Amp Upgrade for B&W 804S

[admin_exported]

According to the What Hi-Fi testers the 804S are very thirsty for power (at least 150W is mentioned in the article). I am currently considering to upgrade my Cyrus 8VS2 wit an Cyrus 8 Power or if necessairy an X Power. Would you guys think that would be enough? Or should i spend my money in a new powerful intgrated amp to make my 804S sing?

kind regards,

 

[the record spot]

Could do, but see also the Harman Kardon HK990 (£900 or so), or the Shanling A2000 integrated (£800), both are 150wpc, both have interesting looking specs for the money.

EDIT: Bit of info on the Shanling: http://www.charismaaudio.com/A2000_detail.html

Main Features:

Aluminum chassis

Two pairs of Toshiba 2SA1943/2SC5200 150W high current output transistors per channel

Two premium toroidal power transformers with high efficiency and low magnetic leakage

Total of 30,000uf of reservoir capacity per channel

Motorized ALPS volume control

Moving magnet phono input

Headphone jack

Remote control function


Specifications:


Output: 2 x 150W RMS (8 Ohms) / 2 x 250W RMS (4 Ohms)

Input sensitivity: 360mV

Frequency response: 10Hz - 50kHz - 1dB

THD: 0.005% at 1kHz, 5W

Signal to noise ratio: >105dB (A weighting)

Dimensions: (L x W x H): 413 x 430 x 139 mm

Net weight: ~15.6 kg

Power consumption: 380W

 

[d_a_n1979]

Jeroenp:
According to the What Hi-Fi testers the 804S are very thirsty for power (at least 150W is mentioned in the article). I am currently considering to upgrade my Cyrus 8VS2 wit an Cyrus 8 Power or if necessairy an X Power. Would you guys think that would be enough? Or should i spend my money in a new powerful intgrated amp to make my 804S sing?

kind regards,

The 804's will work very well with the Cyrus 8vs2 and the 8Power; maybe take a good look at the XPower as well; my partner had this with her Cyrus 8vs2 and 8SE CDP and her B&W CM7 speakers.

The XPower sounded a lot better over the 8Power; more so with an added PSX-R

IMO this combo will sound a lot better than the Harmon Kardon integrated amp mentioned below; lots of power but not the greatest soundstage IMO.

I've never heard the Shanling.

 

[MattSPL]

I used to have a pair of N803's and used them with a Krell Kav 300iL intergrated amp rated at 200w/ch@8ohm's and 400w/ch@4ohm's.
Under test conditions the amp will put out more than its rated power into 8ohm's but will not stretch past around 350watts@4ohm's.

Depending on what type of volume levels you play at will dictate which amp will suit your needs best.

The N803 and i presume the 804 also, dip as low as 3ohm's.
Many normal amp's, including the Kav 300iL are not designed to work below 4ohm's. To get the best out of the Nautilus speakers you need an amp that is 2ohm stable. Used Krell FPB, Bryston, Chord power amp etc.

The Krell and other amp's will work at normal operating volumes but if you push them they will get very very hot and you may cause damage to the amp or speaker. My Kav 300iL chassis got too hot to touch.
The Krell amp blew its speaker output fuses several times and eventually blew itself driving the N803's at high volume levels.

They are a stunning amplifier when used with the right speakers but to get the most out of the 804's id suggest a big power amp that is stable down to 2ohm's.

 

[the record spot]

d_a_n1979:Jeroenp:
According to the What Hi-Fi testers the 804S are very thirsty for power (at least 150W is mentioned in the article). I am currently considering to upgrade my Cyrus 8VS2 wit an Cyrus 8 Power or if necessairy an X Power. Would you guys think that would be enough? Or should i spend my money in a new powerful intgrated amp to make my 804S sing?

kind regards,

The 804's will work very well with the Cyrus 8vs2 and the 8Power; maybe take a good look at the XPower as well; my partner had this with her Cyrus 8vs2 and 8SE CDP and her B&W CM7 speakers.

The XPower sounded a lot better over the 8Power; more so with an added PSX-R

IMO this combo will sound a lot better than the Harmon Kardon integrated amp mentioned below; lots of power but not the greatest soundstage IMO.

I've never heard the Shanling.

Have you compared the two directly Dan, with the same kit in the same listening arrangement? Rather hard to tell if not, no?

EDIT: The point about the HK is it's a bit more than just a beefy lump of muscle. It's picked up some pretty solid reviews, design is impressive, sound is apparently weighty, with good presentation across the treble/mids/bass frequencies. Hi Fi News and the European Award I can never remember the title of.

The Shanling is a bit off the left field - it came up at Audio Affair's site and that brand has a bit of a mixed reputation over here; kind of polarises opinion. Never heard it either and doubt many places stock it, but reckon I'd seek it out if I could.

 

[Anonymous]

The x power is alot better than the 8 power. The cyrus amp would drive the speakers well with the power amp, but a pre / pwer would sound just a bit sweeter with the B&W's.