Bowers and Wilkins mm1 or bang and olufsen beolab 4 computer speakers
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chebby
Well-known member
The B&W MM1s were superb when I heard them at Audio-T earlier in the year.
I have heard the B&O Beolab 4s (excellent too) but seem to remember they cost about 2.5 times more than the MM1s. (I have not tried the Beolab 4 PC versions.)
If I were well-off and had room-decor that benefitted from B&Os extra styling flourish then I would get them.
The MM1s are good up to about 4 feet away but are definitely computer speakers and won't fill a room.
Don't forget Genelec 6010a at around £350 a pair. (Watch out though, the sort of shops that sell them often show price per speaker rather than per pair.) Personally I could not bear to look at Genelecs for too long. YMMV
I have heard the B&O Beolab 4s (excellent too) but seem to remember they cost about 2.5 times more than the MM1s. (I have not tried the Beolab 4 PC versions.)
If I were well-off and had room-decor that benefitted from B&Os extra styling flourish then I would get them.
The MM1s are good up to about 4 feet away but are definitely computer speakers and won't fill a room.
Don't forget Genelec 6010a at around £350 a pair. (Watch out though, the sort of shops that sell them often show price per speaker rather than per pair.) Personally I could not bear to look at Genelecs for too long. YMMV
I've heard the beolab 4 pc they sounded great cost £650.00 thought they lacked bass but could be wrong as the music wearnt exactly the bass type. They definelty filled a room and more, but at the end of the day I'm not looking 4 room filling, but computer speakers! You could say the beolab 4 pc are more a main stereo than computer speakers.
That's a good price for the B&O speakers.
I heard the MM1s recently with the intention of buying them, but in the end decided not to.
The bass, as you'd expect for the size, was less than convincing, but it was the slightly hollow nature of the sound that put me off.
Genelec are also a good idea, if you like their idiosyncratic looks.
I heard the MM1s recently with the intention of buying them, but in the end decided not to.
The bass, as you'd expect for the size, was less than convincing, but it was the slightly hollow nature of the sound that put me off.
Genelec are also a good idea, if you like their idiosyncratic looks.
manicm
Well-known member
Grottyash:
That's a good price for the B&O speakers.
I heard the MM1s recently with the intention of buying them, but in the end decided not to.
The bass, as you'd expect for the size, was less than convincing, but it was the slightly hollow nature of the sound that put me off.
Genelec are also a good idea, if you like their idiosyncratic looks.
I have the MM1s on my desk and they are anything but 'hollow' sounding. Where did you hear them? One also needs to take heed that you need to depress the slave speaker cable completely with a *bit* of force in the middle so it does not stand loose - this makes a BIG difference - so much so that I removed the blu-tac before I realised this.
Now I previously had a 2,1 system for my PC, and with the MM1s you have to initially accept that there is no subwoofer. After accepting this and acclimitasing to the sound after a few days you'll realise the MM1 has excellent bass for its size - whatever music I play, whatever games I play.
I'll admit they are pricey, but needing a subwoofer is a big plus for me - I don't have to worry about stretching my feet and damaging something.
That's a good price for the B&O speakers.
I heard the MM1s recently with the intention of buying them, but in the end decided not to.
The bass, as you'd expect for the size, was less than convincing, but it was the slightly hollow nature of the sound that put me off.
Genelec are also a good idea, if you like their idiosyncratic looks.
I have the MM1s on my desk and they are anything but 'hollow' sounding. Where did you hear them? One also needs to take heed that you need to depress the slave speaker cable completely with a *bit* of force in the middle so it does not stand loose - this makes a BIG difference - so much so that I removed the blu-tac before I realised this.
Now I previously had a 2,1 system for my PC, and with the MM1s you have to initially accept that there is no subwoofer. After accepting this and acclimitasing to the sound after a few days you'll realise the MM1 has excellent bass for its size - whatever music I play, whatever games I play.
I'll admit they are pricey, but needing a subwoofer is a big plus for me - I don't have to worry about stretching my feet and damaging something.
I didn't have a great experience with the MM1's back in the summer, i found the bass undefined and wooly; applying some downward pressure with the hand helped but not ideal and Blu-Tack never helped either. A positive from them purely on a musical front was the treble, nice and detailed but never harsh. These desktop PC speakers are never going to give low end frequencies how we're used to them but the MM1's didn't do it well and when the volume got higher the sound got worse. After a day at home with them they went back to Apple and got a refund and i'm still without PC speakers today.
The B&O look nice and i like that you can get them off the desk and mount them on the wall/ceiling or stands and could be worth a demo at your nearest B&O centre, again though limited low end frequencies and looking at the B&O site no "PC" sub woofer on offer.
The one desk top system i looked at and could be worth putting in the mix is Eclipse's TD307PAII. Nice looking speaker's with own amplification and an output for "PC" sub if required. And like the B&O wall and stand mountable. Stockists all over the UK for demo.
The B&O look nice and i like that you can get them off the desk and mount them on the wall/ceiling or stands and could be worth a demo at your nearest B&O centre, again though limited low end frequencies and looking at the B&O site no "PC" sub woofer on offer.
The one desk top system i looked at and could be worth putting in the mix is Eclipse's TD307PAII. Nice looking speaker's with own amplification and an output for "PC" sub if required. And like the B&O wall and stand mountable. Stockists all over the UK for demo.
manicm
Well-known member
Shooter, your experience is the complete opposite of mine - I cannot emphasise this enough - it is not clear in the manual, but is a tip on the B&W site - on the slave speaker you have to depress the cable *right* in with force to make it stable. Until you do this yes the bass is weak.
My experience was similar to yours - until I did the above and removed the blu-tac. The bass is very well defined now, and it's just amazing with games when you realise there's no sub.
My experience was similar to yours - until I did the above and removed the blu-tac. The bass is very well defined now, and it's just amazing with games when you realise there's no sub.
I watch this thread with interest because I'm in the same position as you Daniel 1 .
I did go for a test of the mm1's and my initial impressions were good. I then hovever had a listen to a zeppelin dock straight after and the there was no comparison with the soundstage. I understand that these two items share similar technology but I left realising that the mm1's although sounding good did not provide the bass I prefer to fill a room for the imac.
Back to the drawing board.
I did go for a test of the mm1's and my initial impressions were good. I then hovever had a listen to a zeppelin dock straight after and the there was no comparison with the soundstage. I understand that these two items share similar technology but I left realising that the mm1's although sounding good did not provide the bass I prefer to fill a room for the imac.
Back to the drawing board.
Apart from the inputs are hard to push in to the main speaker, and that the wire on the slave speaker got to be pushed down in order for the speaker to be stable is there any real problems with it? What this I heard about blu tack?
manicm
Well-known member
johnnymunro - Indeed the MM1s are *desktop* speakers and are not meant to fill the role of normal speakers or large docks like the Zeppelin. Their amp is only 18w in fact.
Daniel 1 - it's no issue at all - at the bottom of the slave speaker depress - i.e. bend the cable at the centre with some force so it stays at the bottom, ensuring the speaker is stable. The master speaker i.e. the one with the amplification is fine out of the box.
Daniel 1 - it's no issue at all - at the bottom of the slave speaker depress - i.e. bend the cable at the centre with some force so it stays at the bottom, ensuring the speaker is stable. The master speaker i.e. the one with the amplification is fine out of the box.
chebby
Well-known member
manicm:Indeed the MM1s are *desktop* speakers and are not meant to fill the role of normal speakers or large docks like the Zeppelin. Their amp is only 18w in fact.
I agree that the MM1s are desktop speakers but their power is 18 watts x 4 (18watts to each driver) and not... "only 18w"
I agree that the MM1s are desktop speakers but their power is 18 watts x 4 (18watts to each driver) and not... "only 18w"
Then my search is over these speakers sound to me that they are the best for the job as far as desktop speakers go! Which they are made for in the first place if you want a main system then buy a main system and not desktop speakers. As for the bass same again it's not huge on bass but it gives you what you need for desktop speakers. I found the bang and olufsen beolab 4 pc more main stereo than desktop speakers some one said about you can put then on floor stands? But surely that beats the point of having desktop speakers!! Plus I found the beolab 4 pc more acoustics/for classical music so there not good all rounders anyway. Done and dusted
manicm:
Daniel 1 - it's no issue at all - at the bottom of the slave speaker depress - i.e. bend the cable at the centre with some force so it stays at the bottom, ensuring the speaker is stable. The master speaker i.e. the one with the amplification is fine out of the box.
I didn't have a problem with the slave just the sound of the MM1. The issue for me was the bass and with the MM1's sitting on the dest and being lightweight didn't help matters. My desk is wood but if you have a desk that doesn't resonate as much could help
With the "desktop" speaker being what it is isolation would be a fair call and either mounting on the wall immediately behind the desk (if possible) or putting them on stands wouldn't be too "far out". If either done the job well; then it's an option to explore.
Daniel 1 - it's no issue at all - at the bottom of the slave speaker depress - i.e. bend the cable at the centre with some force so it stays at the bottom, ensuring the speaker is stable. The master speaker i.e. the one with the amplification is fine out of the box.
I didn't have a problem with the slave just the sound of the MM1. The issue for me was the bass and with the MM1's sitting on the dest and being lightweight didn't help matters. My desk is wood but if you have a desk that doesn't resonate as much could help
With the "desktop" speaker being what it is isolation would be a fair call and either mounting on the wall immediately behind the desk (if possible) or putting them on stands wouldn't be too "far out". If either done the job well; then it's an option to explore.
idc
Well-known member
Does the MM1 have a DAC in it? I have been reading up and see they can be connected to your PC with a USB, but there is no mention of a DAC. Also, can they be mounted on a wall?
See here: http://www.bowers-wilkins.com/Downloads/Product/Brochure/ENG_FP29793_MM-1_brochure.pdf.
But no, it doesn't.
But no, it doesn't.
idc
Well-known member
Thanks, in the brochure it states
USB Connections
If you wish to listen to audio either stored or streamed on your PC/Mac, connect from a spare USB socket on the computer to the USB socket on the underside of the powered speaker. Use the USB cable supplied.
So how does that work?
USB Connections
If you wish to listen to audio either stored or streamed on your PC/Mac, connect from a spare USB socket on the computer to the USB socket on the underside of the powered speaker. Use the USB cable supplied.
So how does that work?
chebby
Well-known member
idc:Use the USB cable supplied.
So how does that work?
Because it has a DAC inside. (And a DSP circuit.)
Not everything that requires a DAC to function, explicitly tells you it's there. (Examples...CD players, DVD and BD players, DAB tuners, iPods etc.)
So how does that work?
Because it has a DAC inside. (And a DSP circuit.)
Not everything that requires a DAC to function, explicitly tells you it's there. (Examples...CD players, DVD and BD players, DAB tuners, iPods etc.)
idc
Well-known member
Thanks Chebby. That means the MM1 are on my 2011 hifi purchase list. I know the talk is that they do not fill a room with sound, but they will surely be better than my Bose Sounddock which can go to kitchen duties. I plan to put them on the mantle piece unless they can be fitted to the wall.
Go for the bang and olufsen. I have the beosound 5 speakers and if the sound quality is even a touch on mine they are worth every penny. The design of the bang and olufsen is far superior to the b&w set. And the bit which sold it to me is the sound quality, it is the very very best. As on all bang and olufsen systems though bass is not a highlight but it is still very present. Bang and Olufsen focus more on making the entire frequency range spot on. Bowers and Wilkins may make some stunning speakers they are not in the same league as b&o. What I love about bang and olufsen is that even though they seem to boast about they're sound quality they have always somehow seemed to undersell what the speakers actually delivered.
I realize this is an old post but I also know this is still a question folks have on their minds, especially if they are like me. I took the plunge and purchased both units, the B&W MM1s and the B&O Beolab 4 MAC version. I am running these both using an iMac and sometimes using an AudioQuest DAC (Dragonfly). Also as some frame of reference I appreciate quality sound systems and have had good systems throughout my life, for example I currently run as my main system, B&K components and JMLab Cobalt speakers and DefTech SuberCube 1 .
Now to the point, simply put, I would say that the B&W MM1s are much better as an all around speaker in terms of sound and overall performance. But in both cases they lack the punch you want in music as well as movies. At the end of the day I needed to supplement both systems with a Def Tech Sub 60 (150 RMS powered sub). I picked two of them on ebay for $99 each and now these little speakers sound like something you can really appreciate. If I were unable to purchase a sub to supplement either of these I would lean more towards getting the B&Ws as they do sound better overall.
Now to the point, simply put, I would say that the B&W MM1s are much better as an all around speaker in terms of sound and overall performance. But in both cases they lack the punch you want in music as well as movies. At the end of the day I needed to supplement both systems with a Def Tech Sub 60 (150 RMS powered sub). I picked two of them on ebay for $99 each and now these little speakers sound like something you can really appreciate. If I were unable to purchase a sub to supplement either of these I would lean more towards getting the B&Ws as they do sound better overall.
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