Bowers & Wilkins 685 S2 speakers review

Bowers & Wilkins 685 S2 speakers review - our first review of the new B&W 600 Series for 2014. And see how they look compared to the original 685 speakers.
Read our full B&W 685 review: www.whathifi.co...
Watch the B&W 683 S2 floorstanders video: • Bowers & Wilkins 683 S...
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[@idlohtrab]

just got a pair of these , and complimented with the same amp , picked up a 8200cd on eBay for £345 so full system outstanding

[@GamuTakaGmT]

I bought the white ones with Rotel RA12 amp & RCD12 silver combo... not only it looks gorgeous, but it sounds phenomenal! Been on B&W for decades, but these are really top notch. B&W for life ;) PS. you should really, really bi-wire these to get the best result possible, I use XT40 Qed anniversary cables and Van Den Hull for the Rotel interconnects

[@mariabuligan892]

nope, not really.. just need to adjust tone adjustment.. don't fool your self. Placebo..

[@russellnewton6660]

I bi-wired mine, do they sound better ? Not so sure, but they sound great in my little man cave, I’m happy with the sound and the price I paid.

[@Ragingfighter1]

I'm impressed I haven't heard yet build quality seems good

[@umamma2761]

auditioned these (£500) recently against the KEF Q300s (£450) i listened to different genres like Jazz. prog rock, prog metal, vocal. the 685 S2 sounded very good. very taught, sharp and accurate with a nice warm midrange. BUT they sounded very un-natural and as if they were straining to produce the sound, the soundstage was big but it had no depth or accuracy to it, sounded sloppy ish. were not by any stretch of the imagination realistic sounding. The KEFs on the other hand were £50 less. there was immediately a huge noticeable improvement in the smoothness and punchyness of the mid range, and they sounded almost transparent compared to the B&Ws. the low end was much more realistic sounding and the dynamic qualities were incredible. instrument wise. the B&Ws really struggled with reproducing the acoustic guitar at the beginning of Yes - And you and I. it sounded sloppier than my previous Mordaunt Short Aviano 2s (£150) one thing that the B&Ws do well though is the reproduction of drum sounds. very punchy and dynamic. Hope this helped anyone thinking about looking at these speakers.

[@anthonystocks8069]

Wow! U Mamma, this is a really useful review for me. I currently own a pair of Kef Q-300s and was wondering whether at some point to consider switching them for the B&Ws. Your direct comparison of the two speakers has persuaded me not to. I love many things about the Kefs: the impressive sound-stage, dynamics and imaging and the depth and scale to the bass. My only slight reservation is that the treble is a bit thin and the sibilances can be a little sharp (depending on quality of source recording). Your review has re-confirmed all the things I like about the Kefs and put any upgrade firmly on the back-burner. I suppose it's too easy to get carried away by rave reviews for new products and too easy to start doubting what you've already got. Thanks for putting it into perspective for me. Tony.

[@kasiad4842]

+u mamma .you sound like a KEF dealer :)

[@FEGTTTSDH]

+Anthony Stocks Buy the LS50 that are flagship!

[@Ceko]

Thank you! Exactly my idea! My B&W's are very muffled. I'll be selling them and go with KEF from now on.

[@leokolev]

Great sound!

[@peterpenhk]

Interesting price point. Between CM1 and 685 S2, which pair would you recommend?

[@angelgonzalez14]

Go listen at a magnolia best buy, good sound on these but cms are a little lighter and slightly more responsive

[@scribb7]

I demoed the cm1's and 685 s2's side by side and preferred the cm1's. They sounded more refined and a bit more life like to me. The 685's have more bass though but it's not as fast or nuanced as on the cm1's. I think the 600 s2 series is closer to the cm range then the previous 600 s1 series but in my opinion the cm rang is still the better speaker which it should be given it's more expensive. Having said all that I ended up with q acoustic concept 20's. To my ears they sound every bit as good as the cm1's and at half the price. It's an excellent speaker for the money.

[@joshski85]

***** I have a pair of B&W 602 S2. In your opinion is it worth trading up to these or do they offer much the same sound?. Also looking at the KEF LS50, or KEF R300. I love my 602's. They're my first hi-end speakers, but their only downfall I've noticed so far is their lack of bass, and they don't really come to life until I really turn up the volume and then they sing. Thanks for your review

[@Quingen_]

Please do review on some of XTZ's speakers

[@PhoenixFrames]

XTZ 99.26 MKII

[@playmovingpictures]

Speakers arnt all about style these are the sound goods that would please 99.9% of people they are great.

[@stefpichette7742]

Why would you plug the speakers wires like that not good

[@tomaszbugajczyk3345]

They are mega after 9 years. Bass is better than when they were new,

[@Ragingfighter1]

Are the 684 s2 a step up

[@danysden]

Hey when does 600 series launch in india?

[@whathifi]

Now live: B&W 683 S2 video review: Bowers & Wilkins 683 S2 speakers review

[@harrisedgar]

Great video guys...!!! How low can these speakers reach? and in 2:07 what cables are you using? Thank you..

[@TheRealPastorPeace]

Edgar Harris I have the Pioneer Elite VSX 44 .... that should be good enough right?

[@CorzIlla]

where can I buy that turntable stand?

[@ryanfuller5]

Why do you plug in on the top and bottom row when the posts are bridged? Why not just use the same row?

[@niconiconii4561]

Ryan Fuller I think the splitted wires are different lengths so they didn't want to kink one.

[@walkerwhite7639]

They pair the bass with lf and treble with hf, some say it sounds better even if its bridged but idk

[@nickcotman2355]

Can these be pushed to decently loud volume levels? I apologize, I know that is vague, but any feedback is appreciated! I am looking for a set of speakers for my NAD C326BEE and think these might fit the bill quite well. I just like to listen fairly loud sometimes (mostly rock music) and want to know if these can handle it! Thanks, Nick

[@whathifi]

+Nick Cotman Yes, these go plenty loud enough!

[@haaabil]

+Nick Cotman Hey have you bought the speakers yet? I got a similar amp and are also planning on buying these.

[@nickcotman2355]

+Habil Nguyen I went to the local audio shop and did not actually buy them! I was able to hear them with the NAD in shop, and they sounded fantastic. However, they had a phenomenal deal on PSB Imagine X2Ts (floor standers), which were on for hardly more than the 685s with stands, so I went with those instead. That being said, the 685s did sound great and could be pushed quite hard. For my taste, I would eventually add a subwoofer, though they did have enough low end to keep me satisfied until I could afford one. Take a listen, but in summation, yes, they can handle quite a bit of volume and have great bass for a bookshelf at this price!

[@haaabil]

Nick Cotman Thanks for the reply, Nick!

[@jackz6536]

Could someone please explain to me what benefits I will gain from connecting the speaker cables in the way like in 2:02 minute of this movie ? Thank you in advance.

[@phemelomonamodi8706]

Those two terminals at the back speaker meant for bi amping/bi wiring if gives more cleaner sounds separates Mid/ Bass on the speaker whilst been hook up on the receiver if it support bi amp/ bi wiring.

[@Dibbo79]

Are they releasing a gloss finish?

[@MrDamianOZ]

As far as I know they don't.

[@sudd3660]

i really hate to looks of the safety net on the tweeter, it will degrade the sound also, so its not worth it, its not PA, so we dont need safety features!

[@RennieAsh]

Then take it off :)

[@fernandomaximotorres]

why you always just ignore USA speakers from your reviews?'

[@fernandomaximotorres]

I would link some reviews at Polk Audio and Klipsh lines

[@whathifi]

We don't ignore US speakers but we only review speakers in the UK magazine that are on sale in the UK.

[@fernandomaximotorres]

***** Thanks for your response. I live in Argentina, and for some reason UK speaker are more expensive than US... For example a US$500 speaker at US, and a US$500 speker at UK, then the one of UK is quite more expensive in Argentina. Thats why I would like your complete review of any of them.

[@whathifi]

Fernando Máximo Torres We will do our best!

[@FEGTTTSDH]

impuestos mas proteccionismo extremo provocan eso que hablas, mas todavia cuando el importador y el vendedor quieren hacerse mas millonarios a costa del comprador.

[@utomo8]

Q acoustic releasing good speaker with good price. Can B&W keep their customer with this new products? Or q acoustic get some customers?

[@jairdabrini]

"black is back, but white is right" and this review sucked...

[@whathifi]

What didn't you like about it?

[@jairdabrini]

You make the review out like this speaker has no weaknesses. And truly is the sound that much different to previous versions of the same speaker? So you claim but somehow I fail to trust you. This review could also contain more details regarding the technical specs of the speaker.

[@angelgonzalez14]

jairdabrini they did mention design was a little under for the design. I'm unsure what negatives you want? Have you heard? As well as I'm listening she mentions quite a few issues

[@jairdabrini]

***** She doesn't mention the low sensitivity of the speaker, which is its major flaw and I think you mean build quality not design. I've only heard previous versions of this speaker and the negatives of them are; low sensitivity, poor range, muffled sound (i.e not very detailed/analytical). Who'd want a speaker like that? Also seems a bit overpriced, even looking at this new version.

[@LarsPallesen]

jairdabrini She didn't mention the low sensitivity of the speaker - because it isn't low. Its sensitivity is 87 dB. About the sensitivity of its predecessor, the 685, hifiworld.uk.com had this to say after measuring it: "It is massively sensitive at 88dB from one nominal watt (2.8V) even with a high measured impedance of 7.1 Ohms". Maybe you should just stop pretending to know shit? www.hi-fiworld.co.uk/loudspeakers/65-reviews/130-baw-685.html

[@bluepicis]

Bad idea white background for a white speakers.

[@tigerbalm666]

Speaker cabinets should ALWAYS be a wood veneer....or grass like bamboo even better for sustainable resource! I also HATE sharp edges!

[@playmovingpictures]

Get discount but worth every dollar. Perfection. It's 10 star out of 5 🎸👍🏻

[@JMNTN]

I don't like the sound of these, highs and lows are good but the mids sound like they are more in the background

[@totizedger]

I've played music on mine for 2 days and i know that may not be enough but the mids are not so good to be honest they are like you said "in the background" the rest is just great but i really was hoping for a clear and detailed midrange

[@Sp3z]

+totizedger you need roughly 200 hours of break-in before the 685 s2's open up. Before the break-in is completed and the dynamics open up, they will sound a bit distant and dull

[@simcnova481]

it's the same crap as a previous model. 602 S1 was great speakers :)

[@DoubleGauss]

Focal 906

[@TheMatsushitaMan]

Play Bass I Love You through these speakers.

[@juanbaclavab]

+7367Network KZbin no! Darude - Sandstorm!!

[@juanbaclavab]

eeeewwww front bass ports

[@niconiconii4561]

RANT its for placing them against the walls. since these are quite big and probably used for tv and home theatres it's a must have for front ports

[@brandonanderson2066]

Comes with port plugs.

[@vlgashnev]

Design at Bowers & Wilkins 685 S2 has become much worse, cheaper than at Bowers & Wilkins 685. I do not think he will improve as it is quite ugly sound of the most beautiful in the past, speakers. I was in love with these speakers - a very good design. The most beautiful of the small speakers. They worked their three days, changed the speaker cables, but a good sound from them is not achieved. It was necessary to return to a store ... Very - very sorry. It is a pity that the speakers do not sound as good as they look

[@mariabuligan892]

they sound good but needs a lot of tone adjustment. it's 685s great weakness. this speaker is flat as a megaphone held by a police in a raid. really it sounds awfully and annoying flat. but if you have proper mixer/EQ with a powerful amp, DAMN this speaker sound so good, it's like your listening to headphones.

[@DoubleGauss]

1:15 Bottom right : Made in China.

[@missionnad1]

So what?

[@wdkcavens]

Made in China? Dislike

[@joshski85]

Majority of bookshelves in this price range will be made in China

[@wdkcavens]

JoshDownUnder My B&W 601 s2 speakers were still 'made in England'

[@joshski85]

Yeah same as my 602's. Think they started making them in China with the 685's, which is a big part of why I'm reluctant to upgrade.

[@murph6547]

+wdkcavens kef ls50 also made in china,and they ranked 10/10 in build quality

[@lemonslice2233]

It sucks, and it sucks a lot. But I still wouldn't not buy these speakers.