Decision about Rotel Onkyo amp, cd player and B&W 685, 705 speakers

[kobestonecold]

HI guys i am new here so please help. I have the mini theater MT20 but i want to build another HI-FI. Anyway, i went to my local store to have a quick listen to B&W 685 and 705 side by side. The 705 was a little bit better than 685 in term of bright and clarity. Anyway, the local store used Onkyo Integrated Digital amplification A-9355 to run these speakers so i asked him about Rotel because i heard that they are better match up with the B&W. The man said, Rotel used be be good but the Onkyo is better now a day.

4 questions?

1. What set up should i go for?

Rotel RCD-1072 cd player or Onkyo DV-SP504 (i have it)
Rotel RC-1070 preamp
Rotel RB-1070 High current two channel amplifier
B&W speaker 705
or
Onkyo Integrated Digital amplification A-9555
Onkyo DX-7355 cd player or Onkyo DV-SP504 (i have it)
B&W speaker 705

2. I don't play music that loud but i just want to hear all the details. Do you think the 705 will perform much better than the M1 when i play them in low volume? Remember i don't turn them loud but i want all the details. Will it worth the money if i upgrade it? M1 is ok with the music.

3. What do you guy think about 685 vs. 705?

4. Can my Onkyo TX-SR604 AV Receiver run 705 ok?


My system at the moment.
Onkyo TX-SR604 AV Receiver
Onkyo DV-SP504 DVD/CD player
B&W MT 20


Thank you so much.

[WI Rotel]

Yep Onkyo is better because he sells it........Not! The Rotel 1070 would be great with your 705's. However, you should also consider the 1075 in case you later decide in home video use. An RSP 1068 (soon to be available 1069 better yet) with a RB1075 would be splendid. If certain you are never going to use it for HT your 1070 selection would be great. I'm not implying the Onkyo is crap but it certainly is a notch below. As far as the CD is concerned its probably a wash, you could save a few bucks by keeping the one you have. Moreover, if you use the CD's digital output, instead of the analog RCA it really makes no difference what player you use since the D/A conversion is going to happen in your preamp anyway. You should also consider the new Rotel class D amps. Another good amp for not a lot of money is Adcom, maybe your dealer does carry it and it also a better alternative to Onkyo. Enjoy!

[kobestonecold]

Do you think my Onkyo TX-SR604 AV Receiver can handle 705? If it could i can stick with what i have a save money for an upgrade later.

Onkyo 604 Spec

All channels: 90 watts minimum continuous power
per channel, 8 ohm loads, 2 channels
driven from 20 Hz to 20 kHz, with a
maximum total harmonic distortion of
0.08%

110 watts minimum continuous power
per channel, 8 ohm loads, 2 channels
driven at 1 kHz, with a maximum total
harmonic distortion of 0.9%

115 watts minimum continuous power
per channel, 6 ohm loads, 2 channels
driven at 1 kHz, with a maximum total
harmonic distortion of 0.1%

Anybody hear about B&W M1 speaker. How they compare with 705 or 685 in them of accuracy and clarity?

[george_k]

I don't play music that loud but i just want to hear all the details

Then your probably going to want to add a sub at some point even if it is for low volume listening.

I'm not sure of the prices off the top of my head but I imagine for the price of a 705 and the B&W stands you could possibly get the 683 floor standers which would be much fuller sounding.

The Onkyo should be okay, the key being that you said you do low volume listening. I power my 603's with a 50watt HT NAD receiver and it can push the speakers to what I find an uncomfortable listening level.

[WI Rotel]

Do you think my Onkyo TX-SR604 AV Receiver can handle 705? If it could i can stick with what i have a save money for an upgrade later.

Onkyo 604 Spec

All channels: 90 watts minimum continuous power
per channel, 8 ohm loads, 2 channels
driven from 20 Hz to 20 kHz, with a
maximum total harmonic distortion of
0.08%

110 watts minimum continuous power
per channel, 8 ohm loads, 2 channels
driven at 1 kHz, with a maximum total
harmonic distortion of 0.9%

115 watts minimum continuous power
per channel, 6 ohm loads, 2 channels
driven at 1 kHz, with a maximum total
harmonic distortion of 0.1%

Anybody hear about B&W M1 speaker. How they compare with 705 or 685 in them of accuracy and clarity?

It probably can as long as you don't put high power demands on it. However as we all know there is more to it than that, the power rating of the speakers is just a guide, most audio fans actually attemp to exceed the recommended power ratings by a healthy amount, not to overdrive them but rather, to ensure the amp has more than plenty reserve for the transients (aka headroom). What is surprising to many is that smaller speakers can actually be a more difficult drive than bigger ones since they commonly are less efficient than larger ones. The problem is current not RMS watts. In amps what differentiates the men from the boys is current capacity which is exactly what cheaper amps and receivers lack since the more current the bigger the power supplies have to be in normal A/B types. Class D amplifiers however, dont have the same limitations as far as size and weight are concerned since they are switching amps that can suck current directly from the household current (pioneered by carver a long time ago) however, till lately they were regarded as less than optimal since the process incurred in measurable switching distortion, the new class D amps ("ICE" introduced by B&O and licensed by a number of manufacturers including BW and by corollary Rotel which is owned by BW) suffer much less from that type of "imperfection".

[kobestonecold]

Then your probably going to want to add a sub at some point even if it is for low volume listening.

Thank for all the reply friends. Yes, if i can use my Av receiver then i probably use 705 with B&W AS2 150 watt sub woofer that come with the MT20.

When i listen in stereo mode on my onkyo receiver the sub woofer come out as well.

The price for B&W 705 here in Auckland New Zealand is about $2500 USD. Is that sound right? Are they really better than B&W 685? B&W 705 is about 2 years older and new technology and thing like that for the new and improve B&W 685.

[jjahshik32]

705 all the way, I been through the 602 s3 and thought it was much better than the 685, the 685 to me sounded like the tweeter was too bright and the mid was ok but didnt blend in well with the mid. Just not balanced well and the 602 s3 sounded much louder and clearer and more powerful ( both used the same rotel amp, dont know what model though but I remember the sales guy said that amp was in the 3k price) but the 705's I took those home man those are in a completely different league. I noticed a huge difference from the 602 s3, 685 than to the 705. For the price 705 are amazing, I exchanged the 705's for the 805s but thats just me since I want to build an 800 series later and add 804's later on too and move the 805s as surround.. But 705 is the sweet spot..

[jjahshik32]

Thank for all the reply friends. Yes, if i can use my Av receiver then i probably use 705 with B&W AS2 150 watt sub woofer that come with the MT20.

When i listen in stereo mode on my onkyo receiver the sub woofer come out as well.

The price for B&W 705 here in Auckland New Zealand is about $2500 USD. Is that sound right? Are they really better than B&W 685? B&W 705 is about 2 years older and new technology and thing like that for the new and improve B&W 685.

wow 2500 usd for a pair of 705?? are you sure?? I just bought mine and it was 750 a piece and 1500 usd a pair.. I exchanged them to the 805s and those were 2500 for the pair.. but then i'm in the usa..

[kobestonecold]

Yeah man. Everything is so damn expensive here in New Zealand. Look at this site and should give you an idea what the price for these B&W.

http://www.imageaudio.co.nz/index.php?page=shop/browse&category_id=a9d56361f241e32365f2723526b7fcb3&PHPSESSID=2b45987c4b0ad084a6f7d9b4b7ef9a7c

[Briz vegas]

Yeah man. Everything is so damn expensive here in New Zealand. Look at this site and should give you an idea what the price for these B&W.

http://www.imageaudio.co.nz/index.ph...f7d9b4b7ef9a7c

That is in kiwi dollars I assume. 804Ss in Australia is $8,000 - I think in the US that is about the price of the 803D. I think B&W are cheaper in the US compared to Australia and even the UK due to the volume that are sold there.

Mind you I have seen Krell 400xi in NZ for $10K(nz), while here it is $5k(AU), in the US it is under $3K(US).


We do get some bargains - PV1 for example is a steal over here compared to the UK due do the Chinese manufacture.

[Briz vegas]

Yeah man. Everything is so damn expensive here in New Zealand. Look at this site and should give you an idea what the price for these B&W.

http://www.imageaudio.co.nz/index.ph...f7d9b4b7ef9a7c

definitely hop across the to Auz to buy Krell. Compare this price to the one on your site.- about half price.

http://www.lenwallisaudio.com/products/details.php?pid=1021

[jack667]

Definitely worth considering the 683 instead of 705s if you are willing to audition floor standers. Will blow them away!

[george_k]

B&W's are also more expensive here in Canada relative to the US. Now if somebody could just invent some invisible paint I'd take a trip down and sneak em back in :-)

[kobestonecold]

Definitely worth considering the 683 instead of 705s if you are willing to audition floor standers. Will blow them away!

I heard someone said 705 will still blow all the new 600 series away. Am i wrong?

[wgriel]

B&W's are also more expensive here in Canada relative to the US. Now if somebody could just invent some invisible paint I'd take a trip down and sneak em back in :-)

yeah, many products are much more expensive here, even though our dollar is almost at par with the US buck (and probably will hit par before long).