OK, you've got me on the subject I enjoy the most ... my B&W800's. If done right, they are the biggest bargain in the audio game, and probably the last component that I would ever replace.
I've had mine for about a dozen years. You may be able to run a search on my many threads about them.
First to answer your question about power: Although they are very efficient (93db/watt), they love power; good clean power. If done with good quality components upstream, the should sound fabulous at either high or low volumes. As I have upgraded my electronics over the years, the 800's have improved with each step.
In the preamp department, I went from the Krell KSL to the KBL to my present KRC-HR. I doubt that I will make any more changes in this department for a long, long time.
In the amp department, I went from the Krell KSA250 to the KSA300S to adding the FPB300.
Far and away, the biggest improvement came when I actively biamped them under the direction of Dan D'Agostino. He directed me to make some minor rewiring of the 800's and then I use his KBX crossover with the special board that includes not only the custom crossover points but also the bass alignment filter. I use the FPB300 for the mid/highs and the KSA300S for the bass. (Before he made his own speakers, Dan D'Agostino called actively biamped B&W800's, "the best speaker on the planet, regardless of price.") One of the people at Krell took home the actively biamped 800's, and said that they put out more bass than his IRS V's and he was only using the FPB200's for the B&W's.
Personally I and others have compared the actively biamped 800's to the 800N's and the N's were blown away. The only speaker that I have heard that I might consider, if money were no object, would be the $75,000 Pipedreams. But before I made that change, I would first go to four big Krell FPB monoblocks.
Richard
I've had mine for about a dozen years. You may be able to run a search on my many threads about them.
First to answer your question about power: Although they are very efficient (93db/watt), they love power; good clean power. If done with good quality components upstream, the should sound fabulous at either high or low volumes. As I have upgraded my electronics over the years, the 800's have improved with each step.
In the preamp department, I went from the Krell KSL to the KBL to my present KRC-HR. I doubt that I will make any more changes in this department for a long, long time.
In the amp department, I went from the Krell KSA250 to the KSA300S to adding the FPB300.
Far and away, the biggest improvement came when I actively biamped them under the direction of Dan D'Agostino. He directed me to make some minor rewiring of the 800's and then I use his KBX crossover with the special board that includes not only the custom crossover points but also the bass alignment filter. I use the FPB300 for the mid/highs and the KSA300S for the bass. (Before he made his own speakers, Dan D'Agostino called actively biamped B&W800's, "the best speaker on the planet, regardless of price.") One of the people at Krell took home the actively biamped 800's, and said that they put out more bass than his IRS V's and he was only using the FPB200's for the B&W's.
Personally I and others have compared the actively biamped 800's to the 800N's and the N's were blown away. The only speaker that I have heard that I might consider, if money were no object, would be the $75,000 Pipedreams. But before I made that change, I would first go to four big Krell FPB monoblocks.
Richard