Perhaps they're the only dynamic speakers that should be plugged into a wall outlet! (Just kidding)
Yes that is how my S3 are set up - not kidding.
The OTLs are a constant waiting power source. Speakers can be connected and unconnected at any time. Unfazed by impedance changes 1 to the 40-80 ohms which are required for good ESL Bass.
After 19 years ownership of my S3s I found this statement from Stereophile to be right on the mark.
Stereophile
"Higher in frequency, the response trend (averaged across a 30 degrees lateral window on the tweeter axis) is basically flat, but with a slight excess of energy in the presence region and a corresponding lack of energy in the top octave. All things being equal, this will make the speaker both a little too revealing of recorded detail and somewhat fussy when it comes to the quality of source and amplification components, just as LL noted in his auditioning comments."
801 S2 versus S3.
S3 has no protection circuit - also.
There is another difference between the S3 and S2 that is not well known. Interaction between the large inductor in the midrange section interacting with the large inductor in the bass section. The fix is simple, move one of the inductors to eliminate the magnetic interaction. B&W used this technique in the S3. It is discussed here
http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=96020.0
I have also owned 801f and 802, 803 and 805 all matrix version the last I still have stored. 802 and 801 are two different beasts.