's. we had it hooked up to a classe stack (the 200x5 power amp, cant remember which one, but its like $8k) and the classe surround processor. he has the rotel 1080, so to more closely simulate his system, i hooked up a spare 1080. we though the 802d's were an improvement from last year, but we had NO idea until we used the rotel. it absolutely smoked the classe. and both were broken in, same cables, same speaker positions, etc... the ONLY thing that changed was the amp. it had 3x as much bass (and was LESS muddy and tubby than the classe), cleaner, clearer, better soundstage, you name it. the classe sounded like a cheap 100wpc surround receiver would.

he bought the new 802d's on the spot after hearing them with the rotel.

i feel perfectly comfortable using rotel with 800 series. i feel a little bad using classe to tell you the truth. i think classe is good stuff, but it definately needs more time to mature as a product.

[KAP]

I have the "old" N804's in my family room, along with N805's and an HTM2.

I drive them with a Parasound HCA-2205 amplifier via a Lexicon MC-8 Processor.

The Parasound is probably not the greatest amp in the world, but I'm pleased with the pairing.

[PewterTA]

I'd love to be able to walk in and demo the N802d and walk out with them... Ahhh...some day.

[shep]

N804 and Rotel are fine together

Judging from the feedback, I must be cloth-eared. I have the RB-1070 paired with the N804s (using a Denon AVR-3801 as my pre-amp). The combination is great, by my ears, although a little thinner in the bass than I would prefer. I attribute some of that to the 50 feet of 12 gauge speaker wire separating the amp from the speakers, but plan to remedy that soon. My next upgrade, based on much of the feedback seen in this forum, would be to go with the RC-1090 and RB-1080. I am sure that there is some nth degree of improvement from the Classe amps, but I would certainly hope so for the much higher price. Rotel is a fine place to start in driving your 804s, and you can certainly trade up later if you are bitten by the upgrade bug later on. Best bet is to go in and listen for yourself.