B&W 600 series s2

[CraigDS]

I'm really disappointed that the new 600 series comes only in black or white. Is there any dealers with the old models available in cherry? Do you think B&W will introduce more finishes if the current limitations affect sales?

I was speaking to a dealer who advised me the new 600 series is very close to performance of the CM series. So when is an approved CM series expected?

 

[Frank Harvey]

With the sub £1,000 price point being so competitive (ask yourself how many British speaker manufacturers actually make speakers in the UK in this price point), B&W have chosen to only produce black or white. The more finishes you provide for a range, the more that range costs to produce, which means the end user lays more. White finishes are becoming more and more popular, and are very popular in other countries. Black has always been popular. If the other finishes in the older range were that popular, B&W wouldn't have dropped them.

Whilst the performance of the new 600 series is close to the CM performance in some areas, they fall way short on build quality and finish, so the CM range isn't dead in the water...

 

[matthewpiano]

Interestingly, Kawai recently updated their upright piano range and, like B&W have limited finishes to black or white gloss. Also our Yamaha piano rep was only telling us the other day how popular white gloss is becoming as a finish. Wood finishes have been difficult to sell on pianos for some time. Looks like there are parallels in the speaker world!

 

[CraigDS]

I totally understand it's down to money. It is just disappointing from my point of view. I really like the B&W cherry finish on all their speakers. I would love to visit your shop. I looked around on the WebCam Tour. I doubt their is a shop with such a variety of equipment and speakers.

Any advice in speakers for an Arcam av Reciever?

 

[manicm]

Whilst the performance of the new 600 series is close to the CM performance in some areas, they fall way short on build quality and finish, so the CM range isn't dead in the water...

Are you saying the new 600 series has an inferior finish to the previous one? Cos my 685s were built impeccably. At their price level, I would say the CM standmounts are now decidedly redundant. It's only the floorstanders that are competitive.

 

[Frank Harvey]

Whilst the performance of the new 600 series is close to the CM performance in some areas, they fall way short on build quality and finish, so the CM range isn't dead in the water...

Are you saying the new 600 series has an inferior finish to the previous one? Cos my 685s were built impeccably. At their price level, I would say the CM standmounts are now decidedly redundant. It's only the floorstanders that are competitive.

I meant in comparison to the CM series. There's nothing wrong with the build of the 600 S2 range, it's just not as good as the CM - which you'd expect

 

[Frank Harvey]

I totally understand it's down to money. It is just disappointing from my point of view. I really like the B&W cherry finish on all their speakers.

I doubt we'll see wood finishes disappear altogether, as I'm sure they'll still be options for all but manufacturer's entry level ranges.

I would love to visit your shop. I looked around on the WebCam Tour. I doubt their is a shop with such a variety of equipment and speakers.

Many do just for that reason! We like to offer a wide range under one roof, saving the need for visits to several dealers in order to hear the shopping list. It's been a few years since that Google store walk round, so things will have changed a little since then, particularly the section now dedicated to vinyl (the back section round the corner from the front desk).

Any advice in speakers for an Arcam av Reciever?

They're robust receivers, and will drive demanding speakers (at the launch of the AVR600 for our open day in 2008, it was driving a full KEF Reference 5.1 package), so your choice is pretty big. I haven't really come across any major mismatches with Arcam amps - Monitor Audio, KEF, B&W, Sonus Faber, Dali, Tannoy, ProAc (and others) have all worked well with them. It'll be a case of getting a listen to a few to see what you like the sound of.

 

[csq2]

If they want to stay very competitve, B&W should offer at least gloss finish like Q Acoustics for a bit more money. The cheap vinyl finish is actually preventing me from purchasing them.

 

[manicm]

If they want to stay very competitve, B&W should offer at least gloss finish like Q Acoustics for a bit more money. The cheap vinyl finish is actually preventing me from purchasing them.

I had the Wenge 685 S1s, and the finish and look was good enough. I'd have better sound than extravagant finish if it meant paying more. The black 685 S2 does not look bad at all. And anyway with the yellow Kevlar woofer the 600 series aesthetically always required a level of commitment from buyers anyway. I liked them. Big and manly!

 

[John Duncan]

If they want to stay very competitve, B&W should offer at least gloss finish like Q Acoustics for a bit more money. The cheap vinyl finish is actually preventing me from purchasing them.

I saw the S2 range in the flesh for the first time yesterday and I have to say from a finish point of view they were very disappointing - the mottled white vinyl wrap reminded me of a Billy bookcase from IKEA. Not sure what the black ones look like. In contrast, the KEFs, Spendors and Qs alongside looked beautiful.

In other news, damn the PMC Twenties are ugly...

 

[Frank Harvey]

But surely, at this end of the market, the sound is more important, and if B&W can produce a better sounding speaker by not offering a more expensive finish, they're going to make them sound better...

 

[ErwinC]

But surely, at this end of the market, the sound is more important, and if B&W can produce a better sounding speaker by not offering a more expensive finish, they're going to make them sound better...

And that is indeed what they did imo.

 

[MUSICRAFT]

And that is indeed what they did imo.

Hi ErwinC

If only you knew

All the best

Rick @ Musicraft

 

[Frank Harvey]

And that is indeed what they did imo.

And for the better - that's how they've managed to put CM10 technology in sub £500 speakers

 

[CraigDS]

Thank you David,

Out of the brands you mentioned which have the biggest soundstage?

 

[Frank Harvey]

Thank you David,Out of the brands you mentioned which have the biggest soundstage?

That can depend on setup - toeing the speaker in less can give a wider soundstage, but compromise the central image. The KEF has the best possibility of a wider soundstage thanks to the nature of its UniQ driver.