B&W CM series: upgrading from bookshelf to floorstanding speakers

I feel like I am ready to consider the next step in upgrading my sound system, which would be moving from bookshelf to floorstanding speakers.

I'm specifically only considering the B&W CM series. I currently have a pair of CM1s, which I've always been happy with.

Has anyone made a similar upgrade? Or has anyone specifically tried and tested the bookshelf versus floorstanding speakers? What's your opinion on the latter? Is it a big improvement in sound?

They are for my living room, which is fairly big at around 7x8m.

 

I went from CM1 S1 to CM9 S1 a couple of years ago when I saw them almost half price when they were bringing in the S2.

Well worth the upgrade in my opinion - more extension and fuller, but they retain the overall character to the sound that I enjoyed in the CM1s.

The plan was to use them in a bigger room in a house I was planning to buy and use the CM1s as rear surrounds. The house move never happened, so the CM1s are still in their box and the CM9s are working in a room that is really far too small for them at 7m x 4m. I would have thought you'd see an even bigger advantage in a room the size of yours.

 

Not necessarily. The B&W 805D (bookshelf) is going to sound far better than even the largest CM series model. Even the bass is pretty amazing. Also, room placement, which is probably 40% of the game with any speaker system, is going to be a ton easier with a bookshelf than a floor-stander. FWIW, the Harbeth PS3 bookshelf (also made in the UK) comes pretty close to quality of the 805D at half the price. Similar all-sorted out British BBC sound -- both are wonderful speakers.

 

The CMs really do their best in small rooms. I went from DM602s to CM7s. The 7s are better but they are also smaller and they sound smaller.

 

I'm afraid my budget does not stretch as far as the 805Ds, hence saying that I'm only interested in the CMs. Thanks though.

 

I own a pair of CM10s. In my opinion you will not find a differing sound quality (or character) between the various models of the cm series. Like most speaker lines, the cms present a uniform quality from small to large. What you will find is more bass and/fullness-projection with larger models. Also if you go all the way up to the CM10 the tweeter placement on top of the unit presents a more spatial/open sound than what you're used to in lower model CMs.

 

Bought the CM8 S2 speakers, a white pair. Can't wait to receive them and take them for a long long drive!

 

I've had cm 4s in a pretty large room for 15 years. I've always enjoyed them. I can blast them when I like. I have cm2s as rears

Later this year or next I wanna upgrade and replace my mains. But I've loved the sound for a long time.

 

I upgraded from the 1s to the 8S2 about a year ago, I am sure you won't be disappointed. Enjoy

 

Very nice, Vern. I recently bought a pair of CM10s. Really great sounding. I was surprised to find out they take two or three weeks to burn in. Sound opens up even more after that.

 

That's useful to know, thanks Matt.

 

Sweet looking in white. Got a deal on mine (in black) and got a sub to go with it. In my small room, they sounds nice with some needed punch to the bass.

 

I'm loving my gloss black CM10's S2 powered by McIntosh

 

Congrats mate. These are nice sounding and with the good looks to boot. I see your Rega amp is 50Wpc. Hope it can drive these pups to their fullest. B&W speakers (even the CM series) require a good amount of juice to give their best. I recently upgraded to CM10 s2 and i'm awaiting the delivery of MF m6si amp. My current Marantz PM8003 and MM7025 just can't deliver the justice to CM10's .

Regards

 

Cheers, DrZhivago. I actually did some extensive Googling on this topic (without knowing much about the actual science) to see if my Brio-R should be sufficient, and from what I can tell it is within range to power the speakers. Even if my amp doesn't have the 'full juicing power' these speakers need, for now they should be okay. I think that as I upgrade my system bit by bit over the years, my amp will likely be the next unit, upgrading to a Rega Elicit-R.

 

Got the speakers and started to listen now. Loving it. It's a definite improvement and the soundstage is so much bigger than what I'm used to whilst retaining that trademark CM series sound. I would say that I'm missing the high-end a little bit, but perhaps that is part of breaking these speakers in.

Really glad I made this purchase! My Rega Brio-R seems to drive these just fine.

 

Pics??

 

Here I unpacked them, and you can see one of my CM1s in the back.



Here they are set up. Absolutely loving the sound right now, wow.

 

Those are gorgeous, Vern.

Yes, after burn in the sound does noticeably open-up. It took about two or three weeks of periodic listening to happen with my CMs.

By the way, it looks like you have the beginnings of an excellent CM surround system there –Just need the center and a sub!

 

Thanks, Matt!

Ha, I'll have to see if I want to go down the surround system route. I'll have to talk my boyfriend into it first.

 

Nice. A little too close together ?

 

I'm planning on getting a wider record shelf in the coming months, so that'll take care of that then

 

I really like the white. I upgraded from B&W 601 bookies to 683 floorstanders and am still pleased.

As noted above, I'd separate them a bit more. Do it now. Don't be afraid to have space around the speakers. Pull 'em out from the wall more if you feel so inclined.

 

Okay, I moved them further apart. They're probably 2m apart now.

I have to say I'm so impressed. Have spun several albums I've listened to heaps before and I'm hearing things I haven't heard before. The sound is so tight and beefy with lovely separation.

 

I too thought they were a bit close together - but at the same time, I've read repeatedly that the biggest placement mistake many of us make is putting the speakers too far apart - something narrower than an equilateral triangle (with the listening position as the apex/third point) actually can improve cohesion and imaging - for example 5 feet/1.5 meters instead of 6 feet/1 meters. I certainly heard an improvement with mine when I moved them about a foot (6 inches each) closer together.