Question Replace my B&W 601 s3

[Dean Morris]

Hello,

I have a 6 x4 meter room and currently have a rotel ra-01 and B&W 601 s3.

The speakers need to be close to wall as they are on a bookshelf. Currently the speakers are tall but not deep so I have 16cm space at the back and 42cm to play with (depth of shelf).

I really like the sound, energetic, dynamic and I have to play at low volumes.

I would love to keep them but it’s an aesthetics thing. We have redone down the living space and it’s not looking right.

So I have got it down to similar sized speakers.

Monitor audio Bronze 2 and bronze 50.

Focal chora 806 or aria 906.

The monitor bronze 2 has front facing port and the 50 has rear but the 50 has technology to deal with close to wall placement.

Any experience?

 

[Gray]

...the 50 has technology to deal with close to wall placement.

Whatever that 'technology' is Dean (port bungs maybe? 🤔), it can't do miracles.

It's very much in your interest to try any potential new speaker(s) in the intended location in your room, before deciding.

Might be easier to buy without hearing, but you need to make sure they're OK close to the wall - and that they match the energetic sound that you like.

You won't need telling though, that speakers won't be giving their best on bookshelves (even if they're described as 'bookshelf' speakers 🤨).
Regardless of what anyone else thinks about the speakers you've mentioned, you must listen for yourself.

 

[jjbomber]

but the 50 has technology to deal with close to wall placement.

An old pair of woollen socks?

 

[Dean Morris]

Cashmere or cotton?

 

[plastic penguin]

Hello,

I have a 6 x4 meter room and currently have a rotel ra-01 and B&W 601 s3.

The speakers need to be close to wall as they are on a bookshelf. Currently the speakers are tall but not deep so I have 16cm space at the back and 42cm to play with (depth of shelf).

I really like the sound, energetic, dynamic and I have to play at low volumes.

I would love to keep them but it’s an aesthetics thing. We have redone down the living space and it’s not looking right.

So I have got it down to similar sized speakers.

Monitor audio Bronze 2 and bronze 50.

Focal chora 806 or aria 906.

The monitor bronze 2 has front facing port and the 50 has rear but the 50 has technology to deal with close to wall placement.

Any experience?

Given the speakers are in close proximity to the wall and on shelves, I'm thinking Neat Iotas. They are tiny but incredibly musical.

 

[Amormusic]

My suggestion would be a curveball and I would suggest PMC DB1i or DB1 Gold (the same speaker in different styles). A quick look on ebay completed sales shows around £500 second hand for a good pair, so a little more than you'd intended.

These are fantastic speakers, so good I've owned them twice as I sold some and then bought them again.

They are fine close to a wall and in fact PMC even sell wall mounting brackets for them. I had mine on custom shelves in our old flat.

Being a used suggestion (and a well respected and popular brand), if it didn't work out or you didn't like them, which I think is probably unlikely, you would find it easy to resell them at little or no loss of money.

 

[matthewpianist]

The current B&W 607s2 speakers are outstanding, and supplied with 2-part bungs formed of an inner and outer section which can be separated. This allows further tuning of the bass response.

Alternatively, a pair of small Dalis (Oberon 1) would be a very good choice.

 

[plastic penguin]

My suggestion would be a curveball and I would suggest PMC DB1i or DB1 Gold (the same speaker in different styles). A quick look on ebay completed sales shows around £500 second hand for a good pair, so a little more than you'd intended.

These are fantastic speakers, so good I've owned them twice as I sold some and then bought them again.

They are fine close to a wall and in fact PMC even sell wall mounting brackets for them. I had mine on custom shelves in our old flat.

Being a used suggestion (and a well respected and popular brand), if it didn't work out or you didn't like them, which I think is probably unlikely, you would find it easy to resell them at little or no loss of money.

Not sure the DB1s would sound great plonked on a shelf.

 

[Amormusic]

Not sure the DB1s would sound great plonked on a shelf.

Nothing would in reality. Put them on IsoAcoustuc stands, or Auraex isolation foam, or mount directly to the wall and they will sound excellent.

 

[plastic penguin]

Nothing would in reality. Put them on IsoAcoustuc stands, or Auraex isolation foam, or mount directly to the wall and they will sound excellent.

Yep, on dedicated stands they really sound the biz. Heard them with a number of different amps: Naim Nait 5i, Arcam A65+, Leema... and they never failed to produce. Excellent little boxes.