B&W CM9/10 or Mordaunt Short Performance 6? And pairing advice!

[ozymandias15]

Hi all, i'm about to upgrade my system and would appreciate any thoughts on my choices and maybe a point in the right direction for an amplifier...

I've currently got 2 Mordaunt short Mezzo 8 up front with Mezzo 6 at the rear powered by an Onkyo TX-NR606. To be honest i'm not sure if it's the amp or the speakers I don't like but it doesn't sound as good as my previous setup of a Cambridge Audio amp and the previous generation of Mordaunt Short 908 and 904 setup that I ran until everything eventuall died. I did try the 904s on the Onkyo amp and they sounded better than the Mezzos do so i'm pointing my finger at the Mezzos. Anyway...

My current choice is either B&W CM9 or CM10's, or to hunt around for some used Performance 6... which i've always wanted. Of course, the Performance 6 are now very old so i'm wondering if anyone has heard both and could give me an opinion. Currently the CM9s are about £1900 in the UK but I can get them in the states for about £700 (yes, £700) and the 10's are £3000 in the UK or about £1200 in the states; I think the forthcoming refresh of the B&W line has seen US retailers drop prices drastically in order to clear stock. My girlfriend is going over there in a couple of days so i'm thinking of having them shipped over. Of course there will be tax and shipping to pay but I can handle that and still save a packet. I'll be sticking some satellites on the wall for the rears as my current front room is taken over by floorstanders and i'd quite like some of the space back. I'd probably be going for B&W M1's and if I decide I miss the all encompassing bass i'd throw a PV1 or PV1D sub in there as well but I'll cross that bridge when I come to it... and can afford it!

The performace 6 have always had stunning reviews and i'm a massive fan of Mordaunt Short but since they haven't updated their line for eons it may be time for me to move on. Many moons ago I used to work for Richer Sounds and the MS were the best speakers they did so I just kinda ended up with them.

Also, whathifi review of the CM8's says that the speakers should be paired with the correct amp so any thoughts on what I should be looking for? The onkyo is a belting piece of kit for AV and can shake the walls with the power it's pumping out but i've never really fallen in love with it for music; this could of course just be the speakers or the pairing with the amp as I said before. More importantly i've just installed a projector and need 2 HDMI outs so I can convince myself an upgrade is coming if my new speakers don't gel well with the Onkyo. I'm also willing to put a dedicated stereo amp in there alongside the AV amp because I feel like i've been suffering with Medium-Fi since I changed from my Cambridge Audio amp to an AV amp. I bought the Onkyo based on the WhatHifi review that said it was way above par for music performace. And I got a good deal of course!

I know i'm going to be told that I should give everything a listen before I buy but finding Performace 6 demos is impossible and I live in Belgium at the moment so getting a demo on the B&W CM range would be like pulling teeth. Also, i'm not very keen on having a demo of an independent retailer knowing full well that I wouldn't be buying from them anyway. Add to that I need to give the missus the cash tomorrow and rather unfortunately i'm needing to make quick decisions. Oh, and all this has come about because one of my Mezzos has a blown bass driver that I discovered yesterday!

Thanks in advance for any help, advice or assistance. One way or another i'm hoping to end up with a much better audio and cinema experience!

 

[CnoEvil]

Some general thoughts:

- Although not all on here agree, I have found cheaper AV amps dissapointing with 2 channel, though the more expensive ones (imo) from Arcam do a very decent job.

- As the speakers get more expensive, it puts even more pressure on the amplification.

- Be sure to try what other brands have to offer, before settling on your 2 choices eg. Kef R Series, Vienna Acoustics, Dali, PMC

- Mixing a 2 channel amp with an AV amp is often a sensible way to go

 

[ozymandias15]

Thanks, CNO, i'll have a look into the Arcam range and see what pops up. Any thoughts on which stereo amps sit well with the CM range? I've looked into allsorts of other speakers but i'm currently being dragged towards B&W by the monsterous saving that I can get, i'm s bit of a sucker for a deal and i've heard B&W a couple of times and always been impressed. Always paired with NAD and with excellent results.

I'm a bit stuck really because everyone else I know is happy with a panasinic surround system or something similar so I never get to see good kit in action and of course reviews can only go so far.

 

[CnoEvil]

I can't advise on amps for B&W I'm afraid, as they are not my favorite brand.

My advice is not to buy speakers because you can get them cheaply, unless you are very sure that you really like them.....and in order to do that, you need to hear what else is available at a similar quality eg, Kef R500/700, Proac D18, VA Bach Grand, PMC .23

 

[peterpan]

Exposure 3010S2?

 

[plastic penguin]

Thanks, CNO, i'll have a look into the Arcam range and see what pops up. Any thoughts on which stereo amps sit well with the CM range? I've looked into allsorts of other speakers but i'm currently being dragged towards B&W by the monsterous saving that I can get, i'm s bit of a sucker for a deal and i've heard B&W a couple of times and always been impressed. Always paired with NAD and with excellent results.

I'm a bit stuck really because everyone else I know is happy with a panasinic surround system or something similar so I never get to see good kit in action and of course reviews can only go so far.

I've heard the Performance 6 with Cno's Arcam AV amp. Staggering sound. They look pretty quirky, too -- a giant Glade air freshener. Wicked.

The best amp for B&W IMHO is Rotel. They are both designed and produced at the same factory, the synergy shows.

 

[Joe Cox]

Those US prices for the B&W speakers are most likely for a single speaker rather than a pair.

Note the 'each' here: http://magnoliaav.com/products/audio/speakers/bowers-and-wilkins-1624875

 

[ozymandias15]

Joe... you're correct. I've seen the CM range on numerous sites and not once did my excited brain realise that the are all sold as singles. I'm now going to crawl under my bed until it goes away. On the plus side i've just been contacted by MS and the replacement driver for my speaker is €70 and I should have no problem fitting it myself... seems the rushed upgrade can go on the backburner for a while!

I think i'll still stick some M1's at the back and get a stereo amp though so at least something will change!

I'm ever so slightly completely mortified now...

Time to find a good pairing or the MS it seems.

 

[robinkiddy]

Wonder what is missing from yr ms8's? Mine seem bass light but must be my setup somewhere.

 

[hooflungdung]

don,t panic

the mezzo 6 are great, use them as your main 2 channel & get a c/a amp from the 640/ 650 range or above from the past couple of generations & you will enjoy your music a whole lot more for a few quid . While you make your mind up about your big upgrade.

i get the feeling the mezzo 8 are not as articulate & are basically bass hounds for large rooms compared to the 6's.

i don't do multi channel, but possibly the Onkyo drove the two way 904's but maybe lost some composure as you added the extra drivers of the mezzo's up to three mid/bass in the mezzo 8's.

just some thoughts

cheers

 

[hifikrazy]

I've auditioned the MS Performance 6 not against the B&W but against some much cheaper Wharfedale Jade 5. The Performance 6 was bass light and bright, which was really surprising to me since that is supposed to be Mordaunt Short's flagship model. Rather disappointing for the price.