Front speaker buying advice wanted!

[hybridauth_Facebook_10157894589075122]

Hi, long time lurker but I'm going out of my mind with this riddle so I finally registered.

I currently have a Yamaha RX-S600 (slim-line) receiver, and a Tannoy HTS-201 system.

65% used for movies, 35% music. I really want my music to sound great though - I listen to all kinds of music. I

I'm looking to upgrade my front speakers (L/R). I'm looking for the best value for money, and below 1000€ (1100$). My room is 31m² or 333.6 ft². Listening position is at about 3meters or 10ft from my speakers. I would prefer floorstanders, mainly because I like the look more and I'd prefer not spending money on speaker stands.

My source is usually a raspberry pi with kodi, both for movies and music (flac).

There isn't a place to audition any of the speakers I'm looking at within a 2 hour range sadly.

I prefer speakers that are lively and easy to listen to / warm. I don't really know if my receiver is warm or cold

I'm right now leaning towards buying Q Acoustics 3050, because there is currently a great deal on them (440€ / 480$ / 390£ for a pair) and whathifi recommends them. However, I'm afraid they might not be that big of an upgrade compared to the HTS201 tower, and I'm afraid I might just want to upgrade again in a year - so maybe I should just spend more money right now. Also not everyone seems as excited about them as whathifi is.

Other speakers I'm looking at are the Dali Zensor 5, B&W 600 series 684 S2, Klipsch RP-260F, Monitor Audio Bronze 5 . But I don't really get the feeling that any of these are much better than the QAs 3050 while often costing double - and I don't think I can go much larger with the slim line receiver.

Any advice is very welcome!

 

[Al ears]

Hi, long time lurker but I'm going out of my mind with this riddle so I finally registered.

I currently have a Yamaha RX-S600 (slim-line) receiver, and a Tannoy HTS-201 system.

65% used for movies, 35% music. I really want my music to sound great though - I listen to all kinds of music. I

I'm looking to upgrade my front speakers (L/R). I'm looking for the best value for money, and below 1000€ (1100$). My room is 31m² or 333.6 ft². Listening position is at about 3meters or 10ft from my speakers. I would prefer floorstanders, mainly because I like the look more and I'd prefer not spending money on speaker stands.

My source is usually a raspberry pi with kodi, both for movies and music (flac).

There isn't a place to audition any of the speakers I'm looking at within a 2 hour range sadly.

I prefer speakers that are lively and easy to listen to / warm. I don't really know if my receiver is warm or cold

I'm right now leaning towards buying Q Acoustics 3050, because there is currently a great deal on them (440€ / 480$ / 390£ for a pair) and whathifi recommends them. However, I'm afraid they might not be that big of an upgrade compared to the HTS201 tower, and I'm afraid I might just want to upgrade again in a year - so maybe I should just spend more money right now. Also not everyone seems as excited about them as whathifi is.

Other speakers I'm looking at are the Dali Zensor 5, B&W 600 series 684 S2, Klipsch RP-260F, Monitor Audio Bronze 5 . But I don't really get the feeling that any of these are much better than the QAs 3050 while often costing double - and I don't think I can go much larger with the slim line receiver.

Any advice is very welcome!

The Q Acoustics 3050 will be a significant upgrade over what you now have. I would just like to know where you can get them for that price ;-)

 

[hybridauth_Facebook_10157894589075122]

The Q Acoustics 3050 will be a significant upgrade over what you now have. I would just like to know where you can get them for that price ;-)

Hi Al, thanks for your reply! I realize they are probably a decent upgrade, but I still wonder if there's a better choice to be made in my price range (so max ~500€ per speaker). It's also hard to judge if maybe the Dali or Klipsch is better for my nees...

The deal is in a belgian webshop, either they are having a stock-sale or maybe its a refurb. I asked them about that too because it's a 40% sale.

 

[Brokenflame]

When looking at front speakers, I typically find that I'm looking for speakers that are musically superior.

This leads to an issue. Musically superior front speakers often do not match the sound of the other satilites or the sub woofers in surround sound setups.

I did exactly this and then found myself disconnecting the surround sound kit and using a stereo amp and two good speakers, due to improved sound quality.

If you want your music to sound great, you are probably going to have to spend a little bit more. Kef, Monitor Audio and Bower-Wilkins all do good floor standing speakers in their mid range solutions. Kef R500, flat response but pleasing. Monitor Audio Silver 6 and above are nice with a bit more bass. B&W CM 8 expensive but B&W sound best on CM6 and better.

Though I have not looked at Tannoy I would recommend trying a pair with the rest of your system. To see if you can get a match.

 

[Al ears]

The Q Acoustics 3050 will be a significant upgrade over what you now have. I would just like to know where you can get them for that price ;-)

Hi Al, thanks for your reply! I realize they are probably a decent upgrade, but I still wonder if there's a better choice to be made in my price range (so max ~500€ per speaker). It's also hard to judge if maybe the Dali or Klipsch is better for my nees...

The deal is in a belgian webshop, either they are having a stock-sale or maybe its a refurb. I asked them about that too because it's a 40% sale.

A good price indeed (they are £549 in the UK) and I don't think you would do a great deal better even if you spent that much more. Cannot comment on Klipsch I am afraid as never hear them. The Dali's come well recommended but, not knowing for sure, would say they may not give that great an improvement over the Q Acoustics, but then again it's all down to personal taste.

 

[hybridauth_Facebook_10157894589075122]

When looking at front speakers, I typically find that I'm looking for speakers that are musically superior.

This leads to an issue. Musically superior front speakers often do not match the sound of the other satilites or the sub woofers in surround sound setups.

I did exactly this and then found myself disconnecting the surround sound kit and using a stereo amp and two good speakers, due to improved sound quality.

If you want your music to sound great, you are probably going to have to spend a little bit more. Kef, Monitor Audio and Bower-Wilkins all do good floor standing speakers in their mid range solutions. Kef R500, flat response but pleasing. Monitor Audio Silver 6 and above are nice with a bit more bass. B&W CM 8 expensive but B&W sound best on CM6 and better.

Though I have not looked at Tannoy I would recommend trying a pair with the rest of your system. To see if you can get a match.

Heh, I know - can't have it all. But the speakers I'm naming (especially QA/Dali) would fit perfectly in a surround setup, so I think it could be a decent compromise. I don't think I have reached full audiophile level yet .

I think that if I really want to get serious about music, I'd need to upgrade my receiver as well (as the one I have right now would probably not even be able to drive B&W CM8) - so thats why I'm specifically looking at the "class" of the QAs 3050/Dali Zensor 5. Or am I wrong in this? Also, range you're naming is more like 1700€, which is a big difference from the 500-1000€ I'm looking at right now (or even just 440€ if I go for the QA's)

Right now I'm inclined to just buy the QA's for the cheapish price and return them if I don't like them... The reason I haven't yet is because there's quite a few people that prefer the sound of the dali or b&w, but I'm scared that I'll miss the great deal and end up paying full price

 

[Brokenflame]

Fair point on the price of the speakers I listed. I miss read your original budget to be in sterlin (GBP).

Regarding your receiver, you will probably be happy to find out that it will power a reasonable set of floor standing speakers well, if you don't want too much volume.

If it's easy to return if you don't like them, definitely try out the QAs.

Regarding some people liking the sound of B&W speakers, I personally didn't like almost any of their bookshelf speakers, and found that each model had its own sound. Which means that till this day I cannot say that B&W have a "sound". Not that this is a bad thing it just means you need to listen to them first to see if they match your tastes.

 

[nopiano]

If you are looking at this as a step to full surround upgrade, then I'd choose whatever fronts you like from your future 5.1 (or whatever) system. I'd base that on choosing a full surround set up, not on the largest discount. Meanwhile, they may not work great with the existing Tannoys. And whatever you buy will probably be less sensitive so require more on the (front) volume control.

If only looking to improve the fronts then you need to hear them at home to judge how well they blend.

 

[DocG]

Hi Thierry,

Where in Belgium do you live? Hard to imagine a place that needs over 2 hours to reach a hifi shop...

 

[hybridauth_Facebook_10157894589075122]

Hi Thierry,

Where in Belgium do you live? Hard to imagine a place that needs over 2 hours to reach a hifi shop...

In the shitty part ;-) - but I meant a hifi shop that has the speakers I'm looking for demoable, there were others near but they still have the QA 2050i on demo for full price....

However I just got off the phone with a hifi shop thats just 1 hour drive, and I can listen to the QA 3050 & B&W 684S2 there today! I'm very curious and will report back for anyone that might stumble on this question sometime.

 

[hybridauth_Facebook_10157894589075122]

So I got a chance to listen to the QA 3050, compared to B&W 684 S2. They were connected to a hotel amplifier (not sure how good that is). I have to say I didn't expect the difference in sound quality to be so big between these two. The B&W blew the QA out of the water. In price they officially aren't that much apart (770€ vs 1050€).

I scheduled a followup to bring my own amp to see if it can power the b&w well, and I might even try the b&w 683. I will probably go with the b&w's. The store doesn't offer anything besides QA/B&W sadly though.

 

[Brokenflame]

Good luck, let us know how you get on.

I have B&W CM6 Speakers and found that bass carried better with QED XT Aniversery cable than with the cheaper stuff I was using (CA Ultra 100). See if you can demo some speaker cable at the same time, and possibly get a discount if you are buying speakers.

 

[hybridauth_Facebook_10157894589075122]

Good luck, let us know how you get on.

I have B&W CM6 Speakers and found that bass carried better with QED XT Aniversery cable than with the cheaper stuff I was using (CA Ultra 100). See if you can demo some speaker cable at the same time, and possibly get a discount if you are buying speakers.

Thanks, I will keep it into consideration!

I've been reading review about the 684 S2, and the general consensus seems to be that they are good but going the extra mile for the 683 S2 is very worth it.
I might actually go for that, but I wonder if they might be too big for my room (appartement, living room is 30m² but my seating position is in the middle of the room, only 2-3meters from my tv) + I'm not sure the Yamaha RX-S600 could drive them properly.

 

[DocG]

I've been reading review about the 684 S2, and the general consensus seems to be that they are good but going the extra mile for the 683 S2 is very worth it. I might actually go for that, but I wonder if they might be too big for my room (appartement, living room is 30m² but my seating position is in the middle of the room, only 2-3meters from my tv) + I'm not sure the Yamaha RX-S600 could drive them properly.

The room. What you tell us so far, looks fine. 30 m² is not small. And more importantly, your listening seat is far enough from the back wall -- that will significantly reduce the risk of bass issues. Now, how far into the room can you put the speakers (front en side walls)?

Your amp. Best thing is to try the combo for yourself (as you've planned to do). Does it get uncomfortable when you cranck it up a little? Is the bass tight and well controlled? Going on specs (but that's just specs; I haven't heard it), the Yammy will struggle to control the B&Ws properly. In real life, it will depend heavily on your normal listening volume levels. But it might be the QAs are a better match (aka an easier load) for your amp. Keep an open mind while demoing!

Cables. Some will disagree, but I'll say it anyway... Don't spend too big a chunk of your budget on cables. Not at this point. Stay with decent, generic copper cable (2.5 mm² should be fine). You could always try some more expensive stuff later on, when you're familiar with your system in your room. If you're a believer, that is...

 

[hybridauth_Facebook_10157894589075122]

I've been reading review about the 684 S2, and the general consensus seems to be that they are good but going the extra mile for the 683 S2 is very worth it. I might actually go for that, but I wonder if they might be too big for my room (appartement, living room is 30m² but my seating position is in the middle of the room, only 2-3meters from my tv) + I'm not sure the Yamaha RX-S600 could drive them properly.

The room. What you tell us so far, looks fine. 30 m² is not small. And more importantly, your listening seat is far enough from the back wall -- that will significantly reduce the risk of bass issues. Now, how far into the room can you put the speakers (front en side walls)?

Your amp. Best thing is to try the combo for yourself (as you've planned to do). Does it get uncomfortable when you cranck it up a little? Is the bass tight and well controlled? Going on specs (but that's just specs; I haven't heard it), the Yammy will struggle to control the B&Ws properly. In real life, it will depend heavily on your normal listening volume levels. But it might be the QAs are a better match (aka an easier load) for your amp. Keep an open mind while demoing!

Cables. Some will disagree, but I'll say it anyway... Don't spend too big a chunk of your budget on cables. Not at this point. Stay with decent, generic copper cable (2.5 mm² should be fine). You could always try some more expensive stuff later on, when you're familiar with your system in your room. If you're a believer, that is...

Thanks for your response.

The room: side walls aren't an issue, back wall is about 30cm.

You're saying the Yamaha will struggle to control the B&W's - are you talking about the 683 (which I kind of expected), or also the 684? Take in consideration I'm planning on having 5.1, not just stereo. I probably won't ever want them at full volume, but I do want some "punch" to the sound.

 

[DocG]

Thanks for your response.

The room: side walls aren't an issue, back wall is about 30cm.

You're saying the Yamaha will struggle to control the B&W's - are you talking about the 683 (which I kind of expected), or also the 684? Take in consideration I'm planning on having 5.1, not just stereo. I probably won't ever want them at full volume, but I do want some "punch" to the sound.

I'm saying that these B&W speakers (683 and to a lesser extent 684) need some 'juice' to perform well, with impedance dips to 2.9 Ohm [in the lower mids] and 3.5 Ohm [no impedance/phase curve readily available] respectively, whereas the QA 3050 hardly drops under 5 Ohm, and that's in the +5kHz region (where much less power is required). So the QAs are much friendlier towards the amp that drives them. IOW the B&W need a beefier, more powerful amplifier to perform at their best.

Your Yamaha looks nice, but it doesn't qualify as beefy. In stereo mode, you have 60 Wpc into 6 Ohm (so probably closer to 40 Wpc into 8 Ohm) at 0.09% THD. Which will certainly be even less with 5 channels driven. And the dynamic headroom looks limited too. IOW it has a rather small power supply. So it might match better with the (easier to drive) QAs than with the more power and current hungry B&Ws.

I say: might. Cos theory is only that: theory. What really counts is: what sounds best to you? But keep these tips in mind when doing the demo.

 

[hybridauth_Facebook_10157894589075122]

I'm saying that these B&W speakers (683 and to a lesser extent 684) need some 'juice' to perform well, with impedance dips to 2.9 Ohm [in the lower mids] and 3.5 Ohm [no impedance/phase curve readily available] respectively, whereas the QA 3050 hardly drops under 5 Ohm, and that's in the +5kHz region (where much less power is required). So the QAs are much friendlier towards the amp that drives them. IOW the B&W need a beefier, more powerful amplifier to perform at their best.

Your Yamaha looks nice, but it doesn't qualify as beefy. In stereo mode, you have 60 Wpc into 6 Ohm (so probably closer to 40 Wpc into 8 Ohm) at 0.09% THD. Which will certainly be even less with 5 channels driven. And the dynamic headroom looks limited too. IOW it has a rather small power supply. So it might match better with the (easier to drive) QAs than with the more power and current hungry B&Ws.

I say: might. Cos theory is only that: theory. What really counts is: what sounds best to you? But keep these tips in mind when doing the demo.

I see. Thanks. I will keep this into consideration, but it does make me a sad panda because I really didn't like how the QAs sounded compared to the B&W 684. But I will see what happens when I audition them with my Yamaha. Would the 685 be an option (since I already have a HTS-subwoofer) or does it require the same amount of power?

I might upgrade the receiver somewhere in the future, but I don't think any slimline receiver will be "beefy" - and my tv cabinet doesn't fit a bigger one, and there's no option to upgrade the tv cabinet

Could anyone suggest an alternative for the B&W 684 which has comparable sound quality?

 

[DocG]

I'm saying that these B&W speakers (683 and to a lesser extent 684) need some 'juice' to perform well, with impedance dips to 2.9 Ohm [in the lower mids] and 3.5 Ohm [no impedance/phase curve readily available] respectively, whereas the QA 3050 hardly drops under 5 Ohm, and that's in the +5kHz region (where much less power is required). So the QAs are much friendlier towards the amp that drives them. IOW the B&W need a beefier, more powerful amplifier to perform at their best.

Your Yamaha looks nice, but it doesn't qualify as beefy. In stereo mode, you have 60 Wpc into 6 Ohm (so probably closer to 40 Wpc into 8 Ohm) at 0.09% THD. Which will certainly be even less with 5 channels driven. And the dynamic headroom looks limited too. IOW it has a rather small power supply. So it might match better with the (easier to drive) QAs than with the more power and current hungry B&Ws.

I say: might. Cos theory is only that: theory. What really counts is: what sounds best to you? But keep these tips in mind when doing the demo.

I see. Thanks. I will keep this into consideration, but it does make me a sad panda because I really didn't like how the QAs sounded compared to the B&W 684. But I will see what happens when I audition them with my Yamaha. Would the 685 be an option (since I already have a HTS-subwoofer) or does it require the same amount of power?

I might upgrade the receiver somewhere in the future, but I don't think any slimline receiver will be "beefy" - and my tv cabinet doesn't fit a bigger one, and there's no option to upgrade the tv cabinet

Could anyone suggest an alternative for the B&W 684 which has comparable sound quality?

See part in bolt. I'm not saying you should forget about the B&Ws. But this info could help you understand what you hear. A lot will also depend on how loud you want to listen. Upping the volume a little exponentially increases the power needed. So if you don't do loud, it could work out fine.

If you need more power/current, you could add a power amp, since the RX-S600 has RCA out. The new class D amps with switching supplies can be really small (Hypex UcD, B&O ICE, ...).

For the record, I'm not trying do discourage you. Give it a try, and see what you think. If you're not sure, try some more combinations first.

PS: the shitty part of Belgium: you live near Charleroi? *smile*

 

[hybridauth_Facebook_10157894589075122]

See part in bolt[/b]. I'm not saying you should forget about the B&Ws. But this info could help you understand what you hear. A lot will also depend on how loud you want to listen. Upping the volume a little exponentially increases the power needed. So if you don't do loud, it could work out fine.

If you need more power/current, you could add a power amp, since the RX-S600 has RCA out. The new class D amps with switching supplies can be really small (Hypex UcD, B&O ICE, ...).

For the record, I'm not trying do discourage you. Give it a try, and see what you think. If you're not sure, try some more combinations first.

PS: the shitty part of Belgium: you live near Charleroi? *smile*

I understood, I was just being a drama queen . I will definitely still try them out with my amp - I just won't have my hopes up as high

I tried finding info on poweramps but couldn't find much concrete - so thanks for the advice on those. I see the hypex UCD can be bought for 70€, which would be a good solution. I'll check it out.

Charleroi is close but I didn't say the absolutely shittiest part of belgium! I'm pretty sure there are hifi stores there though since its a big city, but I don't speak much french. The problem is mainly that the bigger hifi stores are pretty much only in the cities (so antwerps/amsterdam/...). The ones that are closer are usually really small hifi shops with only a few brands or models. The only big one I've been to was a 2hr drive last year.

 

[DocG]

I tried finding info on poweramps but couldn't find much concrete - so thanks for the advice on those. I see the hypex UCD can be bought for 70€, which would be a good solution. I'll check it out.

Well, that's the price (ex.VAT) for one amp module. You would need two of those plus a power supply. And a case too. So all together, that would make 500-600 EUR for the package. Which is still excellent VFM in my book. If you can wield a soldering iron, that is.

Charleroi is close but I didn't say the absolutely shittiest part of belgium! I'm pretty sure there are hifi stores there though since its a big city, but I don't speak much french. The problem is mainly that the bigger hifi stores are pretty much only in the cities (so antwerps/amsterdam/...). The ones that are closer are usually really small hifi shops with only a few brands or models. The only big one I've been to was a 2hr drive last year.

Small shops with few brands are fine if it's the right brands... I've visited 20+ dealers in Flanders, these past 3-4 years, and the most interesting gear was to be found in the smallest shops. So if you can share some whereabouts, I might have a tip or two for you...

 

[hybridauth_Facebook_10157894589075122]

Oh, I didn't realize you were a fellow vlaming! Limburg Now I'm hoping you aren't from Limburg since I just called it shitty.
I went to a small shop in Hasselt last, visiting http://www.audiotvcentrum.nl/ next week.

 

[DocG]

I live the other side of Brussels *smile*.

Limburg is a blind spot in my hifi network, I'm afraid... Maybe Maastricht is within reach?

I saw your Hasselt dealer has Focal on offer too. The 800 series used to be rather ampfriendly (I heard some models with a modest valve amp). I don't know the Aria series yet, but that might be an alternative...

 

[Brokenflame]

I won't beat around the bush, your amp is a little under powered. I plugged my 40w M-PWR into a few floor standers to see what it could do (Monitor Audio Silver 6/8, Kef R500). I also plugged some B&W stuff in as well CM6 S2, CM8 S2.

I took the volume up enough for you to need to really raise your voice. At which point the dynamics of the music ensured the amp clipped, and I had to back it off a bit (no damage done). But the point is it clipped before it was unable to control the bass. What I have noticed is that modern speakers are much easier to control than previous generations of speakers. Older speakers needed powerful amps to control them. I have some old speakers that any small amp you throw at it, has no chance of controlling the 12" bass drivers.

The problem you are likely to encounter is volume. Needless to say you won't be having a house party with your amp. But what you will need to be considerate of, is reaching the max output of your amp unintentionally. Depending on the type of music you listen to, the dynamic range will vary. I can run my sources for the M-PWR between 65-78% before hitting issues (depending on the track and recording volume). This is plenty loud for personal listening in 20msq rooms. But as not all amps perform the same across the impedance range of a speaker you really will need to try it for your self.

Where you sit in the room will make a difference, for your room dimensions I would recommend the speakers be around 2.5 to 3m apart and .8m from the front wall. You should be around 3 to 5m from the speakers. This is just generic advice and my be completely useless depending on the hardness and shape of your room.

I'm going to guess you will want to put your TV between the speakers. If so, try to put it as close to the wall as possible. Sound bouncing of the back of the TV can be weird, and will play with the bass of the rear firing bass ports.

Sorry to be that guy, but just a reminder: the speakers are not magnetically shielded, and will interfere with your TV signal, just be careful where you run your wires.

Hey... look at that: I got to mention a pair of 20 year old pair of speaker (which still work), give generic setup advice and be a little be patronising all in one post. All unintentionally I might add... It's official I'm a grumpy old man. Escuse me while I go pull up my trousers too high.

 

[hybridauth_Facebook_10157894589075122]

I won't beat around the bush, your amp is a little under powered. I plugged my 40w M-PWR into a few floor standers to see what it could do (Monitor Audio Silver 6/8, Kef R500). I also plugged some B&W stuff in as well CM6 S2, CM8 S2.

I took the volume up enough for you to need to really raise your voice. At which point the dynamics of the music ensured the amp clipped, and I had to back it off a bit (no damage done). But the point is it clipped before it was unable to control the bass. What I have noticed is that modern speakers are much easier to control than previous generations of speakers. Older speakers needed powerful amps to control them. I have some old speakers that any small amp you throw at it, has no chance of controlling the 12" bass drivers.

The problem you are likely to encounter is volume. Needless to say you won't be having a house party with your amp. But what you will need to be considerate of, is reaching the max output of your amp unintentionally. Depending on the type of music you listen to, the dynamic range will vary. I can run my sources for the M-PWR between 65-78% before hitting issues (depending on the track and recording volume). This is plenty loud for personal listening in 20msq rooms. But as not all amps perform the same across the impedance range of a speaker you really will need to try it for your self.

Where you sit in the room will make a difference, for your room dimensions I would recommend the speakers be around 2.5 to 3m apart and .8m from the front wall. You should be around 3 to 5m from the speakers. This is just generic advice and my be completely useless depending on the hardness and shape of your room.

I'm going to guess you will want to put your TV between the speakers. If so, try to put it as close to the wall as possible. Sound bouncing of the back of the TV can be weird, and will play with the bass of the rear firing bass ports.

Sorry to be that guy, but just a reminder: the speakers are not magnetically shielded, and will interfere with your TV signal, just be careful where you run your wires.

Hey... look at that: I got to mention a pair of 20 year old pair of speaker (which still work), give generic setup advice and be a little be patronising all in one post. All unintentionally I might add... It's official I'm a grumpy old man. Escuse me while I go pull up my trousers too high.

Hello grumpy old man ;-) Thanks very much for your personal experience.

One point I have to address is my living room. Its 30 sq.mt totally , but the listening position is just half of it. The other part of the room is dining table etc - i dont actively listen to music there. So the dimensions of where I listen to music is alot smaller. Here's a picture: http://i.imgur.com/5OqivwN.jpg

The speakers are more like 2m apart, and there's any place to change that about that. Listening position is roughly 3 meters measured either speaker.

My receiver is now usually at minus 25db, not sure if that says anything.

 

[Brokenflame]

-25db on your amp (RX-S600) indicates there isn't much headroom to play with. I am taking a serious stab in the dark, but you might be able to get away with -18db if your amp allows +3db.

Action movies tend to have crazy dynamic ranges compared to pop music. So if you are listening to music at -25db and it is plenty loud, then you should be okay.

The sensitivity of the B&W 684 S2 is slightly less than your current Tannoy (HTS 201) floor standers, coupled with them being slightly more demanding on the amp, pulling more current to drive the bass (FST drivers). Means you may need to give them a little more power to achieve the same volume levels. I would expect a lift in fullness and volume in the bass from the bigger cabinet volume and bass drivers though.

I know the sound will be clearer. Thus when watching movies you won't need as much volume. Typically when watching movies on smaller home theater equipment people raise the volume as the dialogue can become unclear, and jumbled with other sounds.

The thing to consider with your amp is it is a 60W@6ohm amp with the following dynamic output.
Dynamic Power per Channel (8/6/4/2 ohms)90 / 110 / 140 / 160 W
Under most circumstances we can take this to mean it's a 35-40w@8ohms amp. Which meets the basic recommendation for the speakers. Next we can see that it will power low impedance speakers of 2ohms. Thus we know it can handle low impedance of the B&W's minimum 3.5ohm.

So on a technical ground the amp will do the job. We also know that the volume level won't be ground shaking, and you will need to watch out for over for the amp clipping.

We also know that because the amp will be pushed hard you will need to watch out for it overheating.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong: But I believe that when an amp says -db, it is refering to the source signal for the power amp, or power-amp section of an inegrated amp.

Traditionally a pre-amp rates it source signals at 0db. A power-amp which would be attached to a pre-amp expects a fixed maximum line voltage, which is also rated as 0db. Thus to control the volume of the power-amp (which does not have a volume control), the preamp must vary it's output signal by subtracting from the maximum allowed voltage. In other word reducing its own output signal to the power amp. As that signal is measured in db, and the maximum is zero you end up with negative db when you reduce the volume. Therefore, depending on the speakers and power-amp, the -25db displayed on the preamp does not provide a direct comparison of room level volume with other systems using db as a messurement of volume.