View Full Version : B&W (Series 80) 802
Evening :¬)
I recently discovered my Grandfather was a bit of an audiophile (classical). There is a pair 0f said speakers (in perfect condition) at my Grandmothers. They are huge!
Anyone have any information regarding their performance? :eyebrows:
Pic (of model, not owned speakers)...
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9nOx735x9Oc/SsCutKGcUDI/AAAAAAAAH4Y/vRFd1vUn3B0/s400/photo(2).jpg
Edit: could a Mini-T or Bantam/Gold run these? *grin*
For a second there I thought they were the 802 Nautilus... :eek:
No experience of them personally, but if you can persuade your grandmother to let you have them they must be worth a go - I think they will need quite a bit more power than a Mini-T or Bantam, but I could be wrong of course, but a quick Google suggests they need lots of power... Do you know what other kit your Grandfather had, and if your Grandmother still has that as well?
Careful what you say to Alex Ross.
(Ffs, if Alex isn't trying to raise taxes for royal weddings and princesses he’s trying to rob defenseless old peoples Hi Fi)
:lolsign:
For a second there I thought they were the 802 Nautilus... :eek:
No experience of them personally, but if you can persuade your grandmother to let you have them they must be worth a go - I think they will need quite a bit more power than a Mini-T or Bantam, but I could be wrong of course, but a quick Google suggests they need lots of power... Do you know what other kit your Grandfather had, and if your Grandmother still has that as well?
Haha, when I first searched for B&W 802, the price of those was on the first page of google. Needless to say I was rather surprised!
He has a lot more kit, I did have a nose around but couldn't see anything that looked like a 'traditional' (bear in my my inexperience with vintage stuff) amp. Next time I'm back, I'll take some photo's and get some model names :¬)
Careful what you say to Alex Ross.
(Ffs, if Alex isn't trying to raise taxes for royal weddings and princesses he’s trying to rob defenseless old peoples Hi Fi)
:lolsign:
lol!
The 802 wasn't bad at all I remember...
Apologies all - especially to Alex(UK), but I don't share the enthusiasm on here for the Mini-T, finding it weak in tone and flat in perspectives. The 802's will need a bit of a dreadnought to make them come alive fully, good old fashioned "voltage" watts being better I reckon than a low powered current driver. Some of the better Pro amps would love 'em I reckon (MC2 possibly?) and Decca used H&H amps with their 801's for monitoring (same mid and top but one 12" bass unit).
The Grand Wazoo
01-05-2011, 09:40
I think most of these sold to pro users who couldn't stretch to the tubby shaped 801 'washing machines' didn't they?
The 802 wasn't bad at all I remember...
Apologies all - especially to Alex(UK), but I don't share the enthusiasm on here for the Mini-T, finding it weak in tone and flat in perspectives. The 802's will need a bit of a dreadnought to make them come alive fully, good old fashioned "voltage" watts being better I reckon than a low powered current driver. Some of the better Pro amps would love 'em I reckon (MC2 possibly?) and Decca used H&H amps with their 801's for monitoring (same mid and top but one 12" bass unit).
Take the Mini-T statement with a pinch of salt, the size of things must demand lots of power :¬)
I'm looking forward to another visit to see which amp they are partnered with.
I think most of these sold to pro users who couldn't stretch to the tubby shaped 801 'washing machines' didn't they?
Found a pic of those, they look, well, awful :¬)
The 802's did go into the newer wave of mastering rooms, a facility in St Ives is pictured with some from memory. EMI and Polygram were all but given a host of 801's to use as a nod to sponsorship I think.
My ex-Decca mastering-enginner friend was given his original 801's on "permanent loan" when B&W suppplied Polygram with the Matrix versions (pre Nautilus). They sounded great on his AV system.
Spectral Morn
01-05-2011, 16:09
They need lots of power and control to sound right and a wee hint of warmth in the mid and treble. A bright forward amplifier will sound horrible with them imho unless you like that sort of sound; which I don't.
Regards D S D L
Rare Bird
01-05-2011, 16:30
You need a pair of 808 :eyebrows:
You need a pair of 808 :eyebrows:
Goodness me!
Rare Bird
01-05-2011, 17:18
Goodness me!
Down to 30Hz, they'll sure make your trouser legs flap :eyebrows:
Let's not post pictures up of the 800 Matrix then, or you'll have a heart attack..
I used to be very very keen on the 801s/802s and did loads of research.
There's a load of dealer news letters from ava hifi on their site as PDFs from the time - lots of talkings about 802s etc and comparisons with other B&W models and enthusiasm for them too until the 802 Matrix model came out which they didn't like.
Here: http://www.avahifi.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=85&Itemid=181
The best versions of the 802 have the fibrecrete head (some kind of fibreglass and concrete) which gives an 'F' suffix and then the later, non-woven tweeter which gives an 'S' suffix - the 802FS was the latest and greatest of the series 80.
The 802 sounded great when I had a pair briefly in terms of great balance and detail and good bass but could have been a bit punchier, faster and have a richer treble in my opinion. The Matrix ones kind of added some speed with a treble extension that felt like it went on to infinity even though they were probably only slightly lifted in comparison.
Still, I liked the 801 better, partly because of their physical design - a fairly well known industrial designer designed them but can't remember who.
The 802 series 80s can still fetch around £800 odd, especially in that condition.
Read some of those Audio Basic publications (there's an index on that page I linked to above).
Let's not post pictures up of the 800 Matrix then, or you'll have a heart attack..
I used to be very very keen on the 801s/802s and did loads of research.
There's a load of dealer news letters from ava hifi on their site as PDFs from the time - lots of talkings about 802s etc and comparisons with other B&W models and enthusiasm for them too until the 802 Matrix model came out which they didn't like.
Here: http://www.avahifi.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=85&Itemid=181
The best versions of the 802 have the fibrecrete head (some kind of fibreglass and concrete) which gives an 'F' suffix and then the later, non-woven tweeter which gives an 'S' suffix - the 802FS was the latest and greatest of the series 80.
The 802 sounded great when I had a pair briefly in terms of great balance and detail and good bass but could have been a bit punchier, faster and have a richer treble in my opinion. The Matrix ones kind of added some speed with a treble extension that felt like it went on to infinity even though they were probably only slightly lifted in comparison.
Still, I liked the 801 better, partly because of their physical design - a fairly well known industrial designer designed them but can't remember who.
The 802 series 80s can still fetch around £800 odd, especially in that condition.
Read some of those Audio Basic publications (there's an index on that page I linked to above).
Thank you, exceedingly helpful.
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