Floor Loudspeaker Reviews

Chris, see my comment below

Besides the excellent "product of year" designation and accompanying video review of the B&W 685 S2 by What Hi-Fi, here are some other recent reviews:

CNET:

http://www.cnet.com/products/b-w-600-series-685-speaker-wired-series/

Connect.de (seems to be the successor site to Audio.de, which gave a "Sehr Gut" rating to the 685 s2):

http://www.connect.de/testbericht/bowers-wilkins-685-s2-test-lautspecher-boxen-meinung-2388587.html

Numeriques (France):

http://www.lesnumeriques.com/enceintes-home-cinema/bowers-wilkins-685-s2-p20166/test.html

Nextmedia (Australia):

http://i.nextmedia.com.au/Assets/bw_685_s2_loudspeakers_review_test_lores.pdf

I hope, still, that we can add Stereophile's review of the B&W 685 S2 to these soon.

This speaker, while perhaps not the best stand-mounter overall, is an outstanding product. I have heard the 685 on Marantz, Rotel, and Arcam amplification. Its easy impedance load and good sensitivity make it a versatile speaker with a variety of gear.

The 685 s2 projects a massive presence for its modest size. It has the characteristic, kind of laid-back "B&W sound." This sound can be laid-back for some, but there is little listening fatigue for this product. Many stand-mounters crossover to the tweeter around 2,800 Hz. Other, more expensive stand-mounters, cross over a lower frequencies of around 1,600 - 1,800. B&W with the 685 S2, as with their other stand-mount speakers get a good result, to my ears, by crossing over to the tweeter at 4,000 Hz.

Weight-wise, the B&W 685 s2 is not heavy at around 15 lbs per unit. There appears to be no inner-bracing of the cabinet. However, another leading manufacturer of speakers is asking almost $3,000 per pair for a pair of speakers that weigh almost the same as the B&W 685 S2 (makes you wonder where the additional $2,300 is going).

An interesting thing I have noticed is that the B&W 685 S2 is such a great deal at $700/pair, that the product at times seems to get limited exposure, by retailers and publications alike. I am sure that many would gravitate toward this product, over much more expensive alternatives, if they knew the sound at which this product was capable, compared to more margin-rich, but not much better products. A major retailer in my major city conspicuously has the B&W 685 S2 on display, but not connected to any amplification or source equipment; they are on display to be seen but not heard.

This is my amateur-hour appraisal of the B&W 685 s2. Read the professional reviews relayed by me for more polished insights.

johnnyangel wrote:

I'm a paying subscriber whose Zinio copy of the edition from which this review was taken still hasn't shown up. Is there any end in sight to this ongoing problem?

The Zinio edition of the September Stereophile was made available a week ago. (As a check on their schedule, I pay for a subscription and downloaded my issue last Saturday.)

You need to contact Zinio customer service. (As Zinio is an independent company, I am afraid there is nothing I can do.)

John Atkinson
Editor, Stereophile

...and its largely decorative grill: A system with a $39,000 speaker is likely to be in a room where cats, dogs and children aren't normally allowed in.

Whew! I cannot help you there. I loved the F12s but I last heard them back in 2006. I would have bought them then but they were a bit too tall to fit under my display.