B&W 683 Phase Plugs

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  • BWLover
    Senior Member
    • Jan 2009
    • 552

    B&W 683 Phase Plugs

    What are your opinions on using these? Do you use them all the time? What differences do you hear with using them/using only half of the plug/not using them at all. Thanks people
    Bowers & Wilkins 683 Speakers
    Rotel RB-1090 2 Channel Amp
    Rotel RC-1082 Stereo Pre Amp
    Rotel RCD-1072 CD Player
    Pro-Ject Debut Carbon w/ Ortofon 2M Red (sitting on a piece of slate supported by 3 "solid tech feet of silence" isolation feet)
    Rotel RLC-1040 Power Conditioner
    Shynyata Research SR-Z1 Power Outlet & Venom 3 Power Cords x 4
    Tara Labs RSC Vector 1 Speaker Cables & Interconnects
    Pioneer PDP-5070HD 50" Plasma
    Playstation 3
    Shaw HD PVR
    Primacoustic Room Treatments
  • Pio
    Senior Member
    • Nov 2005
    • 169

    #2
    I'm pretty sure they're there to damp the driver. I haven't thought about giving my 685s a listen w/o them.
    Stereo: Revel F208, Parasound JC2, JC1's, Oppo HA-1, VPI, Dynavector, Moon

    HT: B&W 802D2, 805S, HTM4, Marantz, OPPO BDP95, Velodyne DD-12's

    HP / secondary system: Woo Audio W2, Carver Sunfire, Kef LS50, Denon, and too many headphones to list

    Comment

    • Mark_1042
      Senior Member
      • Apr 2012
      • 151

      #3
      From what I've read they extend a driver's high frequency range, by preventing cancellation of high frequency sound waves emitted from the center (or near the center) of the driver. Personally I've never owned a speaker that had them, they look cool though.

      EDIT:
      According to this the intent is to prevent distortion and increase clarity:

      Comment

      • stuofsci02
        Super Senior Member
        • Nov 2009
        • 1241

        #4
        I don't think the OP is referring to the phase plugs (which is what he said), but rather the foam bass port plugs.

        If so, then you would want to experiment and find out what sounds best for your room. You will likely find that if you placing the speaker near a wall or room boundary then this will increase the bass output due to reinforcement and may make the speaker sound boomy. In this case installing part or all of the foam port plug will tame the boomy bass.

        The same might be true if the room is small etc.

        If you are running a sub, you may want to plug the ports as well.. This should make the mid bass a little more accurate and you can let your sub handle the lower bass.

        Think or ported vs. sealed subs.. Similar rules apply here.

        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

        • Mark_1042
          Senior Member
          • Apr 2012
          • 151

          #5
          Originally posted by stuofsci02
          I don't think the OP is referring to the phase plugs (which is what he said), but rather the foam bass port plugs.
          Ah, I had thought there might be some confusion there.

          Comment

          • BWLover
            Senior Member
            • Jan 2009
            • 552

            #6
            Yes that was my mistake. The foam port hole plugs...sorry lol
            Bowers & Wilkins 683 Speakers
            Rotel RB-1090 2 Channel Amp
            Rotel RC-1082 Stereo Pre Amp
            Rotel RCD-1072 CD Player
            Pro-Ject Debut Carbon w/ Ortofon 2M Red (sitting on a piece of slate supported by 3 "solid tech feet of silence" isolation feet)
            Rotel RLC-1040 Power Conditioner
            Shynyata Research SR-Z1 Power Outlet & Venom 3 Power Cords x 4
            Tara Labs RSC Vector 1 Speaker Cables & Interconnects
            Pioneer PDP-5070HD 50" Plasma
            Playstation 3
            Shaw HD PVR
            Primacoustic Room Treatments

            Comment

            • PewterTA
              Moderator
              • Nov 2004
              • 2901

              #7
              I agree, I didn't think the phase plug was removable/replaceable on the 600 series??
              Digital Audio makes me Happy.
              -Dan

              Comment

              • Pio
                Senior Member
                • Nov 2005
                • 169

                #8
                Originally posted by PewterTA
                I agree, I didn't think the phase plug was removable/replaceable on the 600 series??
                They are, I can unscrew the phase plugs (in the center of the kevlar mid / bass driver) in my 685's just like the my old 802Ds.

                Also, the new foam plugs for the ports are a three stage deal. You can remove the inside of the foam plug to effectively reduce the size of the port hole. So, you can plug it completely, plug it without the inside foam part (makes the foam plug look like a donut) or no plug at all.

                Ironically, I don't think you can remove the phase plug from the new 802 Diamonds. I haven't even tried with mine....
                Stereo: Revel F208, Parasound JC2, JC1's, Oppo HA-1, VPI, Dynavector, Moon

                HT: B&W 802D2, 805S, HTM4, Marantz, OPPO BDP95, Velodyne DD-12's

                HP / secondary system: Woo Audio W2, Carver Sunfire, Kef LS50, Denon, and too many headphones to list

                Comment

                • hockey_101
                  Member
                  • Oct 2015
                  • 47

                  #9
                  Originally posted by Pio
                  They are, I can unscrew the phase plugs (in the center of the kevlar mid / bass driver) in my 685's just like the my old 802Ds.

                  Also, the new foam plugs for the ports are a three stage deal. You can remove the inside of the foam plug to effectively reduce the size of the port hole. So, you can plug it completely, plug it without the inside foam part (makes the foam plug look like a donut) or no plug at all.

                  Ironically, I don't think you can remove the phase plug from the new 802 Diamonds. I haven't even tried with mine....
                  DOES ANYONE KNOW IF THE PHASE PLUGS UNSCREW ON THE 683's? I'm in the process of ordering some and would like to know this to upgrade them to the diamond ones like I did with my 684's and 685's

                  Comment

                  • TomScrut
                    Moderator Emeritus
                    • Nov 2013
                    • 532

                    #10
                    They should do, I'm sure I took them out of mine when I had them. Not sure 'upgrade' is the right word though.

                    Sent from my SHIELD Tablet using Tapatalk
                    Music: Intel NUC -> Antelope Zodiac Platinum -> Classe CA-2300 -> B&W 802 Diamonds & 2x SVS SB13U

                    Comment

                    • Kal Rubinson
                      Super Senior Member
                      • Mar 2006
                      • 2109

                      #11
                      Originally posted by Pio
                      Ironically, I don't think you can remove the phase plug from the new 802 Diamonds. I haven't even tried with mine....
                      Ironic? The earlier plugs screwed in (or were attached) to the magnetic pole-piece while the new D3 has a domed dustcap attached to the junction of the cone and voice-coil.
                      Kal Rubinson
                      _______________________________
                      "Music in the Round"
                      Senior Contributing Editor, Stereophile
                      http://forum.stereophile.com/category/music-round

                      Comment

                      • TomScrut
                        Moderator Emeritus
                        • Nov 2013
                        • 532

                        #12
                        Originally posted by Kal Rubinson
                        Ironic? The earlier plugs screwed in (or were attached) to the magnetic pole-piece while the new D3 has a domed dustcap attached to the junction of the cone and voice-coil.
                        That was back in 2012 (I fell for it for a minute too) so it must have been the D2s which I'm sure you know are removable

                        Sent from my HTC One M9 using Tapatalk
                        Music: Intel NUC -> Antelope Zodiac Platinum -> Classe CA-2300 -> B&W 802 Diamonds & 2x SVS SB13U

                        Comment

                        • Kal Rubinson
                          Super Senior Member
                          • Mar 2006
                          • 2109

                          #13
                          Originally posted by TomScrut
                          That was back in 2012 (I fell for it for a minute too) so it must have been the D2s which I'm sure you know are removable

                          Sent from my HTC One M9 using Tapatalk
                          Ouch. When old threads get bumped, I rarely notice that I am replying to an ancient issue. Yeah, the D2s had removeable phase plugs and those are what I referred to as "earlier."
                          Kal Rubinson
                          _______________________________
                          "Music in the Round"
                          Senior Contributing Editor, Stereophile
                          http://forum.stereophile.com/category/music-round

                          Comment

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