your first b&w setup

[worldys]

so i have been in this hobby for about three years now, and as i contemplate an 802d purchase, i am thinking nostalgically about my first b&w speakers, a pair of 602s1 that i picked up second hand from a guy in my old apartment building, made me wonder what other people's stories are, what their first system was, the system they are most fond of, how long they have been addicted, etc.

so my story is that the 602 purchase came around the same time i was graduating from school and getting my frist job, got my first decent tv and decided i would try this surround sound thing, so i got a pair of 603s for fronts and a cc6 center, i think i still had an onkyo receiver at the time, back then i didn't know what line stage meant or what balanced cables were, didn't understand separates, transports, DACs, etc., since them i have been steadily upgrading my gear, went to the cdm series, and now have nautilus 803, 805, htm1, have been loyal to b&w except for a brief tryst with kefs new reference series (before i got the nautilus), have been more promiscuous with my upstream gear, after the onkyo, i went for a rotel receiver, then rotel separates, then krell sepaerates, then classe separates, then back to rotel's latest and greatest separates, and now krell's newer separates

also started a music system in another room, which initially was lower priority than the surround sound but then took on a life of its own, started with cdm7nt, progressed to n803s, i had n801s briefly until my wife came back from her out of town trip, now i have silver signature 30s, electronics on this system is where i do most of my experimentation these days, between the transport, dac, preamp (tube or solid), amp (only solid so far), and cables, the potentials are staggering and there is still so much i don't know, what a great pastime (and no hang over the next morning)

i know there are equally compulsive folks out there, so let's hear it

[Nolan B]

Funny I was just thinking of my first system. I remember buying blind and totally on the recomendation of my dealer. I Spent about 3k on it I think and remember thinking..WOW I have a System worth 3 thousand bucks, this kicks but! :banana:

I had a Denon 1703 reciever and B&W 300 series in maple (fake) with a ASW 300.

Funny there isnt much posted on the B&W 300 series..i thought they were great value.

[Miroku]

My first B&Ws were 602 s1's also. I used them for about 5 years, the first 2 of which were in college. They served me well as DJ monitors and portable party makers. :T

[Angioguy]

My First Pair

Yeah, I got my first pair of B&W's DM 330's about 15-20 years ago. Started with a JVC rack system in high school, then followed with an Adcom power amp preamp combination, Yamaha K-720 cassette deck and Denon DCD 1800R CD player.

Funny thing is, the only system component that has remained a part of my evolving system have been those DM-330's, which lasted me through some wild fraternity parties, several apartment moves and a fire... and they're still going strong today as a pair of rear channels in my 5.1 setup! :T

[PewterTA]

First B&W system is my current B&W system...

DM604 S3s, LCR600, DM602 S3 (x4 for surrounds) for a 7.1 setup...

I still love listening to it every chance I get since it's now hooked up with the Rotel 1098/1095/1080. Good stuff! Hopefully one day I can sell them and move to the 800 series.

[Nolan B]

Yeah, I got my first pair of B&W's DM 330's about 15-20 years ago. Started with a JVC rack system in high school, then followed with an Adcom power amp preamp combination, Yamaha K-720 cassette deck and Denon DCD 1800R CD player.

Funny thing is, the only system component that has remained a part of my evolving system have been those DM-330's, which lasted me through some wild fraternity parties, several apartment moves and a fire... and they're still going strong today as a pair of rear channels in my 5.1 setup! :T

its nice to hear some one with B&W speakers which are 20 years old and still sound great. makes me feel better about all the money I have invested. I will probebly never get rid of my FPMs. This is the only speaker set up I have which I wont trade in when I do my next upgrade...will probably just put them in my bedroom or office.

[Fraise]

My very first pair of B&W's were a pair of VM1's.
Next was an LCR-60 because i had intentions of getting a pair of 604s
traded the LCR-60 in for a CM-C because i noticed the CM 6's had the FST midrange which i really wanted.
went to purchase a pair of CM 6's and ended up with a killer deal on a pair of CDM 9NT's
1 week later, traded the CM-C for a CDM CNT
about a month later, traded all the CDM's in for a pair of nautilus 803's
2-3 months later I traded the 803's in for a pair of Martin Logans which i've now had for over 2 years.

[gross30]

My first B&W speakers, as of 3 months ago, are a used set of 801's matrix series 3. I matched them up with a used set of Classe 15 monoblocks. My heart is still set on 802d's with either Classe or Krell amplification. I bought the used equipment at a great deal, so I thought I would try them out before taking a significant chunk from the pocketbook. Sort of trying out the new sound, and I really enjoy them. This will most likely be their last stop. I'm sure I can find another room for them when upgrades become reality.

[Kobus]

Mid 80's, a pair of DM110i. Powered by Nad amp.

Those 110's were great. They still are, 20 years on I use them for rear duties.

[brendon]

First B&W system a pair of DM580 circa 1992 ish still going strong despite the worst my two young sons could do to them (those rear ports attract all sorts of stuff and have had to retrieve the bungs on at least three occasions.) driven by a Yamaha 2 ch amp
Now surplanted in my affections by a pair of 602's and a LCR 60 in a HT setup driven by a Marantz SR7500.
Brendon

[Race Car Driver]

I picked up my first system early last year. Picked up a pair of N802s at a "thrift shop" for a killer deal.
So yea, im fresh fish, its good to hear that people have been enjoying their hobby for years, and that the B&W name has been so praised for so long. I dont plan on letting my 802s goin anywhere... ever.

[dan87951]

My buddy has 601 S2's which got me hooked then I got a pair of DM602 S3's, now have N802's.

[Jonesy]

A couple of years ago I bought LM1's as surrounds due to their mounting abilities and got hooked on the sound. I now have 604s3's as mains and am looking for the matching center. Not much history but a helluva lot'a appreciation!

(Hey Worldys I didn't sell you an Infinity center speaker a while ago did I?)

[scottielee]

1st system:
Signature 805
Denon 3803
Sony DVP-NS999ES

2.5 years later...
Signature 805
Velodyne DD12
Jadis JA30
Wadia 861b

next speakers? perhaps the original Nautilus seashells or something in the same class (Tannoy Westminster, Acapella Violon, Avantgarde Trio...) :lol: ;x( :crazy:

but i guarantee i will still have the Signature 805 and Jadis JA30 many, many years later.

[RebelMan]

Mid 80's, a pair of DM110i. Those 110's were great.

Amen brother, same here. Although I don't have them anymore, they were great when I did. I am amazed that you managed to keep yours for so long. Impressive.

[ShadowZA]

Wow! I'm feeling a huge pang of nostalgia. I, too had a pair of DM110i's in the mid 80's. If I remember correctly, I had them powered by a Rotel RA840BX2 integrated amp (40 watts x 2). You could get the 110i's with either a blue or a red ring around the woofer. I had the red ones. They were advertised as being "digital monitors". Man ... those were the daze

[audioqueso]

Wow... it was only 4 years ago yet it seems so long ago. I remember I had purchased several speaker packages in my quest for the right speaker. I had purchased within 1-2 years a complete set of JBLs, then Klipsch Reference Series, then Infinity Interlude Series, but still wasn't satisfied. Then I saw 800 speaker on some website... the Nautilus 800. I didn't know it was B&W back then. I remember seeing and hearing the 800 back in Japan a few years back and was in love. But finding out the company's name, I went to the website and looked up a locate dealership, gave them my price and scenerio, and was recommended the 600 series. As soon as I heard them I knew these were it. I gave the $1000 for two pairs of 600 S3 and LCR60 S3. That was my beginning. I remember that once I hooked them up in my home they sounded better than what I heard in the store. I've been hooked to the B&W, upgrading, with goals of having my 800s someday.

[RebelMan]

Wow! I'm feeling a huge pang of nostalgia. I, too had a pair of DM110i's in the mid 80's. If I remember correctly, I had them powered by a Rotel RA840BX2 integrated amp (40 watts x 2). You could get the 110i's with either a blue or a red ring around the woofer. I had the red ones. They were advertised as being "digital monitors". Man ... those were the daze

I couldn't resist the blue ones. It's my favorite color. Mine 110i's were diven by a Vector Research VRX-9000 stereo receiver (80 wpc into 8 ohms, I believe). Ever hear of them? I also had a Luxman processor that I used, back in the daze, for Dolby Surround. How's that for nostalgia? :B

[RebelMan]

I've been hooked to the B&W, upgrading, with goals of having my 800s someday.

I have my sights on the 800D's. Don't know when. If they came out with a pair of SCM"D"'s then that would make some choices a whole lot easier. For now my 803S's fit the 50/50 AV ratio perfectly.