[thread]

Someone at my office is trying to sell some audio equipment from his home theater.

1. 2x B&W 601's
2. 2x B&W 602's
3. "matching" center channel (model CC6)
4. Denon receiver, Marantz DVD player...
5. Velodyne HGS 10 BG Subwoofer

I'm not really trying to build a home theater, though. I just want some good 2-channel speaker sound. I've heard good things about these B&W speakers in the past... and I'm thinking that, if he's willing to piecemeal me some stuff, I could get some cheap speakers here.

My question has three parts:

Are these speakers pretty good (accuracy, etc) or can I do a lot better these days?

What does one use to power them? It seems he's using a receiver unit... But my frontend currently is an RPX-33 headphone amp/preamp. I'm wondering if I can use it alone with these speakers? Where does a "power amp" come in?

Finally, what are the good resources for learning good stuff about speakers?

RPX-33 specs:
Maximum Output: 700mW
Output Impedance: 16 - 600 Ohm
Bandwidth: 1-100.000 Hz < 0.5db
Gain: 16 db
THD: 0.02% (3Vpp on 32Ohm)
Technology: FET & Bipolar Transistors
Input Ipmedance: 47 Kohm
Amplification Class: Always A-Class
Input / Output: 1 x line
Dimensions (cm): 350 *60*282 mm
Output: For two headphones
Weight (Kg): 8 kg
http://www.rudistor.com/soundsystems/rpx33.htm

B&W 602 specs:
DM 602 S3 2-driver, 2-way ported-box speaker
Drivers: 1" alloy-dome tweeter,
7" woven-Kevlar bass/midrange cone
Frequency response: 52Hz–20kHz, +/-3dB on reference axis
Frequency range: –6dB @ 43Hz & 30kHz
Harmonic distortion: <1%, 2nd and 3rd harmonics (90dB/m), 60Hz–20kHz
Nominal impedance: 8 ohms (minimum 4ohms)
Crossover frequency: 4kHz
Recommended amplifier power: 25–120W into 8ohms
Sensitivity: 90dB/2.83V/m
http://ultimateavmag.com/speakersyst...BW/index2.html

Thanks!

 

[Pibborando]

Yes, they're good speakers. I'd take the new 600 series over them, but that's if they were the same price. If you can get the 602s for under $400, that's a good deal. I'd expect closer to $300 though.

You can't power them with a headphone amp.

You can use it as a pre if the volume knob attenuates the line output on the back. Then you'll just need a stereo power amp. There are a ton of options there...

At 90dB sensitivity, you won't need a whole ton of power to get them loud cleanly. I'd say something 50wpc would be well more than enough.

 

[GreatDane]

I'm using B&W 602s3 which I'm guessing are what your friend has if he bought them within the past 3 or 4 years. I also use a Velodyne HGS 10 sub. I still love my 602s3 and have no desire to upgrade(they sold for $600/pair). You can see my speakers in my Webshots album for reference.

My center channel speaker is the larger LCR600($500) which goes a bit deeper but doesn't really matter if you cross it over at 80 Hz.(set to "small"). I use B&W DM 303 which is similar to 601 but uses fiberglass composite instead of Kevlar for the woofer IIRC.

I bought the HGS 10 a few years ago for $900 which was actually a good price considering its normal $1,400+ price.

I normally recommend SVS or HSU and looked at those myself (online) but I needed a super-small sub and the HGS 10 servo controlled sub sounds amazingly clean and tight imo in a box not even one cubic foot. It still amazes me more than 3 years later.

If you have a preamp then you need just a 2 channel amp for the pair. Most any decent receiver can power the 602 (65 watts+). I use a Denon 2802 A/V receiver as a preamp and a Rotel RMB-1075 (5 channel amp) to drive my 5 (out of 6) speakers.

I found that for music at high volumes, the Denon 2802 sounded compressed, basically it lacked sufficient power to drive the 602 to full potential.

There is only one way to know if those B&Ws are for you...listen to them

 

[HypnoLobster]

I just grabbed a pair. I run them through my lovely vintage kenwood amp.
Do it, just.. Do it.

 

[robert1325]

I had the bigger 603 s3 before, an ok speaker.

You may also have a look at some hawthorne audio Silver iris OB speakers. ( you'll have to build a baffle) but you'll get a much better sound.

 

[martook]

Just remember that B&W speakers wants quite a bit of power, not just the "japan-watt", but stuff with good powercubes... which is why brands like Denon and Rotel work very well with them, they actually deliver what they claim. Doesn't have to be expensive though, tons of amplifiers like this on eBay

Just got the new B&W DM683 for home, and looking at getting 601s3 or 602s3 for work. Love 'em

 

[thread]

Thanks for the responses, everyone. I'm going to ask him if he'll sell me the 602's only, but I'm not terribly optimistic. My gut feeling is that he'll want to hold out for someone to buy the whole lot.

If I was to get them, all I would need would be a power amp. Does anyone want to recommend a good one for these speakers ? I should be able to use my RPX-33 as a preamp/volume control.

Once again, though... what are the good resources for learning about speakers and their associated gear? Head-fi is primarily for headphone discussion, but it's the only audiophile forum that I'm really familiar with.

 

[robert1325]

audiocircle is a very nice forum

 

[soloz2]

why can't people around me want to sell me good speakers

 

[thread]

Alas, I was right. He's not interested in selling the 602's by themselves.

I'm gonna need to do some good research and find the right speakers/preamp for me like I did for the headphone rig.

Thanks again for the responses, everybody!

 

[VicAjax]

personally, i'm not a fan at all of the B&W 600 series, so i wouldn't worry about it too much.

but now that you've got the speaker bug, you should pop into a couple of local hifi shops and listen to some things.

audiogon generally has good deals on used speakers... or you could grab a pair of X-LS at av123.com... a much better speaker than the B&W 602 for less money, IMHO.

 

[TheAnomaly]

to chime in on the av123 note, almost all of their speakers are on sale right now. now is the time!

i'll leave you with this...

http://www.av123forum.com/photopost/...t=&ppuser=3120

no $185 speaker has any right to look that good! i'm so tempted!

...anyway, my dad has the 603s or 602s (they're the largish bookshelves with 8" woofers i believe, or maybe 7"...), and they sound fine for the surround sound setup he's got. they are used as the main channels in a fairly large room, so they almost always have help, but alone they sound decent as well. you definitely need a sub for these if your room is large or you value bass.

i haven't heard much to compare them to, but these or the av123s would probably suit you nicely. personally, i would go for the av123s because they're a stone cold deal! and they're brand new. and you can tell your co-workers about this brand nobody's heard of, and how good they are.