B & W 685 theatre speaker package, please help WHF team

[admin_exported]

Hello,

Decided to upgrade my speakers to the B&W 685 package but not sure which sub and centre to get. On some websites they match the 685 fronts and 686 rears with the cheaper HTM62 centre and ASW608 sub. However on the WHF review they seem to be using the ASW610 sub which from what i can tell is meant for the more expensive package with the 684 floorstanders, not sure which centre was used by WHF (was it the HTM62 or HTM61).

Budget up to £1,500 including cables and stands. Which should i go for? and can you recommend a good speaker cable?

Thanks in advance

 

[professorhat]

This is just my opinion, but I would go with the HTM62 centre and the ASW10 sub (I have the centre, but not yet upgraded my old REL sub). This is purely based on my own investigations.

 

[Clare Newsome]

To confirm, the B&W 685 Theatre package that won our Award consists of:

B&W 685 fronts, B&W 686 rears, HTM62 centre and ASW608 sub.

Awesome value for money - not to say you couldn't make it even better with a sub upgrade!

The B&Ws appreciate sturdy stands, so think filled Atacamas or hefty Partingtons. Cable wise, our current favourite - Chord Carnival Silver Screen - would suit fine here.

 

[Andrew Everard]

The system we tested used the 62 centre and 608 sub.

 

[Anonymous]

thanks both for the advise, i will go for the HTM62 centre and the ASW610 sub (think i was always going to get the better sub and make the windows shake)

Thanks again

 

[Anonymous]

Hi Clare,

One more question should i buy extra cable and bi wire the front speakers, got the Yamaha DSP-AX763?

Thanks

 

[Clare Newsome]

Now that's a whole new kettle of worms....

IMO, stick with single wire and see how you get on.

Also, superb though your Yamaha is, you could drive the B&Ws more efficiently with a beefier amp - the big-brother 863 woud be a better match for this package. Just a thought - an amp upgrade may benefit you more than a subwoofer one at this stage (and i'm sure you'd find a willing buyer for the 763!)

 

[Anonymous]

wish i had never asked ha ha. think i will enjoy the B&W package for now and leave the new amp as a future upgrade, my current speakers are ancient eltax symphony's so the jump to the B&Ws will be massive even without a more powerful amp.