BK Gemini or B&W ASW608 Help please

JohnnyU

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HI Guys

1st post in the subwoofer forum and its a bit scary as you guys really take your bass seriously.

My current set up includes Yamaha Ax751 amp and B&W m1 speakers matched with a sony sub left over from my 1st 5.1 set up.

I have recognised that the subwoofer is the weak link in my system and is muddy and horrible sounding.

My room is 6m x 3m and i have blu-ray and Sky HD as main sources

HD sound really marks the sub out.

I have young children an room is party wall to neighbors house so if it shakes the walls it will be banished along with me to the shed so i am after something that will add tight fast and not filling damaging base

My budget is £225 max

I have read most of this forum and recognise BK is a firm forum favorite so include the Gemini but have also been offered a B&W 608 for the same money.

Any guidance appreciated one is down firing the other front any benefits either way

Lastly the B&W seems to turn itself on and off does the BK do the same and is this really a benefit

Go Easy on me :lease:

John
 
Buy the 608, no question.

There, wasn't that easy!:)

Seriously, bigger driver, bigger box and more power = lower distortion bass at all volumes, which apart from sounding better, seems to travel less to adjoining rooms/properties.

In light of the limited volumes you can achieve and that excellent price, it's a sensible buy.:smashin:

Russell
 
I think the asw608 has an 8inch driver, same as the gemini, and i think the boxes are of a pretty similar size too??
 
The B&W is a 31.2 litre box and the Gemini 26.4. They both have long throw 200mm drivers, the B&W has 200W against 150W for the Gemini and is 15.5kg against the Gemini's 12.4. So you could probably argue that the B&W is bigger, or equally well that they are not too dissimilar :smashin:

The auto switch off on the B&W will save some running cost pennies/the environment, so if you are planning to only run a single cable from the sub out on the amp to the sub may be the better bet. But if you want to set it up for music (using the speaker connections) and movies(using the sub cable) separately, the Gemini is more adapatible in that regard. Accoustically, I can't comment as I have heard neither one.

I'm sure either one will suit you well, so aesthetics may be allowed to influence your decision ie the black of the B&W or a wood finish on the Gemini and whether you prefer the look of a downfiring over a forwardfiring.

Dave
 
Guys Thank you for your input and advice

I called BK and spoke to Barry who was most helpful and as there seems to be a lot more information about the BK on the forum i ordered a Gemini in gloss black.

I am waiting for it to arrive today

The fact that they are hand made British and the down firing (toddler proof) swung it for me

I am sure i will have lots of questions once it does arrive about speakers and connections and hopefully you will be able to help me make the most of my latest purchase


Cheers

John :hiya:
 
Irongiant,

Just a trivial thing but I beleive that B&Ws 600 series subs are also available in Light Oak, Red Cherry and Wenge vinyl as well as black.:)
 
I think the asw608 has an 8inch driver, same as the gemini, and i think the boxes are of a pretty similar size too??
And there stands the lesson as regards paying close attention. For some reason I was thinking of the ASW610.:suicide:

Dave's post is altogether more accurate. Sorry.:oops:

Russell
 

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