B&W 606/607 sucks, not worth 5 stars

gasolin

Well-known member
I had the 607 s1 and 607 s2 anniversary edition, the highs sucks, is fatigue,horrible, finally one who feel the same as i did, how can whathifi add them to the best speaker list and give them 5 in the review, how can B&W make the highs so horrible.

Do you feel the same, is there any other hifi unit that definitely don't deserve 5 stars ?

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8sGsOWR5rg


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8VxlO68ses
 
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I had the 607 s1 and 607 s2 anniversary edition, the highs sucks, is fatigue,horrible, finally one who feel the same as i did, how can whathifi add them to the best speaker list and give them 5 in the review, how can B&W make the highs so horrible.

Do you feel the same, is there any other hifi unit that definitely don't deserve 5 stars ?

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8sGsOWR5rg


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8VxlO68ses
Hi Gasoline.

With respect, you've owned hi-fi for long enough not to take reviews too seriously. Bear in mind that WHFI spent around a million pound developing their demo rooms. Is that a good representation of a normal listening room? Of course not.

I have purchased 5 star products (Leema, Arcam CD73 etc ) but not without exhaustive listening before parting with my hard earned.

Some of the best stuff I've heard, such as my old Arcam A65+ (4 stars) and demoed Usher S520 (only awarded 3 stars). I know it's boring but the trick isn't about what mags suggest are the best but what works best with your kit.
 
It is perhaps that simply B&W are not for you as it's not just WHF that have them best buy or highly recommended reviews.
As PP says reviews are simply a way to shortlist and can often be taken with a pinch of salt.
To be honest the only B&W that I have owned and liked were the old 685's
 

gasolin

Well-known member
The 607/606's got good reviews and wanted to know what the fuss is all about, so i found a cheap pair (cheaper in uk but not do brexit and living in denmark), i quickly sold them and the anniversary edition wasn't that much better, i returned them do top the highs i still thought was as bad or worse than dali zensor 1 (it was more than 6 month ago)

I had both version before the review (first video) made by Andrew Robinson
 
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I wonder if the somewhat polarised reactions to this design are due to the brightness and possibly the tweeter resonant frequency above 20kHz?
Details here, and on the measurements page.

At my age, I’d be happy to hear 15kHz so this will probably be irrelevant to me. And CD sources contain no signal above 20kHz. However, lots of hires streamed files have significant ultrasonic content that might ‘inflame’ the tweeters and younger ears.
 

RoA

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Feb 11, 2021
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I wonder if the somewhat polarised reactions to this design are due to the brightness and possibly the tweeter resonant frequency above 20kHz?
Details here, and on the measurements page.

At my age, I’d be happy to hear 15kHz so this will probably be irrelevant to me. And CD sources contain no signal above 20kHz. However, lots of hires streamed files have significant ultrasonic content that might ‘inflame’ the tweeters and younger ears.

If the Formation Duo's I recently owned are anything to go by then the treble 'issue' (shelfing) that characterises the B&W house sound is between around 3 and 8 kHz. This covers upper mids and goes well into the treble. - Easily audible and deliberately engineered by B&W.

This 'shelve' or elevated high mid/treble output may differ both in location and extent from model to model but is undoubtedly responsible for the 'characterful' B&W sound of many of their speakers (as is the elevated bass).

Some really like this but neutral it ain't!

It of course imposes itself on any music and gets more noticeable the louder one listens.

Not for me but ...
 

gongli

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Nov 1, 2021
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I too found B&Ws hard to match gears - me thinks they can sound good with the right synergy, especially on classical music...

They got violins right to my ears, but with the wrong system matching, they can sound annoying.
 

gasolin

Well-known member
and you don't wanna try 10 amps or amps thats costs 1000 dollars, euros, pund for entry level speakers to get a sound most quality speaker can have with a good cheap amp from emotiva,nad, rega,cambridge audio, you name it
 

manicm

Well-known member
B&Ws have had a reputation of being bright for the better part of 20 years. Their earlier speakers were definitely misunderstood.

I’ve only had the 685 and that was a marvellous speaker.

I’ve yet to hear the latest ones,,maybe I’ll do so this weekend.

Maybe they’ve been deliberately voiced to match Marantz /Denon gear but I doubt that since the current 600 range (pre s2) was launched before the Sound United takeover, and the s2s are supposed to be fuller sounding.
 

hilroy48

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I had enough left over gear for a 3rd system out in my garage. So i bought a set of Dynaudio Emit 20 new series speakers, for $1000.00 CDN. I am very pleased with them, they are paired with my Arcam A-49 amp that i couldnt sell. I have a $10,000.00 audio system in my garage, lol. I wasn't going to give it away to grinders. I am also running an IFI Neo Dac and NAD Cd player. Very nice full sound, large presentation. I am a Dynaudio fan.
 

newlash09

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The 607/606's got good reviews and wanted to know what the fuss is all about, so i found a cheap pair (cheaper in uk but not do brexit and living in denmark), i quickly sold them and the anniversary edition wasn't that much better, i returned them do top the highs i still thought was as bad or worse than dali zensor 1 (it was more than 6 month ago)

I had both version before the review (first video) made by Andrew Robinson

I've heard a few B&W's sir...and they didn't come across as bright at all. It is either the room, or the chain or amplification at fault here in my books :)

P.S : one of my friends just got the B&W 802 D3, coupled with the " in fashion at the moment amplification ", a kinki studio. I found the sound rather sleepy :D

So, B&W speakers sounding bright is all news for me :)

So please check up your chain again :)
 

Oliver06

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I was considering upgrading my hifi system. Currently I have the B&W DW 303 bought around year 2000 that are paired to a Denon DRA F100. What loudspeakers and amplifier would you recommend? I was thinking about a bluetooth DAB+ amplifier?
 

gasolin

Well-known member
Perrsonally i do consider a pair of 606 S3 but i think for the money they migt be to expensive and have to much highs at high levels

They are better in the highs than S1 and S2 but is it enough to justify the higher price ?
 

Fandango Andy

Well-known member
I had the 607 s1 and 607 s2 anniversary edition, the highs sucks, is fatigue,horrible, finally one who feel the same as i did, how can whathifi add them to the best speaker list and give them 5 in the review, how can B&W make the highs so horrible.

Do you feel the same, is there any other hifi unit that definitely don't deserve 5 stars ?

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8sGsOWR5rg


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8VxlO68ses

To get all the hype there must be something there. They are going to be well made and decent sounding. Beyond that it's going to be more about pairing with other equipment, how they fit the room, how well they are positioned. If you have had two pairs I would hazard a guess you either don't like the B&W sound, they don't work in your room, or they don't match well with your amp. I would go as far as.to say its probably a combination of all three!

The important question what do you have now, and do you like them?
 

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