How much did you pay for your B&W 600's (1 Viewer)

[Hyun K]

I recently purchased the 602S3 ($600), 601S3($450), LCR600($500)from Audio consultants in chicago... basically, I paid full retail price + tax. This frustrated me cause I never pay retail, but to my knowledge, no one else sells b&w's in chicago except for another dealer on the south side of chicago which only offered to sell me the package at retail minus tax. Is this typical of B&W products? I feel these speakers are not as much a value or bang for the buck at their retail prices (not at all saying that I don't love the sound of these speakers). Just curious on what others have paid for a BRAND-NEW set of 600 series. If you have series 2, please post "before-series 3" prices. (I know that the price of series 2 dropped once the introduction of the new series 3.) Do you guys still feel like this is a great speaker for the price?

 

[Bob-N]

I paid $529 + taxes for my 602 S2's. That was last summer. At that time, there was no solid info on when the S3's would hit the US so I went with the S2's and the ~13% discount.

I think within the B&W line, the 600 series offers the best value or bang for the buck IMHO.

It's hard to compare speakers for value. My philosophy on speakers is to set a price and listen to those within that price range +/-25%. That way, you can compare those on the lower and higher end of your budget and find out what sounds best for the given budget.

 

[Todd_Michael_R]

Hyun,

You'd be hard pressed to find any B&W's that don't sell at retail, unless they are used or stolen. Maybe, if you buy enough (like an entire 5.1 setup of Nautilus and an ASW sub), a dealer will take off 5% at the most. So to answer your question: Yes this is not only typical, but the norm with B&W.

If you're feeling a little buyer's remorse, Audio Consultants does allow you to return them w/in 30 days IIRC (maybe 15 days?). IMO, I think the 600 series is great bang for the buck. Two things that are certain (as I mentioned in a thread on AVS): There are very few unhappy B&W owners and the 600 series is B&W's best-selling line.

And as an aside...

I bought my N805s and HTM-2 from Audio Consultants as well (N805 from the downtown store and the HTM-2 from the Evanston store). A little OT, but Audio Consultants is a fine, fine store. They have a one year trade-up policy (for full price of what you paid) on the entire B&W line. And I love their audition policy -- both the in-home one and their in-store policy. For the latter, they hook up what speakers you choose to the amp and pre that you want, show you which CD player is being used, and then say, "Have Fun" and then leave the room for a few hours. It's great!!

Regards,

Todd

 

[Hyun K]

Bob... was the 13% discount due to a package discount, your haggling skill, or because of the impending series 3, or a little bit of everything??

 

[Hyun K]

Todd...

Yeah.... I guess my assumptions about B&W not discounting much in the US are right. I wouldn't say I have buyer's remorse. I'm perfectly happy with my B&W's and preferred them to other speakers I auditioned for various reasons. And I felt like what I paid justified what I was getting.... even though I felt there were better "values" out there...especially for HT (not music). I think what gets to me more is that in the UK, the 600 series is selling for so much cheaper that I feel like I'm getting ripped off by paying US prices. For instance, if I bought my package in the UK, it would have cost me around $1200 US retail .... but here I paid $1550 retail. In addition to that, at sites like audioreview.com I find people reporting prices lower than what I paid. So I just wanted to get a better idea of what people on this board were paying. Anyways.... the fact that I still have my B&W's at the US price says something about how much I love my speakers. I agree, audio consultants is a great store. I went to the evanston and libertyville stores. Great loan out policies, choose the amp, speakers, a/b tests, and 90 day return policy with 1 year 100% value trade in, nice staff... I guess that's what I'm paying for as well.

Keep 'em coming.. I'd like to know what other's paid and how they got that price (if cheaper than retail).

 

[Mike Main]

Not true I bought cdm 7nt and 1nts and paid 10% less than retail. I think retail is $2100 i paid like $1850 or so and $1100 ->$9xx

Mike

 

[Hyun K]

If you guys paid a lower price than retail on your B&W's, can you please explain the context of how you got that price (package, trade in, haggling, etc...) and how willing the dealer was to go lower.

 

[James Bergeron]

Here teh 602 S3's go for the SAME price as the 602 S2's the only B&W dealer here had quoted me on the S2's a few months ago then I asked for a quote on the S3's and they were identical, no price change!

Long Story short ...... $925 CDN for pair of 602's

That's close to $600 USD, but this includes 15' of free 12 guage bi-wire high strand count oxygen free PER speaker so 30' and an unbeatable trade-up program of 100% back in the first year and then 1% less per month there after. That's only 12% loss on value after 2 years! that's damn good!

 

[TanD]

I get all my B&W at 25% off for main and surround and 20% off for the center all brand new from my local Sound Advice in Florida.

 

[Hyun K]

Geez... hearing what everyone else paid makes me feel crappy. Keep 'em coming (sigh)

 

[Todd_Michael_R]

Of course...I should have clarified my first post with a "but I'm sure there are some out there...etc." Kudos on all you guys who got discounts on your B&W's. The dealers at Audio Consultants, while nice, were pretty hard-nosed about discounts.
Anyway...
Hyun, I hear you about the UK prices! Import taxes and mark-up sure don't make buying anything easier. As far as AudioReview, I wouldn't stake too much on those prices for 2 reasons: (1) It's difficult to tell whether people figured in sales tax in their price and (2) Some have bought them used and will indicate in their review that they were bought used, but sometimes they don't.
As far as feeling crappy, don't! You have a *great* set of speakers as many B&W owners will attest and you know it too since you eventually bought them. Since A/C has a 90-day return policy, forget about what you paid and start enjoying them! Then come back in a month or two and tell us if you still think *you* paid too much (i.e. what are the speaks worth to *you*). If so, go ahead and return them. I think you won't...
My $0.02,
Todd

 

[Frederick]

Hyun, I believe there's more than one store on the North Side that sells B&W. I went into Advant-Garde on Clark Street (2518 N. Clark to be exact) maybe a year ago, and they only sold Linn and B&W. I talked to a guy named Chris Barry, and he seemed very knowledgable. I was just looking around, so I didn't get any prices, but if they're still around you may want to check them out ...

Freddy C.

 

[Hyun K]

Yeah... the folks at audio consultants don't budge. I consider myself pretty good at haggling.... for instance, I got tweeter, out of all places, to give me the denon 3802 for $740... but couldn't get a cent lower at AC for my B&W's. I even asked them to take off the amount for tax to match another dealer's price and they said I have up to 90 days to return if I want to go to the other store. I would go ahead and buy at the other store but it's too far away and it's too much hassle to pack everything up, return it, go across the city to buy another set and to set everything back up. ARRGH!!!
As much as this bugs me, you're right, I'll end up keeping my B&W's. I guess I gotta make up for what I lost when haggling for my next HT item. Any others who bought 600 series, please post. HOping to find more people who paid for it as much as I did.

 

[Hyun K]

Thanks freddy!!! I'll take a look at them.

 

[Arron H]

603 S2 $880 pr
601 S2 $360 pr
LCR6 S2 $400
I got the set at 20% off during an S2 closeout sale. I guess I was in the right place at the right time
25% off??? Maybe we all need to move to Florida!!!

 

[Bob-N]

Hey Hyun,
My discount was just the 602's by themselves ala carte. Knowing what I know now, I think the discount was due to the pending release of S3's. The reason my dealer (SF Stereo in Mt View, CA) gave me is that they bought a "boat load" from B&W and got good pricing across the 600 S2 line. That was probably due to the fact that B&W knew that they would be releasing the S3's in the next few months so they were blowing out their S2 stock in anticipation of S3. Turns out that I was about 5 or so months early. As noted above, pricing was the same with some of the S3 floorstanders being a bit cheaper than their respective S2 counterparts. Of note, there is no 605 S3.
But I've listened to both (w/ the same equipment and room) S2 and S3's and was hard pressed to hear a significant difference between the 602's. I would guess that the 603's/604's would be a bit different due to the aluminum woofs...but that's just a guess since at the time they didn't have both to listen to when I went in last month for buy CDM1NTs.
As far as my local store, they've been great. So not only are there periodic specials on speakers and equipment, they also have private sales in which everything is a minimum 10% off with demos/discontinued items available at up to 60% off one per year. Also as a part of their regular service, the offer 1yr trade in's on all equipment, supplemental warranty of up to 5 years, in home demos (one day only though:frowning and very good and knowledgable sales people.
Bob

 

[Mark C.]

Before I became a savvy buyer, I paid full list for the 601S2s ($450 for a pair) back in 1999. I begged for a meager discount, but my local, arrogant B&W dealer wouldn't budge.

I have since learned there are ways around B&W's iron-fisted pricing policy if you can find the right dealer. Case in point: brand new Nautilus 804s, with warranty, for a total of $2,700. The list is $3,500 plus tax.

 

[Phil Tomaskovic]

Hyun,
Try Sound &Vision in Orland Park (www.soundandvision.net). Maybe you can call and say you are willing to take back what you bought if they give a reasonable discount. But you said it was $1550 for the package? So if you get 10% off, we're talking $150 right. So like you said is it worth the hassle if you have to return everything and then drive 30 miles (I'm guessing depending where you are in Chicago) to buy elsewhere. Sound & Vision is around 140th & LaGrange and there's no real convenient expressway exit nearby. Either take I55 to Lagrange and drive south (alot) or 294 to 95th st exit and take 95th to Lagrange and then south.

 

[Hyun K]

hey guys...

thanks for all of your help and suggestions. This is what I found. Audio consultants is the only B&W dealer in chicago that doesn't give discounts. They are FIRM!!! the only other chicagoland dealer I found was sound & vision that offered to cut out the cost of tax into the 602, 601, LCR600 combo.. which came out to $1550. I tried avant-garde , but maybe out of business cause they're phone line is out of service. Another dealer in champaign offered a 10% discount plus tax which came out to $1500. I have a sister-in-law that goes from champaign to chicago a lot so she can pick them up for me. So you'd think I'd return the ones I have and go to the champaign dealer, but I'm planning on doing trade-in's and eventually upgrading to the nautilus series... so having to do this in champaign wouldn't be too convenient. So still not sure on what I'll do..... but anyways... thanks again for all your input. It's nice to see a forum that's full of helpful people.

 

[AaronD]

FWIW, I purchased a pair of 604 S3's in february for $590/ea.. The MSRP was $699/ea if I remember correctly.

I spent the good part of a week listening to different speakers at the store I bought them at and other stores. When Friday came around I offered them a rediculously low price ($1100/pair I think) and the salesman came back with the aformentioned price.

I bought a LCR 600 S3 a couple of weeks ago for 25% off too, but the dealer was having a special sale where you pop a baloon and get whatever percentage is inside off of your purchase.

I love the speakers though and will be buying a pair of 600 S3's or 601 S3's for surrounds before summer is over (*if* it ever starts!!)

-Aaron