Are the 600s that bad?

[Drewbert]

I know some of you ball out of control and have 800s.... I dont have that much extra cash to toss on some freakin speakers...
So how are the 600s.... used they dont seem to be that bad at all... I can justify spending that much. Plus I like the way they look with the covers off..
How in your opinion do they compare to the Klipsch synergy? I have F3s and a C3..... Is it worth the upgrade?

[junior77blue]

The 600s aren't bad at all..its just the 800s are that much better! You really have to listen to them with your own ears and similar setups to see which sound you prefer best. Klipsch to me have a complete unique sound to them....just like B&W have their sound. To say which one is better is just one persons opinion....

[RebelMan]

Whoa... that is a loaded question...Klipsch vs B&W. I can tell you straight away that for the most part Klipsch advocates will say Klipsch and B&W owners will say B&W. As a B&W owner my preferences lie with B&W, but this all depends on what is driving them. If I paired a SET power amplifier with my 803S's they would be far less appealing to me than if I were driving them with say a Bryston 4B SST.

In general the 600 series are fine entry level high-end speakers. Weather or not they would be an upgrade would depend on what components you plan to use with them and whether YOU like the sound (better).

[tboooe]

I think the 600 series are fantastic speakers! I have the dm601s3 in my bedroom. For the price, it will be difficult to get better quality. Of course, quality is subjective. I like the sound of the b&W, clear, detailed. In my humble opinion, you cant go wrong with the 600 series, not only as an entry level speaker but as ones you can keep for as long as you wish. There is no real need to upgrade unless you are like some of us addicts and dont mind paying 2x or 3x to get just a little more performance.

[jim777]

The 600 series are very competitive in their price range. At that price, there are compromises so it will be up to you to listen to different brands. If you want a speaker that only delivers what can be well delivered instead of being boomy, harsh or soft or whatever, B&W is the way. If you want more bass (instead of being tight and detailed), look elsewhere. I listened to many many brands and I know that B&W is my sound. I stretched all the way to 703's though..

[bcgator]

Hi Drewbert,

I personally own the 805 Signatures, but my brother owns a 5.1 setup with the 602's and 601's. And I spent considerable time at my local B&W dealer listening to the 600 series speakers, as I'm considering adding a sound system to a 2nd room in my house.

Last time I was at the dealer, he set up a pair of the 602's for me, connected to a Rotel 1095 amp. I'll tell you straight out - they sounded absolutely phenomenal. Don't know if it was the room, or the amplification, or the source CD player (a Rotel 1072), but I was so impressed with the 602's. In fact, they sounded much much better than I expected. I knew going in that there would be a big difference between those 602's and my 805 Sigs...and there was. But the 602's completely impressed me. And considering the cost, wow. Amazing highs, full bass, and so amazingly clear. Again, it might have been the room we were in.

But the moral to this anecdote is that if they can sound that good in the dealer's listening room, with just Rotel gear, then they can sound that good in your house too. So, definitely give them a good listen...hopefully you'll be as impressed as I was, and you'll end up with great sound at a great price.

Eric
bcgator

PS: don't be afraid to crank them up, either...we did at the dealer, really pushed them. Couldn't believe how well they held up even at ear-bleed volumes, and the sound never deteriorated. Crystal clear right up to the point where my ears couldn't take it anymore.

[frank1068]

I am running four 602 speakers in my HT system and I have recently upgraded by RSX 1056 to a 1068/1075 combo and I am absolutely happy with my setup. I have tested the 703's and the 805's and they are definately better sounding speakers but for the dollar the 602 is a steal. You will not go wrong with the 602 IMHO. :T

[Sim reality]

I think you will find more people have 600s then 700 or 800 but we just don't post because we aren't at the point where we need advice to fuss over the subtile details to maximize the return on our investment (In you spend $1000 versus $5000 I would expect you would probably spend 5 times less time tweaking your system... Which might be a good thing...).

Also with speakers I will use a car analogy (because I am a car freak). B&W is the benchmark like Honda is a Benchmark. Yes, if you are after specific attributes these are cars that do a better job then Honda does (sportier, better interior, more features) but for the money, it's a pretty good car.

[Drewbert]

I knew it was a loaded question. Im going to go to my local HT place today and test some out....
Im looking hard at the 604s.... Used at Audiogon the price is something I can totally live with.
IMO it comes to a point if the extra cash is really truly worth it... ya know? I mean sure its better.... but worth the 4grand more? Im not too sure.
I will listen to 703s..... they seem great too. But I have yet to see a used price for them... so who knows.
Thanks guys. I know it comes down to personal opinion, but I figured if you have B&W you have listened to them a little bit more than me.

[RebelMan]

IMO it comes to a point if the extra cash is really truly worth it... ya know? I mean sure its better.... but worth the 4grand more? Im not too sure.

This hobby is VERY subjective, in just about every way imaginable, especially when it comes to value. What one may find worth the extra cost another may not. Again, opinions will very. Bottom line, if you like what you see and hear AND you can afford it, then buy it.

[Drewbert]

This hobby is VERY subjective, in just about every way imaginable, especially when it comes to value. What one may find worth the extra cost another may not. Again, opinions will very. Bottom line, if you like what you see and hear AND you can afford it, then buy it.

Thats a good way to look at it. thanks

[audioqueso]

I loved the 600 series. I had a full surround setup of 601s and 600s. I was very happy with them. Everytime my friends came over and watched a movie I would always get comments stating how awesome those speakers sound. They are not bad at all.

[frank1068]

I find that when asked about the 600 series many members will automatically recommend buying the 800 series. I can understand why that is given the quality of that series but most people who are asking about the 600's are doing so because they have budget constraints.

I bought my 602's based on my personal budget requirements, but as I gained more knowledge and trained my ear I found myself wanting to uprgrade. I think that the 600's are a great starting point no matter what your budget and because my dealer allows for full price upgrades within the first year you can always upgrade later. I have already upgraded 8 mths later and I am giving serious consideration to a set of 703's in the near future.

Sure I would love to get into the 800's and I have the funds to do so, but it does not mean I want to spend thousands of dollars more unless I feel I am completely ready to make such a commitment.

I love this new hobby and I have really enjoyed reading all the excellent posts in this forum. Thank you all for such insightful discussion.

[Jeff]

A recent edition of Stereophile magazine profiled one of the 600 series floor standing speakers, I forget which one it was. It reviewed very well.

Happy listening. Jeff

[Drewbert]

I went ahead and went to the dealer today.
Listened to the 604s... I LOVE them.... and for that price Im happy. Ill probally go with those.
I liked the 700s.... liked the 704s. Just not sure If I can jusitfy the price.
Listened to all kinds... all of the 800s... they are bad ass. But there is no way I can justify spending that for them... no way.
Just have to go listen to them for your self. Thanks guys

[bigburner]

Hi Drew,

Do you listen to music at high volume? If so, consider auditioning a lower-end 6-series speaker such as the 602 S3 in combination with a 6-series subwoofer such as the ASW650 or ASW675. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

[jrd]

I've got 602S3 in front, 601S3 in the back, LCR60 in the middle, and an ASW 675 sub. Driving all but the sub with a simple Sony receiver for now, and I'm extremely satisfied with the result, especially for the price. There is certainly no contest with the higher end B&Ws; a pair of the 805s from the bottom end of the 800 series will blow it away, but a big part of it for me was the WAF. Now, she says the speakers are hers, and I'll have to get my own (my upgrade path)8)

[Woo Wooooo]

Take a look at the CM line just like the 600 but real wood and the aluminum look...... I do think the CM's have a smoother sound though

[Woo Wooooo]

ouch...just went to B&W webite and noticed the CM's are discontinued :cry:
i know they were not popular in this fourm but i loved them.....bummer....

[junior77blue]

The CM's to me were purely cosmetic...not saying that's not important. But 600 series were/are much better value.

[jim777]

I liked the CM-4 much better than the 603 s3 (with the RA-1062 and the RCD-1072). If I remember all right (not sure), the bass was much more defined than with the 603 s3 for heavier music. One thing is for sure, the difference was definitely there, as for each "step up" that I listened to. I also tried the 704 and the 703, and I finally got the 703. The 703 needs alot better than the small RA-1062 and it sounded even worse with the RB/RC-1070.. (I got a McIntosh). The CM-4 or the 704 with the RA-1062 was a good mix, and people should be able to find demo CM-4 now

But as I said, even if I liked the CM-4 much better than the 603 s3, the 600 series sound very good and they are very good competition for their price. In that price range, compromise is done so you must listen and choose a speaker that corresponds to your personnal taste (more bass, more precise, can't have them all at that price!)

[KvHagedorn]

"very competitive in their price range" is a bit understated in my experience. We sell probably the next best thing which is Paradigm, alongside B&W.The Paradigm Monitor 5s sell for $579 compared to the 602s3 at $600, and we sell probably 5-10 pair of 602s for every pair of Monitor 5s. They really are that much better. Remember, the 600 series has the Nautilus tweeter in the series 3s, so they really are a great value for the money.

[ironchef]

A recent edition of Stereophile magazine profiled one of the 600 series floor standing speakers, I forget which one it was. It reviewed very well.

Happy listening. Jeff

http://www.stereophile.com/loudspeakerreviews/805bw/

Read for yourself, but the reviewer raves about the 603s3s. This makes me happy, as I own a pair, which I drive with Rotel 1062/1072. Not everyone agrees, but I've always thought they look beautiful, and sound better than anything else that I listened to that I could afford. Way better. I listened to Triangles, Paradigms, Linns (actually I could not really afford those at the time), Boston Acoustics, on and on.

I am planning to upgrade at some point this fall, but not because I don't like them, as they are a bargain at $1500CDN/pair, but because I'm now ready to drop some more $$. I've never had regrets, I doubt many people would.

Ooops, this article is well covered in this post:

http://www.htguide.com/forum/showthread.php4?t=15331

[Col5]

The 600 series are great speakers , seems like most on this site have money to burn or are well into Hi-Fi and love to get the best at all cost.

Just my opinion , for the price differance between the 800s and 600s you would have to be well into it I think , and have good hearing to justify it, fair play thats the site.

Got a pair of 601s3 and think they are amazing without subs , hey maybe I am missing something or never listened to the best speakers , tell ya what they would have to be better than good to pay them prices .

No diss to top end buyers , may try um someday :W

[GregLett]

601 no sub?? missing a alot of music there.

[dan87951]

I think the 602's and a good sub make for a fantastic front channel setup. I used this setup for a few years before I got my Nautilus 803's soon to be Nautilus 802's (finalizing deal). You got to start somewhere and I think the 600 series is a great place to start! One of the sounding speakers in there price range in my opinion. The DM602 is bascially a DM604 without the bass drivers.

[LeeDempsey]

DM603 S3 Stereophile's 2005 Budget Product of the Year

This may have been mentioned on another thread, but the DM603 S3's were awarded "2005 Budget Product of the Year" by Stereophile in their latest issue. Not just budget speaker of the year, but budget PRODUCT of the year. The 603's beat a diverse group of products including the Rega P5 turntable, Musical Fidelity's X-DAC D/A processor, Music Hall Maven receiver, and speakers from Almarro, Amphion, Epos, Infinity, Magnepan, and Totem.

I love my 603 S3's.

LED

[dyazdani]

I used some 601s in a second system for a while a few years back. I also had some Thiel 2.3s at the same time and in the same system - thoroughly enjoyed them both. That speaks a lot for the little B&Ws at about a $3000 deficit in price point.

[Col5]

We got all that , keep the 805s for that money , stick with a great value 601 s3 8)

602 is too damm big :T

[subforce]

hi guys i have had every one of the 600 raneg and now on 2/ 604 front L R 2\LCR600 center and back center 2\602 at the back and asw675 sub and wow every time i play a movie or listen to music only with my 604 i smile they are realy worth ever penny 600's range are gr8 from the littel 600 to the 604s

[ac81017]

Hi Drew,

Do you listen to music at high volume? If so, consider auditioning a lower-end 6-series speaker such as the 602 S3 in combination with a 6-series subwoofer such as the ASW650 or ASW675. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

I agree with this guy here :T

I have the 602s3, I demoed the 604s, yes they do sound good, but the bass is not that hard unless you really lift up the volume. 602s3 with an active sub like the 650 or 675 will make a HUGE difference! The 650 or 675 can shake but not stur! The midrange and tweeter are the same in the 602s, plus you get a much more balanced sound and you don´t have play with full bass on your amp and then play loud to here or feel it.

PLEASE, TEST THE 601S3 AND THE 602S3 WITH A 6 SERIES SUB, YOU CAN´T GO WRONG!! :T

[subforce]

yip the 602's with the sub is gr8

[ArtyG]

I have two 601 S3 for L&R fronts and two new to me but used 601 S1 for L&R surrounds.

The center is a brand new LCR60 S3 and my sub is an old ASW 300. I have a CC3 as a single surround back.

Driving all this is a Denon 2807 which I use pretty much all the time to project audio with TV and DVD viewing. Additionally I listen to CDs and FM thru these. My speaker cables are Anticables www.anticables.com for the most part with the exception of the subwoofer feed and my front L&R which are connected with MIT Terminator 5's. I use banana plugs for pretty much both ends of my wires.

I recently upgraded to the 601's from four trusty DM 302's and a CC3 (CC3 is now my surround back). Interestingly, there was not much change at all in TV viewing audio between the DM 302s and the DM 601s. I recon that the TV audio is just not that rich to expose the limits of these speakers. DVD listening at louder db however shows (to me) the boom that the 601 drivers can produce as they are larger by a tad.

I just love the sound of my 601 based setup for my purposes. The Denon has no problem driving these speakers and everything is always clean and crisp. Space and the esthetics of living in a antique home have imposed a less techno look so I have kept to the smaller 601 speakers vs the 602s. I have my ASW300 in the rear pointed at the side of the focal couch upon which we do most of our viewing. It can shake the couch pretty well and that is a cool effect. I use the ASW300 as a coffee table, it being in the light oak cabinet.

Question: Is there a more suitable B&W Subwoofer out there than my old ASW 300 (which I got with the 302's? Which sub would match up best with my 601's? B&W or otherwise...

BTW, new member here...
I am in Connecticut in the NE and my local B&W shop is Audio Etc in Orange, CT (near New Haven). This is a cool forum and I am just starting to read into it. Robert... if you are out there thanks for turning me on to this great B&W community! :T