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B&W speakers. Underrated?

well at 20% discount you wont lose much if you sell on

I always show my wife very carefully what speakers i am going to buy , cant think why my 6 foot high logans were shown the door :eek:
 
I have Listened to 2 sets of B + W speakers and thought they were delightful and clear esp in the mid range. One set was an old low budget bookshelf and the other was about a grands worth of floorstander. Sorry I don't know the models but both were lovely to my ears.
 
Del monaco said:
I did try the CM9s but bass was too overbearing. The CM8s are the sweet spot of the range I think. Like monitors with finely tuned bass. Well integrated and unfatiguing. Listening to Nick Drake on them now. Really fluid sound with detail that doesn't hinder the flow. Really like them.
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I traded my CM8 for 804D2 and regretted it every day until I sold them, was a room thing but even trying some DSP couldn't seem to make them behave. The CM8's were just brilliant with every amp I used in that room they just suited it I guess. If I get a chance I'd have CM8's again, if the GR20's in the bedroom system give up they will be 1st on the list.
 
Amber Audio said:
I traded my CM8 for 804D2 and regretted it every day until I sold them, was a room thing but even trying some DSP couldn't seem to make them behave. The CM8's were just brilliant with every amp I used in that room they just suited it I guess. If I get a chance I'd have CM8's again, if the GR20's in the bedroom system give up they will be 1st on the list.
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That’s nice to know as I really rate them highly and they’re really singing after a bit of system tuning. Love them with my Yammy radio. I wondered whether the metal dome tweeter would become over-prominent in time but they are beautifully balanced and give just the right amount of sparkle when needed. They capture female voices well without stepping into sibilance. Love them.
 
oldius said:
They were 801 series 80, the first 801s, driven by a Pass designed Nakamichi CA7/PA7 pre-power amp. The room was the ballroom of the former Brazilian consulate. It was forty feet long and 20 feet wide with bloody high ceilings.
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The quality of the sub and low-bass produced by those 12" in a sealed bin is amazing.
A friend of mine owns a slightly upgraded pair and they're one of my reference speakers.

Not too long ago I had a pair of 802 Series 3s and their were absolute ear-bleeders...
 
Gave the 702s a good listen last night and they were great and my Elex-r drove them no problem at all. However my wife came in and said they look ridiculous so they are getting switched today for 704s to demo.

I will see how they go but the tweeter on the 702 was particularly noticeable with some songs, if I don't enjoy the 704s then I think I will take a punt on the 705
 
tuga said:
The quality of the sub and low-bass produced by those 12" in a sealed bin is amazing.
A friend of mine owns a slightly upgraded pair and they're one of my reference speakers.

Not too long ago I had a pair of 802 Series 3s and their were absolute ear-bleeders...
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They are among the best speakers I have heard, in a room such as that.
I prefer the originals because they were specifically designed to have a neutral response. Later on, they bowed to studios who requested a bit more bass and a bit more extension. For me, it spoiled the design a little; I suspect that's what you found with the S3.
 
oldius said:
They are among the best speakers I have heard, in a room such as that.
I prefer the originals because they were specifically designed to have a neutral response. Later on, they bowed to studios who requested a bit more bass and a bit more extension. For me, it spoiled the design a little; I suspect that's what you found with the S3.
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Yes, the bass of sealed box models was superior in quality in spite of not having the benefits of the matrix cabinet.

I also think that the silk dome tweeter is much smoother than the aluminium dome model which replaced it in the S2 and S3 versions.
 
tuga said:
Yes, the bass of sealed box models was superior in quality in spite of not having the benefits of the matrix cabinet.

I also think that the silk dome tweeter is much smoother than the aluminium dome model which replaced it in the S2 and S3 versions.
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I would maybe give them another try, the 702 tweeter is excellent and not harsh at all. For example on the song 'out of time man' by Mick Harvey, the Ss can sound very sharp, noticed this in particular with my Neat motive Sx3 and slightly on my 685 s2 but unless you listened for it on the 702 you wouldn't be aware of it.

Not sure about the rest of the 700 series but certainly the 702 tweeter was excellent, so 705 will be the same. Will compare with same tracks to 704 this weekend.
 
I am astonished at how good the little veteran DM601 Series 1 still are. I must admit to not being a big fan of the high end BMW 800 series floorstanders, but I got these as part for a package for a Bluesound PowerNode from a nearby seller. They blew me away when I tried them on the end of my Linx Stratos - I was really surprised at how capable they were. I got a good price (c £120) when I sold them on, which is not bad for a 25 year old entry level/budget model, so it looks like they are well thought of. I read online that the S1 is more revered than the later incarnations.
 
Allaboutmusic said:
Have the 702s arriving this afternoon on demo so looking forward to hearing what they can do.

Slightly concerned the Mrs might think they are a bit big.

So also considering the 705 and 704s - they are approximately the same price - has anyone directly compared?

I am keen to take advantage of the 20% discount b&w are running should I like the 700 series, only issue is my dealer doesn't have the 705 available for demo, so I would be taking a punt if I did go for them.

Thanks
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I don't have the 702 and can't comment. I did compare the 705 vs 704 S2 extensively, and can't believe so many people recommending the 705. The tweeter housing is the only arguable advantage of the 705, however, I learned that the tweeter of 704 (same to the 706) has its own metal housing as well, just build inside the cabinet and you can't see. Comparing the 705 vs 706 and 704, I can't tell meaningful difference on the high side, however, the base difference between 705 and 704 are quite obvious to me. Yes you can add sub-woofer, and I actually have two. Sub add extension easily, but won't add much punch. As for the price, 705 definitely need a pair of quality stand, sub is a must... all these add up to a thousand! I am sure 702 is even better, I heard it is easier to drive than 704. But my Hegel H120 drives 704 easily. I highly recommend you do a serious A-B comparison between 705 and 704.
 
some great deals on the 700 series prior to price rise , very nearly got a pair of 706 recently but checking out another brand currently. certainly the hegel 120 is a fine amp . heard this with the other brand
 
svx94 said:
I don't have the 702 and can't comment. I did compare the 705 vs 704 S2 extensively, and can't believe so many people recommending the 705. The tweeter housing is the only arguable advantage of the 705, however, I learned that the tweeter of 704 (same to the 706) has its own metal housing as well, just build inside the cabinet and you can't see. Comparing the 705 vs 706 and 704, I can't tell meaningful difference on the high side, however, the base difference between 705 and 704 are quite obvious to me. Yes you can add sub-woofer, and I actually have two. Sub add extension easily, but won't add much punch. As for the price, 705 definitely need a pair of quality stand, sub is a must... all these add up to a thousand! I am sure 702 is even better, I heard it is easier to drive than 704. But my Hegel H120 drives 704 easily. I highly recommend you do a serious A-B comparison between 705 and 704.
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I ended up doing a home demo of the 702, 703 and 704s all of which I found different. In my room with my system, I found the 702 the smoothest and best in all areas, my wife was not keen on the look and size so unfortunately was discarded, I would have lived with no question. 703 had good presence but was too bright / fatiguing for me, under pressure by queen / David Bowie was unlistenable and I have never found the highs sharp on any other system. Really liked the 704 , punchy and non fatiguing however the bass seemed a bit detached from the mids and highs , a bit like a smaller speaker with a sub but not brilliantly integrated. Again this was my room my system so others could be fine. I ended up buying neat momentum sx3i which were great but have now just changed for some new harbeth super hl5 plus non XD which I pick up next week.
 
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