CM1 sound fantastic...

[specialized]

I bought CM1 few years ago becouse i was impressed from the sound for such a small speaker, and use them as a rears for a while. After that i upgrade the rears with 805s to be match for my 803s/htm3s.... More then one year Cm1 was boxed ... Few weeks ago i decided to organize my work room (3m x 4,5m) and to make second setup for that room.. I used Cm1 and got original B&W stands (tigher bass when i put that). After few weeks of experimenting i got totaly emotive sound, even more emotive then my main setup based on B&W 803s. I got this with my McIntosh C2300 Preamp, Musical Fidelity V-DAC and Rotel RB-1080 as amp. For transport im using Pioneer DV-696 DVD Player..I have small problems with boomy bass but when i put the Cm's like 1M from the rear wall everything become very tight and clear.. Interesting RB-1070 dont sound good with Cm1, and RB-1080 is just right.. I tried different preamps like Rotel RC-1090 (good sound with RB-1080), RC-1550 (very bad ), and RA-1520 (very muddy sound and i was dissapointed).. Harman Kardon HK990, very clear sound, but a bit agressive and i realize that it's its a bit hard to listen long time.. And just for experiment i moved C2300 to this setup.. AWESOME..Another level.. Sound is so clear, so tight and very good imaging.. It's very emotive and envolving sound. Very close to the music.. U forgot about everything and just music is important.. This setup is more emotive then my main setup as i said before.. When i listen 803S sound is very good, but somehow more distant, more cold.. Anyway i found out that CM1 deserve good high class electronic and made me feeling so good while i listen..

Just to share my experience with u guys..

Greetings

Darko

[stuofsci02]

I understand what you are saying. I just picked up a pair of used CM7 and moved them into my listening room for a couple of weeks.. I was surprised at just how good these things sound. I also did have a bit of boomy bass too, but I used the port plugs and that really helped.. My review should be on here somewhere as it is only about a week or two old..

Cheers

Stuart

[specialized]

I understand what you are saying. I just picked up a pair of used CM7 and moved them into my listening room for a couple of weeks.. I was surprised at just how good these things sound. I also did have a bit of boomy bass too, but I used the port plugs and that really helped.. My review should be on here somewhere as it is only about a week or two old..

Cheers

Stuart

I tried with port plugs but i lost dynamics and sound was not so open.. So i decide to move them from the wall.. They are exactly 55 cm from the wall (measuring from the back side of speaker)


Darko

[greenhorn]

I have a pair of CM7 in the front and CM1 in the rear, very happy with the sound. While CD's often disappoint due to mastering and all, DVD's generally sound fantastic.

[specialized]

I have a pair of CM7 in the front and CM1 in the rear, very happy with the sound. While CD's often disappoint due to mastering and all, DVD's generally sound fantastic.

I had a feeling that Cm1 offer better sound then CM7.. When i was buying 2 years ago, i wanted Cm7 but it lacked something.. And i prefered Cm1.. After that i got 803s as well, then 805s as rears


Cm1 is very good speaker.. The main problem is if u use the rule that u'r electronics should cost as speaker cm1 wont sound good. It need very good electronics to start sounding very very good. As i said Rb-1070 dont sound good, and RB-1080 is ok with Cm1.


Darko

[stuofsci02]

I can't comment on the CM1 vs CM7 as I have not heard the CM1. Greenhorn should be able to do a direct comparison though.

When you compared the CM1 to the CM7 was it in the same room with same electronics?

[btf1980]

C'mon, the CM1 is not better than the CM7. I've had them both at the same time.

[stuofsci02]

C'mon, the CM1 is not better than the CM7. I've had them both at the same time.

What did you find?

I have CM7 and also 804s, and I know that the CM7 sound very good even compared to my 804s :E . Better then I would have ever thought. If the CM1 is even close to the CM7, then they are one helluva deal..

[specialized]

I can't comment on the CM1 vs CM7 as I have not heard the CM1. Greenhorn should be able to do a direct comparison though.

When you compared the CM1 to the CM7 was it in the same room with same electronics?

Yes.. Exactly same room and electronics and side by side (i had them both in same time).


Greetings

Darko

[specialized]

C'mon, the CM1 is not better than the CM7. I've had them both at the same time.

Same here In Same time in same room same electronics


Darko

p.s. this not mean CM7 is not good, just that i prefered cm1 to cm7

[stuofsci02]

Same here In Same time in same room same electronics


Darko

p.s. this not mean CM7 is not good, just that i prefered cm1 to cm7

I find this quite odd.. Since the CM7 and CM1 use the same tweeter they should sound the same on the top. With the FST and dedicated bass driver on the CM7, they should have a nicer midrange and certainly a deeper more balance bass.

The only thing I can see the CM1 having that would be better then the CM7 is a smaller cabinet and so possibly less coloration, and better driver integration which is usually the case when comparing a two-way to a three-way. I still think that this would be minimal however.

[btf1980]

What did you find?

I have CM7 and also 804s, and I know that the CM7 sound very good even compared to my 804s :E . Better then I would have ever thought. If the CM1 is even close to the CM7, then they are one helluva deal..

The CM7 has much better bass and authority. There really is no comparison between the CM1 & CM7 in this regard.

[btf1980]

I find this quite odd.. Since the CM7 and CM1 use the same tweeter they should sound the same on the top. With the FST and dedicated bass driver on the CM7, they should have a nicer midrange and certainly a deeper more balance bass.

The only thing I can see the CM1 having that would be better then the CM7 is a smaller cabinet and so possibly less coloration, and better driver integration which is usually the case when comparing a two-way to a three-way. I still think that this would be minimal however.

Bolded the part I agree with. It's true.

[btf1980]

Same here In Same time in same room same electronics


Darko

p.s. this not mean CM7 is not good, just that i prefered cm1 to cm7

Fair enough. We all have opinions. 8)

[Briz vegas]

I think Specialized is making the point that the cm1 can make great music (better than $$$ speakers in this case) with well matched electronics and positioning being very important to achieving this. This does not surprise me at all really. "speakers first" is true to a point, but if you get a decent pair (like the CM1 obviously) then it is no longer the bottleneck in system performance compared to the other factors.

My 804s are less than 20% of the total value of my 2 channel gear, far from a typical example maybe, but a well executed system based on a good speaker can sound better than a so so setup with a "better" speaker. The skill (or luck) in getting good sound is partly what makes hifi a hobby.

On the other hand I have swapped in my 705 in the past and they didn't stay more than one song. All things being equal (including synergy) the "better" speaker will sound better in my experience.

I think Specialized needs to do something about his 803s system however.

[stuofsci02]

I think Specialized is making the point that the cm1 can make great music (better than $$$ speakers in this case) with well matched electronics and positioning being very important to achieving this. This does not surprise me at all really. "speakers first" is true to a point, but if you get a decent pair (like the CM1 obviously) then it is no longer the bottleneck in system performance compared to the other factors.

I agree to a point, however, he stated it was the same room and equipment. In this case the better sound should be the result of the better speaker. Now perhaps the room was too small for the CM7, however, I can think of few instances where a set of CM1 should outperfom the CM7.

[Briz vegas]

A B&W dealer said to me (this was pre di range) that his preferences were 802D then 805 then 705. Basically in the more modest speakers he was preferring the simple small box 2 way speakers over speakers like the 703 or even 804. This is only one opinion but he was able to listen to these speakers all day long.

That is not to say he is "right", its just one opinion. I know that he likes a very open sound and that this is more readily achieved with a small 2 way. I still purchased the 804 even though I knew the guy I was buying them off thought the 805 was better.

[specialized]

On the other hand I have swapped in my 705 in the past and they didn't stay more than one song. All things being equal (including synergy) the "better" speaker will sound better in my experience.

I think Specialized needs to do something about his 803s system however.[/QUOTE]



I have the same feeling about 705s Very dry, not emotive, not musical.. I had a chance to use them one month and didnt enjoy at all..

About doing something about my 803s system... Well I did it.. Yesterday i got a Benchmark DAC1 PRE.. And well.. Another post would follow but im impressed from clarity , dinamics and imaging that i got..

U see? U Ask me to do it, and i done it with speed of the light



Greetings

Darko

[specialized]

I agree to a point, however, he stated it was the same room and equipment. In this case the better sound should be the result of the better speaker. Now perhaps the room was too small for the CM7, however, I can think of few instances where a set of CM1 should outperfom the CM7.

Nope In same room and i ended with 803s. So it's not small (it's like 28 square meters). I prefered Cm1 to Cm7 in term of imaging, and less coloration then Cm7. I feel that CM7 made more colored sound then CM1. Also Cm1 becouse are so small, in this room totaly dissapered in the space and i got impression that there is no speakers at all (which help in illusion of feeling music)

Again.. It's just my feeling about it..Dont meen it's absolute term And also i dont like the bass of CM7.. It produced more bass then CM1 but in the way that i dodnt like (like it was missing punch or definiton or something). Any way CM7 is much better speaker then 683 (also have on test in same period.. Maybe i'll find pictures from that test where i had at home in same time CM1, 803s, 683, 804, 705..).
If u have a chance put CM1 on some better electronics (In my case dont work with RB-1070 Rotel, with RB-1080 start sounding ok, and i have a feeling that maybe if i had a chance to put them on McIntosh or something it would be even better.. My point is that in HiFi is not everything absolute.. And i have a feeling that sometimes we dont give a chance to very good equimpent based on some rules like "the most expensive part of the system should be the speakers.. etc.." The main thing is to listen and feel the music and emotion.. If u have that feeling that's the right thing.. The bad thing is that we dont have always chance to do that.. Lucky we have forums like this for that situations


Darko

Greetings

Darko

[specialized]

The only thing I can see the CM1 having that would be better then the CM7 is a smaller cabinet and so possibly less coloration, and better driver integration which is usually the case when comparing a two-way to a three-way. I still think that this would be minimal however.[/QUOTE]


Exactly


Darko

[Briz vegas]

I have the same feeling about 705s Very dry, not emotive, not musical.. I had a chance to use them one month and didnt enjoy at all..

About doing something about my 803s system... Well I did it.. Yesterday i got a Benchmark DAC1 PRE.. And well.. Another post would follow but im impressed from clarity , dinamics and imaging that i got..

U see? U Ask me to do it, and i done it with speed of the light

In defence of the 705 it does a great job at the rear of my HT, no problems there.

Re your 803S, if my 804s are anything to go by you can get some really really nice results out of them if you tweak the right elements in the system.

[specialized]

In defence of the 705 it does a great job at the rear of my HT, no problems there.

Re your 803S, if my 804s are anything to go by you can get some really really nice results out of them if you tweak the right elements in the system.

I got impressive result with this Benchmark DAC. So much details, dynamics and the words from my gf " I have the feeling like speakers start dancing and moving around"

I'll write more details after i do more listening. B&W 800 series need serious electronics.. If there is some bad part of the chain u gonna feel it.. But if there is good components, they obviosly sound very very impresive..


Darko

[Briz vegas]

To me that is kind of the point of good speakers -ie revealing everything upstream for what it brings to the party.

I think that something missing from this forum is discussion on system building and lessons learnt along the way. I may take some photos and do a thread on it. Often the photo sets here are just eye candy for components without any story behind the system, what had a big impact and what had only a small impact, etc. I have not posted pictures for a while as my room and system is not that pretty al "house and garden", but a picture can tell a thousand words and the story of the build might be useful for some starting out, even if it is what not to do.

[dan87951]

For the size the CM1's are remarkable!