Kef replacement speakers for qx one drivers#
Kef replacement speakers for qx one driver#
Kef replacement speakers for qx one series#

The SP-EBS73-LR was at its best when played more quietly. The 606s really came alive when we pushed the volume up higher than we typically do with our speaker reviews. Switching over to the SP-EBS73-LRs, the sound was tamed and nowhere as brilliant as it was over the 606s. The intensity of his guitar thrashing lit up the room, so when Macleod really cuts loose you feel it. With an audiophile grade recording like Doug Macleod's acoustic blues album, Break the Chain, the 606s put us in touch with the sound of Macleod's National nickel-plated, brass-bodied resonator guitar, and the man's bluesy vocals made our ears perk up. The 606 sounded like a more muscular speaker, while the SP-EBS73-LR's dynamics flattened out. When we challenged both speakers with LCD Soundsystem's American Dream album played at a healthy volume, the 606's surefooted bass easily trumped the SP-EBS73-LR's low-end punch. The 606's lively dynamics did outclass a pair of similarly sized Pioneer Elite SP-EBS73-LR bookshelf speakers. The B6.2s sound felt as comfortable as an old pair of jeans while cooler and brighter tonal balance of the 606 took some getting used to.

Settling in with a round of Norah Jones and Sufjan Stevens tunes, the 606's sound was still brighter and more detailed than the ELAC Debut B6.2. This time around we used the less-forward sounding DAC on the Oppo UDP-205 Blu-ray player for all of our listening tests. We would caution against pairing these with a bright AV receiver from the likes of Onkyo or Yamaha, for example. But as we discovered while testing the 700 series, this combo tends toward the over-bright and can even sound obnoxious on some recordings.

Kef replacement speakers for qx one drivers#

Presumably the drivers are chiefly responsible for the new sound, but other aspects of the speaker's design, such as the crossover network and construction of the cabinet, surely deserve some of the credit, too.Р”Р„t a preview event in Boston several months ago we heard the speakers connected to the onboard digital-to-analog converter of the Rotel RA-1592 integrated amplifier.

Kef replacement speakers for qx one series#

The 606 is solidly in the new tradition, with clearer sound than the older 600 Series models, the ones with the distinctive yellow woven Kevlar drivers. We knew that speaker, and the higher-end B&W 705 and the 805 D3 speakers, really well. We only say maybe because we no longer have a set of the previous midsize bookshelf model, the dearly departed 685 S2 on hand for direct comparison. It sounds similar to what came before, but it's maybe a little more transparent.

30W - 120W recommended amplifier power into 8 ohmsР”В«&W fans are bound to love the 606.

Technical specs of the Bowers and Wilkins 606 include: The finish is slightly different on the front and sides of the speaker Sarah Tew/CNET We were big fans of the 685 S2 but feel that the new step toward 'excitement' could be going in the wrong direction. If you're careful about the electronics you pair the 606 with, you will get a lot out of them, but fans of more forceful music styles may be better served by the Klipsch RP-600M - or even by the cheaper, more versatlie Elac Debut 2.0 B6.2. Other types of music, in particular modern pop or rock, may simply sound too bright for the B&Ws, especially at lower volumes. The 606 is best at creating a large sound stage and uncovering hidden details of jazz combos, singer songwriters, blues musicians and classical ensembles. Dynamics and bass heft is noticeably better in than the excellent 685 S2. If you crave more excitement from your music and movies, the 606 certainly delivers. With a list price of $800 (Р’Р€550 or AU$1,150) - or $100 more than the 685 S2Р’В it replaces - the 606 marks a shift toward a more revealing, dynamic sound.

Kef replacement speakers for qx one driver#

It's the first entry-level B&W speaker to use the company's own silvery Continuum driver introduced several years ago.