Second Attempt

by jack667 on Opinions Please
On / Off
Moody
Off
Bass
FST
Mac Mini

Description

I've spent the last few months chopping and changing speakers and now I am finally happy after going back to B&W from owning a pair of Monitor Audio GR20s.

I never truly got on with the GR20s, I found them extremely difficult to cope with my wide musical tastes, and they'd always disappoint.

Shortly after selling the GR20s I bought a pair of the 685s - the new standmount that replaces the DM601 S3. Slighty more expensive, but wow.. totally worth it. I was seriously blown away by the 685. I have never heard something so good at this price.

So, why did I sell them just 4 weeks after? To be honest, as much as I hated the GR20s towards the end, I missed the low end grunt on offer. So I turned my attention to the 683 - because I really did love the 685s.

Wow. These speakers MUST be auditioned if you are looking for floor standers between $1000 - $2000 - I honestly don't think they can be beaten. The bass is PROPER bass - low, tuneful and controlled. The midrange is mind blowing, due to the fact that B&W have managed to incorporate an FST midrange driver in a 600 series speaker. Loosely based on the 804, this speaker out performs anything I have heard at this price for sure!

My music listening is done entirely from my Mac MIni. My CDs have been imported and stored away and I couldn't be happier. If anyone wants to discuss computer based servers please get in touch, as I am extremely pleased with the results.

My listening room is quite small, 12 x 9 which would make you think that the B&Ws are way too big for a room of this size - not the case. They perform exceedingly well in my room.

Thanks!
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Components Toggle details

    • Advantage S101
    My pride and joy - the older (and pricier) model that is now the Bladelius Thor. So refined, warm, detailed and refreshing. It is perfect.
    • B&W 683
    Top of the new 600 series is the 683. Twin bass drivers supply this floor stander with earth shaking bass. More importantly, for the first time ever in a 600 series, B&W raises the bar and adds an FST midrange. I am absolutely blown away by the quality on offer at this price. Truly shocking. This is due to B&W moving a factory to China to build the speakers (with official B&W employees from the UK). Nothing at this price comes close.
    • Apple Mac Mini
    Hated by some, loved by others. I couldn't live without mine. I have roughly 40,000 mp3s on a 500gb external drive that I have been importing since 1997. I have slowed down a lot quite recently. Mac Mini is controller either from Front Row with remote, or better still, Remote Desktop from my Macbook, controlling the computer directly!

    With the right files, the Mac Mini sounds PHENOMENAL. I did countless A/B comparisons with several CD players around about the $1/1.5k mark and pretty much nothing out performed the Mac.

    Couldn't recommend it enough!
    • Freecom 500GB External HDD
    External drive - couldn't live without it. Currently packed with 41,000 tracks.
    • Samsung 40 N/A
    Fantastic screen for the price - HD looks amazing, and it's a great screen for use with the Mac Mini.

    Always been a fan of Samsung, and figured since Apple Cinema Displays are actually Samsung panels, I figured it'd be a perfect match
    • Chord Odyssey Bi-Wire
    2 x 2.5 4 into 2 Chord cables, work a treat with the Advantage and B&Ws

Comments 15

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Jack,
I was reading your old post about using a Mini mac amd boy do I need some assistance! I currently have most of my CD's ripped into itunes in AIFF about 400mb (i have about another 300 Cd's to go and probably another 100 albums to digitize as well........I'm listening to then using a Sonos connect and ipad/ipone remotes with the Sonos app.
So far so good, but I can only play CD quality no 24/96; I just bought a Wired 4 Sound Dac-1 it sounds great but I'm pulling the tracks from a PC w/vista using itunes....I'm out of hard drive space so considering adding a Mini Mac to store all my music and high rez files. This allows me to plug th Mini Mac directly into the Wired 4 sound dac with USB. My other thought is to add a NAS so Sonos can pull the songs directly without my conmputer being on...I should of mentioned that i will have 2 set-ups the sonos for ambient whole house use and simplicity and the mac for my dedicated listening room...
Here's my current set-up:
Prima Luna Dialouge 2 intergrated
Wyred 4 Sound Dac-1
Golden Ear Triton Threes
Oppo 93
Sonos Connect/90
Any insight or advise would be appreciated!
Thanks
Robert

theb2826

Hello there Jack667. I was wondering if you could let me know what is the best way to hook up the mini mac for sound quality since I'll be getting one. I do have a dac(ps audio III).

mikenice

Great stuff - looks real nice - you are right about the 685's. Well done!

shadorne

I also own a pair of the 683's and am extremely happy with them. I auditioned them side by side with the 703's and didn't hear enough of an improvement to justify the $1500 price difference. To really make a jump in sound within the B&W line, I had to go to the 803D ($9000/pr). The 683's a without a doubt the best speaker in their class.

foster8699

Looks nice, and apparently sounds good.I've been looking at the 683's also.They seem to be kind of close to the window/wall behind them.Do they do okay that close? I also am in a somewhat small space want to get some speakers somewhat close to a backwall.

sprink

Love the look of your system. Simple, modern, elegant, those are the adjectives most appealing to me and they fit your system perfectly. One of these days I'm going to go the computer based route. I'll need to get one of my kids to teach me. What concerns me is degraded sonics with mp3s. You say that's not the case?

timrhu

I have the Dac1->CJ2500a->B&W S805. The Cardas cables are very good with the B&W speaker line (Cardas will warm things up a bit) particularly at the Cardas Cross used price. I've since upgraded to the Virtual Dynamics cable line. I'd also recommend the Virtual Dynamics Testament Line (their entry level cables). Having gone through several highend CD players I can tell you that the CD transports, if you can fix them, can cost as much as your computer. There are many options with an external DAC that will give you better two channel sound with the ease of computer storage.
Enjoy your system, Al

adasilva

Owner
Hi Adasilva,

Thanks for your reply. What system are you running currently?

jack667

-> Been looking at Benchmark DAC1 - anyone have any experience with this?

Yes, I drive my amp directly from the DAC1. Your Mac to a Dac1 to your amp will give you sound that fits the B&W 800 series of speakers. I wouldn't spend a dime on a real CD player. You may want to try the Cardas ICs first such as the Cross (a bargan in the low $200s used) to warm things up a bit.

adasilva

Owner
Hi Joey,

The speakers overall are great, I feel that it's more to do with the room they are in. I have a bed (yes, believe it or not!) roughly 3ft in front of the right speaker, and I think it soaks up some of the mid bass and lower punch. Once you crank up the volume, it's very powerful.

I think also the sound is perhaps a little too clinical at times, a little overly clean, perhaps due to the new tweeter in the 600 series. However, I'm hoping to correct this with the addition of a Cambridge Audio 840C, for use with the mac mini, and of course.. CDs!

jack667

Jack,

Definitely looks like a system that has balls. I like the 683, and the incorporation of the FST is a great thing!

Are you still satisfied with the speaker or have you found anything to nitpick about?

Thanks,
Joey

joey_v

Owner
New photos with new custom made isolation platform... works GREAT!

Sitting on spikes

http://www.bishbo.com/683night.jpg

jack667

Owner
Thinking about new ways of connecting mac mini to amp - perhaps addition of external DAC. Been looking at Benchmark DAC1 - anyone have any experience with this?

jack667

Owner
Indeed I am!

Scary thought though.. hahaha

jack667

Wow, 40,000 tunes on the Mini Mac! Great!

Only one concern - I hope you're backing up all your music to DVR-R or extenal HD just in case.

Enjoy your tunes!!

linnie01

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