PaulDA
Senior HTF Member
I've made a long post elsewhere describing my speaker search.
Short version is that I'm down to two choices, each of which offer something I really like but are quite different from each other.
I'm currently considering
B&W CM2s front mains
B&W CMC centre
B&W 600 S3 rears
pros: highly detailed, wide soundstage, three dimensional quality, surprisingly low bass extension (CM2s), nicely controlled
cons: (possible, haven't had more than a couple of hours with them) brighter than what I'm used to (though unlike other "bright" speakers I've auditioned, not harsh after 5 mins.) and therefore could become fatiguing
Paradigm Monitor 5s front and rear
Paradigm CC-370 centre
pros: nicely rounded mids and bass, nice detailing (not as pronounced as B&Ws), more familiar "warmth" (remind me of my old beloved Celestion DL6s), more affordable (at least in Montreal) tonal balance
cons: lack the precise clarity and imaging of the B&Ws
I was all set to go with the B&Ws as of last Friday night. However, the next evening, I spent 6 hours getting re-acquainted with my DL6s (haven't listened to them in 19 months, recently loaned to a good friend, have owned them since 1986) and concluded that what I really want to do is find three more DL6s and be done with it. Can't be done though. But it did put me back on the fence re: my two options above.
I know I could always go out and audition some more brands, though I've already spent time with over a dozen (including several series within several brands) and I may yet do that. Or I may just make my wife listen to each of the above and have her choose (I can just feel the collective shudder running through the forum) as she will also have to live with the choice, and I quite like each choice, for different reasons.
All of this to ask the following:
Does anyone have experience/opinion with either of the speaker sets (or portions thereof) with Arcam?
Short version is that I'm down to two choices, each of which offer something I really like but are quite different from each other.
I'm currently considering
B&W CM2s front mains
B&W CMC centre
B&W 600 S3 rears
pros: highly detailed, wide soundstage, three dimensional quality, surprisingly low bass extension (CM2s), nicely controlled
cons: (possible, haven't had more than a couple of hours with them) brighter than what I'm used to (though unlike other "bright" speakers I've auditioned, not harsh after 5 mins.) and therefore could become fatiguing
Paradigm Monitor 5s front and rear
Paradigm CC-370 centre
pros: nicely rounded mids and bass, nice detailing (not as pronounced as B&Ws), more familiar "warmth" (remind me of my old beloved Celestion DL6s), more affordable (at least in Montreal) tonal balance
cons: lack the precise clarity and imaging of the B&Ws
I was all set to go with the B&Ws as of last Friday night. However, the next evening, I spent 6 hours getting re-acquainted with my DL6s (haven't listened to them in 19 months, recently loaned to a good friend, have owned them since 1986) and concluded that what I really want to do is find three more DL6s and be done with it. Can't be done though. But it did put me back on the fence re: my two options above.
I know I could always go out and audition some more brands, though I've already spent time with over a dozen (including several series within several brands) and I may yet do that. Or I may just make my wife listen to each of the above and have her choose (I can just feel the collective shudder running through the forum) as she will also have to live with the choice, and I quite like each choice, for different reasons.
All of this to ask the following:
Does anyone have experience/opinion with either of the speaker sets (or portions thereof) with Arcam?