B&W HTM61 for LCR channel in HT setup

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  • nirvana_1911
    Member
    • Mar 2011
    • 41

    B&W HTM61 for LCR channel in HT setup

    I have:

    Center: HTM62

    L/R: 685

    Rear-left/Rear-Right: 686

    Cable: All generic OFC

    Receiver: Pioneer VSX-LX52

    Sub: Velodyne SPL-1200U


    I want to upgrade and get:

    B&W HTM61 for all 5 channels

    Just want some feedback on this. Thanks.
  • Kal Rubinson
    Super Senior Member
    • Mar 2006
    • 2109

    #2
    Why? This is one of the most controversial and least well-received of the 600 line?
    http://www.htguide.com/forum/showpos...0&postcount=24 (Note that the link has been taken down.)
    Kal Rubinson
    _______________________________
    "Music in the Round"
    Senior Contributing Editor, Stereophile
    http://forum.stereophile.com/category/music-round

    Comment

    • stuofsci02
      Super Senior Member
      • Nov 2009
      • 1241

      #3
      Agreed!

      I had the HTM61 and found it to be quite a miserable speaker. IMO you would be making a big mistake. The 685 is a much better speaker.. Heck for the price you could get 683s and be way better off..
      Main System:
      B&W 801D
      Emotiva USP-1 Pre-Amp
      Chord SPM-650 Stereo Amp
      Oppo BDP-105
      Squeezebox Touch


      Second System:
      B&W CM7
      Emotiva UMC-1
      Emotiva UPA-2
      Oppo BDP-83SE
      Grant Fidelity DAC-09

      Comment

      • nirvana_1911
        Member
        • Mar 2011
        • 41

        #4
        Isn't it a case of dispersion and the offset drivers that make the HTM61 a not well received speaker?

        I've read in one or two posts that it is veiled, muddy, lacks clarity, etc, but I take that with a truck of salt.

        More info regarding this would be greatly appreciated.

        Comment

        • Kal Rubinson
          Super Senior Member
          • Mar 2006
          • 2109

          #5
          Tom Norton says "Its sound was thicker, duller, and less open—a characteristic that was different depending on whether I was seated on-axis or off to the left or right by about 30-degrees (it was also different in the two directions)."
          Kal Rubinson
          _______________________________
          "Music in the Round"
          Senior Contributing Editor, Stereophile
          http://forum.stereophile.com/category/music-round

          Comment

          • nirvana_1911
            Member
            • Mar 2011
            • 41

            #6
            What do you think about it Kal?
            If using them for left, right, rear-left and rear-right, they will be standing upright, and may not exhibit the dispersion issues people say they have with the HTM61.
            I can afford the speakers in the 600 range, but not the CM range, it's just just above what I can spend.
            I'm also not fond of gloss piano black.

            Comment

            • Kal Rubinson
              Super Senior Member
              • Mar 2006
              • 2109

              #7
              Originally posted by nirvana_1911
              What do you think about it Kal?
              I have never heard them.

              If using them for left, right, rear-left and rear-right, they will be standing upright, and may not exhibit the dispersion issues people say they have with the HTM61.
              Possibly but, unless you can audition them, it is a gamble. Here's the link to Tom's report: http://www.ultimateavmag.com/content...speaker-system

              I can afford the speakers in the 600 range, but not the CM range, it's just just above what I can spend. I'm also not fond of gloss piano black.
              OK but other 600series speakers are more favored.
              Kal Rubinson
              _______________________________
              "Music in the Round"
              Senior Contributing Editor, Stereophile
              http://forum.stereophile.com/category/music-round

              Comment

              • stuofsci02
                Super Senior Member
                • Nov 2009
                • 1241

                #8
                Nirvana_1911

                Do you mind me asking why you want to change to the HTM61 if you already have 685 for your left and right speakers?

                Cheers,

                Stuart
                Main System:
                B&W 801D
                Emotiva USP-1 Pre-Amp
                Chord SPM-650 Stereo Amp
                Oppo BDP-105
                Squeezebox Touch


                Second System:
                B&W CM7
                Emotiva UMC-1
                Emotiva UPA-2
                Oppo BDP-83SE
                Grant Fidelity DAC-09

                Comment

                • nirvana_1911
                  Member
                  • Mar 2011
                  • 41

                  #9
                  Sure stuofsci02, my thinking is that the HTM61:

                  is a true 3-way design
                  has FST
                  has better crossover
                  at 90 dBL, it's easier to drive

                  Then the 685, 686 and HTM61. This is my line of thinking.
                  Let me know your thoughts stuofsci02.

                  Comment

                  • stuofsci02
                    Super Senior Member
                    • Nov 2009
                    • 1241

                    #10
                    While all of what you indicate might be true, these are not things that necessarily make a speaker sound good. For instance the 805Di is a two-way, does not have FST, has a lower sensitivity, but has a great crossover. The 805 is an excellent speaker, and I would take it over the 683 which has all of things you have mentioned.

                    IMO you are really better off with what you have. For the price of two HTM61 you could get a whole lot better sound from something else...

                    Cheers,

                    Stuart
                    Main System:
                    B&W 801D
                    Emotiva USP-1 Pre-Amp
                    Chord SPM-650 Stereo Amp
                    Oppo BDP-105
                    Squeezebox Touch


                    Second System:
                    B&W CM7
                    Emotiva UMC-1
                    Emotiva UPA-2
                    Oppo BDP-83SE
                    Grant Fidelity DAC-09

                    Comment

                    • nirvana_1911
                      Member
                      • Mar 2011
                      • 41

                      #11
                      OK, what do you think of the CM series compared to the 600 series.
                      Is it worth paying the extra, is it worth the upgrade?
                      Instead of getting all HTM61, perhaps it may be worth the expense upgrading to the CM series.

                      Comment

                      • stuofsci02
                        Super Senior Member
                        • Nov 2009
                        • 1241

                        #12
                        nirvana,

                        I really like the CM series.

                        For B&W mains I have owned 602.5 S3, 603 S3, 683, CM7 and 804s (I am also very familiar with the 602 S2 which got me hooked on B&W)

                        For B&W centers I have owned the LCR3, HTM61, CMC, HTM4s and HTM3s

                        I currently have two systems (one with CM7 and the other with 804s).

                        For me the CM7 are closer to the 804s then they are to the 683. The CM7 is a speaker I could live with permanently where as the 683 (as good as it is at the price point) left me wanting a little more. That is not to say that the CM7 is without fault, but it just does so much right that I can listen to it for hours..

                        I have heard the CM9 and really liked them to. I have not heard the new CM8 yet. Obviously the CM8 replaced the CM7, so I would expect it to improve on the CM7, however this might not be the case. IMO opinion the CM series is worth the upgrade price. In fact it is probably the best upgrade in the whole B&W series since the price differences are not huge, yet the improvement is very noticeable.
                        Main System:
                        B&W 801D
                        Emotiva USP-1 Pre-Amp
                        Chord SPM-650 Stereo Amp
                        Oppo BDP-105
                        Squeezebox Touch


                        Second System:
                        B&W CM7
                        Emotiva UMC-1
                        Emotiva UPA-2
                        Oppo BDP-83SE
                        Grant Fidelity DAC-09

                        Comment

                        • dukester
                          Senior Member
                          • Sep 2010
                          • 198

                          #13
                          Am a former owner of a HTM61...always had timbre issues no matter what i did...just never sounded right, regardless of adjustments i made, regardless of the spec sheet (they were paired w/683's). Imagining having 5 of them?... makes me cringe (no offense). Might be interesting for a bit but eventually however i think the poor sonics would eventually catch up and render it a novelty. Not to mention having a very limited upgrade path. On the other hand, the CM series has tons more potential. May take longer for you to get there but in the long run would be worth it IMO. I say CM all the way.
                          McIntosh C2300/MC302, NAD T785, Oppo 83se & 105, Squeezebox Touch, AppleTV, B&W 803Di/HTM2Di/M1, REL G1, Sony XBR9, PS3

                          Comment

                          • KRC
                            Senior Member
                            • Aug 2004
                            • 166

                            #14
                            I would move up to the CM series, when upgrading you do not want to make just a little change or you may not be satisified. Of course it all comes down to budget. I had/have the same issue where I had 5.1 on 600 series speakers, when I changed my L/R to 703's, the centre just stuck out. I checked other centres, but until I moved up to the 800 series, then the change was noticed and then probably worth the expense. Also, alot of the speakers and their sound depend on amplification and all other componets .... hence the balanced system .... 10k speakers and 200.00 receiver!

                            Kevin

                            Comment

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