B&W 685's, Bright Sounding.

[aec]

If you do not like the sound of these speakers after 10 days of listening, then bring them back. However, your listening room lacks soft surfaces which will contribute to brightness. MP3 or compressed music sounds like crap through my B&K AVR 507 and did through my B&W CDM7NTs, so I bought a digital media server and burned my CDs using FLAC (lossless) and it sounds great. Music through an Ipod or MP3 player and headphones can sound fantastic, but in that case the medium is the issue - convenience over sound quality. MP3 and compressed audio is not and does not generate audio quality for listening through speakers on a home system; i.e., any decent brand discussed here at Audioholics or AVS. Also, your amp, while putting out 35 wpc, should be able to drive the B&Ws, but will not help them sound as good as they can. As a former owner of B&W CDMNTs (7s/SNT, CNT) and a current owner of the older series (CDMs in my basement), I can tell you that B&Ws are power hungry. The more power, the better they sound. They have a reputation for brightness and warmth. I replaced the NTs w/System Audios because the SAs are clearer, have a better range and I simply hear more music. That being said, if you are going to listen to different speakers, test drive them at home so you can tell how they will sound in your room, w/your equipment. If the B&Ws sounded great in the store, the question becomes what amp/receiver was driving them, what was the source material and were you in a soft and acoustically friendly room (likely)? If you are running your music through an Ipod then bring it with you to demo the speakers at the store. But the true test is in your system at your home.

 

[giteshb]

Hi. I have had my B&W 685s for about 10days now, Been listening to them everyday since i bought them, But they are sounded bright in the midrange and vocals at mid/high volumes, I know B&W are on the slight bright sound . I have been told to ride it out and really after about 1month of use they sound diffrent and mellow out. What are your thoughts?. I listen to all my music thought my PC, Either MP3 or lossless files, I have a pretty good soundcard and running Phono from the amp to Phono to the soundcard They are on stands if that makes any diffrance?. I have played with the equalizer on Winamp to soften the vocal and midrange and it has worked, But i dont wanna make anything sound to false. I have also been told to try using some curtains to help take the harshness away as per the B&W handbook aswell.As my amp is only 35WPC, And i listen to my music to mid/high volumes, Will this affect the sound? Maybe the harshness? or has that got nothing to do with it?.

KIT LIST
Teac AH-300 (Reference 300) 35 WPC
QED Silver Anni Cable
Audiophile 2496 (soundcard)
IXOS XHA215 (Phono Lead)

Hope you can help?.

Luke

 

[giteshb]

Hi. I have had my B&W 685s for about 10days now, Been listening to them everyday since i bought them, But they are sounded bright in the midrange and vocals at mid/high volumes, I know B&W are on the slight bright sound . I have been told to ride it out and really after about 1month of use they sound diffrent and mellow out. What are your thoughts?. I listen to all my music thought my PC, Either MP3 or lossless files, I have a pretty good soundcard and running Phono from the amp to Phono to the soundcard They are on stands if that makes any diffrance?. I have played with the equalizer on Winamp to soften the vocal and midrange and it has worked, But i dont wanna make anything sound to false. I have also been told to try using some curtains to help take the harshness away as per the B&W handbook aswell.As my amp is only 35WPC, And i listen to my music to mid/high volumes, Will this affect the sound? Maybe the harshness? or has that got nothing to do with it?.

KIT LIST
Teac AH-300 (Reference 300) 35 WPC
QED Silver Anni Cable
Audiophile 2496 (soundcard)
IXOS XHA215 (Phono Lead)

Hope you can help?.

Luke

I am also facing same problem could you resolve your problem ?
I recently brought B & W 706 s2 speakers but I find them bright for listening to streaming music on my stereo setup comprising of harman kardon 3380 stereo receiver , speakers and iPad . They are causing me ear fatigue though rest of the family is fine !!

I use my iPad directly connected to my Harman kardon 3380 stereo receiver to run the speakers . On the iPad I stream Amazon music .

I was thinking about some solution for brightness and I read about mojo 2 . My question is that can I use Mojo 2 equaliser connected to my iPad for reducing the brightness in my stereo set up .

 

[isolar8001]

I am also facing same problem could you resolve your problem ?
I recently brought B & W 706 s2 speakers but I find them bright for listening to streaming music on my stereo setup comprising of harman kardon 3380 stereo receiver , speakers and iPad . They are causing me ear fatigue though rest of the family is fine !!

I use my iPad directly connected to my Harman kardon 3380 stereo receiver to run the speakers . On the iPad I stream Amazon music .

I was thinking about some solution for brightness and I read about mojo 2 . My question is that can I use Mojo 2 equaliser connected to my iPad for reducing the brightness in my stereo set up .

I'm not so sure that someone who hasn't been here since 2013 is going to answer you.

 

[lovinthehd]

I am also facing same problem could you resolve your problem ?
I recently brought B & W 706 s2 speakers but I find them bright for listening to streaming music on my stereo setup comprising of harman kardon 3380 stereo receiver , speakers and iPad . They are causing me ear fatigue though rest of the family is fine !!

I use my iPad directly connected to my Harman kardon 3380 stereo receiver to run the speakers . On the iPad I stream Amazon music .

I was thinking about some solution for brightness and I read about mojo 2 . My question is that can I use Mojo 2 equaliser connected to my iPad for reducing the brightness in my stereo set up .

OTOH the HK receiver has tone controls, have you tried just turning the treble down a bit?

I wouldn't buy Chord Electronics myself, overpriced for what it is. For a streamer/dac with eq the Wiim Pro models would be my suggestion.

 

[giteshb]

OTOH the HK receiver has tone controls, have you tried just turning the treble down a bit?

I wouldn't buy Chord Electronics myself, overpriced for what it is. For a streamer/dac with eq the Wiim Pro models would be my suggestion.

Yes it’s makes it better but the problem doesn’t go away . I am going to get a thicker gauge cable also and try that today .

 

[lovinthehd]

Yes it’s makes it better but the problem doesn’t go away . I am going to get a thicker gauge cable also and try that today .

Why change cable? What gauge and length is it? The best solution would be different speakers....more comprehensive eq might help.

 

[giteshb]

Why change cable? What gauge and length is it? The best solution would be different speakers....more comprehensive eq might help.

It’s quite old don’t remember the gauge but looks thin so will change . The chord mojo 2 has an inbuilt lossless sq so that’s why I was thinking of getting that.

 

[Bobby Bass]

I am also facing same problem could you resolve your problem ?
I recently brought B & W 706 s2 speakers but I find them bright for listening to streaming music on my stereo setup comprising of harman kardon 3380 stereo receiver , speakers and iPad . They are causing me ear fatigue though rest of the family is fine !!

I use my iPad directly connected to my Harman kardon 3380 stereo receiver to run the speakers . On the iPad I stream Amazon music .

I was thinking about some solution for brightness and I read about mojo 2 . My question is that can I use Mojo 2 equaliser connected to my iPad for reducing the brightness in my stereo set up .

B&Ws tend to be ”bright” which is intentional in their design and why you are experiencing ear fatigue. I have the same issue with the 702 S2 I auditioned. Beautiful looks and build and the rest of the sound was good but couldn’t get past the ear fatigue. I tried tone controls and speaker placement, different music sources and amps but nothing worked. I had to get past the looks, especially the tweeter on top in Rosenut, and focus on the sound, which was most important to me. Is it too late to return them and try another brand of tower?

 

[lovinthehd]

It’s quite old don’t remember the gauge but looks thin so will change . The chord mojo 2 has an inbuilt lossless sq so that’s why I was thinking of getting that.

The Wiim Pros have on board EQ or do you mean something else?

 

[shadyJ]

B&Ws tend to be ”bright” which is intentional in their design and why you are experiencing ear fatigue. I have the same issue with the 702 S2 I auditioned. Beautiful looks and build and the rest of the sound was good but couldn’t get past the ear fatigue. I tried tone controls and speaker placement, different music sources and amps but nothing worked. I had to get past the looks, especially the tweeter on top in Rosenut, and focus on the sound, which was most important to me. Is it too late to return them and try another brand of tower?

EQ should have been able to tame the problem.

 

[Bobby Bass]

Thanks for the suggestion. That’s what the dealer said after 100 hours of break-in and the tone control didn’t work. I don’t EQ since I moved on from my Denon AVR to Rotel separates in my music system. I didn’t like what the room correction software did to the sound. I find in my room that if the speakers don’t sound good they’re not for me. It hasn’t been an issue with KLH, SVS, Polk, KEF and Arendal speakers I’ve auditioned. IMO if you have to work that hard to make the speakers sound good, unless they were a gift, move on.

 

[lovinthehd]

Thanks for the suggestion. That’s what the dealer said after 100 hours of break-in and the tone control didn’t work. I don’t EQ since I moved on from my Denon AVR to Rotel separates in my music system. I didn’t like what the room correction software did to the sound. I find in my room that if the speakers don’t sound good they’re not for me. It hasn’t been an issue with KLH, SVS, Polk, KEF and Arendal speakers I’ve auditioned. IMO if you have to work that hard to make the speakers sound good, unless they were a gift, move on.

LOL seriously they suggested 100 hours of break-in?

 

[Bobby Bass]

LOL seriously they suggested 100 hours of break-in?

Yup. Fortunately they’re a good dealer and took them back free of charge.

 

[lovinthehd]

Yup. Fortunately they’re a good dealer and took them back free of charge.

Such a lame piece of advice. More that they hoped you would be "broken-in" to the speakers rather than the other way around Glad they still did the right thing.