700 v 600 s3

[tristan1986]

hey guys bit of a newbie, but im going to audition some of the 700s and the 600s next week and i was just wondering if i could get a heads up on what you think the major differences are between the 700s and the 600 (apart from the obvious price difference) i know theres no substiute for actually listening for yourself, but itd be cool if you guys could tell me what you think too. thanks, tristan.

[audioqueso]

The 700 series is a completely different sound from any other series B&W has to offer. First, the biggest different between the 600 and 700 series is the 600 soundstage can be described as being 2D, while the 700 soundstage is more 3D. The 700 and higher series have a huge soundstage and depth compared to the 600 series. Another difference is that the 700 series is a more forward speaker. The 600 series will share sound characteristics more to the 800 series than it would to the 700. The 600 and 800 series are more laid back compared to the 700. I'm sure there are more differences others would mention. This is what I can think of right now. I have owned the 600 series, auditioning the 700 extensively, and now own the 800 series.

[Clepto]

Also keep in mind that the limiting factor of the 700 series currently, is a center channel that doesn't quite match up well with the fronts... A lot of people swear by the 700s for 2ch though.

[PewterTA]

I spent a good amount of time listening to the 600 and 700 series and for the price, I couldn't justify the 700s. I agree that they do have a more 3D sound stage to them, however, having lived with my 604s, I've gotten a really good 3D sound stage out of them with the 1098/1095/CA CDP 640v2 setup... Enough that it (from the last time I demoed the 703s) that it's decently similar.

I completely agree that the 703s are more forward and "in your face" sound than the 600 series. Which I prefer having the sound seem to extend behind the speaker and not quite as 'close' to me. The 703s gave me the impression that some instruments were within a few feet of me where the 600s (and 800s similarly) place the instruments very close to where the actual speaker was located.

All in all it's a personal taste as to what kind of sound you like. For me I enjoyed saving the money on the price of the 604s with a slight less sound quality and will *hopefully* put that towards the 802Ds someday.

[srb]

The 602 S3 has 'more' bass than the 705 (which some people have described as a tad lean), however I found the extra bass of the 602 a liittle loose and muddy, and ended up partially plugging the ports to get tighter sounding (and less) bass.

I would agree with previous comments that the 700 series sounds more forward and 3D.

I found the 705's to be less boxy sounding, with a clearer and more refined/accurate top end.

The 602 is a very good speaker at it's price point, and as with most equipment, you have to pay substantially more for increments of improvement. (The 705's are 2-1/2 times the cost of the 602's)

[See-Fu]

When I was auditioning both of these speakers, the most noticeable different to me was the highs. The 700 series just had way more detail.

[BTB]

Hi Tristan

Welcome to the forum.

I traded my 603 S3's (fantastic loudspeakers for the money!!) for 704's about a year ago. Considering each model as representative of their series here are the principle differences I heard:

Treble: HF's are more "out of box" on the 704's which probably contributes to the superior soundstaging and imaging others have already mentioned. Obviously the "tweeter on top" arrangement does work! Treble is also smoother and more detailed with the right partnering equipment.

Midrange: Definitely more "shut in" on the 704 than the 603. Between the two the 603 is more "open" sounding and seems a bit more engaging as a result. Nonetheless, midrange is detailed and clear on the 704, and not in any way aggresive or harsh sounding.

Bass: This is probably the biggest single improvement... bass on the 704 is far cleaner and faster, notes are articulated better and there is less audible cabinet resonance. On first listen the 700's may seem a bit bass light, but don't mistake the thicker, occasionally boomy bass presentation of the 600's (in relative terms!) for increased extension, besides the 700's will give you SERIOUS bass with the proper amount of quality & power behind them.

Overall, it's actually a difficult one for me to call: the 700 speakers are more accurate than the 600's and to my ears sound a bit more restrained and therefore a bit more "hi fi".

The 600's on the other hand just might have a more engaging and entertaining presentation despite their shortcomings.

I could probably live very happily with either model. Good luck and enjoy! :T

[dmccombs]

Tristan,

The 703s are terrific speakers. they do nicely as Fronts.

Like Clepto mentioned, the HTM7 isn't a great match in the Center for the 703s. I picked up a used HTM1 and it went great with the 703s. It wasn't a perfect match, but it worked great with the 703s. It was a night-and-day difference from the HTM7.

The 700 series has a bit of an accented midrange. I find it acceptable in the 703s, but it sounded too strong when I had the 705s in the Rear. Part of that could be I had them to close to the seating position. Either way, when you audition these, I would listen to the midrange. You may find it ok with the 703s. the 705s got very good reviews, so it may have been my positioning.

Good Luck,
Darrell

[BTB]

The 700 series has a bit of an accented midrange.

Darrell, I would agree that your observation is true of the 703 specifically, but not the 704 which has quite a different character when compared to it's range mate. Which is probably why many people are not taken by the 704 on first listen as it sounds more laid back in the typically A/B type comparison, and therefore, as stated in my initial reply, sounds less lively and less exciting.

Yet, I have found that a 30min listening session is not always a safe indication of how much you will enjoy your purchase as a long term listen. Not to say that the 703 is not an excellent speaker, personal tastes accounted for, but "lively" & "energetic" can turn into bright, pushy and fatiguing in the long term depending on your viewpoint.

It seems a statement of the obvious, but these speakers are revealing of the qualities of their partnering equipment.. then there is room acoustics, cables and all those things that affect overall presentation.

If Tristan is still out there... Do you intend using the speakers in a 2ch or surround set-up?

[B&W 700 Guy]

Depending on the receiver, I think the 704's may sound better then the 703's.
But with a nice separate amp, the 703's are a much better sounding speaker.

Just my impression

[joetama]

I must say you guys hear different stuff than I do.... I have both 703's and 601 S3 and tonight my buddy and I tested another speaker that my friend build DIY so I disconnected the 700's and connected the 600's and couldn't stand the sound (of the 600 and his DIY speakers). My father has the 804S and I think that the 703 and the 804S sound VERY similar; I find the 804S to be warmer and a tad more “open” as you said it. I defiantly hear what you are saying about the 800's sounding more "open" and less in your face (it's because the dispersion pattern is 20 degrees wider) but the 600 series in my opinion is a BIG down grade from the 700's. I wish the 600 sounded just as good, because I would have saved some money. Ok, now on to the issue of the HTM-7. YES, it doesn't match up perfectly with the 703's, YES it's a bit thin, and YES it has flakey low frequency response. But, am I still happy with it being an about $600 (I think that's what I paid) center channel yea, absolutely. Also, I am going to disagree with the 704 sounding better than the 703, I didn't like the 704 much really when I demoed them...

Just my thoughts….

[beden1]

I just bi-amped my 703's and it has made a dramatic difference in the overall performance of these speakers. I also previously found them a bit "in your face", even after the break-in period. Now with the bi-amp set-up, they have really smoothed out and have a much richer sound stage throughout the ranges. I also moved them away from the wall 17" in a toe-in angle. I now absloutely love these speakers. I also have an HTM7 and an ASW750 sub. I happen to like to HTM7 as a center channel speaker with this set-up. I played with numerous settings/positions, and have found it best to angle the speaker up (it is now angled facing just above the listener's head at the center listening position on the triangle), and I use the "Dialogue On" setting on the receiver. If you don't have this option, the cable box also has a "Narrow" selection in settings.