I owned the 801 Series II for many years and not until I spent a small fortune on a powerful Goldmund solid state amp did I tame the boomy, tubby almost overpowering bass on the 801's. Previously I had been using an ARC D-300 solid state amp, preceded by a British Fidelity monster heat-producing class A solid state amp. I haven't heard the M100's w/them but during the period I owned my 801's, two other audio pals who also owned them gave up on tubes and hooked them up to mega solid state. I think that's the accepted doctrine on the 801's, but you can always go against convention and try your M100's.
ARC with B&W 801's?
I was thinking of purchasing a used pair of B&W 801 Matrix either series 2 or 3. I have heard them quite a few times and enjoy them. Most of the times that I have listened to them, though, they have been hooked up to BIG solid state amps (Krell, Classe and the like). I have a pair of Audio Research M100's. They have always seemed powerful enough to my ears for my Proac's. Has anybody out there run those B&W's with tubed gear? Any feedback would be great. Thanks