B&W 685 vs 684

[admin_exported]

The 685 seems too be very populair, but with decent stands their close too the price off the 684?

I heard them both, but again the room in the shops is not my room...

Question is; why do the WHF-team like the 685 soo much, and never talk about the 684?

Is there a difference?

(What i heared is that the 684 has much more body)

 

[Ajani]

Ducati900SS:
The 684 seems too be very populair, but with decent stands their close too the price off the 684?

I heard them both, but again the room in the shops is not my room...

Question is; why do the WHF-team like the 685 soo much, and never talk about the 684?

Is there a difference?

(What i heared is that the 684 has much more body)

That's actually an issue I have with a lot of review mags.... they generally recommend Monitor speakers at the lower price points (so anything below 1000GBP).... yet they never include the price of the stands in the equation... The price of the stands maybe a non-issue for someone who already owns a good pair of stands (assuming they are a correct fit with the new speakers), but it is a major issue for someone who has never owned monitor speakers... Especially considering that a pair of monitors and the matching stands often cost as much as the equivalent pair of towers...

 

[Tonestar1]

The 684s also gained 5 stars. I listened to the 685s along with various others in the sub 500 price bracket (Quad and Kef to name a couple) after my 601s gave up the ghost. My intention was to go for the 685s as I really liked the soundstage they provided. However I then heard the 684s and thought they easily bettered the standmounts. Even though I had suitable stands I felt the increased outlay for the 684s was well worth it. I also think floorstanders look a lot better than speakers on stands.

I have been very happy with my purchase. As many have already said it's not often you'll go home and wish you had invested in the lower model in a range.

 

[Anonymous]

A pair of stands you say? Get two harback copies of War and Peace and your sorted!

 

[Anonymous]

Ducati900SS:

The 684 seems too be very populair, but with decent stands their close too the price off the 684?

I heard them both, but again the room in the shops is not my room...

Question is; why do the WHF-team like the 685 soo much, and never talk about the 684?

Is there a difference?

(What i heared is that the 684 has much more body)

I think you pretty much answered your own question if you you could hear the 684's had much more body!

But yes, I've wondered the same point made by Ananji that once you account for the stands (and at £195 the matching B&W stands are not really cheap) I guess it all comes down to how big your room is or whether you think the extra benefits the floorstanders give is worth the extra money. Plus whether you have the other kit to do the more expensive speakers justice.

I originaly mounted my 685's using some good ball joint wall mounts which were only £40 but since I've been seriously considering buying the B&W stands I've wondered if I did the right thing and should have gone for 684's instead as they only work out to be around £100 more... Damn!

 

[Anonymous]

Sorry, I meant Ajani, not "Ananji"!

 

[Clare Newsome]

We've reviewed the 684, 685 and 686 B&Ws - reviews of all three here

As you'll see, we rate the 684s very highly - it's just that we feel the 685s are a touch more flexible: hence their Award-winning status as superb-value speakers that we believe would suit a wide range of systems.

This is yet another thread that proves the importance of auditioning kit - something we stress in each issue. it's also another thread where a complaint 'magazines never consider the price of stands!' is unfounded in our case.

For starters, we always include recommended stand options in the 'Now add these' section of every group test verdict page (hefty stands are best for the B&Ws, BTW - really tightens up proceedings).

Secondly, when we do a 'mixed' speaker group test - ie one including floorstanders and standmounts - we always take into consideration the cost of stands you'd need to make the standmounts perform at their best: this total cost is then compared with the cost of the floorstanders.

It's one reason why budget floorstanders such as Monitor Audio Bronze BR5s and KEF iQ5SEs have outpointed their standmount rivals in the past, for example.

 

[Ajani]

Clare Newsome:
We've reviewed the 684, 685 and 686 B&Ws - reviews of all three here

As you'll see, we rate the 684s very highly - it's just that we feel the 685s are a touch more flexible: hence their Award-winning status as superb-value speakers that we believe would suit a wide range of systems.

This is yet another thread that proves the importance of auditioning kit - something we stress in each issue. it's also another thread where a complaint 'magazines never consider the price of stands!' is unfounded in our case.

For starters, we always include recommended stand options in the 'Now add these' section of every group test verdict page (hefty stands are best for the B&Ws, BTW - really tightens up proceedings).

Secondly, when we do a 'mixed' speaker group test - ie one including floorstanders and standmounts - we always take into consideration the cost of stands you'd need to make the standmounts perform at their best: this total cost is then compared with the cost of the floorstanders.

It's one reason why budget floorstanders such as Monitor Audio Bronze BR5s and KEF iQ5SEs have outpointed their standmount rivals in the past, for example.

So you felt that the 685 + stands was better than the 684s due to the 685s having greater flexibility? I withdraw my comment about mags not taking into account the cost of stands (at least in relation to WHF)... Though I respectfully disagree with the opinion that greater flexibility in a pair of monitors + stands is better than having more full range performance from towers...

 

[Clare Newsome]

More bass ain't necessarily better bass - and there's always a subwoofer

 

[Ajani]

ARW77:Sorry, I meant Ajani, not "Ananji"!

Strangely, people seem to mess up my name like that fairly often....

Don't sweat it though....

 

[manicm]

I can see Clare's point about the 685s being more flexible - I personally can't want for more bass than these and I don't even have mine on stands yet! And sited properly their bass is tight and fast as well.

On the other hand I too plan on getting the B&W stands and realise together they don't cost much less than the 684s. Would the latter be worth it for me? Only if they had more transparency...

 

[Anonymous]

Clare Newsome:More bass ain't necessarily better bass - and there's always a subwoofer

This is a perfect time to ask something that's been niggling in the back of my mind along with what I said before about wondering if I should have gone for 684's in the long run! The option of a subwoofer:

Would a pair of 685's (perched on top of B&W FS 700/CM stands) along with the B&W ASW610 subwoofer, set up and tuned properly, sound better than the 684's? Purely just for music that is.

 

[Clare Newsome]

Well the 685s & sub sound damn fine with stereo in this combination.

PS The Partington Superdreadnought speaker stands are (slightly) cheaper than the B&W ones, and work an absolute treat...

 

[Anonymous]

Try the Dali Lektor 2's. While the 685's sound decent in most ways, they are very safe.

 

[plastic penguin]

Clare Newsome:

Well the 685s & sub sound damn fine with stereo in this combination.

PS The Partington Superdreadnought speaker stands are (slightly) cheaper than the B&W ones, and work an absolute treat...

Why is it that a high percentage of people seem to gravitate towards standmounts rather than floorstanders? I heard many over the years (both types) they each have their strengths and flaws.

I personally chose RS6's because I object to paying the extra for stands. They cost me 450 squid from Sevenoaks (brand new), compared with Epos M12's (same price at the time + stands) which pipped the RS6's in a Group test about a year and a half ago.

Value for money terms I did rather well, me thinks. . . .

 

[Anonymous]

Soo it all comes down too room Acoustics, the 685 are front-ported, the 684 are front and rear
ported (but the rear port can be inserted with bungs)

Problem here (i live in the netherlands) i cant't try these at home...

Also, its first fore stereo but secondly also fore movies and games (via PS3)
adding a sub with the 685 and stands seems a bit silly too me...

@Penguin; i've heard the RS6 as well, and liked them very much, but there are soo many people
who are getting tired off the heights?

(hope i got the englisch right)

 

[plastic penguin]

Ducati900SS:Soo it all comes down too room Acoustics, the 685 are front-ported, the 684 are front and rear ported (but the rear port can be inserted with bungs) Problem here (i live in the netherlands) i cant't try these at home... Also, its first fore stereo but secondly also fore movies and games (via PS3) adding a sub with the 685 and stands seems a bit silly too me... @Penguin; i've heard the RS6 as well, and liked them very much, but there are soo many people who are getting tired off the heights? (hope i got the englisch right)

Your English is fine. Yeah, if partnered incorrectly, the RS6's can be a bit forward, but as long as you have a controlled amp and CD, like Arcam, Nad, Exposure or even Roksan, the RS6's really sing.

Read my review I did a little while back.

 

[Ajani]

Ducati900SS:adding a sub with the 685 and stands seems a bit silly too me

It seems a bit silly to me as well... since by the time you add stands and a sub you've easily exceeded the price of the 684s.... (you've possibly even exceeded the price of the 683s)....

 

[manicm]

Ajani:

Ducati900SS:adding a sub with the 685 and stands seems a bit silly too me

It seems a bit silly to me as well... since by the time you add stands and a sub you've easily exceeded the price of the 684s.... (you've possibly even exceeded the price of the 683s)....

I'd agree, if I had the space I would have bought a floorstander no question, but would look at Monitor Audios as well.

 

[Anonymous]

Does anyone has experiance with my set-up at all?

 

[Anonymous]

Ducati900SS:Soo it all comes down too room Acoustics, the 685 are front-ported, the 684 are front and rear
ported (but the rear port can be inserted with bungs)

Problem here (i live in the netherlands) i cant't try these at home...

Also, its first fore stereo but secondly also fore movies and games (via PS3)
adding a sub with the 685 and stands seems a bit silly too me...

@Penguin; i've heard the RS6 as well, and liked them very much, but there are soo many people
who are getting tired off the heights?

(hope i got the englisch right)

Home demoes aren't common in the Netherlands, but it can certainly be done. I've lended two pairs of speakers from a very friendly dealer near me, and he was more than willing to accomodate my needs. To do the demos I didn't have to make a downpayment.

So my suggestion is, find a decent dealer that will lend you the speakers, or atleast negotiate for a decent return policy if the speakers aren't to you liking.

Where in the Netherlands are you based?

 

[Anonymous]

Hi Ducati900SS,

You have got good gear there.

Can you get ProAc loudspeakers over where you are? I was thinking of the ProAc Studio loudspeakers - the ProAc Studio 110 are stand-mount loudspeakers and are really good, otherwise, the ProAc Studio 130 and ProAc Studio 140 are brilliant floor-standing loudspeakers that really sing. However, in Australia, and I am assuming pretty much worldwide, the 130 and 140 cost quite a fair bit more than the Monitor Audio RS6 and B&W685 and 684.

 

[Anonymous]

Vlakbij Utrecht

 

[Anonymous]

Up until recently I only considered towers... bigger is better so to speak. However I have found that many stand mount speakers are simply faster and tighter sounding. The problem with A B comparisons is that you generally respond the the bigger base sound in a positive way - at least initially. This is where a home demo is so important. Things change after you live with them for a while.

 

[Anonymous]

Both great speakers.

B&W 685 - smaller room

B&W 685 - bigger room

Just my opinion.