B&W 685 experience

[dinyaar]

Hi Dinyaar,

Thanks a lot for the info I hve just started to look for speakers and amps and cdp to setup my stereo system. So have not auditioned too many high end products(considering this range is high end for me).

The ones I have auditioned till now are the

Mordaunt Short Mezzo 2 ( My current fav heard it for close to 3hrs at the demo place) It was played using CA 640A V2 amp and CA 640C V2 CDP and also with the CA 840 A & C amp & cdp.


B&W 685 Played using Norge Amp( I think it was norge it sounded something like that) and an Oppo DVD player( that is what I think dampened the experience )


KEF IQ5 with Denon CDP and Denon Receiver Not impressed at all it sounded pretty lifeless when compared to B&W and Mezzo's.

Heard the Wharfedales also with Marantz amp and CDP which was not in the same league at all.

Now I need to audition soem Monitor Audio bookshelfs,Quads and Usher since some have suggested that as well.


AS you said I need to audition NAD I think I would be able to do that with the Monitor Audios in Bangalore the same dealer deals with both.

Thanks again for all the help yaar

No Problem at all.
Am not saying the 685 are bad speakers just that there are better @ 45/50K.
Kef IQ5 is a decent speaker and the partnering electronics were the probable let down.
Marantz cdp and amplifier are very good. Am surprised the the wharfedales couldn't sing with them.
Nad/Monitor Audio is a good combo. Musical and good VFM.If u have the room for it go for the RS 6.
I dont like CA amps but thats a personal NO NO so i will never recommend them. The cdps are decent but i would opt for a marantz.(anything above the 5001)
AVI set up the Nuforce integrated with the classe cdp to demo the 685???? Funny list of components to demo the 685. Think the cdp is close to 3L and the amps are about a lac. They probably used accessories costing more than the speakers too.
Anyway speakers are a personal preference and words like bright,lifeless,slow,warm etc are all relative. We all perceive and describe it differently.
Take your time and LISTEN before u take the plunge.
Regards

 

[thevortex]

Shahrukh - I understand what you mean about the KEFs. There are a few speakers which may not impress during a demo but maybe very fine speakers for the long run. I have always wondered how people nail down on such choices - precisely because they are so unobtrusive, maybe even unnoticeable.

 

[Shahrukh]

Shahrukh - I understand what you mean about the KEFs. There are a few speakers which may not impress during a demo but maybe very fine speakers for the long run. I have always wondered how people nail down on such choices - precisely because they are so unobtrusive, maybe even unnoticeable.

Um... no black art here. Just listen - that's all! Typically people listen to various brands for about half an hour and judge accordingly. IMO one really starts to understand a speaker only after a good couple of hours of serious listening.

ALSO (and this is an important point in this case) the iQ5s sound pathetic un-broken in. They take a minimum 100 hrs to start sounding better. I'm second guessing what you guys heard was not broken in properly.

I remember buying the iQ5s and being very very disappointed with them out of the box. It's only a after a month or two that I reallly started enjoying them - that too with very very basic electronics.

 

[thevortex]

Well, the longest listening session I have had has been about 2 hours. Cant get too many upwards of 2 hour sessions.

The better half does not take too kindly to that

To me though, the KEF sound is not that alluring. On the other hand a speaker brand which possesses the same characteristics that you talk about - may not be striking, but grows on you - is defined by EPOS. The more I listened to it even over different days the better the speakers sounded. Lovely speakers those.

 

[Rem]

Hi all,

thevortex - I did not know much about the Oppo DVD player hence I made those comments I thought like every other DVD player it might also be not up to scratch when it comes to playing ACD's.

I compared the KEF's and Mezzo's coz both are in the same price bracket around the 30 to 40k range.

You have made a good point about the Epos I have been dying to audition them heard a lot about them. As far as the PSB speakers are concerned I do not know where I can audition it in Bangalore( Need to check their website and get the dealer address).

Thanks for your feedback keep it coming


Particleman, Panditji - yeah it is the Nu-Force amp i checked their website after you have mentioned it it is the NuForce IA-7 V2 model it was worth about 1lac5thousand. 100W per channel Nu-Force with Oppo DVD player thats what they partnered with B&W 685's wasnt as impressive as the Mezzo's I tell you I know I am sounding more and more like a sales guy from Mordaunt Short


Shahrukh - IQ5's are good speakers but I thought for the money Mezzo's where too good.B&W are good and you are right they are bright but when compared to 685's I thought Mezzo's where better the details imaging and everyting about it makes you sit their and listen to them for hours( I was in the demo room for 3hrs).

To be fair to the KEF's they did not even play it in the demo room(the guy in the showroom said they got the 5.1 setup there and its difficult to put this up there) they played it in the showroom floor with denon amp and cd player and it wasnt the ideal position for both the speakers to play the music as well as for my listening.

 

[Rem]

Dinyaar - I may not for the CA amp & CDP most probably I would be going for the Marantz or NAD. Most probably the PM6002 or PM7001(not sure how much it costs). and CD6002 CDP .

NAD amps and CD's got confused with a lot of the models not sure which one would be around my budget of upto 30k for amp and upto 30k for CDP.


I got to listen to the Epos

 

[particleman]

Most probably the PM6002 or PM7001(not sure how much it costs). and CD6002 CDP .

PM7001 amp is about 25k. SA6002 CDP should be a little higher while SA7001 SACD is 39k.

About the KEF iQ5, the key feature is the lack of fatigue. You can listen to speakers like these all day or at least very long stretches. This is the same quality that attracted me to an Arcam amp. Seems "dull" at first but you realise that it is actually not colouring the sound at all and makes for soothing listening.

As for the Mezzos, they are good speakers but I feel there are better options in their price range.

If you don't mind bookshelf speakers do audition the Monitor Audio GS10 as well.

 

[Rem]

PM7001 amp is about 25k. SA6002 CDP should be a little higher while SA7001 SACD is 39k.

About the KEF iQ5, the key feature is the lack of fatigue. You can listen to speakers like these all day or at least very long stretches. This is the same quality that attracted me to an Arcam amp. Seems "dull" at first but you realise that it is actually not colouring the sound at all and makes for soothing listening.

As for the Mezzos, they are good speakers but I feel there are better options in their price range.

If you don't mind bookshelf speakers do audition the Monitor Audio GS10 as well.

Mezzo 2's are about Rs.27k in bangalore. Most of the speakers I heard where well above that hence I thought it was good VPM.

As you suggested Particleman I was planning to audition the monitor audio speakers the dealer here in Bangalore does not seem to have that in stock. He was suggesting the Usher S520 but I did not get to hear them since I wanted to go there only after they get the Monitor Audios so that I can hear those two speakers back to back.

The monitor Audios I have in mind are the Bronze BR2, Silver RS1, and now as you have suggested the GS10 as well but I doubt whether the GS10 will be within my buget of less than 50k

 

[Shahrukh]

Hmmm... haven't heard those Mezzos do can't comment. The EPOS bookshelf (sorry guys - I'm terrible with model numbers) is decent - yes.

The more I'm reading this post the more I feel you guys have heard an iQ5 which hasn't been well burned in! Dull is not a word I'd use to describe this speaker! Anyway, we all have different ears so no arguments here.

Rem, sir, I'd highly recommend the MAs - Silver. I dunno how the new bronze floorstanders are but they come highly recommended by the hifi-press. PSB's B10 (or something like that) is a very good speaker in your range. You should get PSBs from your regular NAD dealer.

If you can stretch ur budget a bit, I'd suggest Dynaudio Audience 52s (or a used SE if you can find one). Big bang for the (now crumbling) buck!

 

[dinyaar]

Dinyaar - I may not for the CA amp & CDP most probably I would be going for the Marantz or NAD. Most probably the PM6002 or PM7001(not sure how much it costs). and CD6002 CDP .

NAD amps and CD's got confused with a lot of the models not sure which one would be around my budget of upto 30k for amp and upto 30k for CDP.


I got to listen to the Epos

Hi Again,
Particlemans prices are accurate as always. Though if u can do without bill(grey mkt) u can get the cd6002 for as low as 19 K. Buy the PM 7001 amp. Super VFM.
As for speakers the MA silvers are the ones to beat. Better than most at the price points.
Regards

 

[danccc]

Hi Again,
Though if u can do without bill(grey mkt) u can get the cd6002 for as low as 19 K. Regards

Try Calling Aldrin at Refex in Chennai, You may be able to get the CD6002 with Bill and 3 Yrs Warranty at sub 20K level

 

[particleman]

The more I'm reading this post the more I feel you guys have heard an iQ5 which hasn't been well burned in! Dull is not a word I'd use to describe this speaker! Anyway, we all have different ears so no arguments here.

My apologies if my message was one of those that gave this impression. I used the word dull in quotes to convey that it is merely an erroneous perception when you are auditioning a series of speakers. Indeed the iQ5 has a mature sound and, just like you, it was either it or the MA RS6 for me. The RS6 won out because I liked the combo of it with the Arcam amp very much.

 

[Rem]

Need to audition
NAD / Marantz CDP/amps

Monitor Audio and Epos speakers heard too many good things about them.Dealer insists Usher is better than Monitor Audios though anyway I am off to audition them this weekend.

Dynaudio I heard is above 50K i dont want to stretch it that far for the time being.

Will update this space after the audition this sunday.

BTW if you guys have any knowledge about the best lossless audio format to rip cd's to my computer which one would you suggest. FLAC is good but I cant play them in any portable player like ipod or zune so suggest something I can play in a portable player as well.

 

[thevortex]

Hi Again,
Particlemans prices are accurate as always. Though if u can do without bill(grey mkt) u can get the cd6002 for as low as 19 K. Buy the PM 7001 amp. Super VFM.
As for speakers the MA silvers are the ones to beat. Better than most at the price points.
Regards

I heard the Monitor Audio GS1 and did not find it that good. I had heard the Jamo Concert Series (605) and the EPOS before and found them far superior.

The BR5 too did not sound as good as, say, the Jamo 605. It was more a match for the Jamo 405, from what I heard.

 

[dilsenme]

Do you guys have any idea how much M.S Mezzo speakers cost in mumbai?
Mezzo 1,2,5 & 9 (sub).

 

[particleman]

Do you guys have any idea how much M.S Mezzo speakers cost in mumbai?
Mezzo 1,2,5 & 9 (sub).

Should be 21k, 27k, 22k, 50k respectively. I think the 5 is the centre speaker. If you meant the 6, that's about 75k. Also, that is the only Mezzo I've heard. Not bad at all.

 

[girl21]

Hi!

did u visit the dynamic mall at juhu for B&W speakers??

AV receiver : Onkyo TX-SR 606 - from where are u purchasing and cost
Speaker package : B&W 685 - cost pls


Regards
Shweta

 

[Rem]

Hi!

did u visit the dynamic mall at juhu for B&W speakers??

AV receiver : Onkyo TX-SR 606 - from where are u purchasing and cost
Speaker package : B&W 685 - cost pls


Regards
Shweta

Onkyo TX-SR 606 around 35k

B&W 6 series package was close to 1.4lacs

B&W 685 bookshelfs on its own would be 39k