B&W 603 S2s 2018 Model + Yamaha AVR A870

[rgbbhat72]

Dear All

I have recently bought the B&W 603 S2s 2018 model and my set up is as below :-

1. LR : B&W 603 - Set to Large and 0.00 Db
2. C : Polk CS 10 - set to Small - @ 60 Hz and 2.0 Db
3. SR : Bose 301s series V - set to Small - @ 60 Hz and 5.0 Db
4. AVR : Yamaha Aventage A870
5. YPAO : Natural
6. Sub : No Sub being used
7. Room : 22 x 10 Sqft

My usage is more on Movies and less on Music and wanted to know the best settings on Cross Over and Levels on the speakers as currently the B&Ws are not sounding spacious and detailed.
I have toed them in and created an equilateral triangle with my seating.

Please help on the same as it would also be a great learning on the setup.

Thank you.

Rajesh

 

[Bookmark]

The 603s are not really full range and only go down to 48Hz according to the specs. Not entirely sure if this is -3dB, -6dB or -10dB point, the datasheet is unclear, regardless you probably need a sub to round off the bottom end, especially for movies. A crossover of probably 60Hz or above should be used
The Polk goes down to 53Hz and so you should used at least 60Hz and probably 80Hz would work better.
I really won't comment on the Bose but they usually give wildly inaccurate range specs, if they give them at all. I would start with at least 80Hz and likely go above 100Hz.

With the setup as is, right now all the bass is going through the B&Ws. How well does it work in direct mode with stereo sources, ie music? Are they against the wall or out away a couple of feet?

A friend of mine has a pair these and we needed to bung the ports, oddly it was the rear port which is actually for the mid driver, he is in a small room, say 10x15. I found they image very easily and it is a small Yamaha AVR he is using to drive them, but only in stereo, with a slight toe in.

 

[Bookmark]

I should add, manually check the distance and level settings for all the speakers and adjust accordingly. If you do not have an spl meter, then download a free spl app for your phone or tablet, they are not really that accurate but it is fine for comparing one speaker level against another.

 

[rgbbhat72]

Thank you Bookmark for your revert. The 603s are placed near the wall and about a foot's distance from the wall.
I will reset the same but the issue is that i donot have the option to set the XO for the Fronts. The system takes it as large.
Should this be my settings
B&W set to small 60 Hz
Polk set to small 80 Hz
Bose set to small 80 Hz and then check with 100 and above

For the stereo mode portion, let me check and revert.

Would you be able to share your friend's settings. I will replicate that and check. I am aware that it will be different basis the room size but desperate to try anything now.

 

[Bookmark]

As I say he is using them full range in stereo, no YPAO and I think about 6-8' for the distance. You can after having run YPAO, go in and manually enable a Sub, even though you do not have one and then be able to change the size of the 603s to small and set a cross over. That may or may not help until you were able to get a sub (if you find you need one),and it is easy enough to swap it around in the settings.

If you still have the supplied bungs then use those, if not a sock can work, but not rolled too tight, you want a bit of resistance, not to actually block the port.

 

[rgbbhat72]

Thanks a ton. will check it out after work today

 

[rgbbhat72]

When u say Full Range - would the speakers be set to Large or Small and at what Hz?

 

[Bookmark]

Full range is large and all of the signal goes to those speakers, Small comes with a cross over so everything below that is directed to either the sub or front LR which would be set as large.

I think I indicated probably 60Hz for the 603s, 60Hz or probably better 80Hz for the Polk and likely 80Hz or above for the Bose.

 

[rgbbhat72]

Thanks Bookmark. This was really helpful and appreciate your patience.

 

[Bookmark]

NP

Give it a whirl on stereo using the direct mode (this bypasses the YPAO settings). If this sounds good to you then you can try the following, otherwise I would try the port bung first.

So in order, I would check the levels and distances for all the speakers and adjust if required. Try setting the 603s to small by enabling a sub and initially set the crossover to 60Hz. The reasoning here is to remove the other speakers/channels from affecting 603. If there is still a problem with the sound either in Stereo or movies then give the port bung a shot. I will take it you will not be able to pull the 603 out more into the room.

There are others here, far more knowledgeable that maybe able to suggest other things to try.

 

[PENG]

Thank you Bookmark for your revert. The 603s are placed near the wall and about a foot's distance from the wall.
I will reset the same but the issue is that i donot have the option to set the XO for the Fronts. The system takes it as large.
Should this be my settings
B&W set to small 60 Hz
Polk set to small 80 Hz
Bose set to small 80 Hz and then check with 100 and above

For the stereo mode portion, let me check and revert.

Would you be able to share your friend's settings. I will replicate that and check. I am aware that it will be different basis the room size but desperate to try anything now.

You really need a sub, otherwise you may be better off set all speakers to large and go easy on the volume dial.
Or set them all to 80 Hz to preserve quality and give up on bass. For those small speakers and weak amp, without a sub, you have to compromise, a lot.

 

[2channel lover]

Thank you Bookmark for your revert. The 603s are placed near the wall and about a foot's distance from the wall.
I will reset the same but the issue is that i donot have the option to set the XO for the Fronts. The system takes it as large.
Should this be my settings
B&W set to small 60 Hz
Polk set to small 80 Hz
Bose set to small 80 Hz and then check with 100 and above

For the stereo mode portion, let me check and revert.

Would you be able to share your friend's settings. I will replicate that and check. I am aware that it will be different basis the room size but desperate to try anything now.

Ditto post #11.

If you just want to play the system in stereo, you can leave L/R speakers full range, but w/o a sub you may never be satisfied with the low end.

 

[ryanosaur]

I wasn't a fan of those B&Ws when I auditioned them... I agree that you want NEED a sub! When you have it, and if Yamaha gives the option, I would experiment with the xo at 90 or 100. They can possibly handle some 40hz signal, but unless you decide that you want speakers with more range and are eager to stress the woofers in them... I too would recommend caution.

I would also recommend letting YPAO set your speaker levels and distance/delays... Turn the correction off but keep those settings. Especially if/when you add the sub.

 

[PENG]

Ditto post #11.

If you just want to play the system in stereo, you can leave L/R speakers full range, but w/o a sub you may never be satisfied with the low end.

As I mentioned before, if he opt for that route, he should set the other 3 speakers to large/full range as well, otherwise the poor little L/R will have to carry their shares of the bass load too.

 

[2channel lover]

As I mentioned before, if he opt for that route, he should set the other 3 speakers to large/full range as well, otherwise the poor little L/R will have to carry their shares of the bass load too.

I wasn't real sure what the OP intended to do with the other speakers, but in the B&W line imo you don't really get a true full range speaker until the 803 model.

 

[ryanosaur]

I wasn't real sure what the OP intended to do with the other speakers, but in the B&W line imo you don't really get a true full range speaker until the 803 model.

Even the 702s? I thought that was rated down at 28hz... not true full range, but close enough more most usage.

 

[everettT]

Even the 702s? I thought that was rated down at 28hz... not true full range, but close enough more most usage.

I'd doubt their 28hz rating is -3db, more like down 10db or 6db, with closer to the latter.

 

[snakeeyes]

Even the 702s? I thought that was rated down at 28hz... not true full range, but close enough more most usage.

Am I the only one concerned that the center is not a match to the mains? The front 3 are critical. Dual subs will be the next step. Ported HSU subs would be a good choice.

 

[2channel lover]

Even the 702s? I thought that was rated down at 28hz... not true full range, but close enough more most usage.

Understand, prior to me going 2.1 or 2.2 a little more than a yr ago, I rarely ever listened to any floor standing speaker with a sub.

All my demo work was 2.0...to be honest when I went for my B&W demo, the new 700 series was not out yet...while I was primarily interested in the 800 D3 (803, 804) series, I did hear the 703 briefly and was not overly impressed after hearing the 803D3.

So...that said, you could very well be right about the 702...I haven't heard that one.

 

[lovinthehd]

Even the 702s? I thought that was rated down at 28hz... not true full range, but close enough more most usage.

I'd doubt their 28hz rating is -3db, more like down 10db or 6db, with closer to the latter.

FWIW https://www.stereophile.com/content/bowers-wilkins-702-s2-loudspeaker-measurements