B&W 802D & UnitiQute2

I would say a second hand NAP200 as a minimum.  It all depends if $4k for now means 6 months or 6 years till you can get a NAC-N272 and NAP300...

Those are large speaksers. I second Eloise - NAP 200 would be my minimum.

If the speakers work well in your room, which is by far the most critical part of the process, then driving them with a Qute may be a great way for you to start, knowing you will likely move to something more appropriate.

I ran SL2s with a Qute for a year or two in my small office system, and it was great. The Qute can surprise with its no nonsense way of making music enjoyable without drawing attention to its limited power. As a long term solution however, a different solution is likely better..... but you already knew that.

The room is 12 x 18 and they are definitely big speakers - that being said at $4K I would assume I could sell them if it is too much

Room size is part of the equation, speaker/room interaction is the other. If i could not try them first, personally, i'd pass.

The idea is completely bonkers. A $15,000 speaker and a $1,500 all in one. No. But if you can buy an NDS, 252 and 300 it would be a different matter. 

Let's not be too hasty now HH .. these speakers will last for the best part of what, 15 or 20 years ?  Plenty of time for the OP to grow into them with source/amp upgrades .. could be fun finding out how they respond to improving the front end components over time.    

Go for it RopeHawn .. they're great speakers .. no-one can put drinks on top of them at parties.

John Willmott posted:

they're great speakers .. no-one can put drinks on top of them at parties.

Just make sure they don't try karaoke...

Eloise posted:

John Willmott posted:

they're great speakers .. no-one can put drinks on top of them at parties.

Just make sure they don't try karaoke...

Took me a little while, but I got it!

Funny! LOL.....

Allante93!

There is no such thing as speakers being too expensive or too good forvacsystem. If they sound good to you and you have the opportunity, buy them! The rest of the system canngrow into them, in the meantime if their character is what you like you'll enjoy msic however limiting might be the source or amplification.

If you love how they sound with your gear, get them.  If you don't, don't.  Simple as that.

You won't be getting all the music out of them that you can, but if you're happy with how they sound now and you plan on bumping your system up as time goes by, why not? 

you may find a 200 a little shouty hooked up to them.

A pity ,it really isn't if good partnered.

NAP 100? is it a joke? No, you need much much more.

You can blow drivers by under powering them.

How stable is a 100 under a tough load? ( speaking from someone who blew tweeters on a pair of DMS by using a 150 )

the washing machine needs at the very least a 250 DR.

personally I would get some Proac,  Neat, Kudos, Dynaudio, Sonus Faber, Ovators, which are easy to drive.

Forget the washing machine

I remember hearing a system made up of CDX2, NAC202, NAP200 with a pair of Nautilus 801s on the end.  It was possibly the worst I had ever heard those electronics.  No matter how hard we tried to get everything optimised, the result was a mess - the bass was not just slow, it was totally uncontrolled and you couldn't make any sense of the music at all.  It begged for far a more capable source and amplifier - and much, much more money.  

So, don't be hoodwinked by a so-called bargain; those 802s demand a serious front end investment in the electronics if they're going to sound good. Without that, they will just not make intelligible music - at least not compared to the same money spent more sensibly. If you have an extra $50k standing by for electronics, then consider them, but if not then let them go and put that $4k towards a better balanced and far more rewarding system.

Spot-on

Top end speakers with inadequate electronics seems quite the thing all of a sudden. Never mind the quality of the overall system, it's just great to have HUGE SPEAKERS!!! As shown in this thread there are some diametrically opposed views on how to build a coherent system. I tried nSats on the end of a 552/300 once and they were simply sensational. But big B&Ws on the end of a Qute? I know which I'd rather have. 

The one and only real question is, does the OP like what it sounds like in his system. If he loves their sound (and the impression I get is that he does, while accepting there's room for improvement of electronics), and particularly if he expects to be able to improve the electronics before he tires of the present presentation, then it is not wrong to go for them as he knows they'll only improve. Quite different if he doesn't like how they sound in his systtem.

How can't it be but an euphemism what he says?

c'mon

I can not believe the dealer/seller is contemplating selling you these speakers, without dragging you into some serious electronics as well, or at the very least, advising you for the need.

A simple analogy to your question is like acquiring a Rolls Royce body, that you plan to drive with a Ford Focus engine/suspension/brakes/ec.  Ok, you have the garage to park it (your room) and the engine will possibly take the car round the neighbourhood.  But it will not be able to take you around England, nor will the car ever perform like a RR.  The NAP100 is like adding a turbocharger to the Focus engine.  It will improve performance but it will never be the 8-cylinder RR engine, which is what you really need.

But if you plan to add a RR engine at some point in time, then definitely go for the RR body, which you are getting at a bargain.  Be rest assured that you will add the proper engine sooner than you think.

Richard Dane posted:

I remember hearing a system made up of CDX2, NAC202, NAP200 with a pair of Nautilus 801s on the end.  It was possibly the worst I had ever heard those electronics.  

Hi Richard

Which speaker works best with these same electronics in your experience?

The other question re the offer above is why a dealer would offer a 15k set of speakers for 4K?

either too good to be true, or there is a problem with them

Speakers, especially big ones, depreciate hugely. I'm sure they are absolutely fine. 

analogmusic posted:

Richard Dane posted:

I remember hearing a system made up of CDX2, NAC202, NAP200 with a pair of Nautilus 801s on the end.  It was possibly the worst I had ever heard those electronics.  

Hi Richard

Which speaker works best with these same electronics in your experience?

I've heard this system work well with a number of different speakers.  Favourites were the Allaes, but the NEAT Elite SE was very good and I even had a really great day with this lot hooked up to a pair of Audiovector Mi3s.  Note though that most of my listening to the CDX2/202/200 combination was done with Naim speakers. Allaes were always my first choice.

Try to find ANY other loudspeakers used or new for 4K that sound better with your UQ2. If you dont find any, jump on the 802D's!