B&W launches yet more speakers

[admin_exported]

B&W have just confirmed they are now building and shipping some new speakers in their CM range. The CM5s, a standmount comparable to their cousins, the B&W 685s and the CM9s, a large floorstander. Both are available in the new "black gloss piano" finish which looks stunning by anyone's standards.

Also joining the range is the CM Centre 2, centre channel speaker designed to maximise home theatre sound. The ASW10 CM subwoofer is also available in the black gloss piano finish.

Link.

 

[Big Chris]

Dammit! I just responded in another thread saying I ain't gonna spend money on new stuff this year, and then they do this!

I think some CM5s in gloss black will be just what the doctor ordered.

🙂

 

[matengawhat]

Any prices?

 

[VoodooDoctor]

I'm most interested in the new XT speakers. SWMBO has given them the visual clearance so I'm looking forward to auditioning them already! Any news on when they're going to be reviewed?

 

[floyd droid]

matengawhat:Any prices?

Circa £800 and £1900 so ive been told.

 

[Cypher]

The CM5 will be available in Holland at the beginning of februari and will cost ? 1200 a pair. They look stunning, simple but so gorgeous.

I hope they will be better than the 685..............

 

[Anonymous]

Looks like a pimped out 685 to me. They are charging £600 for some magnets to hold the grills on and some veneer.

 

[Cypher]

Octopo:Looks like a pimped out 685 to me. They are charging £600 for some magnets to hold the grills on and some veneer.

how do you know ? Do you work at B&W ?

 

[Anonymous]

Cypher:Octopo:Looks like a pimped out 685 to me. They are charging £600 for some magnets to hold the grills on and some veneer.

how do you know ? Do you work at B&W ?

Yep, head of marketing.

(Just saying the specs of both speakers are very similar... almost identical)

 

[Ajani]

Octopo:(Just saying the specs of both speakers are very similar... almost identical)

The specs on some AV Receivers are as good as or better than some ultra-expensive Amp/Preamp combos... but I wouldn't expect the receivers to sound similar/better than the high end gear... Specs are only part of the story...

 

[Anonymous]

How are we comparing breaking a receiver into a processor and a power amp with a speaker which shares the same parts as another speaker? I'm sure the CMs cabinet is more braced e.t.c but if the driver, tweeter and crossover are the same they aren't going to sound a great deal different.

I think the crossover is different on the CMs hence the more polite sound, but that would be a change costing a few quid - not £500.ÿ

 

[Ajani]

Octopo:
How are we comparing breaking a receiver into a processor and a power amp with a speaker which shares the same parts as another speaker? I'm sure the CMs cabinet is more braced e.t.c but if the driver, tweeter and crossover are the same the difference isn't going to sound a great deal different.

I think the crossover is different on the CMs hence the more polite sound, but that would be a change costing a few quid - not £500.

In my earlier example I could have substituted Receiver and Pre/Amp for cheap and expensive integrated amp.... The point was simply that Specs aren't the whole story...

You've read the specs and seem to have come to the conclusion that the CMs are just 68s in better braced cabinets with a marginally improved crossover.... My point is that you are just assuming that the differences are limited to crossover and cabinetry (based on specs)... there could be a lot more real differences between the two series, that the specs don't show...

 

[Anonymous]

Ajani:with a marginally improved crossover.... ÿ

Certainly didn't say that...

I still don't understand your point about the amps, do you mean pre-amp and power amp substituted for integrated? Just separating the powers power supply is enough to make an audible difference but I don't understand it's significance when compared to speakers?

I'm assuming you mean tuning when you say the specs don't always say everything. True, I agree with you though I would have great difficulty buying a speaker that shares the same parts as a speaker worth £400 but with £500 worth of 'tuning', magnets and veneer added on (assuming the price is going to be £900).

ÿ

 

[Sliced Bread]

What ever happened to the B&W 700 series. They used to be good in the past, but they seem to have fallen off the map.

 

[Clare Newsome]

VoodooDoctor:I'm most interested in the new XT speakers. SWMBO has given them the visual clearance so I'm looking forward to auditioning them already! Any news on when they're going to be reviewed?

More on the new B&W XT speakers here - and we're on the case with review samples ASAP (inc for the new CMs). Will let you know exact issue shortly....

Oh, and we originally ran a preview story on the new CM series (with prices) last June.

 

[Anonymous]

I'd love to go up a grade or two with B&W but due to "higher management" can only go for Oak now to match the room...........come on B&W!

 

[VoodooDoctor]

Clare Newsome:
VoodooDoctor:I'm most interested in the new XT speakers. SWMBO has given them the visual clearance so I'm looking forward to auditioning them already! Any news on when they're going to be reviewed?

More on the new B&W XT speakers here - and we're on the case with review samples ASAP (inc for the new CMs). Will let you know exact issue shortly....

Oh, and we originally ran a preview story on the new CM series (with prices) last June.

Thanks for the reply! I have read that the XT's are demanding on the amplifier. Is the Onkyo 905 going to be powerful enough to drive them? Can't think what else I'd need if it isn't...

 

[Ajani]

Octopo:
Ajani:with a marginally improved crossover....

Certainly didn't say that...

I still don't understand your point about the amps, do you mean pre-amp and power amp substituted for integrated? Just separating the powers power supply is enough to make an audible difference but I don't understand it's significance when compared to speakers?

I'm assuming you mean tuning when you say the specs don't always say everything. True, I agree with you though I would have great difficulty buying a speaker that shares the same parts as a speaker worth £400 but with £500 worth of 'tuning', magnets and veneer added on (assuming the price is going to be £900).

I think because I talked about pre and power, the point was lost... so what I'm saying is this:

A cheap integrated amp can have very similar specs to an expensive integrated amp, but that doesn't mean they will sound similar...

So in the case of the CMs vs 68s, there maybe a whole lot of improvement that is not obvious based on the specs....

Now having said all that, I would expect the 68s to sound similar to the CMs based on the B&W house sound... but I would expect the CMs to sound better (whether the improvement is worth the money is for the purchaser to decide)...

What I'd really love to compare is the CM5 vs the 805S... I auditioned the CM1s vs 805S a few year ago & thought that the CMs sounded very similar.... With the major differences being limited scale and extension - which I speculated were mainly due to the CM1 having a mere 5 inch woofer vs the 6.5 inch on the 805S... Since the CM5s have a 6.5 inch woofer, I'd love to see how much closer they sound to the 805S than the CM1s..

 

[Clare Newsome]

VoodooDoctor:Clare Newsome:
VoodooDoctor:I'm most interested in the new XT speakers. SWMBO has given them the visual clearance so I'm looking forward to auditioning them already! Any news on when they're going to be reviewed?

More on the new B&W XT speakers here - and we're on the case with review samples ASAP (inc for the new CMs). Will let you know exact issue shortly....

Oh, and we originally ran a preview story on the new CM series (with prices) last June.

Thanks for the reply! I have read that the XT's are demanding on the amplifier. Is the Onkyo 905 going to be powerful enough to drive them? Can't think what else I'd need if it isn't...

The 905 will be fine to drive the XTs. Should sound great, in fact!

 

[VoodooDoctor]

Thanks! Will hopefully be able to audition them in Leicester.

 

[Anonymous]

Ajani:ÿÿ

What I'd really love to compare is the CM5 vs the 805S... I auditioned the CM1s vs 805S a few year ago & thought that the CMs sounded very similar.... With the major differences being limited scale and extension - which I speculated were mainly due to the CM1 having a mere 5 inch woofer vs the 6.5 inch on the 805S... Since the CM5s have a 6.5 inch woofer, I'd love to see how much closer they sound to the 805S than the CM1s..

ÿYah see this is where we're going wrong, I've never been a fan of the CMs so this argument is ever so slightly biased. I also own the 805s which in my opinion are way ahead of any of the CMs in terms of transparency, collectiveness and musicality.ÿ

 

[floyd droid]

JohnNewman:What ever happened to the B&W 700 series. They used to be good in the past, but they seem to have fallen off the map.

They are being discontinued. I emailed B&W a couple of weeks ago with an enquiry and i got mail back stating that the cm series was being expanded and the 700s discontinued. And lo and behold they chuck out a press release, but as far as im aware there was no mention of the demise of the 7s.

 

[manicm]

Clare Newsome:VoodooDoctor:Clare Newsome:

VoodooDoctor:I'm most interested in the new XT speakers. SWMBO has given them the visual clearance so I'm looking forward to auditioning them already! Any news on when they're going to be reviewed?

More on the new B&W XT speakers here - and we're on the case with review samples ASAP (inc for the new CMs). Will let you know exact issue shortly....

Oh, and we originally ran a preview story on the new CM series (with prices) last June.

Thanks for the reply! I have read that the XT's are demanding on the amplifier. Is the Onkyo 905 going to be powerful enough to drive them? Can't think what else I'd need if it isn't...

The 905 will be fine to drive the XTs. Should sound great, in fact!

On this note Clare, and this has been asked a gazillion times before, but since I'd have to wait 2 months for the Dali Lektor 1s in my country, my dealer suggested the MA RS1s or B&W 685 for a Solo Mini. Do you think the Mini will bite off more than it can chew with either, if not which would be better? I prefer more transparency/clarity to absolute bass.

 

[Ajani]

floyd droid:
JohnNewman:What ever happened to the B&W 700 series. They used to be good in the past, but they seem to have fallen off the map.

They are being discontinued. I emailed B&W a couple of weeks ago with an enquiry and i got mail back stating that the cm series was being expanded and the 700s discontinued. And lo and behold they chuck out a press release, but as far as im aware there was no mention of the demise of the 7s.

Hmmmm... just checking: did they say that the expanded CM series is supposed to replace the 700 Series or just that the 700 is being discontinued? I always assumed that they planned to bring out the 780 Series or some upgrade like that eventually... But to be honest, I never saw the reason to have both the CM and 700 Series available (considering how close they are in price)...

 

[Anonymous]

"No artificial additives";

B&W's new marketing lingo attached to the CM series. Whatever anybody says, that's a good marketing phrase for hi-fi!