Need Help Choosing Speakers

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Submitted By: Upstatehate

member

Location: New York

Joined: Mar 12 2013

Posts:

Need Help Choosing Speakers

Posted: March 12, 2013 - 8:53pm

Hello everyone,

i came seeking advice on choosing my first set of speakers. I currently have a job that gives me some decent prices on B&W stuff. I am torn between the following

b&w 685 - $360/pair

b&w 684 floor standing - $300 each

b&w cm1 - $550/pair

b&w cm5 - $850/pair

i think they all sound great, but love the detail I get from the cm5. I am in a smaller apartment and will probably not get a sub for a while, which most likely eliminates the cm1.

Im just trying to decide whether to just suck it up and buy the cm5(that I really want) or save a bit and got with the 600 series. My friend has the 685 with a Martin Logan sub and they sound really good. And help would be appreciated. I know I will never have this pricing again as I am leaving my job on Saturday lol.

thanks

Submitted By: commsysman

senior member

Location: SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

Joined: Apr 4 2006

Posts:

Speakers

Posted: March 13, 2013 - 7:02am

Personally, the only one of those speakers that I would want is the cm5.

The 684 and 685 are just not very good speakers IMO and the cm1 is very limited.

Personally, I would go to Audio Advisor and get a pair of the Monitor Audio Silver RX2 speakers, which cost $850. I think they are better speakers and they certainly have more bass extension, with their 8-inch drivers.

But, if you are turned on by the cm5, it's a pretty good speaker.

Upstatehate wrote:

Hello everyone,

i came seeking advice on choosing my first set of speakers. I currently have a job that gives me some decent prices on B&W stuff. I am torn between the following

b&w 685 - $360/pair

b&w 684 floor standing - $300 each

b&w cm1 - $550/pair

b&w cm5 - $850/pair

i think they all sound great, but love the detail I get from the cm5. I am in a smaller apartment and will probably not get a sub for a while, which most likely eliminates the cm1.

thanks

Submitted By: jgossman

senior member

Location: Louisville, KY

Joined: Aug 18 2011

Posts:

I'm not as nice as them

Posted: March 14, 2013 - 6:55am

Kevlar midranges sound unnatural and shitty. Always. JM Lab didn't stop using them in Hi-Fi products for nothing - they devloped a glass fiber composite with the best attributes of paper and the damping of polymer. I don't know why B&W continues on with Kevlar cones. It can only be marketing. If you think they sound natural you've never heard JBL Monitors, old B&W's, old Spendors (or new for that matter), etc.

The closer you get to paper or hemp paper cones, the better more natural the midrange - including good polymer and metal cone midranges.

It's not a great deal if they aren't great speakers. I'd keep saving and looking. It's pretty amazing what happens on the new and used market when you hit that $1000-1500 mark. That's right about where diminishing returns will start to set in because there is so much REALLY great stuff out there.