B&W
Nautilus 801
Auction Includes
Two B&W Nautilus 801 Speakers
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An agreement between two soldiers while serving in the Royal Corps of Signals division of the British Army during WWII begat a small electronics shop in Worthing, West Sussex, England after the war. John Bowers and Roy Wilkins began by selling and servicing radio equipment and progressed into the arena of hi-fidelity. By the 60’s they became one of the largest and most knowledgeable hi-fidelity equipment dealers in England. Yet John Bowers’ interest went beyond that of just selling other manufacturers equipment. He saw the deficiencies of the speaker systems of the day and felt if he devoted more of his time to diligent research and development he could produce something better, which he did.
In late 60’s B&W began selling their 1st in house built speaker system. By word of mouth the popularity of this superior system grew, leading John Bowers to take the plunge turning this hobbyist sideline into a separate business - B&W Loudspeakers Ltd, at the same relinquishing his involvement in the shop.
John Bowers approach was different than that of any other speaker manufacturer of the day. His goal was not simply to produce speaker systems, but to continuously perfect speaker performance. He made the statement “we are not trying to give the most with our loudspeakers; we’re trying to lose the least�. That is retaining all the subtle sonic details of music without adding coloration or distortion. He assembled a dream team of engineers and researchers and devoted the bulk of the company’s profits into costly research and development projects to obtain this level of performance. He had a passion for perfection and this really showed in the products he produced. Almost immediately the company was recognized as the premier developer of professional/audiophile grade speaker systems. The original B&W 801 system introduced in 1979 became the world referenced standard used in nearly all of the world’s classical recording studios, including EMI Abbey Road, Decca and Deutsche Grammophon. To this day Bowers & Wilkins has consistently set the standard for loudspeaker design and innovation. By constantly pushing the envelope, developing new materials, technologies and techniques, they have refined sound quality to unprecedented levels of accuracy. B&W speakers are found in more elite classical music recording studio than any other and they have received more favorable reviews by the top audio publications and audiophiles than any other. With one audition of the B&W Nautilus 801 system it is easy to see why.
The Nautilus 801 speaker system is one of B&W’s crowning achievements, receiving much acclaim and accolades for its extraordinary natural and highly accurate musical reproduction. When 1st introduced they were immediately adopted as the reference monitors by a large majority of the top recording studios throughout the world. Priced at $11,000.00 for the pair new, they were a serious investment, although anyone who owns a pair will readily confess they are worth every penny.
The Nautilus 801 design is the amalgamation of the old and the new. It incorporates the best of the 20 year progression of the previous 801 systems with the inclusion of the unprecedented technologies and innovations collected from the $40,000.00 Nautilus system. Every part and aspect of the speaker was developed without compromise, all for the sole purpose of getting as close to a perfect loudspeaker as possible. A goal many feel was achieved.
Reviewed and evaluated by just about every audio publication in the world the Nautilus 801 is one of the few speaker systems to be unanimously recommended by all. Its sonic portrayal is about as natural and accurate as you could ever achieve with a speaker system. It presents the full dynamics and life of music in a manner that is truly amazing. From the highest audible note to the lowest, music is rendered in the clearest, most articulate manner. Voice and instrument are utterly natural. The bass is tight, clean, and thoroughly musical; it dips down to amazing depths providing heart stopping slam when called upon to do so. The highs and mids are smooth, coherent divulging even tiny details at low volumes. Music sounds balanced and articulate. Throughout the frequency range you will hear sonic details and subtle nuances of the recordings never heard before, illuminating the inner truth of the recording. It has even been reported by reviewers to have distinguished traffic noise in the background of many recordings. While the N 801’s are extraordinarily revealing, they are equally proficient at portraying an extremely detailed soundstage with unmatched imaging. It creates the illusion of the performance being taken place in front of you. Close your eyes and you will have a hard time believing you are not there. The Nautilus 801 is one of those rare speaker systems that seemingly erases the line between live sound and electronically reproduced sound. If musical authenticity and accuracy is what you have been looking for your search is over. Some of the many features of the Nautilus 801 speakers include
The sound of silence Not all sound generated by speaker drive units is good sound. The kind that emerges from the back of a working driver, into a conventional box cabinet, can bounce around and make a mess of the good sound coming out of the front. B&W’s trailblazing Nautilus™ speaker found a way around boxes. Tapering tubes filled with absorbent wadding soaked up the wayward sound energy and reduced resonances to an insignificant minimum. The tweeter on the N 801 follows the same lines. Sound is channeled through a hollow pole magnet, away from the diaphragm, and disappears into the tail. In the rigid, molded head of the midrange enclosure, the chamber takes the form of a sphere and a tube, optimized using advanced computer-modeling techniques to silence sonic interference. So all the sound you hear is good sound.
Dream weaving Waves and squares generally don’t mix. Which is one reason why you’ll find so few straight lines on the N 801 speaker. But there is one component where square makes sense. The kind of homogeneous materials used to make conventional midrange driver cones are prone to the development of unwanted concentric standing waves. These can hamper the cone’s performance. In the mid-1970s B&W was the first speaker manufacturer to employ Kevlar® in its cones – a lightweight, high-strength woven fiber used in bullet-proof vests, shrapnel-resistant shielding in jets and sports equipment. Kevlar’s ability to improve resolution was traced by laser measurement to the square weave, which disrupted the formation of standing waves. Others have caught on to Kevlar®, but no-one has B&W’s closely-guarded recipe for the resin mixture that enhances the material’s strength and flexibility.
Bowers & Wilkins’ FST™ mid-range drive unit maximizes the effects of Kevlar® by improving cone response times and integrity of sound transmission. Surrounds both keep the cone in line and help to absorb bending waves. As the mid-range diaphragm only moves a little, B&W has improved outer edge cone termination by means of ‘surround less’ suspension. A foamed material ring, with resistive mechanical impedance identical to that at the edge of the cone, is placed under the cone’s edge. Bending waves traveling up the cone are almost totally absorbed by the foam ring, which also compresses sufficiently to accommodate cone movement at mid frequencies. All the careful refinements of the Kevlar® cone would count for nothing if B&W didn’t do all they could to minimize other sources of disturbance. Moving air behind the cone, for example. The chassis of the FST™ driver is designed to minimize any impedance to the flow of air from the rear of the driver.
Highly Evolved Bass Unit You’ll get rock-solid bass from the N 801, whether you’re listening to Charlie Mingus, John Paul Jones or Robbie Shakespeare. The B&W bass driver, backed up by an imposing magnet/voice coil system, preserves the speed and ‘slam’ of the most demanding bass lines. The construction of the cone is critical. What they were aiming for is ‘perfect piston’ behavior: the ability to move air with complete freedom while resisting deformation. The cone must be as light as possible for maximum agility, but absolutely rigid in order to retain its shape as it pumps in and out. B&W developed a low density kapok cone pulp with a very high stiffness /mass ratio. It has a large proportion of Kevlar® and stiffening resin. So high air pressures are definitely not a problem. For speed, stiffness and unshakable bass, it’s the bottom line.
Nautilus Tweeter The distinctive, tube-loaded tweeter on th Nautilus™ 801 speaker is a refined version of the one first seen on board Nautilus™. With a performance extending well into the ultrasonic range, the speakers are often the speaker of choice to demonstrate the full sharpness of the latest digital formats. For the top of the range Nautilus™ 801, the cut-off frequency has been pushed still higher. By stiffening the connection between the driver’s aluminum coil former and its dome and silver plating the magnet pole piece, the driver reaches new heights in tweeter performance. Several years on, the tubular design, developed to absorb unwanted radiation from the rear of the diaphragm, delivers a stunningly natural treble response that is still leagues ahead of conventional technology.
Superior Crossover The accuracy, speed and tightness of the musical delivery in the Nautilus™ 801 is the product of painstaking crossover design. Selecting a capacitor for any crossover is like judging wine: different products may ostensibly contain the same constituents, blended to the same ‘recipe’, but they will generate noticeable differences in the quality and character of the final ‘tasting’. B&W handpicked specialized capacitors for the Nautilus™ 801 and tailored them to their best applications. The Nautilus™ 801 utilizes, non-inductive thick-film resistors are heatsunk by aluminum plinths to eliminate compression. Air core inductors and seriously heavy gauge cables to the bass units offer a path of least resistance to bass that is tight, responsive and utterly compelling.
. B&W’s Flowport Streamlining Car designers go to a lot of trouble to make sure their vehicles slice efficiently through the air. If they don’t, not only does turbulence reduce performance, it also increases wind noise. So it is with the reflex port in a loudspeaker cabinet. If turbulence occurs as the air moves in and out of the port, you’ll hear extraneous noise and, as you turn the volume up, the bass won’t be as tight and well timed as it should be. B&W’s Flowport™ minimizes turbulence in the same way as a golf ball. Dimples on the surface generate tiny eddy currents over which air can flow smoothly and, above all, silently. It’s a perfect hole. But don’t use it for putting practice.
Outer stillness, inner strength Why are seashells round? Answer: edges and corners are potential weak points against the buffeting and banging of an oceanic existence. A continuous, curved surface creates a much stronger structure using the same volume of material. Forces from pressures and impacts are spread evenly across it. Similar mechanics are behind classical architecture’s discovery of the arch and the shape of the wheel. It’s an ancient principle; it’s just taken a while to reach the design of speaker cabinets. Fortunately, B&W’s development of shell-like bass cabinets means the wait for the resonance-free enclosure is over. The thick, multi-layered wall holds the drive unit assemblies still and secure, and absorbs shocks and vibrations that might send straighter cabinets round the bend. As if a naturally strong shell wasn’t enough, the cabinet walls are held firm against exceptional vibration by their own internal skeleton.
Matrix internal bracing B&W introduced its Matrix internal bracing system more than 15 years ago and has been refining its design and construction continuously. A structure of interlocking panels works like the ribs in a ship’s hull, defusing stresses and strains and bracing the cabinet sides against movement. Laser measurement shows that while straight-sided cabinets flex and vibrate under heavy use, B&W’s Matrix braced, curved cabinets hold still.
And Much More!
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Specifications
| Technical features |
Nautilusâ„¢ tweeter
Nautilusâ„¢ head
Kevlar® brand fibre cone FST drive unit
Matrixâ„¢ cabinet
Flowport |
| Description |
3-way vented-box system |
| Drive units |
1x ø25mm (1 in) metal dome high-frequency
1x ø150mm (6 in) woven Kevlar® cone FST midrange
1x ø380mm (15 in) paper/Kevlar® cone bass |
| Frequency range |
-6dB at 23Hz and 30kHz
-3dB at 29Hz and 22kHz |
| Frequency response |
37Hz – 20kHz ±2dB on reference axis |
| Dispersion |
Within 2dB of response on reference axis
Horizontal: over 60º arc
Vertical: over 10º arc |
| Sensitivity |
91dB spl (2.83V, 1m) |
| Harmonic distortion |
2nd and 3rd harmonics (90dB, 1m)
<1.0% 50Hz – 20kHz
<0.5% 60Hz – 18kHz |
| Nominal impedance |
8 Ohms (minimum 3.0 Ohms) |
| Crossover frequencies |
350Hz and 4kHz |
| Recommended amplifier power |
50W – 1000W into 8 Ohms on unclipped program |
| Max. recommended cable impedance |
0.1 Ohms |
| Dimensions |
Height: 1111mm (43.7 in)
Width: 522mm (20.6 in)
Depth: 690mm (27.2 in) |
| Weight |
229 lbs each, unpacked |
| Cabinet Finish |
Black Ash |
| Grille |
Black |
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ConditionSpeakers were purchased new a few years ago and gently used. They are in excellent condition sonically and cosmetically. They have been fully tested and they sound amazing. All drivers are operating without problem and there are no signs of abuse, misuse or deterioration. Looking them over closely they are very clean, with no major blemishes.
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This is a No Reserve auction so it will go to the highest bidder.
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Please check my other auctions I am selling a lot of matching B&W equipment, including a very nice pair of B&W Nautilus SCM1 Surround Speakers, a beautiful B&W Nautilus HTM2 Center Channel Speaker, a pair of B&W DM603 Speakers , a pair of compact B&W LM1 Speakers , and much more! Please Click here to view these items
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ShippingThese speakers are big and fragile, they will require a lot of packing material to ensure a safe arrival. I specialize in shipping large delicate items and I know what it will take to pack these speakers right. As you can imagine shipping these the right way is going to cost a lot, although all you have to pay towards shipping, insurance, packaging material, and expert packing is $220.00 to anywhere in the continental U.S. and I will pay the difference. I will also ship these speakers World Wide and will only charge the Actual Shipping cost.
GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!!
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Please note: the item pictured is guaranteed to be the actual item you will receive. None of my pictures are taken off other people’s pages or web sites, so bid with confidence - what you see is what you get!
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PaymentPayPal, money orders, personal checks and cashiers checks gladly accepted! Never a handling fee, buyer pays actual shipping as stated above.
International bidders welcome.
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Shipping & Handling
$220.00 UPS Ground
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