I love my downstairs theater setup for 2 channel music listening (N804 driven by a Rotel RB991, with a Velodyne HGS-12 to fill in if more bass is needed). Unfortunately in recent years I spend most of my music listening time in my home office. Currently the office setup is an Squeezebox (flacs) -> HK-3480 -> B&W LM-1 + AS-1. Honestly it is a good setup, and the LM-1 + AS-1 will likely end up in the bedroom when I upgrade my office, but it just doesn't seem great...
I am looking to upgrade, but wanted some opinions. The biggest limitation is that the mains must be wall mounted. They will be used for near field listening, roughly 3ft between my head and the speakers. I have been contemplating the following setups. I have not listened to them yet, I wanted to narrow down the options a bit first, plus nearfield auditions of any of these wall mounted are hard to come by. Any of them will be driven by that same HK receiver until a later date when I may decide to add an amp. That said, what are your opinions on the following?
Setup 1:
B&W CM1 mains, wall mounted.
B&W AS2 or ASW600 Sub (AS-1 doesn't allow roll off adjustment)
Upgrade cost: $1400 new
Setup 2:
B&W XT2 Mains, wall mounted
B&W AS2 or ASW600 Sub
Upgrade Cost: $1600 new
Setup 3:
B&W XT2 Mains, Wall Mounted
B&W PV-1 Used sub
Upgrade Cost: $1800 give or take
Setup 4:
B&W SCM-1 Mains , Wall Mounted (used)
B&W PV-1 Used sub
Upgrade cost: $2100 give or take
Of the mains, I have heard the SCM-1s but not nearfield, and I have heard the CM1s (not wall mounted). I am pretty sure that the last setup is going to sound the best, but will it really be that much better? The cost is 50% more than setup 1... As to the music I listen to, it really varies... Last.fm shows what I have been listening to most.
Thanks,
Justin
I am looking to upgrade, but wanted some opinions. The biggest limitation is that the mains must be wall mounted. They will be used for near field listening, roughly 3ft between my head and the speakers. I have been contemplating the following setups. I have not listened to them yet, I wanted to narrow down the options a bit first, plus nearfield auditions of any of these wall mounted are hard to come by. Any of them will be driven by that same HK receiver until a later date when I may decide to add an amp. That said, what are your opinions on the following?
Setup 1:
B&W CM1 mains, wall mounted.
B&W AS2 or ASW600 Sub (AS-1 doesn't allow roll off adjustment)
Upgrade cost: $1400 new
Setup 2:
B&W XT2 Mains, wall mounted
B&W AS2 or ASW600 Sub
Upgrade Cost: $1600 new
Setup 3:
B&W XT2 Mains, Wall Mounted
B&W PV-1 Used sub
Upgrade Cost: $1800 give or take
Setup 4:
B&W SCM-1 Mains , Wall Mounted (used)
B&W PV-1 Used sub
Upgrade cost: $2100 give or take
Of the mains, I have heard the SCM-1s but not nearfield, and I have heard the CM1s (not wall mounted). I am pretty sure that the last setup is going to sound the best, but will it really be that much better? The cost is 50% more than setup 1... As to the music I listen to, it really varies... Last.fm shows what I have been listening to most.
Thanks,
Justin
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