Looking for integrated for B&W CM 6 towers

[KenM10759]

Big difference between 150 "NAD" watts per channel and 130 "Pioneer" watts too. In fact, the NAD C368 at 80 w/ch could have the BlueOS in it, still be under budget and is well capable of driving those speakers hard enough to drive you out of the room.

 

[lovinthehd]

Or just get a capable avr like the Denon 3300/4300 at great prices now and add a Crown XLS amp like the 2502 if you really want some power....more than any integrated in the desired price range can offer.

 

[Nico]

It's been a long time since I looked at any home audio gear. I'm remembering bits and pieces of information. At this point I think I know what I am looking for (an integrated or pre/amp combo), and I know what I am specifically not looking for (an AVR of any sort).

I greatly appreciate the recommendation of the Anthem 225. On paper it looks like something that would fit the bill. And it seems to be reasonably priced on the used market.

I'm still hoping someone out there is familiar with these speakers, but I have a feeling that few, if any, are. If nothing else, I may contact the dealer I purchased them from to see what they recommend.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I am looking for (an integrated or pre/amp combo)

I think if you are going with "separates", then a pre-pro + amp is the way to go.

 

[Nico]

I think if you are going with "separates", then a pre-pro + amp is the way to go.

I am open to considering this. Any suggestions that would fit my budget?

 

[lovinthehd]

Maybe for a pre/amp combo this and this.

 

[PENG]

It's been a long time since I looked at any home audio gear. I'm remembering bits and pieces of information. At this point I think I know what I am looking for (an integrated or pre/amp combo), and I know what I am specifically not looking for (an AVR of any sort).

I greatly appreciate the recommendation of the Anthem 225. On paper it looks like something that would fit the bill. And it seems to be reasonably priced on the used market.

I'm still hoping someone out there is familiar with these speakers, but I have a feeling that few, if any, are. If nothing else, I may contact the dealer I purchased them from to see what they recommend.

I suggest you email B&W directly. They may give you some idea, or they may refer you to the dealer.

Those speakers are really not that hard to drive, a dip to 3.7 ohm isn't a big deal. B&W already specified the range, 30 to 120W right? The Anthem 225 will give more than the speakers can take, and that is good.

 

[Nico]

I suggest you email B&W directly. They may give you some idea, or they may refer you to the dealer.

Those speakers are really not that hard to drive, a dip to 3.7 ohm isn't a big deal. B&W already specified the range, 30 to 120W right? The Anthem 225 will give more than the speakers can take, and that is good.

Specified power range is 50-200 watts. Minimum impedance is 3 ohms, per the spec sheet.
At this point, I will reach out to the dealer to see what they suggest. I had hoped that someone on this forum would be familiar with them, but it appears that most haven't heard of them.
Aside from that, I've been rather surprised at the condescending tone of several posts. Due to this, I doubt I'll ever bother posting here again. In other words, I've been reminded that the internet is mostly a waste of my time.

 

[PENG]

Specified power range is 50-200 watts. Minimum impedance is 3 ohms, per the spec sheet.
At this point, I will reach out to the dealer to see what they suggest. I had hoped that someone on this forum would be familiar with them, but it appears that most haven't heard of them.
Aside from that, I've been rather surprised at the condescending tone of several posts. Due to this, I doubt I'll ever bother posting here again. In other words, I've been reminded that the internet is mostly a waste of my time.

I thought you had the CM6 S2. The CM6 does need a little more power, but based on specs, overall they are still not particular hard to drive. B&M rated the nominal impedance 8 ohms, that meant the 3 ohm minimum most likely occur in a very narrow band. You made it clear that you didn't want any AVR, but I am sure any good 200W per channel integrated amp or power amp should be able to do a good job with those speakers. I am not familiar with the CM6 in particular, though I am familiar with the 800 series including some of the diamond series that do tend to do better with more powerful amplifiers with low distortions.

 

[KenM10759]

A number of good reasons I suggested the NAD C368 or C388 is that both:

Has a phono amp
Has Bluetooth aptX streaming and an app (in addition to the remote control)
Has subwoofer pre-out
Can be bridged to mono
Can add BlueOS (Bluesound) module to add wireless and streaming and/or NAS access with full MQA decoding
Have a top-notch DAC

They run very cool and the refined Digital architecture runs with lowest noise I've ever (not) heard at their price level ($900 & $1500.)

 

[PENG]

A number of good reasons I suggested the NAD C368 or C388 is that both:

Has a phono amp
Has Bluetooth aptX streaming and an app (in addition to the remote control)
Has subwoofer pre-out
Can be bridged to mono
Can add BlueOS (Bluesound) module to add wireless and streaming and/or NAS access with full MQA decoding
Have a top-notch DAC

They run very cool and the refined Digital architecture runs with lowest noise I've ever (not) heard at their price level ($900 & $1500.)

I like my little NAD amp and I would rather recommend their conventional class AB types while they further develop and refine their digital or hybrid ones. That's not based on experience and measurements, but purely specs on paper. The OP has some older B&M and he seems concerned about the min. impedance of 3 ohms, so I think he will like a 200/300 or 300/500W 8/4 ohms rated amp better.

 

[KenM10759]

NAD has been refining their implementation of the Hypex nCore technology for over 8 years now. From my ears, they've nailed it! Specs and graphs seem to concur. The measurements I've seen of these new ones are very telling, and listening to both a C356BEE and C368 Hybrid Digital solidified the interpretation. NAD continues to produce amps that are VERY tolerant of low impedance loads. These are no different.

Don't take my word for it, audition some. It takes something dramatic for me to hear a difference in amps, trust me on that. The C368 really performed!

 

[Swerd]

I greatly appreciate the recommendation of the Anthem 225. On paper it looks like something that would fit the bill. And it seems to be reasonably priced on the used market.

Good luck searching for a used Anthem 225. If you do find one at a suitable price, please let us know how it works with your speakers. Anthem now makes one integrated stereo amp, the STR which costs triple your intended spending range. So a similarly powered older model Anthem 225, at a price attractive to you, would be a good find.

I'm still hoping someone out there is familiar with these [B&W CM6 Tower] speakers, but I have a feeling that few, if any, are. If nothing else, I may contact the dealer I purchased them from to see what they recommend.

Sorry we couldn't help with that. Over the years, B&W has produced a large number of different speaker models, and few people have heard them all. I've heard only a few myself.

B&W has a general reputation of making tower speakers that seem to require a lot of power because of low impedance in the bass range. This has been true over the years and applies to models in the 600, CM, and 800 series. There are no doubt exceptions to that generalization. I don't know for certain if that applies to the CM 6 Towers that you have. I hope I made that clear earlier.

It's possible that the power range of 50-200 watts and minimum impedance of 3 ohms may be the best information available.

At this point, I will reach out to the dealer to see what they suggest.

Be careful. As internet direct sales drive more and more audio dealers out of business, those that still remain today tend to carry very expensive, high profit-margin 'high end' products. Some of these high end manufacturers and dealers have unfortunately been sources of much of the misinformation that seems to pollute audio. I think you do have a good understanding of what you want and how much you would like to pay. So, if that dealer tries to push you into spending much more, stick to your guns.

It's been a long time since I looked at any home audio gear. I'm remembering bits and pieces of information. At this point I think I know what I am looking for (an integrated or pre/amp combo), and I know what I am specifically not looking for (an AVR of any sort).

On Audioholics we often encounter people who say they want an integrated stereo amp, and not an AVR. Unlike yourself, they have no experience owning an AVR and have been persuaded to believe that no AVR can produce sound of as good a quality as a simpler integrated amp. Of course, this isn't true. In fact, most stereo amplifiers, integrated amps, and receivers are hardly different now than they were in the 1990s. In recent decades, all the product development in audio has focused on AVRs. Other than digital processing, there has been little new in audio. Most of the non-digital development has resulted in high amplifier power at lower cost than in previous decades. That left the remaining stereo products as viable older technology with a shrinking market. As a result, the audio industry spent little if anything to develop new stereo products. This old technology does work well, but some of the mythology that now is associated with it is false.

Aside from that, I've been rather surprised at the condescending tone of several posts. Due to this, I doubt I'll ever bother posting here again. In other words, I've been reminded that the internet is mostly a waste of my time.

I believe that history (above) may explain why so many here responded to your initial question the way they did. Too many others have asked similar questions, but they had no AVR experience at all. And they cited the false information about inferior sound of AVRs as their reason. Don't take it personally. Opinions are like a**holes, everyone has one .

Focus on the positive. The internet has informed you of several products that you hadn't previously considered, and it also allows you to easily search for used audio products. That wasn't possible in previous years.

Good luck!

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Specified power range is 50-200 watts. Minimum impedance is 3 ohms, per the spec sheet.
At this point, I will reach out to the dealer to see what they suggest. I had hoped that someone on this forum would be familiar with them, but it appears that most haven't heard of them.

I used to own the B&W 802 D2 for a few years. I powered them with just a Denon AVR-3312 receiver just fine.

So I may not have owned a B&W CM series, but I know the B&W 802 Diamond series can be EASILY driven by a single Denon 3000-series AVR.

I'm pretty certain if you ask any B&W dealer, they will say you need a Classe 300WPC amp.

I can understand you wanting/desiring an integrated amp or pre-pro + amp.

Like many other members here, I've owned quite a few components over the years. So I understand the appeal.

If you desire an Integrated Amp, I think PENG's suggestion of the Anthem is absolutely solid. It certainly has enough power to drive just about any speaker in the world.

I think Pre-pro + Amp similar to an Anthem BRAND NAME may cost a lot more.

I can absolutely understand if you don't want something like an Emotiva.

I think Outlaw also makes pre-pro + amp. But you may not like Outlaw either.

As for "minimum impedance", I agree with PENG. It is misleading.

I used to own towers that have minimum impedance of 2.7 ohms. Actually all 5 speakers in my 5.1 setup had minimum impedance in the range of 2.7-3.5 ohms. Yet, I powered all 5 speakers with just a single 50WPC AVR to very LOUD volume.

The salient information from the spec is the NOMINAL impedance (not minimum impedance) and the recommend power. So if your speakers are rated for 50-200W, then anything between 50-200W is fine.

I think the salient thing is that the amp (or AVR or integrated) can handle 4 ohms with ease. For example, a Denon 3000 series AVR can easily handle 4 ohms load, but a comparable Yamaha AVR cannot handle 4 ohms load with ease and may go into protection mode.

I used to also own the Revel Salon2, which I have used an ATI 60WPC amp to power just fine.

So again, the salient thing is QUALITY (ability to handle lower impedance).

 

[Pogre]

I used to own the B&W 802 D2 for a few years. I powered them with just a Denon AVR-3312 receiver just fine.

So I may not have owned a B&W CM series, but I know the B&W 802 Diamond series can be EASILY driven by a single Denon 3000-series AVR.

I'm pretty certain if you ask any B&W dealer, they will say you need a Classe 300WPC amp.

I can understand you wanting/desiring an integrated amp or pre-pro + amp.

Like many other members here, I've owned quite a few components over the years. So I understand the appeal.

If you desire an Integrated Amp, I think PENG's suggestion of the Anthem is absolutely solid. It certainly has enough power to drive just about any speaker in the world.

I think Pre-pro + Amp similar to an Anthem BRAND NAME may cost a lot more.

I can absolutely understand if you don't want something like an Emotiva.

I think Outlaw also makes pre-pro + amp. But you may not like Outlaw either.

As for "minimum impedance", I agree with PENG. It is misleading.

I used to own towers that have minimum impedance of 2.7 ohms. Actually all 5 speakers in my 5.1 setup had minimum impedance in the range of 2.7-3.5 ohms. Yet, I powered all 5 speakers with just a single 50WPC AVR to very LOUD volume.

The salient information from the spec is the NOMINAL impedance (not minimum impedance) and the recommend power. So if your speakers are rated for 50-200W, then anything between 50-200W is fine.

I think the salient thing is that the amp (or AVR or integrated) can handle 4 ohms with ease. For example, a Denon 3000 series AVR can easily handle 4 ohms load, but a comparable Yamaha AVR cannot handle 4 ohms load with ease and may go into protection mode.

Yeah, my reply simply comes from experience. I added a 1400 watt amp to my system and it runs cooler now, but my avr did just fine. There's no appreciable difference in sound quality at all. I think it looks badass sitting on my shelf tho! Of course I had to reinforce said shelf. My amp is a 93lb beast.

 

[KenM10759]

I run my speakers with an AVR. These speaker dip to 3.7Ω and have a sensitivity of just under 87dB. My receiver is rated at 60w/ch "all channels driven", or 110w/ch "FTC rating." It can drive me deaf with just two mains playing or all 5. I now have 4k video, Bluetooth, wireless and full BlueOS system integration. The Audyssey is very basic but works. I give it a little manual tweak for levels. My total spend is at $950.

This can be done fairly cheap. I have 7.1 pre-outs if I ever feel I need more.

I agree that a decent AVR does as good as most any integrated, and better than a good many!

 

[speakerman39]

Yeah, my reply simply comes from experience. I added a 1400 watt amp to my system and it runs cooler now, but my avr did just fine. There's no appreciable difference in sound quality at all. I think it looks badass sitting on my shelf tho! Of course I had to reinforce said shelf. My amp is a 93lb beast.

Only 93 lbs.? That is kind of light isn't it......LOL?????? No really, that is crazy. Must be a beast! Lucky you.


Cheers,

Phil

 

[speakerman39]

I used to own the B&W 802 D2 for a few years. I powered them with just a Denon AVR-3312 receiver just fine.

So I may not have owned a B&W CM series, but I know the B&W 802 Diamond series can be EASILY driven by a single Denon 3000-series AVR.

I'm pretty certain if you ask any B&W dealer, they will say you need a Classe 300WPC amp.

I can understand you wanting/desiring an integrated amp or pre-pro + amp.

Like many other members here, I've owned quite a few components over the years. So I understand the appeal.

If you desire an Integrated Amp, I think PENG's suggestion of the Anthem is absolutely solid. It certainly has enough power to drive just about any speaker in the world.

I think Pre-pro + Amp similar to an Anthem BRAND NAME may cost a lot more.

I can absolutely understand if you don't want something like an Emotiva.

I think Outlaw also makes pre-pro + amp. But you may not like Outlaw either.

As for "minimum impedance", I agree with PENG. It is misleading.

I used to own towers that have minimum impedance of 2.7 ohms. Actually all 5 speakers in my 5.1 setup had minimum impedance in the range of 2.7-3.5 ohms. Yet, I powered all 5 speakers with just a single 50WPC AVR to very LOUD volume.

The salient information from the spec is the NOMINAL impedance (not minimum impedance) and the recommend power. So if your speakers are rated for 50-200W, then anything between 50-200W is fine.

I think the salient thing is that the amp (or AVR or integrated) can handle 4 ohms with ease. For example, a Denon 3000 series AVR can easily handle 4 ohms load, but a comparable Yamaha AVR cannot handle 4 ohms load with ease and may go into protection mode.

I used to also own the Revel Salon2, which I have used an ATI 60WPC amp to power just fine.

So again, the salient thing is QUALITY (ability to handle lower impedance).

The Salon 2's......you tease! Those had to sound splendid to say the least! B&W is the real deal as well.


Cheers,

Phil

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

The Salon 2's......you tease! Those had to sound splendid to say the least! B&W is the real deal as well.


Cheers,

Phil

You don't remember back in the good old days when I owned Salon2, 802D2, Orion 3.2.1, Philharmonic 3, KEF 201/2?

 

[Pogre]

Only 93 lbs.? That is kind of light isn't it......LOL?????? No really, that is crazy. Must be a beast! Lucky you.


Cheers,

Phil

It's a Monolith 7. And yes, it's a beast.