B&W 603's wow!!

[Tha Freak]

I know they're not 800 series, but more in my budget range !!

Yesterday I more carefully listened the 603 at my dealer!

I was stunned by the realism, soundstage, dispersion...

I now think I will have a pair of speakers for my 2ch upstairs that will be quitenice with my Rotel 972/991 combo!!

Presently, it's the surrounds from my HT that are "borrowed" !! Some Energy C-2 bookshelf...

They will probably return in the HT quite soon join my C-6 mains...

I'm probably going to make a comparison of the 603 with my C-6 using the A/B connection of my integrated...

what to expect ?

[Clepto]

You might want to try comparing the 602s3 and the 604s3 as well... though if you want more full range, maybe sticking with 603 vs 604... IMO the 602's are one of the best bookshelf speaker values out there.

It's interesting that some folks prefer the 603 to the 604, and others vice versa...

[bluesfan]

I hate my 603s with my Rotel 1068 but each to his own. Not crisp enough (no tiss) and lousy bass. But they may sound better with something else.

[Tha Freak]

That's weird bluesfan ?? not crisp enough ?? I especially noticed the natural sound highs, the balanced mids (wich are often forgotten in most 1K HP's) and tight bass...all that paired with a 1080 amp...

604 too much bass!...(for my taste, sounded boomy??)

602+stand= more expensive than 603...

[coolmonk]

That's weird bluesfan ?? not crisp enough ?? I especially noticed the natural sound highs, the balanced mids (wich are often forgotten in most 1K HP's) and tight bass...all that paired with a 1080 amp...

604 too much bass!...(for my taste, sounded boomy??)

602+stand= more expensive than 603...

Price aside, the 602 S3 is the best for music in the 600 series. The sound is airy and wide with decent bass for a value bookshelf. The 603 doesn't have as good of a soundstage and has a sound that is a little "closed in". The 604 is nice...good detail, good bass (if too boomy, move away from the wall and use port plugs), good soundstage, but a little too aggressive for long listening without fatigue.

I guess for the price you can't go wrong with any of the three...but personally I prefer the 602 or 604.

[shades]

I guess for the price you can't go wrong with any of the three...but personally I prefer the 602 or 604.

I agree with coolmonk, the 602s3 when i had them were outstanding for the price. One of the best bookshelves i've heard.

[Tha Freak]

Well I did a A/B/C comparison test...

to my ears, the 603 where the more balanced...but hey, it's just me!!

[bluesfan]

I don't deny it's probably the 1075/1068 but I still think the tweeters are rubbish. I also have 600s at the back.

The only av amp I heard I ever really liked was the Linn 5103 and that was with cheap Castle speakers. I should go back to two channel.

I'm looking for 703s or 804s or building my own with Scanspeak tweeters at £200 each.

That's weird bluesfan ?? not crisp enough ?? I especially noticed the natural sound highs, the balanced mids (wich are often forgotten in most 1K HP's) and tight bass...all that paired with a 1080 amp...

604 too much bass!...(for my taste, sounded boomy??)

602+stand= more expensive than 603...

[weijst]

Hmm, difficult one.

I have always been a great fan of the 602 model. My first pair of speakers were the DM602 (S1). Later on I got a pair of DM602 S3. After switching back and forth from the 600 to the 700 and 800 series, in the summer of 2005 I got myself a 2nd hand pair of DM603 S3. They were indeed impressive too, HOWEVER when I look back, I think I prefered my good old pair of DM602 S3 with a decent sub (you'll be needing a sub with the DM603 S3 too). The DM602 S3 's imaging was better and music was less boomy. Yes, the DM603 S3 can go lower, but the bass from the DM602 S3 is tighter (better for music).

Bottom line, I find the DM602 S3 to be the 600 serie's sweetspot (maybe even B&W's entire range's sweetspot), definately when it comes down to performance per buck...

...602+stand= more expensive than 603...

Than you are looking at really expensive stands. You can find decent stands for as much as $150 per pair... Check www.racksandstands.com

[comeup]

YES, 602 S3 are the one's I like. I prefer them over the 700 series. I did a blind test and choose the 600's over the 700's three times in a row, but 700 series do look better if that matters.

602 S3 :T :T :T

[jlr_1304]

As-tu été chez fillion finalement ?

[dknightd]

Well I did a A/B/C comparison test...

to my ears, the 603 where the more balanced...but hey, it's just me!!

And that is all that matters. They are your ears, and your speakers.

[Tha Freak]

As-tu été chez fillion finalement ?

nope not yet!...who's the guy ? (PM me on QAV)




as for the 602, I liked them too, but something was missing...especially in the lower mid compared to the 603...

[PewterTA]

That's why you go for the 604s! :T

[JudyLou]

I have the 603S3 on an Marantz SR7600 Receiver in a not so perfect demo room. We do bass management at 120Hz (can you believe it). That makes the 603 a proper 2way(By-wired buy the way) Using 2 subs - a Infinity BETA 12" in front and a Boston PV500 10" as filler in the back.
O yes - we lifted the 603s about 50mm.

Despite the inperfect room the 603's sound magic. Open, airy with a pretty large soundstage and still very focused.

I do like the 602S3 very much also - but with good stand it will cost about the same. If you like it, you like it - thats what counts.

We have 705's on a bi-amp setup on Rotel Pre(1098)-Power(1095) amp set-up. Man, do they like bi-amping. They like power.

[GriffenSA]

Ever since i got my first decent Hi-Fi,
(so im new to the hi-fi scene...)
603`s included, i thought i wudnt upgrade for a long time (i was that impressed), i promised myself i wudnt listen to any of the other B & W speakers, just in case .

Then i went to demo a pair of 704s, arrived with a "they cost double the price, the 603s are Brilliant, no way they can be that much better atitude"

704s seem to be more shy bass wise, more distinct though (cant say im a fan of that, i prefer the heavier bass of the 603`s)

Mid range wasnt quite as sweet (probably cause of the different setups)

!!now for my question...!!

But what got me hooked was the tweeter! Is it just me.. or are the high dynimics, detail and character, Like 10 times better than the 603s. The 704`s sound more live! Im a great lover of high end detail, so it really got me hooked.

If i thought my current amp could do some 704`s justice, i would be planning my next upgrade.

Would love to hear some opinions

[b&w fan]

Incredible Collection!!!

That's why you go for the 604s! :T

WOW astonishing DVD collection in quantity and quality!,
congratulations

[Tha Freak]

Man, do they like bi-amping. They like power.

does the 603's also need a lot of power ??

I was listening to them on a RC-1062 integrated and on a pre/amp 1070 combo...they quite opened with the separate combo...

I will run them on a RA-972 integrated until I can put my hands on a decent used Classé Audio amp (150 or 200w)...

would that be "enough" ??

[Sim reality]

It doesn't need a lot of power... But like most things in life the more power the better (I am running it off a RSX-1056 and it sounds pretty good).

I don't think the 603 will give you all the details that the Classe amp is capable of putting out though... You can probably save some money and go for a cheaper amp unless you are planning to upgrade to the 800 series

[BTB]

Hi Tha Freak

I disagree with the opinion expressed by Sim Reality, the 603's really do thrive off a healthy dose of power, I know because I switched up to the very Rotel combo you refer to (from a less powerful integrated) and I also found that the speakers really "opened up" something lovely! Too little power and they sound kinda dark and "thin".

On the other hand, I agree when he says that the 603's are not a direct "quality" match for a Classe amp. Don't get me wrong, they are excellent speakers, but they have a very definite performance envelope which I think the amp will exceed. Don't want to sound like one of the B&W/Rotel zombies, but they do work rather well together. :W

[GriffenSA]

the 603s in my opinion thrive on power, my pm 7200 is rated at 105 continous in hi-fi tests, and i really need to give the marantz a bit of a hiding before it exacts good value from the 603s (this seems to be a bit of a characteristic with this series of amps), That said with the 105watts continous i havent heard it even once sound odd at high volume with any of my recordings.

I Heard some Paradigm Monitor 7s in a Back to back against some 603s The difference was night and day. The Monitor 7s did alot more with the power at low volume, the 603s where a bit more detailed and focused. IT was a 95watts continous Marantz amp. It was only when i turned up the Volume that the 603s started to shine (won me over)

Good quality Monster Bi-Wiring helped tremendously, so did the "Van den Hul, The First" interconnects, its alot more open at low volume and even more so at higher playing levels.Cable changes really brought the best out of my budget Hi-Fi. But i think they def do Thrive on power.

Reading on the B & W site, they make there drivers to perform better at volume, they dont mension much about low volume performance. So it does sound like they are designed to perform best at slighter higher volumes, so it makes sense that they will need sufficient power.

As for the Rotel/ B & W combo, im not a fan. Much rather prefer the Marantz sound.

[2bluechris]

B&W 600 series versus 700 series ... {GriffenSA and comeup}

704s seem to be more shy bass wise, more distinct though (cant say im a fan of that, i prefer the heavier bass of the 603`s)

Mid range wasnt quite as sweet (probably cause of the different setups)

!!now for my question...!!

But what got me hooked was the tweeter! Is it just me.. or are the high dynimics, detail and character, Like 10 times better than the 603s. The 704`s sound more live! Im a great lover of high end detail, so it really got me hooked.

If i thought my current amp could do some 704`s justice, i would be planning my next upgrade.

Would love to hear some opinions

The 704 really does need a good amp . I heard them sound absolutely dreadful - compression effects , some distortion , slow bass , etc - when driven by an NAD 320BEE which drove 602s quite well with the same music . Perhaps this is why "comeup" prefers the 602 S3 to the 700 series . "comeup" , what CD player and amp did the dem'er use ? I've read several threads in the B&W forum where all of 703;704;705 are not liked , understandable when compared to the 800 series models , but what is actually wrong with the 705 at its price ? No , I haven't heard them yet - shop was out of stock , but there're my absolute budget limit . - Chris .

[Rod S]

Although 603's do sound good with 70-100W amps, like so many other speakers, some additional good quality power makes a world of difference. Like others have said, that doesn't mean they need Krell or Classe to perform to their full potential.
Personally I upgraded from a Denon PMA 350 (UK spec 2 channel integrated, ~70W/channel) to a Rotel RC-1090, RB 1080 combo. In short my plan to also upgrade the speakers was knocked completely on the head. For their pricing point they out perform a significant number of speakers.
Personally I’ll be sticking with the 603 S3 until I can find the time too properly audition and sweet talk my better half, in to a pair B&W 804S or 803S.

[angelo]

Tha Freak-

Have you gotten a chance to read this article yet?

http://stereophile.com/floorloudspeakers/805bw/

[BTB]

Hi 2bluechris

I suspect that lucky owners of 800 series B&Ws don't hold the 700 series speakers in too high regard because they are probably view them as "lesser" products. I own 704's myself so I'm not aiming to insult 700 series owners, or the product range. Having listened to the 800 series models, up to the superb 802's, there are obvious areas of improvement under direct comparison, but truth be told, you're probably up to like 90% of that performance with the 700's anyway (what with the tweeter on top arrangement and the more rigid cabinets etc...), so you need not feel too done in until you can afford the "big guns".

As for your question RE:705's. I've spent many hours listening to them and they're superb speakers. In many ways more sophisticated than their 600 series counterparts. Obvious I would presume, given the engineering improvements? I'd often heard them described as bass light (even for standmounts); this has not been my experience of them. Then again, I'll take "bass light" snap and tunefulness anyday over indistinct "quantity", often incorrectly indentified as increased extension, when it's really just "mush". Clearly the 705 falls into the snappy,tuneful category. My two cents, if your room is small enough I'd listen to, and probably lean toward the 705's instead of similar priced 600 series floorstanders. A matter of taste in the end, but I find the 700's sound pretty different to the 600 series. Both have their relative merits (and negatives) bit the actual character of the sound each produce is quite disimilar.

[GriffenSA]

think we have lost the plot a bit

If im not mistaken,I think the original question (and my question as well lol) is 603`s VS 704s
what are the pros and cons?

The 704s cost double the money so are they twice as good? Or at least noticeably better in all aspects?

Like i said, in my opinion the High End Dynamics sound amazing and noticeably better, the rest ......

[Navin R. Johnso]

I was looking at the same choice- definately listen to them on the same equipment, same songs, same room (if that's possible). I found the 704s to have a wider and deeper soundstage, better instrument placement and more revealing of subtlties like a drum brush or a banjo accompanying rock music. At the end of the day the performance step-up was worth the price increase to me, and the real wood finish was a nice plus as well.

[dknightd]

I think the OPs question was

I'm probably going to make a comparison of the 603 with my C-6 using the A/B connection of my integrated...

what to expect ?

Then I think somewhere down the line he asnswered he prefered the 603.

From what I've heard all B&W speakers benefit from a good amp.
Total "watts" doesn't seem to be the most important thing. In any b&w
speaker above the 602 you have to be able to provide good quality "amps".
The B&W's seem to thrive on a amplifier that can deliver current when it is needed. Probably because they have such wildly varying impendance with frequency. They also display any weakness in your upstream components - this can be good or bad. Unfortunately it means you probably have to spend about the same on amps as you spent on the speakers.

[2bluechris]

Thanks BTB !

Hi 2bluechris

As for your question RE:705's. I've spent many hours listening to them and they're superb speakers. In many ways more sophisticated than their 600 series counterparts. Obvious I would presume, given the engineering improvements? I'd often heard them described as bass light (even for standmounts); this has not been my experience of them. Then again, I'll take "bass light" snap and tunefulness anyday over indistinct "quantity", often incorrectly indentified as increased extension, when it's really just "mush". Clearly the 705 falls into the snappy,tuneful category. My two cents, if your room is small enough I'd listen to, and probably lean toward the 705's instead of similar priced 600 series floorstanders. A matter of taste in the end, but I find the 700's sound pretty different to the 600 series. Both have their relative merits (and negatives) bit the actual character of the sound each produce is quite disimilar.

Thanks BTB ! - I'll get back to listen to the 705s as soon as in stock . I suppose much of the similar character of the sound between the two series is owing to the characteristic sound of the material B&W make their woofers from , and possibly part is owing to similar cross-overs and inter-driver connctions - all drivers connected in the same polarity . -thanks again , Chris.