Monitor Audio Silver 6 vs Silver 200 6G vs B&W 685s1

[ilbuonmashuma]

Hi everyone, I have a pair of B&W 685 and want to upgrade, mainly for better bass response and depth.

I have the opportunity to buy a pair of MA Silver 6 (5th gen) or Silver 200 (6th gen) for about the same price.

I'm slightly towards the older 6s for the bigger drivers but I'm worry about the positioning: they'll be about 25cm from the rear wall and very close laterally (maybe 10/15cm) to a big bookshelf.

I know the positioning is not ideal but I can't modify it. Are the 6s' too big? Can the 200s be placed nearer to walls? If I choose the 200s, can I hear an effective improvement in bass over my 685 (I can't place a sub)?

Thank you!

 

[plastic penguin]

Hi everyone, I have a pair of B&W 685 and want to upgrade, mainly for better bass response and depth.

I have the opportunity to buy a pair of MA Silver 6 (5th gen) or Silver 200 (6th gen) for about the same price.

I'm slightly towards the older 6s for the bigger drivers but I'm worry about the positioning: they'll be about 25cm from the rear wall and very close laterally (maybe 10/15cm) to a big bookshelf.

I know the positioning is not ideal but I can't modify it. Are the 6s' too big? Can the 200s be placed nearer to walls? If I choose the 200s, can I hear an effective improvement in bass over my 685 (I can't place a sub)?

Thank you!

This is tricky as the space is only 25cm. Having owned the MA RS6s and heard other models of the Silver floorstander ranges they do need to be placed at least 2 feet from the back wall, otherwise the bass becomes too heavy handed.
I find it interesting you're looking to go from standmounts to towers. Any speaker (or most) with rear firing ports need breathing space.
What is your amplifier?

 

[ilbuonmashuma]

This is tricky as the space is only 25cm. Having owned the MA RS6s and heard other models of the Silver floorstander ranges they do need to be placed at least 2 feet from the back wall, otherwise the bass becomes too heavy handed.
I find it interesting you're looking to go from standmounts to towers. Any speaker (or most) with rear firing ports need breathing space.
What is your amplifier?

Hi and thank you for your reply. I have a Denon pma 1500ae, not the newest ampli around but I'm not planning to change it for now. I attach here a photo of the room, don't know if can help.

 

[plastic penguin]

Hi and thank you for your reply. I have a Denon pma 1500ae, not the newest ampli around but I'm not planning to change it for now. I attach here a photo of the room, don't know if can help.

Yeah, looking at the picture there's also how close they are to the book cases. The only small floorstanders I know that's bettered suited to limited spaces are Totem Arros. These are ultra slim and very shallow in depth. They are great sounding with the right amp. As I'm unfamiliar with Denon amps I couldn't say for sure.
These Arros are stunningly dynamic and image like little else below the 2k mark. Can be picked up on auction sites for around £400-600 (s/hand).
This is the room I have when I used the RS6s.

 

[plastic penguin]

Yeah, looking at the picture there's also how close they are to the book cases. The only small floorstanders I know that's bettered suited to limited spaces are Totem Arros. These are ultra slim and very shallow in depth. They are great sounding with the right amp. As I'm unfamiliar with Denon amps I couldn't say for sure.
These Arros are stunningly dynamic and image like little else below the 2k mark. Can be picked up on auction sites for around £400-600 (s/hand).
This is the room I have when I used the RS6s.

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

Hi and thank you for your reply. I have a Denon pma 1500ae, not the newest ampli around but I'm not planning to change it for now. I attach here a photo of the room, don't know if can help.

I think PP is right and that you might struggle with excessive bass putting floorstanders where your standmounts are - he's also right about avoiding rear-ported designs of any kind that close. Maybe bigger, front-ported standmounts would be the way to go.

 

[Al ears]

I think PP is right and that you might struggle with excessive bass putting floorstanders where your standmounts are - he's also right about avoiding rear-ported designs of any kind that close. Maybe bigger, front-ported standmounts would be the way to go.

you could alleviate bass issues of you pulled them out away from the wall so in line with front of that couch seat

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

You could - though I'd be concerned about them getting knocked over if it were me.

 

[ilbuonmashuma]

Thank you all, very helpful. So no Silver 6s or smaller 200s, I can't pulled them away from the wall. I didn't know the Arros but I can't find any retailer anywhere near. Speaking about bigger standmounts, any recommendation? I like the MA Silver 100 (but I didn't listen to them yet) and more or less in budget but they are rear ported. I like the ProAC D2R also and they are front ported but waaaay overbudget.

 

[plastic penguin]

Thank you all, very helpful. So no Silver 6s or smaller 200s, I can't pulled them away from the wall. I didn't know the Arros but I can't find any retailer anywhere near. Speaking about bigger standmounts, any recommendation? I like the MA Silver 100 (but I didn't listen to them yet) and more or less in budget but they are rear ported. I like the ProAC D2R also and they are front ported but waaaay overbudget.

The only front ported speaker that springs to mind that's not silly prices is the Focal Aria 906. I personally like Focal with the right amp.
Clickety
Try this dealer as the first link doesn't seem to work

I would, however, strongly advise you demo a pair with your amp... and make sure you take a tape measure along.

 

[Tinman1952]

Thank you all, very helpful. So no Silver 6s or smaller 200s, I can't pulled them away from the wall. I didn't know the Arros but I can't find any retailer anywhere near. Speaking about bigger standmounts, any recommendation? I like the MA Silver 100 (but I didn't listen to them yet) and more or less in budget but they are rear ported. I like the ProAC D2R also and they are front ported but waaaay overbudget.

I was going to suggest the Silver 100 speakers. They are excellent and preferable to the 200 in your space. You can always play with the foam bungs to reduce any bass 'boom'... although at moderate volume levels I would think they would be fine. 👍

 

[ilbuonmashuma]

What do you think about the Wharfedale Evo 4.2? I can find easily around here, they're no rear ported and three way. Any substantial improvement over my 685s or MA S100s?

 

[Tinman1952]

What do you think about the Wharfedale Evo 4.2? I can find easily around here, they're no rear ported and three way. Any substantial improvement over my 685s or MA S100s?

They are excellent speakers which I have owned in the past. Just know they are HUGE! 😁 46 cm tall so you need ideally 44 cm stands or thereabouts so they are at the correct height. The bottom slot loading works well and they have sweet, detailed treble and a large soundstage. Worth a listen if you can.

 

[Al ears]

Perhaps another route might be closed-box speakers like Arcaydis EB2S although these to are rather large at 45cm tall

 

[Deliriumbassist]

All speakers will exhibit boundary gain by being close to the wall, regardless of port position. The Totems Arros have been designed with boundary gain in mind - notice their spec says Frequency Response down to 40Hz *with proper room positioning*.

Distance from the wall for a rear ported speaker is more about loading the port. The distance from the wall should be at least the same as the diameter of the port. After that, same positioning issues as any other loudspeaker.

 

[plastic penguin]

All speakers will exhibit boundary gain by being close to the wall, regardless of port position. The Totems Arros have been designed with boundary gain in mind - notice their spec says Frequency Response down to 40Hz *with proper room positioning*.

Distance from the wall for a rear ported speaker is more about loading the port. The distance from the wall should be at least the same as the diameter of the port. After that, same positioning issues as any other loudspeaker.

What I find interesting is the B&Ws are 330mm deep and the Totems are 180mm. So if the OP has the fronts in exactly the same position as his current speakers, that should, in theory, give the Totems more breathing space. But of course as a floorstander will naturally have more extended bass. If that works or not only a demo or a risky blind purchase will determine. That said, I would never encourage a anyone to purchase a component without hearing it first.
As I said in my opening gambit: It's a tricky one.

 

[Deliriumbassist]

What I find interesting is the B&Ws are 330mm deep and the Totems are 180mm. So if the OP has the fronts in exactly the same position as his current speakers, that should, in theory, give the Totems more breathing space. But of course as a floorstander will naturally have more extended bass. If that works or not only a demo or a risky blind purchase will determine. That said, I would never encourage a anyone to purchase a component without hearing it first.
As I said in my opening gambit: It's a tricky one.

And that's the thing with the Arros - they'll have a nice roll-off quite high up, and use the boundary gain to bump up the low end with the 'free bass' provided by the room, so can sit quite nicely closer to the wall. Works much, MUCH better when LF roll-off is behaved.

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

I'm really not sure port position is irrelevant - they don't tend to be silent, so any noise created by the port has a ready source of reflection.

 

[ilbuonmashuma]

Thank you for all the replies! The Arros are intriguing but I can't find a shop to listen to them. Same for the Arcadys, it's a pity because they're beautiful. And sadly same for the Silver 6s, I love them but they're too big.

I'll give a try to the Wharfedale and the MA 100s and 200s (who knows) in a shop near here. Eventually I could also buy a pair of used 200s that I found for about 600€ and resell them if they're a mess in my house.

 

[ilbuonmashuma]

So, as you may have guessed I don't know a lot about speakers and positioning and stuff. I know floorstanders have a better bass because, well, they're floorstanders. My question is, the 200s have a pair of 5.25" drivers each: do they really go deeper than the 6.5" drivers of the 685s? Thank you!

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

Driver size has an effect but cabinet volume has more, I would suggest. Many floorstanders don't have vast drivers and are narrow/deep - the cabinet size is what gives much of the bass extension.

 

[plastic penguin]

One thing I find quite laughable is a lot of modern standmounters are, in the main, deeper than the average floorstander. Kefs, B&W, Dynaudio, Monitor Audio... and so the list goes on, yet standmounts or bookshelf monitors are meant to be for small rooms. It's like a floorstander turned on its side. It's bonkers. You try using Kef R3s, for example, in a small bedroom and you'll struggle to find the sweet spot.

 

[plastic penguin]

Perhaps another route might be closed-box speakers like Arcaydis EB2S although these to are rather large at 45cm tall

That seems logical. However, infinite baffle or sealed cabinets doesn't guarantee they will work in a confined space. Sure they can be more flexible, but... Firstly, having had those Harbeth P3s last year on home demo, they were sealed cabinets yet they were a headache to get to hit the sweet spot. Couldn't believe how fussy they were.
Secondly I've just looked at the ATC specs for the cabinet size of the SCM7 and 11. The 7s are deeper than the Totems and the 11s are as deep as the B&Ws. And as the OP seems to have limited brands to choose from locally, I'm now stumped as to the best route for his needs.

 

[ilbuonmashuma]

Thank you all for your advices. I make just an addition to this thread, maybe it can help someone else with limited space for speakers. In the past weeks I listened to a lot of speakers including Q Acoustics (too deep and I didn't like them), KEF (The Q range, I didn't like them), Klipsch (way too deep but great) and a little pair of floorstanders by Sonus Faber. Then my new-favourite shopkeeper recommended the Silver 200s 6th gen at a great price, he said they were the most versatile speakers he ever had. I was skeptical because of rear ports and stuff but he offered me to try them at home before buy: the result is, now I'm a happy owner of a pair of walnut S200s. I keep them without foams at about 20cm from the wall without any audible (to my ears) bloated bass. I think that my old B&W 685s were more fussy than these. I know that probably they could be better positioned, but they sound great anyway.

 

[nopiano]

A good result. It’s easy to assume a dealer is only interested in sales, but an experienced one who lets you try at home to confirm is one to return to. Great!