Bowers & Wilkins 606 S2 Anniversary Edition

[What Hi-Fi?]

Bower & Wilkins hones its award-winning 606 standmounters to great effect.

Bowers & Wilkins 606 S2 Anniversary Edition : Read more

 

[LØK]

That wood-look alike finish is horrendous.

 

[doifeellucky]

"prove significantly more capable than their predecessors"

"but this new version is obviously better across the board"

Yet again, based on review comments like this, anything from three or four generations ago must have been mediocre at best. The awards must be just around the corner.

 

[manicm]

"prove significantly more capable than their predecessors"

"but this new version is obviously better across the board"

Yet again, based on review comments like this, anything from three or four generations ago must have been mediocre at best. The awards must be just around the corner.

Human memory is a very deceiving thing. You may remember how a Ferrari or other car was brilliant 20 years ago, but drive it now against latest models and suddenly the senses are dulled.

It's called progress. In the hifi world it's only some CD players that I suspect will give modern ones a run,

 

[manicm]

That wood-look alike finish is horrendous.

I agree, in the US or some other markets there's a wonderful Cherrywood/Black finish. Don't know why it's not available here.

 

[Per Hagen]

That wood-look alike finish is horrendous.

It looks very much similar to the cheapest DALI speakers. Blend-in with modern furniture from IKEA.

 

[Audiophobe]

You bought your celebrated 5-star speakers two months ago and all of a sudden they sound bloated and blurred. An anniversary is necessary to make a minor engineering change to make essentially the same speakers really sound good... How should you feel about this?

 

[manicm]

You bought your celebrated 5-star speakers two months ago and all of a sudden they sound bloated and blurred. An anniversary is necessary to make a minor engineering change to make essentially the same speakers really sound good... How should you feel about this?

WHF were of-course being relative. If one heard the originals for the first time, I don’t think you would notice or complain.

Manufacturers however are entitled to update at their will. Also the updated model is 50 quid more expensive, and would not warrant an upgrade from the original. The money saved would buy me a nice pile of CDs.

 

[Audiophobe]

WHF were of-course being relative. If one heard the originals for the first time, I don’t think you would notice or complain.

Manufacturers however are entitled to update at their will. Also the updated model is 50 quid more expensive, and would not warrant an upgrade from the original. The money saved would buy me a nice pile of CDs.

You are absolutely right of course I’m happy with the improvement in sound (and ‘compactness’) over my former second-hand 30 year old B&W’s. I will get over just missing out on the ‘606 as they should have been’ (when they would have celebrated the 27th anniversary it would have been better . A pile of cd’s of some vinyl... that’s a good idea!

 

[TekPete]

How do they compare with the B&W DM4's?

 

[nopiano]

How do they compare with the B&W DM4's?

I suspect they’re significantly superior, though the old DM4 did have a lovely veneered cabinet iirc.

 

[bristollinnet]

'If you are suffering from hearing loss, this is the speaker for you.'

Check out this review from Andrew Robinson

 

[TekPete]

I suspect they’re significantly superior, though the old DM4 did have a lovely veneered cabinet iirc.

True and a great sound. And NO Cone Rot - Can the same be said of today's speakers?

Here is a graph showing the frequency response of the DM4 (measured in an Anechoic Chamber.



I'd like to see one for the 606 S2. I wonder if B&W still have an Anechoic Chamber.

 

[nopiano]

True and a great sound. And NO Cone Rot - Can the same be said of today's speakers?

Here is a graph showing the frequency response of the DM4 (measured in an Anechoic Chamber.

View attachment 2857

I'd like to see one for the 606 S2. I wonder if B&W still have an Anechoic Chamber.

Wow, that takes me back. Unfortunately, they probably used the 10dB scale with a fast writing speed to flatter (and flatten!) the result. These were typical back in the day, but it was definitely a nicely balanced design, if probably a bit masked sounding by 21st century standards.

 

[gasolin]

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8sGsOWR5rg

 

[TekPete]

Wow, that takes me back. Unfortunately, they probably used the 10dB scale with a fast writing speed to flatter (and flatten!) the result. These were typical back in the day, but it was definitely a nicely balanced design, if probably a bit masked sounding by 21st century standards.

So they told a pack of lies in the 20th century. How do I know they are truthful in the 21st century? Do you know for sure they used 10db scale and fast writing speed? I guess I should try and have a listen to the 606's. However I doubt the bass is going to be very good but then, a lot of CD's have had their EQ cobbled so that there is nothing below 70Hz.

 

[nopiano]

So they told a pack of lies in the 20th century. How do I know they are truthful in the 21st century? Do you know for sure they used 10db scale and fast writing speed? I guess I should try and have a listen to the 606's. However I doubt the bass is going to be very good but then, a lot of CD's have had their EQ cobbled so that there is nothing below 70Hz.

No, I wouldn’t characterise it in such extreme language. It’s was simply the way it was done then. And now it isn’t!

If you want to refer to FR graphs - and they can be very helpful - you have to learn how to read them, and most importantly to understand the scale used.

We all know that graphics can be presented in different ways to create different impressions.