what do u guys think?

I'm new to this forum and to hi-fi AV equipment. i bought the nautilus 802 speakers because everyone game them good reviews everywhere i looked, but now i need the other hardware to actually listen to them. i went to a hi-fi store and asked if i could listen to something, since i never even heard anything better then my current system (i bought most of it at the wiz and pc richard's so don't ask). the salesperson said they have a room with Bel Canto equipment in it, so i followed him and watched the first 20 min of a new Star Wars movie (episode 2 i think, i don't realy like Star Wars), but i was amazed at how the system sounds. then i went into another room with all Krell equipment, i wasn't as impressed as i was with Bel Canto (while being the "cheaper" brand). i didn't have alot of time since my wife needed to go to another store all the way across downtown manhattan, i had to leave. i was impressed with the Bel Canto system (the amps and speakers weren't Bel Canto, just the DVD and PreAmp). i wan't to hear some oppinions from u guys about the company and how it compares to the likes of Meridian and Bryston.
Thanks :)

I realize you do have to get out and hear some equipment but the system you were impressed with, what were the amps? Did the system drive Nautilus? Was the Krell you heard mix matched or all Krell? If you are looking at this type of gear arrange an in home audition. If the store won't work with you on that, go some place else. You need to know what sounds good with your speakers in your room. You can't say you like Bel Canto better than Krell if both systems had different speakers, different room and other variables, you are not comparing apples to apples. I'd look or listen closer to the Krell they are running some incredible trade up specials right now. I'm not familiar with Bel Canto but if you listen and that's what you prefer, then that's what you should get. I think Meridian has gone to more proprietary integrated type systems. The type where the amps are in the speakers. Take a look at Classe', I see them mated with B&W quite a bit and it is very nice gear. Bryston is also good, They are similar to Krell in the way they use brute force with finesse.

like i said before, i didn't have enough time to take a look at all the hardware and memorise the brand names, but the krell setup was all krell. i just never heard of bel canto and it sounded better, looked better and was quite cheaper than krell, so i wanted your opinion on the company. i'm going to go back to the place and see what amps and speakers they use, but they defenately weren't nautilus 802s.

Bel Canto, Spectron and PS Audio are the leading innovators in new digital/Class D/switching amp technology. They all receive their share of plaudits and pans (what doesn't in audio?) but clearly, this is the future of ss amplification. Of the three, BC seems to be the most aggressive in bringing new products to the market followed closely by PSA. Spectron has had it's share of QC problems but from what I gather, they figured out the problem and have since rectified the issue. FWIW, Von Schweikert Audio uses a Spectron (among others) to drive their speakers at the SoCal listening room.

What makes Bel Canto amps, and their brethen, so terrific is that they are small, supremely efficient, generate little to no heat, will drive any speaker on the planet regardless of impedence, and sound glorious when done right. There are a few threads on audioasylum comparing the BC's with PSA's HCA2 and others that you might want to look up. Personally, I preferred the HCA2 with my B&W's but to each their own.

Mr. P has it right, make sure you listen to as much as you can in your own room. System synergy is paramount so load up the trunk and spend some quality time determining what sounds best to you. Speakers don't get much better or more transparent than your 802's so listen to a lot of different amps including tubes if you're so inclined. The right match is out there and belive me, you'll know it when you hear it.

802's to start, huh? Geez, that's like learning how to drive in an A-M Vanquish. Nice problem to have.

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Originally Posted by pronator

I'm new to this forum and to hi-fi AV equipment. i bought the nautilus 802 speakers because everyone game them good reviews everywhere i looked, but now i need the other hardware to actually listen to them. i went to a hi-fi store and asked if i could listen to something, since i never even heard anything better then my current system (i bought most of it at the wiz and pc richard's so don't ask). the salesperson said they have a room with Bel Canto equipment in it, so i followed him and watched the first 20 min of a new Star Wars movie (episode 2 i think, i don't realy like Star Wars), but i was amazed at how the system sounds. then i went into another room with all Krell equipment, i wasn't as impressed as i was with Bel Canto (while being the "cheaper" brand). i didn't have alot of time since my wife needed to go to another store all the way across downtown manhattan, i had to leave. i was impressed with the Bel Canto system (the amps and speakers weren't Bel Canto, just the DVD and PreAmp). i wan't to hear some oppinions from u guys about the company and how it compares to the likes of Meridian and Bryston.
Thanks :)

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As in any other consumer market you need to be very careful in audio as the bull, myth, hype, voodoo are a plenty. And yes, even sales people or especially they, are not immune from passing it on.
If the store didn't have your speakers, in one room to compare different components on the dsame speaker, carefully level matched, you are gambling as perception can be fooled so easy.

What you are trying to do requires more effort. Even if we allow that amps "sound" different (I don't) you could not judge how they would sound in your room with your speakers by listening in a store. Any variation in amp performance would depend on the electrical characteristics of your speakers and the acoustic characteristics of your listening room.

The only way you could do the listening comparison you want is to borrow the amps and put them in your system. Be sure to level match and listen blind when comparing or those factors could (and will) affect what you perceive. Listening to them separately (at differemt times) is futle even if in your own listening room.