New Bowers and Wilkins 606 S2...which amp?

[Deleted member 195594]

Hello

I have a new pair of B&W 606 S2s arriving today. Modest...but just what I need and, more importantly, what the current budget determines!

I'm thinking the Cambridge CXA61. Any thoughts?

....... but will be interested to hear how Spirit of Eden, Solid Air and Five Leaves Left pan out.

Nothing to add on your speaker choice; but your music choice is right up my street - 3 of my favourite albums 😎👍

Good luck with your search

 

[Carter P]

Nothing to add on your speaker choice; but your music choice is right up my street - 3 of my favourite albums 😎👍

Good luck with your search

Thanks for this. Yes, less is more for sure.

 

[plastic penguin]

CX61 is a good amplifier.

Trouble is, regardless of component, I don't want "nice" or "good". When spending 100s of pounds I want "spectacular" or "great" or "amazing". That could be the case the Cambridge might be one of my wants, but not sure Cambridge/B&W will make good bed fellas. But unless he demos he'll never know.

 

[gasolin]

Cambridge audio axa 25/35

 

[SteveH72]

Cambridge audio axa 25/35

Guaranteed headache, in my opinion, and under-powered.

 

[manicm]

Guaranteed headache, in my opinion, and under-powered.

Some may disagree with you. And this is someone I rather respect.

View: https://youtu.be/milPXGgpoJ4

 

[Al ears]

Guaranteed headache, in my opinion, and under-powered.

When you state underpowered do you mean it only has 35wpc or it doesn't have enough power to adequately drive the 606 S2's?
If the former then I would have to disagree with you.

 

[SteveH72]

I’m sure the CA amps are very good. I personally wouldn’t pair them with B & W speakers but, if people enjoy the combination, fair enough.
I referred in a previous thread regarding the 606 S2 a conversation I had with a B & W representative who said the 606 S2s need at least 40W, so I would bow to their expertise that neither 25 nor 35W is sufficient. They’ll make them work, but not to their best.

 

[Al ears]

I’m sure the CA amps are very good. I personally wouldn’t pair them with B & W speakers but, if people enjoy the combination, fair enough.
I referred in a previous thread regarding the 606 S2 a conversation I had with a B & W representative who said the 606 S2s need at least 40W, so I would bow to their expertise that neither 25 nor 35W is sufficient. They’ll make them work, but not to their best.

I would suggest that the current delivery capabilities of an amplifier would be more important than the watts per channel, or perhaps the B&W rep was being cautious because the 606's may not be as efficient as quoted?

 

[SteveH72]

I would suggest that the current delivery capabilities of an amplifier would be more important than the watts per channel, or perhaps the B&W rep was being cautious because the 606's may not be as efficient as quoted?

Or, if I were a real cynic, because they recommend Rotel amps to drive them, and Rotel don’t sell amps with less than 50W power…..
However, they do dip to 3.7 ohms so can be a little thirsty.

 

[manicm]

I would suggest that the current delivery capabilities of an amplifier would be more important than the watts per channel, or perhaps the B&W rep was being cautious because the 606's may not be as efficient as quoted?

The impedance is almost always more meaningful than the sensitivity, and as SteveH72 states, the claimed minimum impedance for the 606 S2 is 3.7 ohms - which is not high and an honest figure. I still think the CA AX A35 may pair admirably with them. It has a good power supply.

And it's not uncommon for amps to actually exceed their stated power on paper from honest manufacturers.

Also it was stated somewhere that B&W themselves did extensive testing on the 606 with 30w amps.

 

[Al ears]

The impedance is almost always more meaningful than the sensitivity, and as SteveH72 states, the claimed minimum impedance for the 606 S2 is 3.7 ohms - which is not high and an honest figure. I still think the CA AX A35 may pair admirably with them. It has a good power supply.

And it's not uncommon for amps to actually exceed their stated power on paper from honest manufacturers.

Also it was stated somewhere that B&W themselves did extensive testing on the 606 with 30w amps.

3.7 is not exactly an extremely hard drive, they are not exactly Apogee Scintilla's, most amps will handle 4 ohms easily so not sure why the AXA35 might struggle unless it is considered to have poor current delivery

 

[gasolin]

My Mission lx 3 MK II goes down to 4.1 ohm, my Cambridge audio AXA25 drives them well and have no problem playing loud.

In fact my missons are rated at the same specs as the B&W 8 ohm 88db (how much the difference is between my mission lx 2 mk II and B&W 606 s2 i don't know), with my settings i can have a very usefull volume below 8 o'clock, loud at 10 o'clock (still a smooth traveling of the volume) with 12 o'clock or above still sounding clean (depending on the music your playing, my cd input is lowered so it macthes my pc and turntable), a nice range of usefull volume.

The advantage of my amp is it never seems to get bright when playing loud like some amps can do when pushed a little and it's very clear at low levels, for low back ground music the amp is perfect, no channel unbalance like some have written and it sound clear open.

Cambridge audio don't rate the wattage at 4 ohm but you would never know if my amp is 2x35 or 2x50 watt in 4 ohm, it just plays my music loud if i need to listen at loud levels (enought for nearfield listening to be loud and enought to annoy my neighbours at 12 o'clock play edm).

Ps my amp is maxed out as much as i can't, without going crazy all i can do,improve is a better soundcard,dac, which is on it's way.

That one is a keeper, that's how good it is, i have already spend + 200 euros extra on the amp

 

[manicm]

3.7 is not exactly an extremely hard drive, they are not exactly Apogee Scintilla's, most amps will handle 4 ohms easily so not sure why the AXA35 might struggle unless it is considered to have poor current delivery

That's what I said about the AX35 - it should have no problem.

 

[manicm]

My Mission lx 2 MK II goes down to 4.1 ohm, my Cambridge audio AXA25 drives them well and have no problem playing loud.

In fact my missons are rated at the same specs as the B&W 8 ohm 88db (how much the difference is between my mission lx 2 mk II and B&W 606 s2 i don't know), with my settings i can have a very usefull volume below 8 o'clock, loud at 10 o'clock (still a smooth traveling of the volume) with 12 o'clock or above still sounding clean (depending on the music your playing, my cd input is lowered so it macthes my pc and turntable), a nice range of usefull volume.

The advantage of my amp is it never seems to get bright when playing loud like some amps can do when pushed a little and it's very clear at low levels, for low back ground music the amp is perfect, no channel unbalance like some have written and it sound clear open.

Cambridge audio don't rate the wattage at 4 ohm but you would never know if my amp is 2x35 or 2x50 watt in 4 ohm, it just plays my music loud if i need to listen at loud levels (enought for nearfield listening to be loud and enought to annoy my neighbours at 12 o'clock play edm).

Ps my amp is maxed out as much as i can't, without going crazy all i can do,improve is a better soundcard,dac, which is on it's way.

That one is a keeper, that's how good it is, i have already spend + 200 euros extra on the amp

GENERALLY, if a manufacturer does not state power at 4 ohms, it means they did not design the amp to run as such. I have two examples somewhat:

1. One of the midrange Rega amps above the Brio are rated at 4 ohms, but Rega caution against running on said impedance for sustained periods at high volume. But otherwise yes, it should have no problem at all.

2. Denon specifically requires speakers rated at 6 ohms or above for the Ceol N10 mini system.

Otherwise I agree that most amps like the AX35 and above should have no problem with a minimum 3.7 Ohm load.

 

[gasolin]

I can say as much as my amp can def handle my Mission lx 3 MK II, no overheating not even in a 25-30 c warm room (77f -86f). My spakesr ands the B&W 606 s2 are rated at 8 ohm, they just go down til around 4 ohm

 

[manicm]

I can say as much as my amp can def handle my Mission lx 2, no overheating not even in a 25-30 c warm room (77f -86f). My spakesr ands the B&W 606 s2 are rated at 8 ohm, they just go down til around 4 ohm

View attachment 3780

Still should be no problem for the 606 though.