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  1. #1
    Join Date: Apr 2015

    Location: Chipping Norton, UK

    Posts: 62
    I'm Steve.

    Default B&W DM7 - a Kenneth Grange design classic

    Thinking about getting B&W DM7 speakers and wondered if any here have experiences or advice.... good or bad!
    I like the B&W sound but could not afford them in the late 70s so had to settle for DM10's and later DM110's, both of which I still have.
    I have heard that they like a reasonably powerful (100w plus) amp to drive them properly, although the factory advises that they are " Entirely suitable for all high quality amplifiers up to 200 watts rating" ..... not sure if my Quad 33/303 will cope?

    Thanks in advance,
    Steve
    Last edited by Guitarrero; 31-01-2018 at 18:16.
    I wish I knew what I was doing ....
    www.reesguitars.co.uk

  2. #2
    Join Date: Jun 2016

    Location: Surfside Beach usa

    Posts: 131
    I'm charles.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Guitarrero View Post
    Thinking about getting B&W DM7 speakers and wondered if any here have experiences or advice.... good or bad!
    I like the B&W sound but could not afford them in the late 70s so had to settle for DM10's and later DM110's, both of which I still have.
    I have heard that they like a reasonably powerful (100w plus) amp to drive them properly, although the factory advises that they are " Entirely suitable for all high quality amplifiers up to 200 watts rating" ..... not sure if my Quad 33/303 will cope?

    Thanks in advance,
    Steve
    The problem is that you and 100's if not 1000's would go for these speakers if they performed today as they should i.e. when they were new - the engineering and build quality dictates that if these speakers were produced today they would cost 1000's of pounds.
    The 2 problems are that the kevlar bass/ mid units tend to deform over time but the most important thing is that the ferrofluid in those tweeters willl have dried out reducing HF output significantly. B & W do not service spares and you will be left high and dry - replacements are not available. Stop dreaming about getting something on the cheap and bite the bullet by either paying a lot of money for the modern B & W equivalent to DM7 or buy something new within your price range. Won't sound as good as DM7 but at least spares would be available if you need them. Strilkes me that you are the kind of person who thinks you can get something for nothing. In the case of model DM7 you'll end up with a load of potential problems. Oh and I forgot to mention you'll never get those grilles to stay on because the lugs will ALWAYS be broken.

  3. #3
    Join Date: Feb 2013

    Location: W Lothian

    Posts: 99,005
    I'm Grant.

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    Quote Originally Posted by 57charles View Post
    The problem is that you and 100's if not 1000's would go for these speakers if they performed today as they should i.e. when they were new - the engineering and build quality dictates that if these speakers were produced today they would cost 1000's of pounds.
    The 2 problems are that the kevlar bass/ mid units tend to deform over time but the most important thing is that the ferrofluid in those tweeters willl have dried out reducing HF output significantly. B & W do not service spares and you will be left high and dry - replacements are not available. Stop dreaming about getting something on the cheap and bite the bullet by either paying a lot of money for the modern B & W equivalent to DM7 or buy something new within your price range. Won't sound as good as DM7 but at least spares would be available if you need them. Strilkes me that you are the kind of person who thinks you can get something for nothing. In the case of model DM7 you'll end up with a load of potential problems. Oh and I forgot to mention you'll never get those grilles to stay on because the lugs will ALWAYS be broken.
    you speak to member that way again and you are out
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  4. #4
    Join Date: Jan 2008

    Location: Wrexham, North Wales, UK

    Posts: 110,012
    I'm AudioAl'sArbiterForPISHANTO.

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    Yup... Charles, we don't address people here like that, so please don't do it again and instead engage with others in a more polite, less confrontational way, or I will have no option but to take appropriate action.

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  5. #5
    Join Date: Aug 2016

    Location: Sussex, UK

    Posts: 238
    I'm Martin.

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    I picked up a pair of DM5 yesterday with the kevlar driver questioned in an early response.

    I was super inpressed when I tested them against some highly regarded current stand mounts.

    I did not hear any age related weakness.

    I have passed them on with great reluctance to a friend down on his luck. Despite his serious woes the DM5 had him grinning from ear to ear within a few bars of the remastered N Simone's Funkier than a Mosquitos Tweeter. M

  6. #6
    Join Date: Jun 2016

    Location: Surfside Beach usa

    Posts: 131
    I'm charles.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Dylanthecat View Post
    I picked up a pair of DM5 yesterday with the kevlar driver questioned in an early response.

    I was super inpressed when I tested them against some highly regarded current stand mounts.

    I did not hear any age related weakness.

    I have passed them on with great reluctance to a friend down on his luck. Despite his serious woes the DM5 had him grinning from ear to ear within a few bars of the remastered N Simone's Funkier than a Mosquitos Tweeter. M
    I had problems with a version of that bass/mid unit which was fitted to my Monitor Audio MA1's. More worringly, the tweeters fitted to DM5 are prone to gradual reduction in output due to drying out of ferro fluid. This is a gradual reduction over the years as the ferro fluid evaporates and gets sticky. Users don't always realise it as it's a gradual process. Chances are they are out of spec though.

  7. #7
    Join Date: Feb 2008

    Location: Middlesex, UK

    Posts: 4,481
    I'm Alex.

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Dylanthecat View Post
    I picked up a pair of DM5 yesterday with the kevlar driver questioned in an early response.

    I was super inpressed when I tested them against some highly regarded current stand mounts.

    I did not hear any age related weakness.

    I have passed them on with great reluctance to a friend down on his luck. Despite his serious woes the DM5 had him grinning from ear to ear within a few bars of the remastered N Simone's Funkier than a Mosquitos Tweeter. M
    I have a pair of DM5's, OK speakers in my view, best bit about them is great bass performance for a small (very heavy!) cabinet.

    The dried ferrofluid can be removed from a lot of old B&W tweeters, restoring the treble output.
    Spendorman

  8. #8
    Join Date: Dec 2009

    Location: Hartlepool

    Posts: 93
    I'm John.

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    I am listening to my DM7 tonight. I don't know if the kevlar unit is deformed it certainly dosen't look it and it sounds sumptuous neither do I know if the tweeter has dried out and that sounds the business too. I got these late seventies and you'll probably guess I won't be parting with them. There's a couple of pairs on ebay at the moment.

  9. #9
    Join Date: Apr 2015

    Location: Chipping Norton, UK

    Posts: 62
    I'm Steve.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Virkon View Post
    I am listening to my DM7 tonight. I don't know if the kevlar unit is deformed it certainly dosen't look it and it sounds sumptuous neither do I know if the tweeter has dried out and that sounds the business too. I got these late seventies and you'll probably guess I won't be parting with them. There's a couple of pairs on ebay at the moment.
    Thanks John,
    Glad to hear you are enjoying your DM7s regardless of the ravages of time!
    I think we have all distorted and dried out a bit since the late 70s, I know I certainly have, but I'm still hoping there's plenty of life left in this old vintage number
    I wish I knew what I was doing ....
    www.reesguitars.co.uk

  10. #10
    Join Date: May 2017

    Location: Glasgow

    Posts: 231
    I'm Rohan.

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    DM7.....very nice presentation indeed, yes, the kevlar cones do seem to age oddly (discolouration and rippling seems a common problem). I believe the caps are all polyester so "good for life".

    I had read on some other forum that a coating was used on the tweeter that degrades with age and that a coating of shellac applied with an artist's brush does much to restore lost high frequency performance. Do not slay me- the opinions of others are merely being retold!

    The design is quite beautiful and they are bloody heavy with the integrated stands.

    I can't give much further comment about the sound as I haven't heard mine for quite a long time; they have been in the custody of my cupboard since last year.

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