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Review: B&W DM-602 s3 Monitor

Category: Speakers

The 602 S3 monitors will blow you away. After a few hours of use, it is almost as if you are sitting in the middle of an orchestra. I know there are better speakers out there (B&W nautilus for one) but for a mere $550, nothing I have heard sounds anywhere near as good. These speakers are some of the clearest for the price range, and I challenge anyone to find mids and highs that sound this clean.

My musical taste mostly includes classical music, but I am also a huge movie buff. B&W by far keeps it's reputation as a "classical" speaker, yet I was truly amazed at how well they performed in a home theatre setup. The setup itself was incredibly easy, because the sound disperses very evenly over a wide listening area, making placement less critical. And once again, the clarity made every little aspect of the movie jump off the screen.

Since the 602's replaced my pair of 601 S1's a year ago, I don't have many complaints. My pet peave for any speaker is the booming bass. B&W seems to do everything it can to prevent that, and it accomplishes its' goal. Yet without the B&W 650 sub to accompany the 602's, the mids and highs are a bit overwhelming. But most small monitors aren't meant to pack a punch. This is why subs were created.

As good as the 602's are, if I could own any monitor, it would be the B&W Signature 805. I've auditioned them over and over again, and once I have the cash I will pick them up. But for now, I'm completely satisfied with my 602's. Perhaps what makes them so great, is that most of the technology in the 805's is passed down to the lower B&W series.

If you are looking for a moderatly priced monitor, and are interested in clarity and incredible precision, check out the B&W 602 S3's.

Associated gear
Marantz 9200 THX reciever
Marantz DV8300

Similar products
For the price of these speakers, I haven't heard anything that compares.
thegreatbobbino
thainh-2158
1 posts
 
I have owned a pair of the 602s3 two months ago. match them with DENON PMA1500Rii and they sounded really good, but i hope more deep bass from them.
Would like to know anyone's opinion?
Please feel free to give me your advice if they sound better with another amplifier.
My Email: Thai.nh@pm3power.com.vn
jazzy-2da0
1 posts
 
I auditioned B&W 602 s3 for quite some time(price was very attractive) and almost gave up on the idea of buying them.
At the last try I tested them with a nice Rotel setup(200W per/ch), and I was impressed how they performed. The conclusion is: the're power-hungry.
I got a new pair of those few mos ago:$500, drive them with
KRELL-300 inegrated(150w/ch)used:$1200 & rotel-1050 cdplayer:$650. This setup sounds just great! May be Krell is a overkill for these spkrs but u don't have to spend fortune to have sound of that quality!!!
Cables are also important, I use monster z-series for speakers:$200, and kimber link:$75.
To get comparable quality u would have to invest $3000 on speakers only.
...once again - POWER!

quadophile's avatar
quadophile
418 posts
 
For those who are classically inclined should seriously consider Audio Analogue Puccini SE to drive these, do not get mislead by what the specs of Puccini says about power rating, it maybe just 50 watts but sound like a 100 watter amp. I have heard Puccini driving the Paradigm Reference Studio 40 v2 effortlessly and with finesse.
jeromedny
61 posts
 
I just sold mine. It was not by choice. I bought them when I was putting together my first serious system. I drove them with an Arcam AVR200 and played vinyl on a Music Hall MMF-7. Are they house shakers? No. Can you hear the saliva in a vocalist's mouth? No. Do they give you an amazingly real and clean sound that is even more impressive considering the price? Absolutely.
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