B&w or wharfedale?

 

New member
Username: Ionas

Post Number: 1
Registered: Feb-05
Hello guys.I'm Michael from Greece.I setting up a 5.1 system and i have a dilemma about what speakers to buy.
I have the universal pionner dv575a and the reciever yamaha rxv 650.I'm thinking of buying b&w's dm601s3 as front LR,LCR 60 and dm600s3 or dm303 as surrounds and a sub(dont know which one yet).
Do you think b&w are worthing the extra money over the Wharfedale 9.1(for front LR and surrounds) and the center speaker Wharfedale provide for those?
What hi fi magazine wrote some excellent reviews about the Wharfedale's,but it's pretty much the only review i've found so far on the net.The problem is that i can't audition the speakers here in Greece.
I'm planning to use my system mostly for music than for movies(65/35) and i'm not really interested in large volumes or bass extension.
Any ideas anyone?
 

Silver Member
Username: Frank_abela

Berkshire UK

Post Number: 330
Registered: Sep-04
Michael

My favourite speaker in the B&W 600 range is the DM600. The 601 has extra weight but the 600 has better drive and pace. Either way, whether you stick with the 601 or 600 at the front, stick with tht e600s at the back. The reason is that the 600 series has a slightly different presentation to the 300 series. The 300 series is a little brighter and brasher.

I prefer the 600s to the Wharfedales. However I might prefer the 9.1s to the 601s! The Wharfedales are darker in character with a bigger bass. They're very pleasant to listen to, and enjoyable.

Finally, I don't know what size your room is. The Wharfedales are significantly deeper than the 600s. Also, the Wharfedales are not so easy to wall-mount. So if you need to do this at the back, the 600s are a much better bet since they have a little bracket which means all you have to do is put a decent sized nail into the wall.

Regards,
Frank.
 

Silver Member
Username: Frank_abela

Berkshire UK

Post Number: 331
Registered: Sep-04
Incidentally, if you're looking at subs, REL is an excellent make, and so is MJ Acoustic. Below the entry level of these makes, subs begin to get quite noisy (in a bad way).

Regards,
Frank.
 

New member
Username: Ionas

Post Number: 2
Registered: Feb-05
Thank you very much Frank Abela,you've been very helpful.My room is about 25 square meters.
And what do you think of Epos esl3?
Thanks again for your time man.
 

Anonymous
 
Frank,

What about the AE Evo1 and Wharfedale 9.1 in term of sound quality? I prefer silk dome than metal tweeter and I 'm planning to get a pair. Thanks in advance
 

Silver Member
Username: Frank_abela

Berkshire UK

Post Number: 333
Registered: Sep-04
ionas,

You're welcome. I haven't played with the Epos speaker. Traditionally, EPOS speakers are very communicative and good fun, so there's no reason to suppose that the ESL3 isn't good. I've also read one or two very favourable reviews.

Anon, the EVO1 is a good speaker, but I think it's overshadowed by the 600s and the 9.1s. That said I haven't done a direct A/B between the three and the EVO1 was always fun to listen to. I get where you're coming from on the silk dome front. The best speaker I've heard use a metal tweeter really well is Totem. However, the B&Ws do a very good job with theirs so if you get the opportunity, don't discount them. I am very susceptible to treble harshness so I have steered clear of traditional metal tweeters but these newer designs are proving very persuasive.

Regards,
Frank.

 

Silver Member
Username: Ca_convert

CardiffUK

Post Number: 123
Registered: Jan-05
Frank,

For info, the metal tweeter on the DM 303 is identical to that used on the 600, 601 and 602. I'm suprised you found the 303 top end brash - in my experience its more reserved top end than the 602's that I replaced them with. HiFi Choice found similar if I recall correctly. So long as you partner with care, neither can be described as "brash". In that respect Frank I think we are in agreement

Anon, I was disappointed with the AE Evo 3's when I auditioned them. The music sounded closed in, and less dymanic. It was as if there was a veil over the music; I found it very difficult to follow the bass guitar on some tracks. I also listened to some 9.1's and was disappointed. The dealer also claimed that many ppl who were auditioning the 9.1's off magazine reccomendations ended up buying bronze B2's.
 

Anonymous
 
Frank and ca_convert,

Thanks for the info.What about bronze B2 and paradigm mini just in case I go with metal tweet?
 

Silver Member
Username: Ca_convert

CardiffUK

Post Number: 127
Registered: Jan-05
I have never auditioned the B2's so I cannot comment. The press generally like them, as do the dealers, but it depends on whether they are to your tastes.
 

Silver Member
Username: Frank_abela

Berkshire UK

Post Number: 343
Registered: Sep-04
Anon,

I'm not a fan of Monitor Audio, mainly due to lack of drive from those speakers - very civilized, but they just don't let their hair down when occasion demands it. That said, I have not heard the latest Bronze models which may have improved this aspect of their performance.

Convert, I don't thik we agree actually. Although the 300 series uses the same tweeter, I feel that its implementation in the 300 series is not as happy as in the 600 series, resulting in a barash, if fun, sound. The 600 series achilles heel is bass. Everything above the 600 itself seems to have an indistinct heavy full bass. Now I like bass, but not when it's so cabinet based!

And again I find that generally I prefer the AE EVO3 to the 602.5. It's lighter on its feet and more engaging. I also find that bass is much better defined with the AE than the B&W with true definition. Perhaps it's something to do with the partnering electronics? I don't know.

We've also had quite a bit of success with the Wharfedale EVO-20. A lot of speaker for not too much money. Possibly a little more tiring to listen to than the B&W and AE options.

Finally, try to include Focal Jmlab in your deliberations if possible. The 714S is a fine speaker for similar money to the B&W 602.5s.

The electronics that will be mated to the speakers will have a huge effect on their performance. For example, an AE EVO3 will scream harshness at you if the amp doesn't have the current drive to push through it. OTOH the B&W sounds sodden and leaden when the amp's not up to it.
 

Silver Member
Username: Ca_convert

CardiffUK

Post Number: 131
Registered: Jan-05
Sorry I have not heard the B2's so cannot comment. The UK press and the dealers that I talked to seem to like them a lot, but its your preference and taste that counts.
 

Silver Member
Username: Ca_convert

CardiffUK

Post Number: 132
Registered: Jan-05
Frank, you're right, we don't agree at all!

I auditioned the 602 the evo 3 the dynaudio 41's and Rega R3 with the NAD 352 amp that I have.

I found similar results to What hi fi when comparing the Evo3 to the 602. IMO the 602 has one of the best controlled and extended bottom ends of any speaker under £400 period, only the £450 R3's were comparable. In fact, I was really disappointed with the Evo3's since they have dropped in price to a bargain £250. That said, 3 years ago I chose the DM303's over a pair of AE109's so maybe I just don't like the AE sound. After all, speakers are highly subjective componenst within a system.

I still strongly disagree that the 303's are brighter than the 600 series. The upper mid certainly is more forward, but this is due to the mid/bass driver which is a different material from the kevlar unit found in the 600 series.

Others to audition include the JMlabs, and also the Epos M5 which is getting good reviews.
 

TTnew
Unregistered guest
Why dont you try the Quad L series specially the Quad 21L. Very huge sound stage on a small floor stand speaker.
 

Silver Member
Username: Frank_abela

Berkshire UK

Post Number: 370
Registered: Sep-04
ca_convert

Please note I was talking about the 602.5, not the 602, which has better extension since it is a smaller cabinet which doesn't flap around so much. The problem is most people don't like large standmounts such as the 602, and even if they do choose the 602, they often don't have enough cash left over to buy a decent stand for them, going with things like Atacama Nexus 5 which doesn't really do the speaker justice.

Regards,
Frank.

 

Bronze Member
Username: Richt

Post Number: 13
Registered: Jan-05
I currently have NAD C352, NAD C542 and Quad 12L's. I absolutely love the build quality of the Quads, but I'm perhaps finding them slightly too detailed with the NAD gear and not bassy enough. The music kinda gets disected too much and it's a bit blarey. A little thin sounding, to the extent that I have to use the tone controls to push the bass through a bit.

I'm thinking of downgrading to either B&W 602 S3's or Wharfedale 9.1's to get better bass extension.

Any thoughts? :-)
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