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B&W Nautilus 802D, Wilson Sophia 2, or others?

I'm getting the upgrade itch again. My current speakers are Nautilus 802's and I am using a VAC PHI 110 setup with 8db negative feedback. The speaker impedance curve won't let me use the zero feedback setting. Overall the system sounds very good. Areas, I would like to improve would be bass impact or punch, a bit more clarity in the midrange. The room is approximately 15 by 14 with a vaulted ceiling going from 8 to 11ft. It is also open at the very top to a kitchen/dining room area so it acts like a bigger room. It does have a room peak in the 30-40hz range with a null around the 60hz range that I believe robs some impact. I love the looks of the Nautilus speaker and what I have does sound very good. From the reviews I have read the Diamond version improves in the areas I feel need improvement but still presents a difficult load requiring the amp to use negative feedback. The Wilson Sophia might present an easier load allowing Zero feedback with some sonic gain just from that change alone. I am a bit concerned that the Wilsons are ported to the rear since the front wall behind the speakers has seven foot wide french doors in the middle which might present a reflection problem. I have not listened to either speaker but metro Phx has dealers for both. Would somebody that is basically happy with the B&W speakers like the Wilson Sophias or should I just stick with the 802D's? Any other speaker recommendations that are compatible with the VAC amp? I don't like the looks of any speaker that looks like the basic box with drivers in it. Listening preferences are primarily jazz and vocals. I usually listen to music with peaks less than 90db but sometimes crank to peaks around 100db. I don't want it to crap out if I want to crank it. If anyone has upgraded from 802's to Diamond version, I would also appreciate your comments. Thanks
rhljazz
bar81
754 posts
 
The only caveat with the Revels is that they're part of the Harmon Specialty Group and who knows whether it'll be around in a year after KKR has its way with the parent company.
audiooracle
387 posts
 

You can get a far better speaker than the Sophia or B&W and still get an easy to drive speaker.

Find a Usher dealer it may take a drive to do so, but the BE 10 which sells for $14,400.00 is in an entirely different league of construction and sound quality.

The Usher employs a pure beryillium midrange and tweeter and are in fact the only company in the world to make a pure beryillium midrange driver in an affordable speaker!

The woofer is an Eton 11 same woofer used in Avalon, Kharma, Marten and many others.

Cabinet is 2inch thich birch over mdf with internal dampling materials and lead.

This is a $30k-$40k product. I do not ship out of territory so please contact Usheraudiousa.com and see if you can find a pair.

The Sophia is a very fine speaker and I would take it over the B&W but the Usher is built and sounds like a much more expensive speaker.

We are at HE 2007 on room down from Wilson who was showing the WP 8 and many people commented that we were getting as good a sound in our room.

The only issue with Usher is not enough dealers yet and the advertising doesn't really address how good they really are.
rlawry
414 posts
 
I have never heard the 802D's but owned a pair of Sophias and tried a lot of amps with them, including solid-state, tube, OTL, and SET. IMO the things that any Wilson speaker does best (I now have WP7's) is bass, dynamics, and detail, along with a pretty good soundstage. The Sophias are relatively easy to drive but very responsive to amplification. So with your VAC amp, a very nice piece, you will get a big soundstage with 3-D images and good dynamics. However, tube amps are not the last word in bass or speed and detail. Again, this is just my opinion based on my experience, I think the Sophias work better with solid-state in terms of bass control, dynamics, and detail. You will be missing the ultimate in these areas with the VAC, which shines in other areas. Yes, you will probably get a bigger soundstage and images with the VAC, but will miss some of what the Sophias were designed for. If it were my decision I would consider some of the other, more efficient speakers mentioned in the above posts.
tvad
9,467 posts
 

05-19-07: Rlawry
... tube amps are not the last word in bass or speed and detail.
Having owned a VAC Phi 110/110 which drove Von Schweikert VR4 Gen III HSE loudspeakers, it was my experience that the Phi 110/110 amplifier suffered none of these drawbacks.
brianmgrarcom
1,317 posts
 
I have heard both speakers at the same dealer, in the same system, same day; the Sophia 2's were/are the better speakers to me, it would be an easy choice between these two for me. I have also owned the 802D's.

Brian
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