Bowers & Wilkins New 600 Series

I’m glad they’ve gotten rid of the heinously ugly yellow driver.

They look very good.
 
Last time they improved/upgraded the 600 Series it was a noticeable improvement - Bass was more tamed and the Mid/High were greatly improved bringing them up pretty close to the B&W CM Series (now 700 Series).

If that pattern continues, these should be pretty spectacular speakers for the money.

The models seem more condensed and more focused on the speakers that most people will buy - 130mm Bookshelf, 165mm bookshelf, 2x130mm Center, and a 3-way 2x165mm Floorstanding model. That really seems to cover it.

Steve/bluewizard
 
Last time they improved/upgraded the 600 Series it was a noticeable improvement - Bass was more tamed and the Mid/High were greatly improved bringing them up pretty close to the B&W CM Series (now 700 Series).

If that pattern continues, these should be pretty spectacular speakers for the money.

The models seem more condensed and more focused on the speakers that most people will buy - 130mm Bookshelf, 165mm bookshelf, 2x130mm Center, and a 3-way 2x165mm Floorstanding model. That really seems to cover it.

Steve/bluewizard


I have to say I am quite excited by these. I've been holding off buying anything new until I can audition them. Reading around it seems that they are a noticeable upgrade, slightly brighter than previous models but with some good tight bass.

Time will tell I guess.
 
I have to say I am quite excited by these. I've been holding off buying anything new until I can audition them. ...

Time will tell I guess.

If you get a chance to audition the speakers, report back and let us know what you think.

Steve/bluewizard
 
I'm glad they reduced the range. There are some chassis and driver combos that work better than others. The price difference between say 683 and 684, 685 and 686, better focus on one of the two. Also the smaller centre speaker was always a waste of time.
 
Can't seem to find a general B&W thread, but I am really enjoying the 606's I bought in September.

60335788_308514233376992_4737430424492441600_n.jpg
 
Can't seem to find a general B&W thread, but I am really enjoying the 606's I bought in September.

View attachment 1151874

Nice photo!

Now you've had them for a while, and they are well and truly run in, how do you rate them now?

I'm considering these to replace an old pair of B&W 602 S3s of 2001/2 vintage.

Also, are those the B&W STAV24 S2 stands your 606's are on? Sure looks like it.

If so, what did you fill them with? If I go for the 606's I'd be looking to fill with Atabites but not sure how many tubs I would need!
 
Nice photo!

Now you've had them for a while, and they are well and truly run in, how do you rate them now?

I'm considering these to replace an old pair of B&W 602 S3s of 2001/2 vintage.

Also, are those the B&W STAV24 S2 stands your 606's are on? Sure looks like it.

If so, what did you fill them with? If I go for the 606's I'd be looking to fill with Atabites but not sure how many tubs I would need!

I really enjoy them but don't have enough other speakers for a comparison. In my small room, reflections are the biggest issue. However they dig deep enough for music and TV use, I have still not really found the need for a sub. Very detailed and composed, even when you crank them up they don't put a foot wrong. I regularly have friends round who really enjoy them too, and always comment on the fact that they are detailed and even handed.

With regards to the stands, I used cat litter, used about a bag I think.
 
Nice photo!

Now you've had them for a while, and they are well and truly run in, how do you rate them now?

I'm considering these to replace an old pair of B&W 602 S3s of 2001/2 vintage.

Also, are those the B&W STAV24 S2 stands your 606's are on? Sure looks like it.

If so, what did you fill them with? If I go for the 606's I'd be looking to fill with Atabites but not sure how many tubs I would need!
I have these stands (i really like them) and just used oven dried sand from the local DIY store. Don't waste your money on atabites.
 
I have these stands (i really like them) and just used oven dried sand from the local DIY store. Don't waste your money on atabites.

Yeah Atabites does seem a rather costly option these days. I think I paid about £18 per tub or thereabouts for each tub to fill my Atacama SE20 stands. About 15 years ago. I seem to recall buying 2 or 3 tubs of the stuff and filling them about two-thirds full. Now they're priced at around £35 for a 7 kg tub. And I'm sure the tubs have gotten smaller since then too!

I guess the sensible thing to do if using sand from a DIY store (something like the one linked to below) is to pour it into a bucket first and then scoop it in through a funnel. I'd imagine trying to fill them could end up being a bit messy otherwise! I seem to recall there might have been a scoop in the tub of Atabites but so long ago I don't remember!

Tarmac Silver Sand - Major Bag | Wickes.co.uk
 
Yeah Atabites does seem a rather costly option these days. I think I paid about £18 per tub or thereabouts for each tub to fill my Atacama SE20 stands. About 15 years ago. I seem to recall buying 2 or 3 tubs of the stuff and filling them about two-thirds full. Now they're priced at around £35 for a 7 kg tub. And I'm sure the tubs have gotten smaller since then too!

I guess the sensible thing to do if using sand from a DIY store (something like the one linked to below) is to pour it into a bucket first and then scoop it in through a funnel. I'd imagine trying to fill them could end up being a bit messy otherwise! I seem to recall there might have been a scoop in the tub of Atabites but so long ago I don't remember!

Tarmac Silver Sand - Major Bag | Wickes.co.uk
I used a big jug and a funnel. Filled to just below the top. Was easy and relatively mess free. It worked out at between 4 and 5 litres per stand. 1 bag, with plenty to spare. Total cost, £5.
 
I used a big jug and a funnel. Filled to just below the top. Was easy and relatively mess free. It worked out at between 4 and 5 litres per stand. 1 bag, with plenty to spare. Total cost, £5.

So you used something like the sand linked to below, the kiln dried stuff? What I don't get is why pay all that extra money for Atabites? Is it just snake oil? After all, you could easily end up spending more on tubs of Atabites than you have spent on the stands themselves!

20Kg Breedon Kiln Dried Sand
 
Exactly that. You're just trying to provide a nice, solid, non-resonant, non-moving base. Spending a fortune is folly, in my opinion. Just fill the stands and blu-tack your speakers to them. I use the rubber feet supplied, as i have a wooden floor.
 
Exactly that. You're just trying to provide a nice, solid, non-resonant, non-moving base. Spending a fortune is folly, in my opinion. Just fill the stands and blu-tack your speakers to them. I use the rubber feet supplied, as i have a wooden floor.

It does make we wonder, £5 for a bag of silver, or kiln dried, sand...or £30+ for EACH tub of Atabites. That's just insane isn't it?!

For sure I won't pay more for the stuff I'm going to fill the stands with than the cost of the stands themselves!

The manual for the STAV24 S2 states dried or silver sand to fill them with.

Did you experience any leakage of sand out of the bottom of the stands?
 
None. Obviously made sure everything apart from the top plates was in place and tightly connected, then got on with it.
 
None. Obviously made sure everything apart from the top plates was in place and tightly connected, then got on with it.

Cool. I've read horror stories on other discussion forums about people suffering from sand coming out of the bottom of speaker stands (although not these B&W ones, it must be said).

It would seem those with the issue of leakage most likely didn't fit the base plate in tightly enough.
 
None. Obviously made sure everything apart from the top plates was in place and tightly connected, then got on with it.

Out of interest what sand did you actually use, and how much in kg was the bag of sand you used? Most seem to be 20 - 25 kg.
 
Wickes kiln dried sand. They don't seem to have the exact one i got on the web site, but yes i think it was either 20 or 25 kg. Sand's sand i'd say. I just went in and asked for dried sand and bought the bag i got pointed at
 
B&W 603 vs. Klipsch RP-8000F

For music and movies.

What do you guys think?
 

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