CM-7 or 683

[N2siast]

Is the CM7 similar in sound to the 683 or is it significantly better for the minimal difference in price?

[specialized]

Is the CM7 similar in sound to the 683 or is it significantly better for the minimal difference in price?

I had a chance to have them both at home and testing side by side.. As first i prefer the 683, but after a while i foind that they are not so tight and too much not very well controled bass.. CM7 are more laid back, but more comfortable sounding speakers, and more controled and more pleasure sound.. Not that much bass, but it's much better sound for me.. Also do u like just stereo, or HT? CM7 dont have matching center (CMC is matching center for CM1), and 683 have centar that match. If i had to pick between CM7 and 683, i would definitly choose CM7 with maybe HTM61 center. Becouse i had CM1 as well at home, i can say that if u'r room is not that big, maybe CM1 can sound even better.. (in my room 5.5 x 3.8 they struggle to fill the room, so i decide to get them for rear speakers.. ). Sound difference between CM7 and 683 was not that big if i compare the difference between CM7/683 to 703 or 805 speakers.. So for the front end i'll get 703 or 805 (i still want to hear them side by side to decide).

Greetings

Darko

p.s. If u listen CM7 try them with ports pluged, becouse the sound is better (at least in my room). The biggest difference between 703 and CM7 was imaging and sound stage.. 703 have huuuge compared to CM7, so if can spend more money try 805 and 703 as well

[btf1980]

I would go for the CM7. The thing about them is that initially, it may seem underwhelming since it is not the most robust speaker, but it kind of grows on you. It's really a bang for the buck speaker in the b&w line-up. Don't judge it by a 15 minute audition....they open up a bit. The depth, and clarity of the CM7's for speakers in the 2K range is unmatched imo.

The 683 has better bass though, that's about it. I would go for the CM7, the price difference isn't that large and you get reel wood veneer, unlike the cheap vinyl the 683 is.

[artv4]

cm7!!!!!!! totally amazing speakers. pair with a rotel amp (rb-1080)

[specialized]

cm7!!!!!!! totally amazing speakers. pair with a rotel amp (rb-1080)

I had both speakers for maybe a two weeks at home, and CM7 were better one, but not that better then 703 from CM7.. Again. If money are not a problem go for 703 or 805.

Darko

[greenhorn]

I listened to both when I was shopping and I thought the CM-7's were tighter on one hand but didn't quite have the open (for a lack of better words) sound as the 683's. On the other hand the 683's were a little more boomier, more like an old school speaker, not as tight and refined. I felt that if the CM7's opened up (broke in) after a bit of time they would be just a bit more open and looser and still have the bit higher quality sound. I went with the CM7's and I'm very happy.

I have the CM7's as fronts, CM1's as rears and CMCenter for center. The CMCentre works very well for the center.

If your budgeting I actually went with the CM1's for fronts for a while. the CM1's are a very excellent speakers in a compact size. If my room was small I would not hesitate to use CM1's for both front and rear.

[dknightd]

They are similar, yet different. I don't think I could say one is best - it really depends on what you want.

[N2siast]

They are similar, yet different. I don't think I could say one is best - it really depends on what you want.

What are the differences that you noticed between the two?

[dknightd]

What are the differences that you noticed between the two?

As others have stated - the cm7 seems more refined, perhaps a little bass shy - the 683 is perhaps a little loose in the bass - the 683 has vinyl veneer, the cm7 has wood veneer. But I listened to them both only once, in one room, and without taking the care to position them how they might be in my room (I already have 703 so was listening to them briefly only out of idle curiosity - and perhaps as an upgrade for my TV room one day - I don't think either could be considered a replacement for the 703, which seems to have the best characteristics of both, and then some - of course I could be biased, and neither was available when I compromised on the 703). Based on my brief listen (only a couple of songs in two channel) I might favor the 683 for rock, and the cm7 for jazz, but I'd have to listen to them again, and again, to decide which was really "better" for me. The somewhat muddy bass I heard from 683 might have contributed to them sounding "less refined", and it might have simply been due to where they were placed in the room, and how the room was treated. It could be that after more listening I could decide which I preferred overall. The vinyl on the 683 was actually pretty good - I don't know if the wood on the cm7 would really matter to me in a video room (after all, I'd be watching the video, not the speaker) in a music only room it might enter into the decision. Bottom line, they were both decent speakers - I didn't look at the price so can't comment on which (if either) would be the "better" value. If I couldn't decide which sound or appearance I preferred I think I'd go for the cheaper one - which I think is probably the 683.
I guess bottom line is that all speakers are a compromise. Only you can decide how you want to compromise.
Sorry for the long winded response to your simple question. I guess the simple answer is there is not simple answer.

[N2siast]

[QUOTE=dknightd]As others have stated - the cm7 seems more refined, perhaps a little bass shy - the 683 is perhaps a little loose in the bass - the 683 has vinyl veneer, the cm7 has wood veneer. But I listened to them both only once, in one room, and without taking the care to position them how they might be in my room (I already have 703 so was listening to them briefly only out of idle curiosity - and perhaps as an upgrade for my TV room one day - I don't think either could be considered a replacement for the 703, which seems to have the best characteristics of both, and then some - of course I could be biased, and neither was available when I compromised on the 703). Based on my brief listen (only a couple of songs in two channel) I might favor the 683 for rock, and the cm7 for jazz, but I'd have to listen to them again, and again, to decide which was really "better" for me. The somewhat muddy bass I heard from 683 might have contributed to them sounding "less refined", and it might have simply been due to where they were placed in the room, and how the room was treated. It could be that after more listening I could decide which I preferred overall. The vinyl on the 683 was actually pretty good - I don't know if the wood on the cm7 would really matter to me in a video room (after all, I'd be watching the video, not the speaker) in a music only room it might enter into the decision. Bottom line, they were both decent speakers - I didn't look at the price so can't comment on which (if either) would be the "better" value. If I couldn't decide which sound or appearance I preferred I think I'd go for the cheaper one - which I think is probably the 683.
I guess bottom line is that all speakers are a compromise. Only you can decide how you want to compromise.
Sorry for the long winded response to your simple question. I guess the simple answer is there is not simple answer.[/QUOTE


Thanks for your insight.

[sandalsocks]

I've compared both the 683 and cm7's a while back. I agree with most of the poeple replying here. To me, the cm7's sounded clearer and I definitely thought the tweaters and highs were what was setting it apart. However, I felt that the cm7's lacked bass and would definately require a sub with the type of music and HT I would be using it with.

To me, the 683's were more well rounded b/c it had the bass that the cm7's didn't have. I think that part (not all) of the reason why the 683's felt a bit boomy is the cm7's lack of bass.

In sum, IMHO, the cm7's had better vocals and were more accurate but the 683's felt more complete with the bass.