B&W Owner's Thread - Page 369

Depending on room layout, you could consider putting the surround-back speakers behind your couch/chairs/what-have-you and have them firing up from out of sight ...

Hi folks,

I'm about to purchase a set of CM8's and CM Centre or CM Centre 2 and can get a really good deal on the CM Sub ASW10CM. However for the same price as the ASW10CM I can get a Velodyne 15" sub CTHQ15 which has a 15" driver. I might not be able to listen to the Velodyne in direct comparison with the CM Sub.

What do you guys think about Velodyne in comparison to the B&W?
Would the ASW compliment the CM8's better?

Also on the Centre speaker would the CM2 be too large for the CM8's? Should I stick to the Centre '1'?

many thanks
Dave

I never had a B&W sub..only Velodyne's and I think they are great....I presently use the Velodyne mini 8 with my 805 sigs and they blend together perfectly

+1 on Velodynes. From what I've heard the CMC2 is a great center, recommended over the CMC.

What about size guys? The velodyne I'm looking at is 15" and 750 watt compared to the 10" 500 watt B&W. The room is only 4mx4mx2.4m so quite small, would the large sub sound better, tighter etc. or should I go with a smaller velodyne, maybe a 12" or 10"?

I have only heard the Optimum and DD models so not sure on the that model Velodyne. I have a friend who works for Velodyne and he would not recommend anything smaller than12 inch unless going multiple subs. Even then he still prefers 12" or bigger. Update: I am not saying 8 or 10" can't be great, they can depending upon the situation, especially for music. There is just an advantage for the larger driver for HT. For your size room a 12 inch would likly be more than adequate and I am sure a 10" would work also. Twin 10s even better.

drrrrooooolllllll

Here's the velodyne...

http://www.myav.com.au/epages/mymy72...utm_medium=cpc

here's the B&W
http://www.bowers-wilkins.com/Speake...s/ASW10CM.html

rgds
Dave

I would go with either an HSU, SVS, Elemental Designs, or some other Internet direct brand for your sub. Tou can get much better performance at a much lower price that way. Also, I highly recommend that you choose the CMC2 over the CMC. Hope that helps!

Unfortunately cause I live in Australia I cannot pickup any of the brands you suggested, thanks anyway.

With the CM8s I might go with just the CMC as they share the same size drivers and tweeters I believe. The CMC2 may match up better with CM9s. If you are buying from a dealer, see if they'll let you take each home to audition in your space.

Or what about 2 x Eq-max 10's? I can get two of these for the same price.

Great advice, I use that on my JL Audio Sub, and use to use it on my 802 Marlin head with great results. The only complain I have is the applying sponge, it breaks down other than that good stuff.



Djoel

The CTHQ15 was sold in the U.S. as the DEQ-15r,which has been discontinued and replaced with the EQMax 15. I used to own one. It will play loud enough,but the reason I sold it was that the low end rolls off around 30hz and is gone at 25hz. I'm also very familiar with the ASW10. The B&W will do the same. The biggest difference is the volume output. Without knowing the volume(room dimensions) you're trying to pressurize,I can't tell you if the B&W would be enough. Either will sound good with music and o.k. with movies,but I think you could do better. The Velodyne model you are looking at is a ported sub,completely different from their sealed subs(DD,Optimum etc) and not comparable. The B&W has very good sound quality(a little better than that particular Velodyne),but does not dig very deep and won't play super-duper loud. Take a look at Rythmik,they will ship to you. I have 2 Rythmik F15hp in one system in my house and 2 Velodyne DD12+ in another system/room and I prefer the Rythmiks. If you're more into movies than music look at the FV15HP,it's outrageous! The CMC2 is much better(I've heard both),if it'll fit that's the one to get. Hope this was helpful.

I would appreciate some advice from some of you B & W seasoned members. I currently have an Onkyo txnr 3009 receiver. I have a B&W 600s center and recently replaces to mamouth older JBL speakers with a pair of 685's as I always wanted to run with B&W speakers . I really like the soundstage and 2 channel sound I am getting. In the system I have two 18" subs one velo fsr 1800 and a big 18" older ADS. My rears and backs are older polks and front wide def tech bipoles. I recently thought of adding another pair of 685's for the left and right main surrounds. I basicallly use 2 channel and for movies and some concerst I wil go with mostly 5.1 sometines 9.2. Here is where I am at at present . I recently heard a pair of 686's and really liked them against the 685;s when just with 2 channel music. I amd looking to either add them up front and moving the 685 for the surrounds or just going with the additional pair of 685's . AS the 686 was much nicer against the 685 but with the subs they might loose a lot of theyre advantage. I hope I am making sense. Any advise would be appreciated. I also was looking a a pair of vintage 640i on line at a great price. thanks.

"I have owned the original B&W 600 series speakers since the mid-90's, and they have been serving me well for all these years. My setup is comprised of DM640's for the FL and FR, a 600IFS center channel, the original DS6 dipoles, and an AS6 subwoofer. I also have a pair of DM600's that have been boxed up for years since I don't have a good place for a set of bookshelf speakers anymore (they used to be my surround speakers before I bought the DS6's). I actually have a second 600IFS on-hand as well - for the past 15 years I was running two center channels with my Denon AVR5600 receiver (it had two sets of binding posts for center channels), but I just took one of them out of service last week when I picked up a used Denon 4806 AVR to replace my 5600.

OK, enough about my setup - here is my question: the new AVR supports 7.1 channels/amps and I want to set up my family room for 7.1 surround. Due to the space constraints and the room layout, my wife is adamantly against hooking up either the DM600's or the spare 600IFS as surround back speakers. That being the case, I am strongly considering picking up two of the new M-1's to use for surround back speakers, although it kills me to drop $500 on two new speakers when I have old ones on-hand . Does anyone have any idea how the M-1s may sound with my ancient 600-series speakers? Has anyone paired the M-1s up with other B&W speakers in this fashion? I've listened to the M-1's at a local hifi store (as well as BestBuy) and I was surprised at how good they sounded, so I'm hoping they would make a good addition to my home theater, both for surround sound and for using Denon's 7-channel stereo feature. They should fit into the space fairly well, and would be positioned about 4 feet directly behind my couch where we watch TV.

Anyone have strong opinions about the M-1s for this purpose? Any feedback would be appreciated..."

Demroyer:

I recently purchased a pair of the new M-1's as by rear surrounds. I have a setup with older Tannoy's front and center and Mk surrounds and sub. The M-1's were a great addition and work wonderfully with my setup. I would compare the Tannoys favorable with your old B&W's based upon listening to the current 600 series at Best Buy but I have no other reference. I would note that while comparing the new M-1's with some 685's while watching a movie at Best Buy the 685's struggled when played at high volume on the depth charge scene in U-571. The M-1's handled flawlessly. Used a Marantz 6006 and a Pioneer SC-55. I have the marantz at home.

Dave,

I have the CM9 and the CMC2. I believe B&W recommends the CMC2 as a match for the CM9 and CMC for anything else in the CM line. I love the CM9 and CMC2. You might want to demo that combo first and make sure the panning is smooth for movies.

I also just installed some m-1s as my rears and they seem sufficient for surround duty.

As far as Subs, unless the deal is really good I shy away from B&W. It's not that the product is bad, I just think there are better values out there.

Thanks for the feedback, fish5225 - sounds like the M-1's worked out really well for you. I'm going to go listen to them again this week-end, and will probably take the plunge and add these into my setup.

Demian

@Metsuke - best suggestion ever

Interesting on the m1s against the 685's and to be honest I have yet to hear them together. I checked on theyree site and there are many similarities up front. What is really internal I do not know. I do have to admit I have had my 685's running pretty strong and have yet to bring them to distortion. The setting from audessey is 50hz but againn I have two big subs picking up the lower end.

Thanks for the info mate. The room size is 4m x 4m x 2.4m.

Does it open into other rooms? If not, the B&W will be good for music,but will let you down if you're really into movies. If it opens into other rooms,that's a major consideration(unlike your other speakers) and will require more output. The Velo will give you output,but not articulation(unlike their sealed subs). The B&W will give you better articulation(important for music),but not as much output as you may need. That's why I like the Rythmik FV15hp;its a servo sub with excellent articulation and enough output to shake your house. If it's more than you think you need,the FV12 will also outperform the Velo or the B&W and costs less. There's other subs that you might like,it's just that I really am impressed with my Rythmiks(I also have 2 Velo DD12+,a Definitive Tech sub and a Klipsch sub-don't ask!) and there's a recent post on the AVS Rythmik thread from a guy down under who has one. You might want to p.m. him and get all the details on shipping,taxes and duties as well as feedback on his sub.

BTW; Marcos rocks!

+1 on Rythmiks. I got myself two F15HPs recently for my 4500 cu. ft. room that opens up into other rooms. And when I was demoing them, I was only demoing one and it was doing the job with headroom to spare. Just got two to even things out a bit. LOVE the way these sound and feel like they are a great compliment to the sound from my 683s.

G'day Djoel

try to apply it with a piece of soft flannelle ( Old bed sheet of something )
than you would not have that problem
\\
regards

Huh? Driver size has nothing to do with it and they all share the same tweeter. The cmc2 has a dedicated midrange in a vertical alignment which will have much better dispersion characteristics and reduce lobing.

OP get the cmc2

Because your room is square it will wreak havoc on the response of your subs. Two lesser subs will have a greater impact on performance than one über sub. Also, if at all possible look into bass traps and room treatments.

[quote=Fanaticalism;22035322]Two lesser subs will have a greater impact on performance than one über sub. /QUOTE]

+1,As long as they aren't "lesser" in sound quality(extension,articulation,definition etc). Two smaller cheaper "boomers" won't be as good as one better larger sub,but if everything is equal quality-wise, I agree........... however........two "ubers" beats two "lessers" every time!

The techs at best buy we're shocked. They were still talking about it the next day when I went and bought the m-1's. Certainly the 685's are better for music but for a rear surround the new m-1's are a vast improvement over the Old m-1 speakers and a very solid choice in a 7.1 setup

I have the old M-1s as my rears. How are the new M-1s better? They appear to be exactly the same size/design. I have a hard time believing they are anything more than marginally better than the old M-1.

Also I would think the 685 would be much better as a rear surround due to its size and the fact that it is front ported. However, maybe the rear port on the M-1 is giving more of a surround sensation? I just bought the M-1 because they were a good deal and I think they look pretty slick with the wires all hidden.

I am still pretty happy with the 685's and feel mabey another pair of 685's for my main surrounds would make a nice set up even though my backs are polks and heights and wides are def techs.. With the two large subs I think the 683's might just be over kill unlesss I sell the 685's and leave the rest alone and get the 686's cause for two channel they would be better with out subs etc. (mainly music) .