What B&W speakers for Marantz PM6005?

[Floppy]

Hi Guys,

I recently got my hands on a Marantz PM6005 and would like to buy matching speakers. I mostly listen to Jazz and Classical music at low to medium volume.

Ideally, I would like to spend between 400 and 1200 Euros for a used pair from German Ebay. Doesn't matter whether they are bookshelf speakers of floor standing ones. Considering I always liked B&W sound and looks I thought I could get anything between 683 and 686, something from the cheaper CM series, or even older speakers like the P6 or 703.

What do you think would be a good match for my PM6005 at a decent price?

Thanks in advance,

Floppy

 

[Al ears]

Hi Guys,

I recently got my hands on a Marantz PM6005 and would like to buy matching speakers. I mostly listen to Jazz and Classical music at low to medium volume.

Ideally, I would like to spend between 400 and 1200 Euros for a used pair from German Ebay. Doesn't matter whether they are bookshelf speakers of floor standing ones. Considering I always liked B&W sound and looks I thought I could get anything between 683 and 686, something from the cheaper CM series, or even older speakers like the P6 or 703.

What do you think would be a good match for my PM6005 at a decent price?

Thanks in advance,

Floppy

The newest ones you can afford if it's from eBay. Floorstanders will depend on you, your room size and preferences. If you're going for standouts do not forget to factor in price of decent stands.

 

[hybridauth_Facebook_100004211376004]

The cm series is above the 600 series in the b&w chain.

 

[Floppy]

Thanks for your reply!

Do you really think the age makes such a big difference? After all I'd be able to buy an older model from higher up in the B&W family for the same money. For example, 703 seem to be a lot cheaper than 684 s2 despite being considered "more premium".

 

[Floppy]

Sorry, you're right, of course.

I meant cheap relative to the average speaker from the CM line. For example, speakers up to CM8 seem to be within reach while CM10s would be well over my budget.

 

[gasolin]

Hi Guys,

I recently got my hands on a Marantz PM6005 and would like to buy matching speakers. I mostly listen to Jazz and Classical music at low to medium volume.

Ideally, I would like to spend between 400 and 1200 Euros for a used pair from German Ebay. Doesn't matter whether they are bookshelf speakers of floor standing ones. Considering I always liked B&W sound and looks I thought I could get anything between 683 and 686, something from the cheaper CM series, or even older speakers like the P6 or 703.

What do you think would be a good match for my PM6005 at a decent price?

Thanks in advance,

Floppy

The B&W 685 s2 should be good enough for the Marantz PM6005 http://www.whathifi.com/bw/685-s2/review

If you like bass,have a big room and can finde some Boston a360 or a pair of 684 or 683's

 

[gasolin]

When reading the whathifi reviews the tend to favor the 600 series and i personally would take the big 683 s2 over some smaller cm's since you would get a bigger sound, but only if you have a big room

http://www.whathifi.com/bw/cm6-sm2/review

http://www.whathifi.com/bw/683-s2/review

 

[hybridauth_Facebook_100004211376004]

The cm's are way better than the 600's I've had 685,auditioned 685s2,cm1's and owned cm5's . The cm's are better in every way.no doubts about that,I'd take second hand cm's over new 600 series all day long,but they deserve better amplification than entry level from any manufacturers.btw what hi-fi reviews aren't the be all and end all of reviews,it's a guide. The cm1 fill a modestly sized room no probs and the bass extension from my cm5's was very impressive, and easily outdoes my current pmc twenty 21's in that department,although the pmc is far tighter and rhythmic..

 

[Frank Harvey]

Whilst CMs are better than the 600 series, if you veer out of the amplifier's comfort zone, much of the benefit of the CMs will be lost. Yes, you'll still enjoy certain benefits of the CM series regardless of what you drive them with, but an amplifier that isn't in control of the speakers they're driving will leave you with a slightly dull, lacklustre sound that will be lacking punch and drive. I'd stick to 686, 685, and 684. For the CM range, you'll need to be looking at more capable amplifiers, which will be nearer to the £1,000 price point and beyond, as a rough guide.

 

[davedotco]

Whilst CMs are better than the 600 series, if you veer out of the amplifier's comfort zone, much of the benefit of the CMs will be lost. Yes, you'll still enjoy certain benefits of the CM series regardless of what you drive them with, but an amplifier that isn't in control of the speakers they're driving will leave you with a slightly dull, lacklustre sound that will be lacking punch and drive. I'd stick to 686, 685, and 684. For the CM range, you'll need to be looking at more capable amplifiers, which will be nearer to the £1,000 price point and beyond, as a rough guide.

CM1s can sound quite decent though I am not a big B&W fan.

However I tried several amplifiers around the £600 mark including Rotel and Arcam, as you say lacking any kind of 'punch and drive', if I may steal your phrase.

When I mentioned this to the dealer he swapped in a £900+ amplifier and that was more like it but sadly out of budget for the chap I was with.

To me this is a major symptom of why so many budget systems sound so poor, too much speaker and not enough amplifier. 'Tis the modern way I'm afraid.

 

[Frank Harvey]

To me this is a major symptom of why so many budget systems sound so poor, too much speaker and not enough amplifier. 'Tis the modern way I'm afraid.

Agreed. There's way too much of it over on AVF. I think some people tend to get carried away when they see a speaker deal, but never stop to think about whether the speaker is right for their amplifier (or room). Of course, they do get an improvement as a better speaker will naturally do certain things better, but they never hear the speakers they've bought do what they've been designed to do. I've been trying to educate in this respect recently, but whether this will have any effect long term is debateable. Front end quality still counts (source, pre, amplifier).

 

[hybridauth_Facebook_100004211376004]

+1.agree with the above.I think I did say the cm's preferred a better than entry level amp,but still are able to be driven by budget gear in regards to looking further down the upgrade path.it would save money in the long run if the op was planning to upgrade his amp in the future.

 

[Floppy]

Thanks for your replies, everybody!

In light of what has been said I think I'll try to get my hands on a used pair of 685 s2 or 683 s2.
If I end up craving for more I will upgrade to a stronger amp and some of the bigger CM speakers.

 

[gasolin]

Thanks for your replies, everybody!

In light of what has been said I think I'll try to get my hands on a used pair of 685 s2 or 683 s2. If I end up craving for more I will upgrade to a stronger amp and some of the bigger CM speakers.

If you want someting diffrence try the Q acoustics 2050i since there are surpose to have an impedans of 6-4 (minimum 4) and 92 db sensitivity, that would give you an advantage of 5-6 db over the 685 s2 3-4 db more then the 683 s2 meaning 45 watt with the q acoustics would be as loud as about 160 watt with the 685 s2 and 100 watt with the 683 s2 meaning more power,dynamic headroom

 

[hybridauth_Facebook_664715932]

Not much to add here but having had both the 600 and cm series: i think, considering the amp you got, you are better off with the 600 for now.

having upgraded to cm5 from dm601, i was running them with my old mf amp, altough there was improvement but it was nothing like when i upgraded my amp a year later. Those CM5s started singing, with the new amp they jumped up few levels.

i recently got the cm6s2 and now looking for a new amp.

 

[Andrewjvt]

To me this is a major symptom of why so many budget systems sound so poor, too much speaker and not enough amplifier. 'Tis the modern way I'm afraid.

Agreed. There's way too much of it over on AVF. I think some people tend to get carried away when they see a speaker deal, but never stop to think about whether the speaker is right for their amplifier (or room). Of course, they do get an improvement as a better speaker will naturally do certain things better, but they never hear the speakers they've bought do what they've been designed to do. I've been trying to educate in this respect recently, but whether this will have any effect long term is debateable. Front end quality still counts (source, pre, amplifier).

Very good amp with budget speakers will sound better than great speakers with weak amp (my opinion)

 

[Floppy]

If you want someting diffrence try the Q acoustics 2050i since there are surpose to have an impedans of 6-4 (minimum 4) and 92 db sensitivity, that would give you an advantage of 5-6 db over the 685 s2 3-4 db more then the 683 s2 meaning 45 watt with the q acoustics would be as loud as about 160 watt with the 685 s2 and 100 watt with the 683 s2 meaning more power,dynamic headroom

Thanks for the recommendation. I've read about these speakers and they seem like really good value. Unfortunately, they don't sell here on the continent and shipping them from the UK would cost over 100 Euros.

I think I'll stick to the omnipresent B&Ws that are easily bought and sold wherever you go. They seem like the closest thing to legal tender you can get in the HiFi world and, thereby, probably a good start of my journey into the Hifi Universe.

 

[Floppy]

Just in case anybody is still interested:

I bought a pair of B&W 685 S2!

 

[Andrewjvt]

Sorry, you're right, of course.?

I meant cheap relative to the average speaker from the CM line. For example, speakers up to CM8 seem to be within reach while CM10s would be well over my budget.

Will show up the amp stick with lower range.

If you want cm speakers get an 8005

 

[Audio Maniac]

Based on my past experiences, entry level Marantz amplifiers like PM600X are not a suitable partners to B&W speakers.

It's not related to tonal issues but with drive capabilities. Most B&W are power hungry loudspeakers that need high current capability to drive them properly. Unless you don't care of having a flat response system (no dynamics and low control bass lines), I'd choose other speaker brand or purchase a higher grade Marantz amp (at least PM800X).

 

[rgking94]

685s would pair very nicely, just got my hands on some 683s and debating what to pair them with