B&W based Small HT $4500 (3500 EUR)

[pushtiulk]

hi, i want to make a small setup b&w based for my living room (it's kindly small 3 x 5). i was thinking to buy something like this:

Front: 2 x B&W 685
Rear: 2 x M1
Center: HTM7
Woofer: ASW 608
Receiver: Onkyo TX-NR806

I have a small budget (4500 usd = 3500 eur). Is this OK?

Any suggestions are welcome!

Thanks guys!

[tudorvok]

it sounds great for the beggining. what are you mostly playing? movies, music?

685 have great reviews. i heard they are great for movies and music also. so you may probably want to save some money and buy a less expensive receiver like onkyo 606.
i'm curious what an expert opinion would say regarding the center running along with these speakers without being powered by any amp, just the 806 or 606...

i use a b&w mt-30/onkyo 875 in a 4x4 room and they make a great job. i recently heard the 683,htm7,pv1,685 / onkyo 805 without any amp and i was extremly surprised of the sound definition and bass power.

after buying good cables and a good source you will get something really nice from this ht. post some pics when ready hehe

[pushtiulk]

i will use this setup only for music and movies (music 60%, movies 40%), (for games i use my pc and headphones pioneer hdj1000). definitely i will post pictures when i will have setup ready. i wait other opinions for this setup. thanks for your answer.

[audioqueso]

For the same price as the M1, I would recommend buying a pair of used 600 S3 instead . They will match the 685 far better than the M1, and it will sound better for music as well. I've owned both M1 and 600 S3 at the same time. I've used both as surrounds. For the price, 600 S3 is bigger, but a better choice. The M1's are nice, but work a lot better as a whole setup of M1's.

[kmcheng]

hi, i want to make a small setup b&w based for my living room (it's kindly small 3 x 5). i was thinking to buy something like this:

Front: 2 x B&W 685
Rear: 2 x M1
Center: HTM7
Woofer: ASW 608
Receiver: Onkyo TX-NR806

I have a small budget (4500 usd = 3500 eur). Is this OK?

Any suggestions are welcome!

Thanks guys!

I thought the M1 and the 685 are similar in price. So if space is available, I would go with the 685 for all five speakers, or get one of the center channels in the 600 series for better matching.

I started with five M1's in my system. They did a very decent job, but I think for similar costs the 685's would be more capable all around. Just my two cents.

[pushtiulk]

i looked on B&W website and I can't find 600 S3. Can you show me a link with these speakers? I can buy also 2 685 instead of m1. And for the center is good htm7? But what do you think about HTM61 as a center?

[dknightd]

The 600s3 is a previous generation. You will probably not find any new, you'd have to buy used. The replacement model is the 686 (or maybe the 686 replace the 601, I'm not sure).

I don't know how well the htm7 will match the 685. The usual advice would be to get the front three from the same series. If you have room, and money, 5 685 with the 608 (or 610) would be a nice setup

This is b&w recommended system

http://www.bowers-wilkins.com/display.aspx?infid=2356&sc=ht

685 front, HTM62 center, 686 rear, 608 sub - looks like a nice little setup to me. . .

[altanpsx]

I suggest you to buy asw610x, with 685's you will need a proper bass for movies. Onkyo 706 may work for this setup I think.

htm62 is your center speaker. htm7 would not blend with 685's imo.

[artv4]

The 600s3 is a previous generation. You will probably not find any new, you'd have to buy used. The replacement model is the 686 (or maybe the 686 replace the 601, I'm not sure).

I don't know how well the htm7 will match the 685. The usual advice would be to get the front three from the same series. If you have room, and money, 5 685 with the 608 (or 610) would be a nice setup

This is b&w recommended system

http://www.bowers-wilkins.com/display.aspx?infid=2356&sc=ht

685 front, HTM62 center, 686 rear, 608 sub - looks like a nice little setup to me. . .

i agree. having 5 685 would be a stellar system. i personally would choose the velodyne SPL-800R or SPL-1000R for a subwoofer. find one used

[dknightd]

i agree. having 5 685 would be a stellar system. i personally would choose the velodyne SPL-800R or SPL-1000R for a subwoofer. find one used

I agree, for a sub I'd look outside of B&W. Not that B&W makes bad subs, just I think you could probably get better elsewhere for less money (unless perhaps your dealer would give you a great deal on a package - it also
depends on where you live).

Take in mind, I have very very very very limited experience with subs. I own one, I've listened to several, but not nearly all. The one I own is an SVS sb12+ http://www.svsound.com/products-sub-box-sb12plus.cfm. I use it in an office system with 600s3 for music. It is smaller than most, sounds good, has many connection options, has enough ooomph for a small room (though it may not go as low as the big boys, it does better than I heard in the same size). I'd buy it again, in fact I might.

Since your dealer does both B&W and velodyne you might ask them for a comparison - both in what they recommend, and actual listening. Ask them to set up things you are interested in for comparison.

YMMV - while I watch TV, and an occasional movie, my main interest is music. Still I'm thinking of putting a couple of SB12 next to my 703, and maybe one in the TV room just for fun.

[pushtiulk]

i was today to a local b&w dealer for a demo (4 685 + 1 htm62 + 1 asw608) and it was gorgeous, unbelievable. so i kindly decided: i will buy 4 685, 1 htm61 and asw608. asw608 it's enough for my living room which is a small room.

also has anyone idea who can i put 2 woofers (i have 1 woofer already it's from my logitech z-5500 system, and if i will buy the b&w system, i will not use anymore logitech, and i was thinking to put 2 woofers on my living room, b&w asw 608 + logitech woofer) on onkyo 706? both woofers are active.

the dealer will make me a good discount and for all setup including the onkyo 706 + all necessarily cables I will pay 3000 eur (4 x 685, 1 x htm61, 1 x asw 608, 1 x onkyo 706, cables).

[dknightd]

I'm not sure I understand. If you listened to and liked the htm62, why did
you order the htm61? I haven't heard either, but suspect there is a difference.

Of course it does not matter what anybody else thinks. Al that matters is you can smile and be happy

[pushtiulk]

i have not ordered the setup yet, i asked the dealer and he advised me to buy htm61 (difference $200 usd) because it's more powerfull.

[artv4]

i agree with your dealer. one the fst is just great. two, for movies, the center is the most important piece, so, why not spend the money on the speaker

[pushtiulk]

i'm new in this domain, i'm a little sick with the music and movies, but until now were no money for a setup. my dream is to have 802d powered by classe, but i must wait probably 5 years or more until i will have the money for that setup.

i was very excited today when i heard that small setup what can do in a decent room and without an amp, directly through receiver.

anyone know how can i put 2 subs (1 logitech from z-5500 system and 1 b&w asw 608) to same receiver (onkyo 706)?

[artv4]

you are going to get different timbres using two different subs. i would personally just use the b&w and save up for another matching sub

[pushtiulk]

then i will stay only with 1 sub in living (asw 608) and the logitech system i will put into bedroom and that's it. thank you guys for your help. i will post pictures as soon as i have the system in my hands

[KyaDawn]

i was today to a local b&w dealer for a demo (4 685 + 1 htm62 + 1 asw608) and it was gorgeous, unbelievable. so i kindly decided: i will buy 4 685, 1 htm61 and asw608. asw608 it's enough for my living room which is a small room.

also has anyone idea who can i put 2 woofers (i have 1 woofer already it's from my logitech z-5500 system, and if i will buy the b&w system, i will not use anymore logitech, and i was thinking to put 2 woofers on my living room, b&w asw 608 + logitech woofer) on onkyo 706? both woofers are active.

the dealer will make me a good discount and for all setup including the onkyo 706 + all necessarily cables I will pay 3000 eur (4 x 685, 1 x htm61, 1 x asw 608, 1 x onkyo 706, cables).

Sounds like a great set-up! I've heard the 685s and I liked them a lot, especially for the price. Having four of them for your fronts and rears will be excellent!

However, and I hate to dampen your enthusiasm any, but I've read about some issues with the HTM61 center speaker. I haven't heard the speaker myself, but from what I've read, there are some issues with it having an off-axis frequency response due to it having the mid-range and woofer drivers placed on the opposite ends of the tweeter. Some owners in other threads have complained that it seems to produce an "unsteady" center image, and also some have commented that the FR can vary dramatically in even small changes in listener position.

Besides these issues, it seems the HTM62 would match the timber and sonic signature of your 685s much better, as it is also a two-way speaker and shares similar drivers. I think in any multi-channel system, it is extremely important to match timbers of the front three, more so than the fronts with the rears (though this is important also). This is because left, right and center speakers create the front soundstage, and differences in sonic signatures will be easily detected, and in most cases, annoying.

Of course, it is also about your personal preferences and you may find that you like the HTM61 matched with 685s, and certainly there is no absolute "right and wrong" when it comes to things like these. But it's probably a good idea to get your dealer to set up a demo of these three fronts for you first, so that you can decide better. As what you auditioned was actually the HTM62 matched with the 685s, which you loved, using the HTM61 in this set-up may produce a very different soundstage than what you heard.

[pushtiulk]

should i try with htm7 as a center?

[tudorvok]

... well i probably know why you think about purchasing a more powerful center. i had the same feeling when i heard the htm62 near the 685 speakers. the 685 make an excellent job the sound is really detailed and "strong" for them but the htm62 left me the impression that it is too weak(at least for the 685).

i also heard the the htm7 near the 683 (fronts) and 685 (back) and it really really really pleased me.

so...

i'm not sure but i think the htm7 might work really well along with the 685. hope i'm not wrong.

my advice is to visit your dealer again and test them usig a htm7 as a center...

[pushtiulk]

ok. i will go next week back to the dealer and i will listen 685 + htm7 and 685 + htm61 and i'll see what will be the decision.

[KyaDawn]

ok. i will go next week back to the dealer and i will listen 685 + htm7 and 685 + htm61 and i'll see what will be the decision.

If you have the space for it, you should also consider using the 685 as the "center". The 685 is actually the "ideal" center to match your four other 685s, and the best thing is that it's also less expensive than both the HTM61 and HTM62! :T

[pushtiulk]

last night when i searched on the forum about htm61 and it's issue, i've decided to proceed with 685 as center, so i will have 5 x 685 and 1 asw 608. thanks for your help guys.

[artv4]

did you listen to the htm 61 with the 685?

[pushtiulk]

no, i've called the local dealer and they told me that they don't have on stock the htm 61, but i've decided to go with a 685 as a center, so i will have 5 x 685.