B&W Matrix 800: Bi-amping thoughts?


One of these days I'll be able to unpack and set up the B&W Matrix 800's my pop left me. Our current home just isn't the place for them but we'll be taking care of that in the not too distant future.

https://www.stereophile.com/content/bw-matrix-800-loudspeaker

Anyways, pop was using Jadis electronics with them and they were heavenly. However while the Defy7 at 100WPC worked well, I've been thinking bi-amping and powering the woofers with a SS amp of similar caliber and power instead. My thinking is to enjoy the air and musicality for mid's and tweeters that the tubes render but to have the bottom end punch and extension that SS seems to provide for those four 12" polymer woofers.

So my question is, what might be an appropriate SS amplifier for this set up?

The preamp will be a Jadis JP80 MC. Thanks much and...

Happy listening.

musicfan2349

Sublime makes electronic crossovers 3 way.there is also someone on ebay making update crossovers for the 800 matrix. I bought the pair from aural hifi.the story is the were painted white to match waf cabinets.the beryllium tweeter in it is fantastic for me and madisound sells them.the advantage is it pushes cone distortion or breakup above 20k and humans can't hear much above that.thus the dog whistle ie higher frequency.the wood work from aural hifi is fantastic.they do good work and have great customer service.have bought some tube amps with thier custom woodwork that look awsome.its his signature in audio nich. I run mine with high power amps michi m8 2kw in 4 ohms runs it all or mcintosh 1.25 kw or emotiva xpr 1 yes I know but read the review on that amp. I know you can get emf feedback to the amp from woofers but don't seem to have that problem with matrix 800. Class d amps seem to not have a problem with base woofers and are more cost effective. I have some Pascal d sonic I like on base m3 is 1.6 k watts 2 k into 4 ohms. I have alot of beryllium tweets on my tektons ulfbrich and they sound great. Enjoy the so called bookends matrix 800.

You can rum the 800 matrix without a electronic crossover, just need away to match the levels like level controls on larger amp.

I use a inline stepped attenuation unit called Endler stepped att.

This Endler stepped att is transparent and will not require additional set of cables

I run Rogue Apollo tube mono blocks and krell mono blocks for the loes

These speakers run very well with low cost amps for the Bass But in this house it Tubes Only for the mids and highs.

Good luck to you

I had an opportunity to run briefly a Pair of Audio research 610t amplifier here with 

with factory install Kt120's So that amp clips at 850 a side.

The Mids and highs were okay But the Bass was Full, and Fricking powerful

Kicked the krell monoblocks ass

I drove the amp to full power and beyond.

Heated up the room 20 degrees in 1 hour