B&W 601 S3 to CDM 1 SE an upgrade?

[johnwhit]

I've been considering purchasing a pair of CDM 1 SE's as my main stereo speakers, I currently have the 601 S3's. I really like the aesthetics of the CDM's especially in cherry finish but wondered if there would be an advantage sonically i.e. more resolution, better soundstage etc Your opinions solicited.

They're to be used with a Technics SL-PG520A CD, Rotel RA-971 MkII amp and mounted on Atacama SE24 stands (sand filled)

TIA,

John

[DSJR]

The 601V3 suffered with a razor sharp sting in the treble, otherwise the bass and midband were nice as I remember. Some extra acoustic-wadding inside the cabs wouldn't hurt if you're not too silly with it I think.

CM1's have no deep bass at all and a rather unnatural bass "corner rolloff" that makes kick drums sound rather odd to me. Smaller orchestral works sounded rather good as I remember and the mid and top will certainly be less hollow and spitty than you have now.

Do you really have to go for such tiny little boxes? There's a whole world called BASS out there that you haven't experienced yet and the used market is full of far better boxes than these, even if they look cr@p in comparison....

[johnwhit]

Hi David, thanks for the reply, I'm really a little stuck for free space due to the nature of the room, rear ported speakers are a definite no no and I'm getting all the bass I need from the 601's. It may be my system but I've never found the treble sharp, well extended but smooth, it was the midband that always sounded a little shut-in to me. I've now changed my interconnects for a pair of Deltec Slink and couldn't believe the difference, opening up the mid beautifully but with just a hint of sibilance on some recordings. I've a pair of Kimber PBJ's on their way to me hoping they'll strike a nice balance, I got to wondering just how much better I could make things hence the question regarding the CDM 1 SE, but if deep bass suffers then they're not for me.

I have the 601's as part of a 5.1 system with an LCR60 S3 and 600 S3's at the rear driven by a Yamaha DSP-E800, no sub, the 601's handling the bass with the Yamaha set to MAX on dynamic range I have all the bass I can comfortably handle.

John

[DSJR]

That's why i suggested some acoustic wadding added inside the boxes, as the 680 series suffer this slight hollowness as well. Too much will dry the bass out too much, but a little should enable the mid to breathe better without obvious loss elsewhere - I suspect the CM series gets round it with bigger magnets in the bass driver, but cannot be sure.

The only thng you can really do is to pop into a HiFi shop (are there any left your way?) and have a listen to a few things. I disliked the harsh trebly sound of mid period KEF Q series (competing with the 600 series), but I'm reliably told the latest models with tangering waveguide are really good and well worth a listen. I have no idea about Mission these days, but Wharfedale could do some goodies at modest cost i remember. I'd be inclined to avoid Monitor Audio though, too many issues with the integration of the drivers for my tastes and again, Richer Sounds have a goodly number of cheapies available.

Sorry, I'm rambling...

[johnwhit]

Thanks David, I'll see if I can locate a decent shop locally but they're a rare find these days. I concur with you findings on the Monitor audio range, I auditioned some Bronze 2's when looking at the 601's and found the B&W's far superior to my liking. There was nothing much else available within my budget at the time that suited my requirements for a 5 speaker system, that and the fact that the B&W's were still made in the UK at the time finally swayed me to go for the 600 system.

ATB,

John

[DSJR]

Just so's you know what you're looking at, see the measurements on the CM1 -

http://www.soundstagenetwork.com/measurements/speakers/bw_cm1/

Many B&W's have the suckout at 2kHz or thereabouts which will gentle things up at the point where the ear is most sensitive - what I call the glare frequencies... The bass is similar to the LS3/5A, bumped up to give a nice boppy quality at low volumes.

[walpurgis]

These seem to ring a bell. Pro 9 TL from Nippro Acoustics. Anything to do with Nightingale? Cheap big transmission line speakers, west country! Ending soon.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Nippro-Accoustic-Pro-9TL-Floor-Standing-Speakers-/140900679323?pt=UK_AudioVideoElectronics_HomeAudio HiFi_HiFiSpeakers&hash=item20ce55be9b

Silly me. Just noticed I posted on the wrong thread, I thought I was on 'Bargains on eBay'. Not concentrating properly 'cos I'm a bit knackered after five hours of driving.

[Macca]

These seem to ring a bell. Pro 9 TL from Nippro Acoustics. Anything to do with Nightingale? Cheap big transmission line speakers, west country! Ending soon.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Nippro-Accoustic-Pro-9TL-Floor-Standing-Speakers-/140900679323?pt=UK_AudioVideoElectronics_HomeAudio HiFi_HiFiSpeakers&hash=item20ce55be9b

No takers at a ton and a half - surprising as they look mint. Time of year I suppose...

[ninedecks]

I've been using the CDM1 SE with a range of amps over the past 18 months and I have no complaints whatsoever, and certainly don't have any immediate ambitions to move them on. I can't comment on how they compare to your current speakers but if you are ever driving through deepest Gloucestershire, you are welcome to drop in.
Dave

[johnwhit]

I've been using the CDM1 SE with a range of amps over the past 18 months and I have no complaints whatsoever, and certainly don't have any immediate ambitions to move them on. I can't comment on how they compare to your current speakers but if you are ever driving through deepest Gloucestershire, you are welcome to drop in.
Dave

Hi Dave, thanks for the kind offer I'll keep it in mind. Good to know you're getting on with the CDM 1 SE's, have you by any chance tried them with a Rotel amp?

ATB,

John

[ninedecks]

Hi John. No not the Rotel I'm afraid. So far I've used the Yamaha A-S500, Quad 405 and 405-2, Ming Da valve integrated and currently using my Quad 11's.
I can't say that I had any problems with driving the CDM1's but I should add that they are in a small room 6m x 3m.
The sound is very detailed (very smooth with the valves) and handle bass without any problems. The only other speakers I use at present are a pair of giant Mission 704A which are semi active, and the bass on them is totally different ( I highly recommend them:))

Dave

[ninedecks]

Just noticed this ad on Ebay. someone could end up with a bargain. Keep the speakers (better treble) and sell the other bits.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/British-Audiolab-8000-S-CDM-DAX-plus-B-W-CDM1-speakers-and-XLO-Ultra-cables-/230912023471?pt=UK_Sound_Vision_HiFi_Separates_Sys tems_Combos&hash=item35c36ddbaf