RMAF 2016................Boenicke W5

No limitations, well almost, down to 25 hz we go in an orderly fashion, anything less is not acceptable. What I have now is more or less balanced down to probably 35 hz - not good enough, not bad though.

Mapman, That’s the point, Gawbless wasn’t challenging the laws of physics or implying the speaker has no limitations (all speakers do). He simply wrote that they sound good. Of course reviewers offer opinion (just as you, I and everyone else) no dispute there. At the very least he heard the speakers which is a meaningful point. Listening trumps assumptions . Anyway Gawbless is more than capable of explaining his thoughts. It seems some are offended that he compared them to larger speakers,heaven forbid!
Charles,

Hi Charles, I have not read the 6moon review, but I will for sure.
I think darts are being thrown without a dart board in sight with regards to some posts. It is good to have a lively debate on a subject closer to our hearts rather than our ears. Its what this forum is for!
The W5 on MY listening experience without the law of physics, or any other law other than my own ears, is that the W5 is a speaker I could live with if my living situation were different.
All I will say is if you can listen to a pair take the opportunity, you maybe be as surprised as I was.

Kaliki-  I believe they can hit 93db without strain. Hardly a small room SPL, there goes that dart again.................*smiley face*

Here is the last two paragraphs of the 6moon review.

No more monkey business. Its compact size and driver artillery pass right under macho radars of course. As anyone visiting Sven's Basel showroom would see, these things can flood a huge space at solid levels without flinching. But few will have faith without such proof. Here dealers won't exactly do themselves favors either. Playing these will risk having far pricier fare look and sound antiquated. Not that this review will make much of a dent. Preconceptions about loudspeakers and what's actually required are too deeply engrained.


The W5 is ahead of that curve. Prospective owners thus must take a leap of faith. Even auditions can bring up reflexive doubts when accumulated audiophile knowledge refutes the naked evidence staring it smack in the face. Those into monkey coffins must continue their sad ways then. Happy trails. But to appropriate from a famous Zen koan about a goose in a bottle, with the W5 now the monkey is simply out. And like it says on the terminal plate above, that leaves us with Swiss Happiness in a—tiny—Box. Why put the monkey back in?

Charles,
The only thing I would take exception with is comparing them to much larger and/or expensive speakers and calling the cost paltry by comparison. it is not paltry for speakers that size. just like a $100 fuse might be worth it to some but the cost cannot be called paltry except when compared to what people spend on their hifis otherwise. That’s just marketing, nothing of substance.

if it turns out the expensive small speakers are teh best fit in ones case, that’s fine. Let’s just be real about those things that are concrete and measurable, like size and price, both of which are always perfectly clear and measured and always matter rather than opinions which are just that.   

Here's some good reading on size and when it matters.

http://ohmspeakers.com/news/big-woofers-give-better-bass-maybe/

It explains well why size matters but not all drivers of a particular size are created equal.

The OHm Microwalsh speaker is an excellent example of a smaller speaker driver that can deliver a lot of sound and bass for its size.  Its cost is about half the Boenicke W5 I believe but its volume, which matters as well when it comes to bass would seem to be greater.

Another excellent small speaker I have heard in this regard in similar price range way less than W5 is Totem Arro.

So W5 is not paltry even by smaller speaker standards.  That's all.