There seems to be a sentiment out there on the web, and in several high-end audio shops in NYC that B&W speakers are over rated, are they? Or is it something else?
Chris - They are like everything else. Yesterday they got bashed. Today they'll get praised. Who knows what they'll be tomorrow. With a huge company like B&W (I've heard they are the best selling speaker company in the world), they have so many products that it could be very hit or miss. In my opinion, they have some great speakers, and some mediocre ones. At a lot of their price points, I can think of other speakers that sound better to me. There are many people who will disagree. I prefer the likes of PSB and Paradigm over B&W, but I know a few people who have the opposite opinion. To each his/her own.
If you're looking to buy a pair of speakers, my advice is to listen to as many different speakers as you can. Even listen to significantly more expensive and cheaper speakers so that you know exactly what you are getting for your money. Listen to each speaker for it's own merits. Forget about how X is supposed to sound, or how Y is supposed to sound better for the money. Listen to the music coming from the speaker.
Forget about what magazines, store owners, and people on a message board have to say. The only ears that matter are yours. Had I listened to what the majority of salesmen told me, I'd have a completely different system. I can honestly say I couldn't be happier with my system for what I paid for it. That should be the ultimate goal.
Yes and No. They have a LARGE product line of speakers. No company with that many products makes 100% winners. It's not possible. My opinion is that the 800 series is very good--meaning excellent. My opinion of the 6 and 700 series is that their price/value ratio isn't very good. And yes, the speakers are WAY above any comparison to BOSE and various other drivel in the audio world.
Chris Lee - How exactly did I confuse Bose and B&W? From what I've heard, B&W (not Bose) sells more speakers than any other company in the world. I don't know who sells the most in the US (could very well be Bose), but world wide it's B&W. At least that's what I've read and heard on a number of occasions.
I know I go by Stu Pitt, but give me some credit here. I'd never confuse the two companies.
Marc on the contrary the 6 series is one of the long standing excellent budget designs around,and I dont agree with you Stu,PSB and Paradigm while both great in their own right,are not better than B&W.JM Lab is the only company that can conpete with B&W price point per price point.B&W started the trickle down technology trick from their high end stuff that so many companies have now beeen employing in budget designs in the last 5 years.As the old san goes"when your on top of the mountain everyone wants to knock you off".While they may not be everyones favorite their is no denying their success and their position in the audio world.
i know that. my points was that there are companies like bose that make crap for their prices that really are overrated and there are those products that are very good and called overrated. dont mix those up. dont take everything so litterally.
Bose hehehehe, get rid of it as soon as possible or U can place it in the garage, and enjoy the music when fix up your car remember what i said put it away your home as far as possible
Rantz
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"Marc on the contrary the 6 series is one of the long standing excellent budget designs "
Agreed T.W. I don't necessarilly go along with all the hi-fi mag reveiwers but when a product consistantly gets top ratings there has to be something in it. As a very satisfied owner of 602's all i can say is, at their price point here in Oz, they are an oustanding speaker.
Of course we are just sharing opinions here. Stating that the 6 series is an excellent budget design doesn't make it true. ( sorry). I auditioned so many speakers in 2004 followed by almost of the offerings at CES in 2005 ( I didnt see B&W there actually at all).
The store that carries b&W here in Houston also carries Dynaudio as well as one or two others. Anyway, the 600 series simply didn't impress me at all. I am not actually sure what price point qualifies as budget frankly. The 6 and 7 series are OK. But there are other better options at the same price point. Here's the deal; First, I stand by my statement that a speaker manufacturer with 80 speaker models cannot bat 1000 with each one. Most speaker companies dont even hit it with one product. B&W has some decent stuff in the 800 series. They really do.
Remember that marketing costs, authorized reseller volume contracts etc, all add to the consumer price of a speaker beyond its base value. Thats where entry level series for a line like B&W run into trouble against "the competition". AS far as success breeding contempt, my only comment is " What exactly does one call success?" I don't begrudge BOSE fiscal success but I don't view them as successful as far as their product.
I owned the 602s as well and its always been one of the best at its price since it was introduced I also owned the 303 in 2000 and in 2001 it didnt have any competion except for the Wharfedale Diamond line.The whole 600 line from top to bottom are verty competive the 603 is a out right killer for the money superior engeneering will get those kind of results.
have you heard the 704 thats a fabulous speaker thast best I have heard at that price and before I heard them I didnt beleive the hype that absolutesound,Hi Fi choice,Hi Fi News had been printing.Dynaudio doesent start at $300 like B&W does they start at $900 for Audience 42 and it is not a better speaker than the 603 for $1000 and its really up in the air if its better than 602 and its $600.
Tawaun, I have to somewhat disagree with your opinion that B&W are better than PSB and Paradigm. At the lower levels - up to about $2000 - I think dollar for dollar PSB and Paradigm make better sounding speakers. Their may be one or two models that are an exception, but I personally prefer the PSB and Paradigm sound over B&W. Overall, at equal price points, I'd take a PSB Image or Paradigm monitor speaker over just about any B&W 600. I'd also take a PSB Stratus or Paradigm Reference over a B&W 700, again, at similar price point and comparable models. All are equally good speakers within their price points with different charecteristics, I just prefer the PSB and Paradigm charecteristics over B&W's. To each his/her own.
You can read recommendations here till your eyes go blury but Stu Pitt made the best point. Go and listen to as many speakers as you can, cheap ones and expensive ones. You just may find that a "bargain" speaker may be to your liking. You can then spend the money you save on other equipment! Have fun and take your time.
Howdy TW- sorry if I am being offensive about B&W to you; not my intent. Lets talk specifics. I did a listening review of 20 speakers I audutioned, before going to CES, over on avsforum in 2004, including the B&W 704. If we look at the Gallo Reference 3 for instance, vs a similarly priced b&W, 600 series product, I feel the listening expreience is quite different in favor of the Gallos. I feel the same way about the Magnepan 1.6s comparatively, as well as the Usher 6311. I do agree that the Dynaudio audience 42 isn't exactly a deal at 900; but their winners at the time of my audition were in the Contour line-- the audience line didn't do anything for me.
AS far as " Budget", I don't really feel 1500 a pair is budget ( thats the list for 602.5 s3 by B&W). I actually chose Soliloquy 5.3is for my reference. These babies, at 2200 a pair but bought at quite the discount, did it for me personally. I am the first to admit however, that I heard better sounding speakers at CES 2005, as well as worse ones as well; if I had though B&Ws were competitve at the same price point, I would have snapped them up in a second.
Stu I think you're right about the B&W vs Paradigm thing. There is always a personal preferance thing in there, but Paradigm makes excellent speakers for the price!