Question about B&W DM 602 S3

[takis]

Hello from Greece!
I like B&W 602 S3 but i've read that they need a lot of power! How much power do they really need? I intend to buy one of these amplifiers :
Rotel RA02 / Cambridge Audio Azur 640A / Nad C352 / Thule IA60 / Denon PMA 1500 MKII.
I'm going to place the system in a 4*6 M2 living room.
Any suggestions or objections?
Thanks!

[theaudiohobby]

Any of the amplifiers, you have listed willl power them adequately, Listen to the one you like and buy it, I am minded to look at the Denon, Thule and Rotel more closely.

[topspeed]

I agree with TAH, the 602's only dip to a 3 ohm load and any of the amps you've listed should be able to easily handle it.

A bit OT here, is it just me or does Denon make better equipment for Euro's? I've been hearing about some integrated they just released that it purported to be pretty freakin' good yet there isn't one word mentioned on their US website. What gives?

[theaudiohobby]

...A bit OT here, is it just me or does Denon make better equipment for Euro's? I've been hearing about some integrated they just released that it purported to be pretty freakin' good yet there isn't one word mentioned on their US website. What gives?

Maybe, but that is probably because stereo is still big in Euro, because many of the houses are too small to do HT properly. In the last few months, there has been a big marketing push for Stereo equipment in Europe with many of the big Japanese manufacurers releasing top of line stereo equipment.

[RGA]

They leave the garbage for North Americans because they probably figure we'll buy on looks and price first and quality a distant 18th. They're probably right.

takis
Amplifier wattage isn't the main thing you need to be concerned with - ability to drive 4ohm might be. But I go back to my Wharfedales which is 8 ohms rarely dips under 10 ohms never goes under 6ohms and is as easy as it gets to drive. Yet my Flagship Pioneer Elite with numbers even bryston would be proud of 125Watts RMS (across the entire band not just 1khz no less) sounded like it was struggling to get tight bass -- Arcam (75watts) and Sugden (~70) did FAR better...the latter was not a high current amp either.

be warned though that a lot of people with B&W (all that I have ever known and most on forums) are on an endless amplifier, cd player upgrade/revolving door exchange program -- Many are of the opinion the amps and cd players are not to blame.

The Rotel RA2 is now under the B&W distributorship umbrella and are often mated together at B&W's request -- I tend to agree -- the RA-02 and Rotel maybe are not the best in the class by themselves, but they tend to sound good with B&W and have for the last decade. I enjoyed the Rotel Separates I heard more than the more expensive Bryston, Musical Fidelity and Classe set-ups...system synergy is more important and Rotel seems to get B&W more right than most for whatever reason. I have not heard the Thule or the Denon which may work better than the Rotel.