[biosci1]

I'm not sure how technology advances in the world of speakers but I know that the 705's are a few years old compared to the soon to be released 685's. Do you think you still get a much better speaker in the 700 series vs. the new 600 series?


Mike

 

[blackacex2]

Trust me, B&W would never make the 600 series better than the 700 series. It just doesn't make good business sense to do this. I actually was just auditioning several pairs of b&w bookshelf speakers and I've owned the 704s before. The imaging and soundstage as well as the overall clarity of the 700 series is far superior to that of the 600 series. The detail is also uhm, drastically better in the 700 series than the CM or 600 series (i actually was hearing instruments on a Norah Jones track that you didn't even know were there at all on the CM or 600 series).


I'm sure the 685s will be very nice and certainly better than the current 602s though!


I don't exactly love the 700 series however.. they seem too forward and "bright".

 

[biosci1]

Thanks for the input! I just wasn't sure if something in a 'lower end' series can surpass something in an older yet higher end (kinda like in computers). The 800 series is just a bit out of my price range at the moment but my room is relatively small (19'x12') and I'll be about 6ft from the TV/speakers!

 

[scanido]

Go for the 705's without hesitation. I would bet the new 600 series will be marginally better than the current line and definately not as good as the 700 series. Plus you get real wood on the 705.

 

[wgriel]

I'd agree with the opinions stated so far. Although some here have expressed a preference for the CM series over the 700 series, I certainly didn't after some extensive side-by-side comparison (704 vs CM7).


And there's no way that the new 600 series will be better than the CM series - it may close the gap some, but imo the 700 series is the way to go if you can afford it.


Bill

 

[Schadenfreude]

Real wood veneer, non-parrallel cabinet sides (reduction in standing waves), semi-seperate tweeter housing (better imaging, less cabinet difraction), on the 700 series.


Better driver components, better crossover parts and design, better tweeter design (surround), on the new 600 series.


The B&W guys seem to prefer the CM series as well, and have intonated that the 700 series are going away.


It would seem a comparative audition will be in order.


I am a SALESMAN, if I am not telling you to automatically ASSUME the 700 series (more expensive) is better, then YOU SHOULD TAKE NOTICE, and if the B&W guys are shrugging their shoulders, take notice too.

 

[Jonomega]

It depends. In my honest opinion, I don't like the 704 much at all. Id rather have the CM7 due to the three way design. The 704's 2.5 way design allows the mid-bass drive to easily be overdriven with the type of music I listen to. I like the dispersion of the highs of the 700 series better nevertheless.


When comparing the 600 series to the CM or 700 series however, the CM or 700 series easily wins in my opinion.

 

[chunkisagoonie]



Quote:
The detail is also uhm, drastically better in the 700 series than the CM or 600 series (i actually was hearing instruments on a Norah Jones track that you didn't even know were there at all on the CM or 600 series).

I would have to disagree. I think the CM Series tweeter is more refined than the 700 Series tweeter. The biggest weakness with the 700 Series in my mind is that the tweeter is very edgy compared to the CMs and even Andrew Ward from B&W agrees with me. I can listen to the CM7 all day long, but the 704 gets downright fatiguing. But I guess that's just me.


-----------------------------


B&W seems to be targeting the 600 Series 4 as a cheaper alternative to the CMs. The mid and bass drivers will get cast iron baskets (instead of stamped steel), the cabinets use thicker MDF and now we finally have a 600 Series speaker (683) that has an FST midrange! These might end up being a bigger bang for the buck than expected.


From what a lot of people are saying at B&W, the CM Series will likely have a few model additions (larger floor stander, larger center, matching sub) and will eventually phase out the 700 Series.

 

[biosci1]

So it seems here, that I should look at the CM1 bookshelf vs. the 705 model I originally heard? Was the CM series designed to be the successor to the 700 series. Again, I'm looking at the bookshelf models and not the floorstanding models.


Thanks,

Mike

 

[Schadenfreude]

The CM series is , apparently from what B&W reps have said to me, not finished yet, as they will likely add at least a couple of speakers to it over time. I suspect that with subs becoming more prevalent, larger bookshelf speakers are becoming more of a niche market and perhaps they have little desire to make a larger CM bookshelf, or that they wanted to introduce that one later after they had sold through the remaining 705's.


If you find that the 705's are more to your liking with bass ask yourself if you are going to buy a sub as well and then sink the extra $600 you saved buying the CM1's instead into a better, more musical sub THAN THE ONE YOU WERE LOOKING AT, or an SMS-1.

If you are not going to use a sub but are going to put them on stands, then just buy the CM7's. If you aren't using a sub but need to put them on (or in) furniture, then I'd say the 705's would be a good bet.

 

[warpdrive]



Quote:
Originally Posted by biosci1 /forum/post/0


So it seems here, that I should look at the CM1 bookshelf vs. the 705 model I originally heard? Was the CM series designed to be the successor to the 700 series. Again, I'm looking at the bookshelf models and not the floorstanding models.


Thanks,

Mike

The CM1 is different in that it's a smaller speaker and would be outgunned by the larger 705 in terms of total output and bass depth. The 705 has a different kind of sound too, it's a bit more brighter (more apparent treble) which makes it sometimes seem more detailed. It's just a matter of presentation as the CM1 is just as detailed but a bit more laid back and smoother sounding.


The CM is not a replacement for the 700 line, it's designed to be exactly in between the 600 and 700 series in terms of price. Right now I prefer the CM over the 700 series in the way they sound, but that might change when the 700 gets updated next (it's been a couple of years so it is probably near the front of the line in terms of being updated)

 

[Schadenfreude]



Quote:
The CM is not a replacement for the 700 line, it's designed to be exactly in between the 600 and 700 series in terms of price. Right now I prefer the CM over the 700 series in the way they sound, but that might change when the 700 gets updated next (it's been a couple of years so it is probably near the front of the line in terms of being updated)

The 700's are GOING AWAY, they aren't getting updated, even the people from B&W are touting the CM's as ahead (in many regards) of the 700's. Yes the 700's have some advantages too, but the CM line is going to be expanding , the CM's are not being POSITIONED betweened the 600's and 700's, they are a differant concept and design.

I would suspect that their next move will be to seperate the 800"D" and "S" lines more and perhaps make a bit more differentiation there.


Remember what the predecessor to the 700 series was?

 

[warpdrive]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Schadenfreude /forum/post/0


The 700's are GOING AWAY, they aren't getting updated, even the people from B&W are touting the CM's as ahead (in many regards) of the 700's. Yes the 700's have some advantages too, but the CM line is going to be expanding , the CM's are not being POSITIONED betweened the 600's and 700's, they are a differant concept and design.

I would suspect that their next move will be to seperate the 800"D" and "S" lines more and perhaps make a bit more differentiation there.


Remember what the predecessor to the 700 series was?

really....alright, thanks for the clarification, I was going on some out of date information.

 

[biosci1]

Okay and what if you guys were to rec the CM7 or the 705, which would you go for? Or is comparing a floorstanding totally different when comparing it to a bookshelf?

 

[warpdrive]



Quote:
Originally Posted by biosci1 /forum/post/0


Okay and what if you guys were to rec the CM7 or the 705, which would you go for? Or is comparing a floorstanding totally different when comparing it to a bookshelf?

If you are using it just for music, I'd prefer a floorstanding speaker. However, for HT, I prefer spending less and getting a high quality bookshelf with a better sub.


I prefer the overall sound of the CM series over the 700 so in this case, I prefer the CM7. I actually prefer the CM1 over the 705 when I heard them side by side. But not everybody agrees with me...so you really should try them for yourself as they both sound VERY different from each other. The 705 will sound a bit leaner and have a more sharp sound to them.

 

[biosci1]

Since I'm doing both HT and music (Maybe more towards the HT side), would you rec the CM1s (Maybe I can convince my wife to CM7's upstairs in our great room where it's ONLY music...)

 

[warpdrive]

The main problem with the CM1's is that they are small speaker with small driver units meaning they need a lot of power and have to work extra hard to fill the room with sound.

They may just be overworked if you use them for the front speakers in a larger room. If you have a larger room, you'd want CM7's up front with CM1's in the back. But since you say your room is only 19x12, they'd work well enough provided you have a decent enough receiver (say something in the $800-1000 range which puts out a true 100W of clean power in all channels).

 

[Schadenfreude]



Quote:
If you are using it just for music, I'd prefer a floorstanding speaker. However, for HT, I prefer spending less and getting a high quality bookshelf with a better sub.

The price differance might just be eaten up by the cost of decent stands, and I would feel so bad if the small price differance between cheap stands with the 705's made you want to get them than the CM7's that I'd have to discount (oh God please tell me I don't have to) the CM7'S BY THE DIFFERANCE TO KEEP YOU FROM MAKING SUCH A MISTAKE.

Quote:
I prefer the overall sound of the CM series over the 700 so in this case, I prefer the CM7. I actually prefer the CM1 over the 705 when I heard them side by side. But not everybody agrees with me...so you really should try them for yourself as they both sound VERY different from each other. The 705 will sound a bit leaner and have a more sharp sound to them.

I, and many others (including most at B&W), agree with you.

Quote:
They may just be overworked if you use them for the front speakers in a larger room. If you have a larger room, you'd want CM7's up front with CM1's in the back. But since you say your room is only 19x12, they'd work well enough provided you have a decent enough receiver (say something in the $800-1000 range which puts out a true 100W of clean power in all channels).

Arcam

Rotel

NAD

B&K

Sunfire

Lexicon

Mac

 

[biosci1]

I do like the Rotel receivers. My HT Receiver is going to be an Onkyo SR805 which will do 130watts/channel.


If I did music upstairs (Great room), I currently have a Sony Receiver that's a few years old that outputs about 110 watts / channel with JBL Studio Bookshelf speakers. I'm thinking about upgrading that setup to perhaps the CM7's (A lot LARGER and should fill the whole upstairs with sound nicely) with a Rotel setup.


BTW, in the HT area, the TV will be on the 19' side. So the speakers are going to be projecting about 6-8 ft where the listeners will be sitting. So it may be overkill for CM7's in the HT as opposed to CM1's. Do you guys think I'm thinking this through okay? The CM1's also save me a pretty penny in terms of $$$ compared to the 705s.

 

[Alimentall]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Schadenfreude /forum/post/0


The 700's are GOING AWAY, they aren't getting updated, even the people from B&W are touting the CM's as ahead (in many regards) of the 700's. Yes the 700's have some advantages too, but the CM line is going to be expanding , the CM's are not being POSITIONED betweened the 600's and 700's, they are a differant concept and design.

I would suspect that their next move will be to seperate the 800"D" and "S" lines more and perhaps make a bit more differentiation there.


Remember what the predecessor to the 700 series was?

Interestingly (or maybe not), I had thought that B&W was going to bring out a 702 and 701 rather than 804/803S and then have the 800 stuff all be diamond equipped at $8K and up. I'm not so sure that what B&W does makes sense for the line up, but they keep doing it (bringing out competing mid level lines - what was it, the "P-series" or something?), so maybe it is working for them. I'd have thought they'd want to bring some stability to the mid level for a change.