Help choosing new speakers to match with B&W 685

[WillWortel19]

Hi,

Last year I purchased 2 B&W 685 speakers with a marantz cr-603. I'm very happy with it and it sounds very well. But I want to upgrade my setup with a surround receiver so I can enjoy my movies.

So I was thinking to buy a new surround receiver (maybe the marantz sr6008) and 2 new front speakers. The new speakers will be used as front speakers(The old B&W 685's will be used as rear speakers.) I would like to have here some floorstanders or speaker which deliver more bass.

Therefore I would like to ask the experts here for some advize which speakers sound realy great for the price. So I'm looking for 2 new front speakers which deliver more bass/punch, and which will match a marantz sr6008 and the combination of the B&W's 685.

I've also listened to the B&W 684 but here I didn't liked it that much.

The room is about 5x10 meters and I'm willing to pay max. 700 pound/speaker.

Sorry for the english

 

[gramps23]

The 684s would seem like the perfect partners for the 685s, as they will match their sonic characteristics and add the extra low-end that you're after.

The front channel speakers need to be as closely matched in their sound to the rears as possible, for seemless integration of the system, so the 684's should be ideal.

It seems odd that you didn't like them, if you like the 685. I'm wondering if when you heard the 684s, it was either the system that they were partnered with, or environment they were in having a negative impact on their sound? For all intents and purposes, they should sound like the 685's, but with more extended bass.

Is there a chance that your local dealer has demo pair of the 684's that you could try at home?

 

[WillWortel19]

The 684s would seem like the perfect partners for the 685s, as they will match their sonic characteristics and add the extra low-end that you're after.

The front channel speakers need to be as closely matched in their sound to the rears as possible, for seemless integration of the system, so the 684's should be ideal.

It seems odd that you didn't like them, if you like the 685. I'm wondering if when you heard the 684s, it was either the system that they were partnered with, or environment they were in having a negative impact on their sound? For all intents and purposes, they should sound like the 685's, but with more extended bass.

Is there a chance that your local dealer has demo pair of the 684's that you could try at home?

Hi! Thanks for the response. I don't know if this has anything to do with the environment. I just missed some "thrill" and "clarity in the 684 speakers. This weekend I will compare the 684 with the 683 floorstanders. So just to be sure, I can't match the B&W 685 (rear) with another brand of speakers (front)?

I just have another question. Will my speakers play better in stereo mode when I upgrade from the marantz cr603 to the marantz sr 6008 receiver? I'm new to this...

 

[gramps23]

Hello again!

It still seems odd that the 684's should sound worse than the 685's, using, as they do, the same drivers etc. Can you listen to them side by side in the same room? Might be an idea, if it's possible, before you make a jump up the line to the 683's, and spend a whole lot more cash needlessly (unless that's not an issue!).

There is no concrete rule that says you can't use the 685's as rears with another brand as fronts, but it will be difficult to get a cohesive sound. Speakers from different brands, and even ranges within those brands, have different 'voicing' and other characteristics, so sound different. In a home cinema system, as the sound moves around you, if the response of one speaker is different to another, then particular elements of the sound can stick out either by their over-presence, or absence, which is not desirable. You could possibly find other speakers to go with the 685's, and not hear anything problematic in the sound, but it would be much easier just to stick with the same brand!

With the sound of the two Marantz units, TBH, I have no real idea. However, the CR603 packs quite alot into a tiny box, and the SR6008 apparently has had some special attention payed to it's sound in 2-channel mode, so it's very possible that the 6008 would be the winner. I wouldn't want to put money on it though..

 

[WillWortel19]

Hi Thanks for the clear explanation!

I'll stick to the same brand of speakers. Like you said, i don't want to mess up things if could miss important details.

I wouldn't want to put money on it though..

Which receiver would you recommend me to match these speakers? NAD, Cambridge or something else? Thank you very much!

 

[gramps23]

Bo worries, happy to try and be of help.

I'm not really up on what's good and what's not in the A/V world - I don't even have a TV at home!! You would be better off putting the question to people on the A/V forum http://www.whathifi.com/forum

Hope that helps and happy hunting

 

[GCE]

I made some test with 685 vs 684 and the floorst were more controlled and less bright than bookshelf;

perhaps this is what you dislike , but the 684 will be less fatiguing than 685;

Here some links for you:

>>> http://audio.com.pl/testy/bandw-685:1

>>> http://audio.com.pl/testy/bandw-684:1

>>> http://audio.com.pl/testy/bandw-683:1

enjoi!

make a test with 684 vs 683 ...

say 40% more expensive and probably better :rofl:

 

[Garett]

If you are already happy with the speakers you have I would recommend you stick with them and get another pair. To get that extra kick of bass you desire I would strongly recommend that you consider a subwoofer to match your speakers. With floor standers they will give you more bass, but not as much as having a dedicated speaker to deal with the low frequencies, a sub will go much lower and deliver more impact with greater control.