'Old is Gold'- B&W DM 4

heliumflight

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Friends,

I wanted to share my love with the forum members. I have heard many modern day speakers and still am in love with these old speakers.


B&W website:
B&W Archive Owner's Manuals and CAD Drawings

Vintage B&W DM4 audiophile monitor speakers from 1972. Highly regarded over similar Spendor BC1 and Rogers speakers from the 70s. Read the reviews. Full bodied with a huge soundstage and the ability to fill a large room.



--
helium
 
Friends,

I wanted to share my love with the forum members. I have heard many modern day speakers and still am in love with these old speakers.


B&W website:
B&W Archive Owner's Manuals and CAD Drawings

Vintage B&W DM4 audiophile monitor speakers from 1972. Highly regarded over similar Spendor BC1 and Rogers speakers from the 70s. Read the reviews. Full bodied with a huge soundstage and the ability to fill a large room.



--
helium

Heliumflight,

Thank you for introducing us to these speakers. Do you have these?
The power handling is only 10-30w. Its great that you dont need high powered amps to drive these.
 
Heliumflight,

Thank you for introducing us to these speakers. Do you have these?
The power handling is only 10-30w. Its great that you dont need high powered amps to drive these.


Yes Iaudio these are the only speakers I have owned since 37 years. Correct the power handling is 30wrms but the sensitivity is not 95db as on B&W spec.

--
helium
 
Going strong even after 37 years? Thats quiet good
Have you replaced the surrounds or the cone ever?
 
Congrats, Sumant on acquiring the Lyrita 2A3 SET.
I understand that ,paired with your B&W's you're experiencing audio nirvana.
Do post detailed impressions on this combo.
 
@ heliumflight

Great to know you are using the DM4s. These speakers in its days held a wide Freq resp of 30Hz-25kHz(+/- 2dB) which was incredible!! Though these were regarded as bookshelves, they were more of a low stand-mounting type with a 3-way design having 3rd Order Butterworth crossovers. The electrical characteristics mentioned translates to approx 89dB/1W/1m sensitivity - hence 10-30watt amps were adequate.

Most older B&W users & followers continue to say "The most glorious days of B&W products were when John Bowers was still alive" & I tend to agree this... :)

Enjoy the speakers....:clapping:

Thank you, Audio engr. How did you calculate the sensitivity to be 89db/W/m?
 
@ heliumflight: Your spks look like this ? These are with original B&W stands.

Squarewave/ rikhav- All drivers/ surrounds/ foam perfecto! One of the super tweeters dont work. All I can say the sound is amazing specially for vocals.

Audio_engr- I use Virens heavy duty stands. BTW if your back in Gurgaon I would really like to meet you since I hear from HFV members that your reputation exceeds your name.

--
helium
Amp: Lyrita SET 2A3
Speakers: Vintage B&W DM4
Source: LG DVD + Beresford DAC
Cables: Lyrita's I.C & cables
 
@ heliumflight:
Thank you for the kind words BUT I would have preferred if my name was ahead of the reputation ;) as I like being low-keyed!
Am away & will PM you

BTW - the DM4 does not have a super tweeter, its a straight forward 3-way design with bass/mid/tweeter. In case one of the tweeter is non-functional, you first need to look at the crossover wherein the problem may lie. If not, then the inevitable has happened, i.e. the voice-coil of the tweeter is burnt. In that case, B&W UK can supply replacement but you're advised to replace not 1 BUT for the pair in order to maintain correct matching.
I've included some schematics with relevant values below for guidance.

P.S. These are not my drawings but are original sketches of Late John Bowers done in the '70s.


Once your back, you could have a look at them and I will take the necessary action.
 
Wow and congrats, you too have a pair of vintage B&Ws. The build quality on these are fantastic. I have a pair of B&W DM610(80s model I think) standmounts and really enjoy the clarity of vocals and highs. Around 5 years ago, I got them NOS(New Old Stock) from Melbourne, Australia. The shop was closing down and had a few things on sale. He also had two pairs of DM610s. After an online review and an audition on a McIntosh Amp, they were mine for just 500 AU$ (around 17k INR) those days. They are quite heavy. I hand carried one of them to Bangalore while my colleague carried the other.

@ heliumflight:
Thank you for the kind words BUT I would have preferred if my name was ahead of the reputation ;) as I like being low-keyed!
Am away & will PM you

BTW - the DM4 does not have a super tweeter, its a straight forward 3-way design with bass/mid/tweeter. In case one of the tweeter is non-functional, you first need to look at the crossover wherein the problem may lie. If not, then the inevitable has happened, i.e. the voice-coil of the tweeter is burnt. In that case, B&W UK can supply replacement but you're advised to replace not 1 BUT for the pair in order to maintain correct matching.
I've included some schematics with relevant values below for guidance.

P.S. These are not my drawings but are original sketches of Late John Bowers done in the '70s.

Audio_Engr: Would you have similar information about the B&W DM610s too? Please throw some light on these. I would like to understand the internals\charcteristics of my DM 610s.
 
Wow and congrats, you too have a pair of vintage B&Ws. The build quality on these are fantastic. I have a pair of B&W DM610(80s model I think) standmounts and really enjoy the clarity of vocals and highs. Around 5 years ago, I got them NOS(New Old Stock) from Melbourne, Australia. The shop was closing down and had a few things on sale. He also had two pairs of DM610s. After an online review and an audition on a McIntosh Amp, they were mine for just 500 AU$ (around 17k INR) those days. They are quite heavy. I hand carried one of them to Bangalore while my colleague carried the other.



Audio_Engr: Would you have similar information about the B&W DM610s too? Please throw some light on these. I would like to understand the internals\charcteristics of my DM 610s.

Thanks santhol2. I just googled to have alook at your speakers. They also look quite big as for bookshelves. Each speaker of mine weighs 10 kgs and I'm sure they will last another 10 years.

The match is simply made in heaven with the vocals so sublime, it will bring you in tears...

--
helium
Amp: Lyrita SET 2A3
Speakers: Vintage B&W DM4
Source: LG DVD + Beresford DAC
Cables: Lyrita's I.C & cables
 
Last edited:
Here is a picture of my B&W DM610. The stands are custom made (DIY with the help of a metal fabricator).

152125d1245853355-building-home-theatre-room-dsc06386.jpg
 
@ heliumflight:

BTW - the DM4 does not have a super tweeter, its a straight forward 3-way design with bass/mid/tweeter. In case one of the tweeter is non-functional, you first need to look at the crossover wherein the problem may lie. If not, then the inevitable has happened, i.e. the voice-coil of the tweeter is burnt. In that case, B&W UK can supply replacement but you're advised to replace not 1 BUT for the pair in order to maintain correct matching.
I've included some schematics with relevant values below for guidance.

Virenji has offered to help me repair the tweeter. He has written to Coles of England for a replacement of coles 4001, if it can't be obtained then he will use his DIY abilities


--
helium
Amp: Lyrita SET 2A3
Speakers: Vintage B&W DM4
Source: LG DVD + Beresford DAC
Cables: Lyrita's I.C & cables
 
On the DM4, B&W used a Celestion HF 1300 Tweeter of 16 Ohms. This is now something extremely hard-to-find. Replacing this with a Coles 4001 " Super-Tweeter will completely RUIN THE ORIGINALITY of the speakers as it would adversely affect the voicing of the DM4 in the critical midrange.

Coles was the sticker that was at the back of the tweeter.
 
Audio engr appreciate your efforts in getting my speaker fixed... It is worth the efforts as the vocals are simply mesmerizing!

Yes it is the pic of the top driver, the super tweeter- Coles 4001

Mine takes the DIN connector at the rear for speaker terminals which is probably form the earlier production.

Im thinking of bidding for the link you provided below as the seller accepts international shipping. The question is will the pair of super tweeters reach safely to India.

Coles 4001 SUPER TWEETER B&W DM1/DM4/SPENDOR BC1 on eBay (end time 11-Feb-10 21:33:03 GMT)


--
helium
Amp: Lyrita SET 2A3
Speakers: Vintage B&W DM4
Source: LG DVD + Beresford DAC
Cables: Lyrita's I.C & cables
 
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