PS Audio Sprout amplifier and B&W CM1

[hybridauth_Twitter_214881821]

Hi,

I have bought the PS Audio Sprout amplifier and are considering buying the CM1 B&W speakers for the livingroom in my appartment. Any opinions/experience on how that will work out? The alternative are a pair of 685 S2 B&W.

I will not have the oppertunity to try it out myself so any insight is appreciated!

 

[NSA_watch_my_toilet]

Never buy a speaker you don't have tested out in the store AND at your house. Speakers are a very personnal matter because they are the key element of good sound with the quality of the listening room. You will not marry with a woman you only saw on a picture ? Speakers are the same.

 

[Thompsonuxb]

Never buy a speaker you don't have tested out in the store AND at your house. Speakers are a very personnal matter because they are the key element of good sound with the quality of the listening room. You will not marry with a woman you only saw on a picture ? Speakers are the same.

Hmmmmm.....many cultures practice that marrying thing many don't even 'see' a picture.

That said your speaker choices are sound.
Read up on them Amazon, Audioreview etc.... get 'real opinions' from real users if you cannot hear them for yourself.

 

[Al ears]

Never buy a speaker you don't have tested out in the store AND at your house. Speakers are a very personnal matter because they are the key element of good sound with the quality of the listening room. You will not marry with a woman you only saw on a picture ? Speakers are the same.

Hmmmmm.....many cultures practice that marrying thing many don't even 'see' a picture.

That said your speaker choices are sound. Read up on them Amazon, Audioreview etc.... get 'real opinions' from real users if you cannot hear them for yourself.

Very good advice there regarding 'real opinions'. If you cannot possibly audition yourself then other people's opinion based in their own 'real' listening rooms are often more useful than magazine reviews that are normally carried out in far from normal listening environments.

Personally out of the two you list I would go for the 685's for three reasons. They are probably a better match to amp, I have owned them, if you don't like them they are probably the easier of the two to sell on. Always provided, that is, that you do mean CM1's and not the more recent CM1 S2 variants.

 

[hybridauth_Facebook_100004211376004]

Also the cm1's are just that bit more inefficient than the 685's....I believe the sprout is just 32 watts per channel,you'd maybe have to crank the volume knob up a fair bit to get some effective sound from them.

 

[Al ears]

Also the cm1's are just that bit more inefficient than the 685's....I believe the sprout is just 32 watts per channel,you'd maybe have to crank the volume knob up a fair bit to get some effective sound from them.

Another good point. Although often quoted as 50 wpc this is into 4 ohm and actually 32 wpc into 8 ohm. Some efficient speakers required here if you have a large room.

 

[hybridauth_Twitter_214881821]

Thanks for the insight! I am looking at buying some CM1s (not S2) second hand and that is why I can't test as I am currently abroad. What is the difference between CM1 and CM1 S2? For the record my room is not that big.

 

[Al ears]

Thanks for the insight! I am looking at buying some CM1s (not S2) second hand and that is why I can't test as I am currently abroad. What is the difference between CM1 and CM1 S2? For the record my room is not that big.

They are completely new design, especially tweeter. Can be bright in the wrong system and I would personally go for something a bit more efficient than 84dB.

A lot cheaper I would also consider Elac Debut B6 on some decent stands.

 

[BigH]

I have demoed the CM1s I did not like them. The mid to top range was fine, it was the bass that was a problem, seem to be slow and disintegrated from the rest of the music. They were hard to drive, the Rega Brio was not really up to it, started sounding harsh at moderate volumes. Also they are not very accurate, so if you want a natural sound I would avoid.

I would look at more sensitive speakers.