B&W DM604S3 or Monitor Audio Silver series ??

[AudioAddict]

Hi, i'm new here and got an important question. I'm buying new pair of speakers for a stereo system and i look on speakers under 2000$. Sorry, if this is not all about B&W, but i need a honest opinion of people who are using B&W. First i will start from begining, I just bought A B&K Components PT5 Preamp/Tunner and ST125.2 Stereo Amplifier ( Power Amp ). Now i look for speakers, i have already listen to Monitor Audio Silver S10 i think - not bad. And also i want to listen to B&W DM604 S3 - but there is small problem the dealer near me don't have them in a show room, and i will need to talk to them about listening to those speakers . I started this topic becouse i got confused, The DM604S3 are kind of cheap - 1400$ (pair) comparing to Monitor Audio 2000$ (pair) - and the S10 are made of wood, and i love wood. But on other hand i love B&W, i saw few old B&W like B&W DM6xx and DM6xx S2 and 8xx, and 1 time i have listen to Nautilus. And i look for good speakers for 2000$ per pair. And my question is which of them are better B&W or Monitor Audio ?? And how do you think - does the B&K amp will play good with DM604S3 ?? Does the speakers sound awesome as they look - love the look of DM6xxx S3 in Sorrento finish ?? And why are they so hard to find in Florida ... I probobly got a little off topic - not all about B&W, as we should write about B&W . But for sure i know that B&W speakers match my style, and when i look on them i start to drool - it's a joke about drooling. I never listen to NEW DM 6xx S3 series but i hope to do it all the time i got when i will buy them - or if i do that. But if they sound so great than why they are so cheap ?? Maybe becouse they are covered in vinyl not made of wood like B&W 7xx series or monitor audio ... I want to buy floorstanding speakers. And if u have and advice about cables i should use with B&W i'm open for advices.

Thank you, for reading this and being interested in this topic. And also i'm sorry for writing about different subject than B&W speakers - Monitor Audio.

Appriciate.

[DrBoom]

Hi,

if you find the 600 series too cheap, why not move up to the 700 or 800 series ?
That'll put a nice hole in your wallet
In the entire 600 series, I think I like the 603's best.
The 604's sound a bit too restrained in the midrange, and they're somewhat bass-heavy.
Not to mention that the bass isn't as tight as it should be.
To me, the 604 is a speaker for people that like to play a lot of rock & pop music or possible trance/house.
It can play loud without distorting because it's a full 3-way system, but it lacks some finesse, detail and punch.
If your budget is around $2000, why not give the 704's a try ?
Ofcourse, not everyone likes their sound, but if you don't try them you'll never know.
They can reveal very tiny details you've never heard before, and they sound much more controlled in the lower regions too.
Then again, it all depends on what you'll be driving them with.
The higher you go up the B&W path, the more important amplification becomes.
You can drive a 603 with about any Yamaha/Denon/Marantz receiver, even the cheapest ones without it complaining.
The higher series are a lot more picky about their amps.
Regarding looks, if you like the 600 series Sorrento finish, then you'll probably like the 700 series Maple finish too which looks a lot better to be honest.
Anyway, you definitely have to go out and listen to some of them first before buying.
They all sound very different (603, 604, 704) and it's really a matter of personal taste.

[doubleA]

Hello,

I've been surfing these forums for a while now and finally registered because I have something to contribute. I just bought the 604s3 this week and so far I love them. I am not familiar with the other speakers you mention but I can definetly say that the B&W 600 series are the best speakers in this price range that I have come across. I have not listened to the 603s3 but I also have the 602s2 which are now my surrounds and I have always been pleased with the sound. I should mention that I am bi-wiring the mains and center channel though it's probably not making much difference since I don't have separate component amplifiers. I am using a Yamaha RX-V2400 (120watts x 7) to push everything. My next upgarde will be a dedicated amp for the mains and center but for now I think it's pretty good. Like I said, my 604s3 are brand new so they will take some breaking for the sound to completely gel. I also have the ASW 675 subwoofer from the same series so I definetly am not lacking low end!!! As a matter of fact I am still tweaking the mains to blend with my sub I might try using the flowport plugs to see what that does, but right now I thought I'd just let them break in first. My room is fairly large in size and unfortunetly very reflective (tile floors) but so far I have pretty even bass response through out. I listen to music in stereo 70% of the time but this is also a great HT set-up. All in all these are great speakers for the price but if you have a bigger budget I would also look at the 700's (and they are so beautiful to look at...cherry wood is my choice).

I hope this helps but by all means let your ears decide what speakers you should buy. I live in central Florida and I know of several B&W dealers through out the state so chances are your not far from a demo room.

Best regards

[AudioAddict]

Hi,

The DM604 S3 are not cheap at all it's just that i was thinking they are more expensive becouse they are better than competition in price range below 1500$ and even better than some speakers above 1500$. So after your replays i'm considering DM 604S3 and 704 series, unfortunetly 703 is to high price range for me , i'm only 20 yr and speakers like 703 and 800 series are just a dream . But when i will go with 704's i'm thinking about use a ASW 700 subwoofer, to get more bass in my stereo system. What do u think about that solution ??

Thank you wery much for your help.

Appriciate.

Mike

[will1066]

If you will use the 704 for a stereo system (not home theater), then you can probably get by without a subwoofer. The 704 will play deep-enough bass.

You should listen to Monitor Audio, too, and decide if that or B&W is to your liking. Like B&W, Monitor Audio is a British company, and it's well-known that British companies put out a certain sound (generally a smooth, warm, laid back).

[AudioAddict]

Hi,

Is there a big difference in sound between 704 and 703 ?? Becouse price of 703 is 800$ more than 704 and i started to think about save 800$ and buy 703 but only if it's worth spending 3000$ on them.

Appriciate.

Mike.

[DrBoom]

To me there is a pretty big difference between the 703 and 704.
Not just the obvious difference like more bass from the larger 703, and some more midrange detail due to the FST midrange driver.
But also a very distinct difference in character.
I find the 703 to be a rather forward sounding speaker, with a strong midrange and (depending on the electronics driving them) a sometimes agressive high frequency range.
The 704 sounds smoother, and is easier to listen to.
Where there used to be a more or less similar sound between the old CDM9NT and the N804, that has completely disappeared now.
Often people would get the CDM9 if they liked the 804 but found it too expensive, because it sounded a lot like it.
The 703 has absolutely nothing to do with the 804 anymore, and the two are completely different now.
I would also never pay $3000 for 703's if the 804 is sold for $3500, but i suppose that is personal taste.
I myself wanted to really like the 700 series, and had planned to get 4x 704's + HTM7 which is a perfect match all around because they use identical tweeter and midrange drivers.
Also the crossover point of the 704 and HTM 7 are identical, the 705 and 703 have different crossover points.
So for HT purposes, I'd definitely go for the 704's, another reason why is that the 703 doesn't have a matching centerspeaker.
But again, 703 and 704 are véry different sounding speakers and you definitely have to audition both before deciding.