B&W 601 S2
Well, after spending a few quality days in the mancave here is what you've all been waiting for.......
The 601 is the entry level bookshelf in the 600 series (series 2). It sports a 1" metal dome, 6.5" kevlar mid/bass driver in a front ported enclosure. Similar in size to the RT35i.
My associated gear is:
AMC cd8b cd player
Adcom SLC-505
Carver m1.5t amp
signal cable interconnects
Straigh Wire "Rhythm II" biwire speaker cables
Sanus 18" stands (left over from the RT7's)
They are 5' apart, toed in to the listening position.
I first listened to these speakers at Russ's house last spring and have been dying to get them ever since. Well, being the great guy that Russ is, he sent them on.
How do they sound, you ask? Well, I'll tell you........
After spinning through my demo material, I'm frankly amazed at the midrange clarity and detail that these speakers produce. I wouldn't go as far as saying completely transparent but the level of detail is astonishing given the class of speaker. This detail does come at the expense of some smoothness though, as compared to my Boston A40's. The Polk RT7's have a more open and airy sound but they don't have the detail and accuracy that the B&W's do. Essentially, I view it as six to one, half dozen to the other as to which you prefer.
The highs are excellent, very detailed with no hints of sharpness, shrillness or whatever adjective you would like to insert. The only thing that I would say is lacking is some of the bite (there is a technical term for you) in some percussion passages that you might expect. The highs, I wouldn't say are lacking but they are more laid back than the mids are.
The bass in these little bookshelves is, IMO, first rate. Obviously they aren't thumpers but it is the tightest bass of any bookshelf that I can recall (in it's class). There is no overhang or sloppiness at all. VERY impressive.
Imaging was as good as any other booshelf that I know of. The soundstage was the only thing that I was a little disappointed in. While all the sounds were very defined, well placed and focused, I just didn't get the huge soundstage that I was expecting. The sound was confined to the parameters of the speakers. This is one area, though, where I have been spoiled by the RT7's, which, IMO through a soundstage that is simply incredible.
The other thing that amazes me is that the quality of sound is incredibly consistent regardless of volume. From a whisper to as loud as you can stand, the sound of these speakers is incredibly similar in terms of dynamics. Props to B&W there.
As far as types of music, IMO, the beemers really shine with acoustical pieces. However, I was not disappointed with any genre of music from Alice in Chains or AC/DC to Gordon Lightfoot.
Anyway, I am overall, basically tickled pink to add these to the collection and have earned a spot in the mancave.
BDT
The 601 is the entry level bookshelf in the 600 series (series 2). It sports a 1" metal dome, 6.5" kevlar mid/bass driver in a front ported enclosure. Similar in size to the RT35i.
My associated gear is:
AMC cd8b cd player
Adcom SLC-505
Carver m1.5t amp
signal cable interconnects
Straigh Wire "Rhythm II" biwire speaker cables
Sanus 18" stands (left over from the RT7's)
They are 5' apart, toed in to the listening position.
I first listened to these speakers at Russ's house last spring and have been dying to get them ever since. Well, being the great guy that Russ is, he sent them on.
How do they sound, you ask? Well, I'll tell you........
After spinning through my demo material, I'm frankly amazed at the midrange clarity and detail that these speakers produce. I wouldn't go as far as saying completely transparent but the level of detail is astonishing given the class of speaker. This detail does come at the expense of some smoothness though, as compared to my Boston A40's. The Polk RT7's have a more open and airy sound but they don't have the detail and accuracy that the B&W's do. Essentially, I view it as six to one, half dozen to the other as to which you prefer.
The highs are excellent, very detailed with no hints of sharpness, shrillness or whatever adjective you would like to insert. The only thing that I would say is lacking is some of the bite (there is a technical term for you) in some percussion passages that you might expect. The highs, I wouldn't say are lacking but they are more laid back than the mids are.
The bass in these little bookshelves is, IMO, first rate. Obviously they aren't thumpers but it is the tightest bass of any bookshelf that I can recall (in it's class). There is no overhang or sloppiness at all. VERY impressive.
Imaging was as good as any other booshelf that I know of. The soundstage was the only thing that I was a little disappointed in. While all the sounds were very defined, well placed and focused, I just didn't get the huge soundstage that I was expecting. The sound was confined to the parameters of the speakers. This is one area, though, where I have been spoiled by the RT7's, which, IMO through a soundstage that is simply incredible.
The other thing that amazes me is that the quality of sound is incredibly consistent regardless of volume. From a whisper to as loud as you can stand, the sound of these speakers is incredibly similar in terms of dynamics. Props to B&W there.
As far as types of music, IMO, the beemers really shine with acoustical pieces. However, I was not disappointed with any genre of music from Alice in Chains or AC/DC to Gordon Lightfoot.
Anyway, I am overall, basically tickled pink to add these to the collection and have earned a spot in the mancave.
BDT
I plan for the future. - F1Nut
Post edited by TroyD on
Comments
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Very nice Troy,
try moving them alittle further apart to open up your soundstage.The stands your using, do they have adjustable carpet spikes???If so try alittle tilt back to open those babies up.Yes I feel the same way when it comes to acoustical music and voice.Beautiful on B&W speakers at all levels.
I'm not sure if you found what I have found was when playing rock type music like Alice and chains, they seem alittle cloudy if you will for a lack of a better word.They are also tempermental.Jaz, classical, soft rock like Train shines, but the heavy stuff I felt lacked.B&W's only flaw as I hear it.
The depth and wide open soundstage can be had with some time playing with placement.I never heard a better speaker when it comes to depth and wide open soundstage......B&W is king.
I see you got some new Speaker wire.Did it make a difference in overall sound quality,soundstage and depth??Detail is something that is easily heard threw B&W speakers,when you swap out wire and such.Real easy to hear the difference's.
Speakers are very personal and I'm glad to see you like them.
DanDan
My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time. -
Oh, I've got a lot of experimenting to do to be sure.............
As far as the wire goes, no, that is only wire I've used on them so I have no basis for comparison.
Here is my take, on why some folks might not dig the beemers for rock and this is PURELY opinion. If you have a something that was poorly recorded in the first place (as I think some rock cd's are) then the beemers aren't going to help them where as some speakers (ie the Bostons) will help smooth them out a bit. Now, that's just a theory at this point so take it as such.
As how I base my conclusions on my experience with the Bostons and the RT7's (the most similar speakers that I have to the 601's) under similar setup conditions. Just so you know how I arrived at my findings. I try to compare things that are relatively similar to avoid the apples and oranges scenario
BDTI plan for the future. - F1Nut -
BDT
I didn't know you needed help with setting these up? Dan gave you help and I will too.... Try using 25lb test fishing line and hang them from the ceiling tilted away from your listening position.....;)
KING INSTALLEROh, the bottle has been to me, my closes friend, my worse enemy! -
Well, so much for eyeballing, I got out the ol' analog tape measure and the stands are actually 6'4" apart, so I 'stand' corrected......
So, nascarmann, are you saying that using silver duct tape was the wrong thing to do? Ahhhhh, what the hell do I know.
BDTI plan for the future. - F1Nut -
So, nascarmann, are you saying that using silver duct tape was the wrong thing to do? Ahhhhh, what the hell do I know.
I have a lot of experience with the fishing line....
Duct tape "could" be better...;)
Cheers,
Bill DanceOh, the bottle has been to me, my closes friend, my worse enemy! -
fishing line and duct tape.........never tried that combo.......well if it works for yeah.........Dan
My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time. -
What are the advantages of hanging them by fishing line besides the obvious lack of vibration to stands?
I know you couldn't use a strong ceiling fan with that setup..heh.Two Channel Main
Receiver - VSX-54TX
Mains - Csi40's
Sub - Spiked Velodyne Cht-8 On Spiked Landscaping Stones
"If you could put speakers in a needle, I'd never see him again..." - My Girlfriend -
Good review Troy, I'm glad you are diggin' em.... I sure did for the past year or so.
Cheers,
RussCheck your lips at the door woman. Shake your hips like battleships. Yeah, all the white girls trip when I sing at Sunday service. -
that would be cool 5 speakers one on each selong fan while it rotates lol
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Hmmmm... Somebody call a patent attorney and Fast!***WAREMTAE***
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Somebody call a patent attorney and Fast!
Oh, the bottle has been to me, my closes friend, my worse enemy! -
As an update, last night, I experimented with positioning the beemers farther apart, up to 9 feet. I didn't notice an appreciable widening of the soundstage but did notice a less focused stereo image.
BDTI plan for the future. - F1Nut -
In my experience with Bowers and Wilkins, you have to move 'up the line' a bit to get that soundstage you are looking for. I don't think you can force it with placement on the 601's.
Detail is second to none for its class, and sounds like you've got a good vareity in the cave now. Hell, you have all the soundstage you could ever want in the DQ's....
I have a similar setup now also, the SDA CRS throw a huge stage (review still forthcoming), and my little KEFs fulfill my 'detail' cravings....
Cheers,
RussCheck your lips at the door woman. Shake your hips like battleships. Yeah, all the white girls trip when I sing at Sunday service. -
I demoed the CDM series at audio warehouse a month or so ago and I agree, they have a much wider soundstage, but are also a lot more $$. I've also noticed that placement has a less dramatic influence on the 601's than any other bookshelf that I know of. IE, spreading them out really didn't change the overall character of the speaker all that much.
That's one of the reasons I brought the A40's home for comparison purposes as obviously, the beemers are not in the same league (no offense to B&W) as the DQ's but we are talking apples and oranges.
I also agree about the detail, the detail and resolution of the 601's, unbeatable in it's class.I plan for the future. - F1Nut -
BDT...If you had to choose between the 601's or the RT-7's...how would you go.....Oh, the bottle has been to me, my closes friend, my worse enemy!
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You know, I been thinking a LOT about that the last couple of days and the straight answer is I don't know. They are two entirely different beasts. One is open, airy and effortless and one is detailed, focused and tight.
I'm inclinded to say, if I HAD to choose, I'd say the RT7 but that is because it's a sentimental favorite. In terms of which is an empirically 'better' speaker, probably the 601.
BDTI plan for the future. - F1Nut -
Man.....you need to run for some political office.....
Joking.....good answer...;)Oh, the bottle has been to me, my closes friend, my worse enemy!
