Hi-End Electronics to drive B&W 804S speakers?


I am currently evaluating elctronics to drive B&W 804S speakers. My dilemma is deciding the best electronics - both how much to scan and what to choose finally that best matches with the speakers here. The options that I have shortlisted are as follows (now again they can be potentially be limited because I am in Paris or the salesman did a good job selling me) -

1. Classe System - Integrated Amp (CAP 2100), CD Player (CDP102)

2. Linn System - Pre Amp (Akurate Kontrol), Amp (Akurate 2200), CD Player (Akuate CD)

Can anyone provide guidance on if these are a good match with the B&W speakers 804S - which one of them goes better with them. Or am I completing missing the picture here? I have looked at a few but these two sounded most impressive. I did not hear Macintosh and some other names that I hear here like Rotel, Marantz. Any help would be appreciated before I pledge my greens in this recessionary environment.

thanks & cheers.
vikaschhariya

Showing 1 response by blackstonejd

Just some general advice:

I have the 804 and I use a Bryston 3B-ST to great effect. The 804 is a great speaker, but it can be a little brittle/fatiguing, so you will want to err on the side of warmer/darker/smoother sounding units. They have terrific imaging and resolution but I think their lack of bottom end makes them not an ideal speaker to build an end-game system around. You may wind up making choices to compensate for the lack of bass that won't be appropriate for your next (hopefully larger) pair of speakers.

The 804 is well out of Rotel and Marantz's league and you will need better amplification. That said, don't overspend. Get enough POWER to cover your NEXT pair of speakers. With that Classe integrated, for example, that would probably not be enough power for your next speaker upgrade down the road. I wouldn't get that unit new, even though it probably sounds very good.

I would get a used Bryston 4B-ST or SST (built like a tank and a 20 year warranty!) and then whatever funds you have left over I would put into a really nice preamplifier like an Ayre or something at that level. That would give you a setup that would allow you to gracefully transition to better speakers down the road without making serious upgrades.