PM6005 + B&W 685S2 ?

[steevi2307]

Hi,

I still have not changed my system (Denon DM37) BUT this is for this month !

With the new pretenders, what do you think is the best option for a budget of < 1000€ ?

I will begin with Marrantz PM6005/NAD D3020 + Dali Z3/B&W 685S2

I prefer an integrated DAC in the amplifier.

I will try to make those listenings this week-end : Edit : I listened today the PM6005 + B&W 685S2 and I enjoyed it !

Thanks for your advices !

 

[matthewpiano]

The PM6005 is a superb amp and by some margin the best in Marantz's long-running PM600x line yet. If you can get to hear it with a pair of Dynaudio DM2/6 speakers give it a go as it is a totally convincing combination.

 

[Herbs]

Both products are available locally for me, how much better are the 685 s2 and the 686 s2.... the 685 being the better model.

I think im set on the PM6005 myself. just need some bookshelf type speakers to go with it

 

[manicm]

Both products are available locally for me, how much better are the 685 s2 and the 686 s2.... the 685 being the better model.

I think im set on the PM6005 myself. just need some bookshelf type speakers to go with it

If you have the space for it, go for the 685 as they'll be more efficient and sensitive than the 686. I had the 685 S1 and it was a beautiful sounding speaker.

 

[steevi2307]

I also agree with you (I will take the 685 S2) but what do you think of the amp ? (The Marrantz PM6005)

I listened it and I was amazed ; the second test was with the NAD 326 + DAC (I don't remember the name)

The only difference I noticed is that the voices take more space that with the NAD (and for the seller, the NAD is better in bass, more aggressive)

What do you think ?

Thanks

 

[manicm]

I think the PM6005 should be just fine. WHF have rated it above the Rotel RA-10, and that's saying something. I think its power should be ample for the 685 too.

 

[magnus78]

How about pm6005 with B&W 683 S2? Anybody heard this combination before?

 

[steevi2307]

Actually, bookshelves are the only option for me ... *biggrin*

And I will not take the floor stands, they will be placed on a TV furniture.

 

[MaxD]

How about pm6005 with B&W 683 S2? Anybody heard this combination before?

I Will try to audition theme soon then I probably want to connect them to a Rotel amp like RA-1520 or RA-1570 considering Rotel is owned by B&W so they are probably optimised for them.

As a 30 years DM6 owner i think about this floorsyand speakers for my next living room setup.

 

[steevi2307]

As I said, I can only place bookshelves ... but thanks !

I also have listened the Dali ikon 1 MK2 and it was as good as the B&W (seems to me ...) ; WhatHifi said that the B&W are stronger in many ways so I think I will orientate myself to the B&W

The only thing I hesitate is the frequency range of the B&W that is set for 2 values :
Frequency range -6dB at 45Hz and 50kHzFrequency response 52Hz - 22kHz ±3dB on reference axisIs it bad ?
Thanks

 

[davedotco]

As I said, I can only place bookshelves ... but thanks !

I also have listened the Dali ikon 1 MK2 and it was as good as the B&W (seems to me ...) ; WhatHifi said that the B&W are stronger in many ways so I think I will orientate myself to the B&W

The only thing I hesitate is the frequency range of the B&W that is set for 2 values :

Frequency range -6dB at 45Hz and 50kHz Frequency response 52Hz - 22kHz ±3dB on reference axis Is it bad ?

Thanks

For a compact speaker of medium sensitivity, those response figures are pretty good, not that they will mean much in the real world.

Personally I would be wary of placing any speaker with bass to 50hz on a tv unit, boom and rattle will be the most likely outcome. You will need to find some way to decouple the speaker from the cabinet as much as possible to get the best performance, though my preference would be for the model with the tightest bass. If I wanted to play movies, I would get a modest subwoofer, perhaps the BK Gemini which can be easily set loud for a/v and at a lower level for music.

 

[steevi2307]

Thanks for your answer and you are right ; the guy said me that it's better (if I place them on the tv unit), to use some rubber pad (I don't know if it's the word ...) to decouple the speaker from the cabinet

I have not the place (and in some kind, I don't want) to put a subwoofer in my living room

 

[davedotco]

Thanks for your answer and you are right ; the guy said me that it's better (if I place them on the tv unit), to use some rubber pad (I don't know if it's the word ...) to decouple the speaker from the cabinet

I have not the place (and in some kind, I don't want) to put a subwoofer in my living room

While I do understand your restrictions you are limiting your options at every turn.

If you care enough about the performance of your setup to take the time to come on a hi-fi forum, then the compromises you are making are going to hurt. Generally speaking, with conventional components at this level, setup is everything, there are a handful of products that are designed to work under difficult conditions but not really at this sort of price.

Placing speakers on furniture will compromise the sound severely, thats just the way it is. The cabinet will be unpredictable in the way that it handles the energy put out by the speakers, surface reflections, resonances in the enclosed spaces, panel flexing etc, etc will vary from setup to setup, none of them though, will be good.

As a general rule less bass from speakers placed in such a situation is good, hence the suggestion for small speakers and a sub. Isolating the speakers is only going to help, it is not a total solution. If the cabinet is quite low, tv units often are, something like the Audioengine desktop stands might help, or even the simple foam wedges sold by studio shops.

We are lucky in the uk, these items are easily found, depending on your market you may have to improvise.

 

[steevi2307]

Thanks for your explanation !

I understand ... Actually with my current set-up (Denon DM37), the speakers are placed on the furniture, so that was not a problem to me initially, because it seems to me that the sound was pretty good.

And with spikes under the speakers and on the furniture ... (the furniture is in modern wood)

 

[ohmusica]

The Marantz pm6005 with the B&W 685s2 is a good combination, when your room is not too big. I like the nice crispy detailed stereo. When you like a more powerfull combination, take a Rotel. But it's also a matter of taste.

 

[ReValveiT]

I 'upgraded' my PM6003 to the PM6005 for the DAC and was utterly dissapointed with the downgrade in sound quality. I don't know what they did but it sounded lifeless and really dull. If this is "subtle" and "refined" you can keep it. I prefer my music to have a bit of life, punch and drama.

A change to the Denon PMA720 got me back in the ballpark of the PM6003, thankfully. That and a Beresford Bushmaster II makes for a far better setup.

Lesson very much learned.

 

[ohmusica]

This is new to me, that the 6005 sounds dull comparing the 6003. But i can't judge.

 

[steevi2307]

I listened again the Marrantz and the sound is still good for me.

I listened also the Rotel RA-12 (a new version V2 will be available next week) that is, according to the reseller, better in all points, and I think it's true, but subtil ...

The only thing that shocked me is that the volume control was set between 9h and 10h with the Marrantz (normal) but with the Rotel, the volume was about 65-70 (and the maximum seems to be 95, following some links on internet)

In both cases, it was pretty loud !

The Rotel is more powerfull (60W instead of 45W) ; Is that normal ?

 

[davedotco]

I listened again the Marrantz and the sound is still good for me.

I listened also the Rotel RA-12 (a new version V2 will be available next week) that is, according to the reseller, better in all points, and I think it's true, but subtil ...

The only thing that shocked me is that the volume control was set between 9h and 10h with the Marrantz (normal) but with the Rotel, the volume was about 65-70 (and the maximum seems to be 95, following some links on internet)

In both cases, it was pretty loud !

The Rotel is more powerfull (60W instead of 45W) ; Is that normal ?

The way the volume control works is almost entirely up to the designer.

In this case the Marantz 'gets louder' much quicker than the Rotel but hits it's limits much sooner. In effect you only get to use half the volume control, which can make precise settings difficult.

The uninformed enthusiast often prefers the first approach, everything seems more powerful, but it is entirely illusory.

 

[steevi2307]

OK, thanks, I understand, I don't know what to choose between both because the PM6005 is better according to WHF but not according to my reseller ...

 

[matthewpiano]

Choose the one which is better according to you.

 

[plastic penguin]

OK, thanks, I understand, I don't know what to choose between both because the PM6005 is better according to WHF but not according to my reseller ...

Agree with Matthew -- don't hang onto every word the dealer or WHFI say, which one sounds best to you?

 

[steevi2307]

I totally agree with you.

However, I think my reseller is in good faith (maybe I'm crazy*wacko*) because he tried with more than than one song to compare both amp and it tells me that the Rotel is better in all ways (and force me to listen the difference, I would say : he was patient)

It was not : "it's better !"

 

[matthewpiano]

...but which did you like the best?

 

[steevi2307]

Honestly, I don't know ... but I just want to have the best between both in general ... (hard to tell for someone, I know)

I have another question : what do you think about the quality of the sound card if I would use the optical output (my HTPC has an optical output on the onboard chipset)

Thanks