Center Channel and Subwoofer Recommendation for B&W DM601's

[Steven[_3_]]

Just bought a used 10 month old Onkyo 5.1 channel receiver TX-SR304 to
replace an 11 year old Yamaha 2-channel stereo that had been causing
crackling problems for years. Suffice it to say that I had hardly used
the system and my 11 year old B&W DM601's have probably never been
broken in yet.

Since setting up the speakers and bi-wiring them (and adding an
optical out from my CD player to the receiver) I am blown away by what
these speakers can do. Now I remember the reason I had bought them in
the first place. Amazing speakers and practically new. The receiver I
bought is a lower end Onkyo but it sounds beautiful with my 601's.
Next year I am hoping to buy the 54" Panasonic Plasma that I've been
drooling over, and I'd like to use the 601's as my two fronts (need to
pick up some decent stands).

Having read that it is best to get matching speakers for a home
theater system, I am looking for suggestions for a good center channel
and good powered subwoofer that would compliment my B&W's. I have
taken a look at the new B&W centers and subwoofers and I think they
are a little out of my price range (and I'm not sure how different
they would sound with my 11 year old speakers).

I'm looking to spend up to $300 for a great sounding sub and another
$300 for the center channel. Can anyone tell me which brands and
models I should consider to keep the system as transparent as
possible. Thanks for the advice.

Steven

[Keith]

Steven wrote:
> Just bought a used 10 month old Onkyo 5.1 channel receiver TX-SR304 to
> replace an 11 year old Yamaha 2-channel stereo that had been causing
> crackling problems for years. Suffice it to say that I had hardly used
> the system and my 11 year old B&W DM601's have probably never been
> broken in yet.
>
> Since setting up the speakers and bi-wiring them (and adding an
> optical out from my CD player to the receiver) I am blown away by what
> these speakers can do. Now I remember the reason I had bought them in
> the first place. Amazing speakers and practically new. The receiver I
> bought is a lower end Onkyo but it sounds beautiful with my 601's.
> Next year I am hoping to buy the 54" Panasonic Plasma that I've been
> drooling over, and I'd like to use the 601's as my two fronts (need to
> pick up some decent stands).
>
> Having read that it is best to get matching speakers for a home
> theater system, I am looking for suggestions for a good center channel
> and good powered subwoofer that would compliment my B&W's. I have
> taken a look at the new B&W centers and subwoofers and I think they
> are a little out of my price range (and I'm not sure how different
> they would sound with my 11 year old speakers).
>
> I'm looking to spend up to $300 for a great sounding sub and another
> $300 for the center channel. Can anyone tell me which brands and
> models I should consider to keep the system as transparent as
> possible. Thanks for the advice.
>
> Steven
>

Your best bet for a center speaker to match would probably be a B&W CC6.
Several currently listed on Ebay for under $200. A B&W ASW-300
through ASW-1000 would be a pretty good match as well, and there are a
number on Ebay as well. One, an ASW-300 is under $200 buy it now, and
that would be fine for a small to medium sized room. Several others to
choose from.

Keith

[Kalman Rubinson[_3_]]

On 10 Dec 2009 14:47:18 GMT, Steven > wrote:

>Just bought a used 10 month old Onkyo 5.1 channel receiver TX-SR304 to
>replace an 11 year old Yamaha 2-channel stereo that had been causing
>crackling problems for years. Suffice it to say that I had hardly used
>the system and my 11 year old B&W DM601's have probably never been
>broken in yet.
>
>Since setting up the speakers and bi-wiring them (and adding an
>optical out from my CD player to the receiver) I am blown away by what
>these speakers can do. Now I remember the reason I had bought them in
>the first place. Amazing speakers and practically new. The receiver I
>bought is a lower end Onkyo but it sounds beautiful with my 601's.
>Next year I am hoping to buy the 54" Panasonic Plasma that I've been
>drooling over, and I'd like to use the 601's as my two fronts (need to
>pick up some decent stands).
>
>Having read that it is best to get matching speakers for a home
>theater system, I am looking for suggestions for a good center channel
>and good powered subwoofer that would compliment my B&W's. I have
>taken a look at the new B&W centers and subwoofers and I think they
>are a little out of my price range (and I'm not sure how different
>they would sound with my 11 year old speakers).
>
>I'm looking to spend up to $300 for a great sounding sub and another
>$300 for the center channel. Can anyone tell me which brands and
>models I should consider to keep the system as transparent as
>possible. Thanks for the advice.

Center is easy. Get another DM601. You will probably have to buy a
pair but you may be lucky and find a single. This will be better than
any so-called dedicated center speaker and match your other DM601s, of
course. Try eBay, Craig's List, Audiogon, etc.

Take the money saved on the center and add it to the sub funds. It is
not easy to find a good sub at low cost even without the stringent
matching requirements. Best to get one from a sub specialist company.
Here are some ideas for the minimum:
http://www.svsound.com/products-sub-box-10nsd.cfm
http://www.hsuresearch.com/products/stf-2.html
http://www.velodyne.com/products/product.aspx?ID=36&sid=179r125j
http://www.outlawaudio.com/products/lfmcompact.html

Kal

[Steven[_3_]]

On Dec 10, 6:34=A0pm, Keith > wrote:
> Steven wrote:
> > Just bought a used 10 month old Onkyo 5.1 channel receiver TX-SR304 to
> > replace an 11 year old Yamaha 2-channel stereo that had been causing
> > crackling problems for years. Suffice it to say that I had hardly used
> > the system and my 11 year old B&W DM601's have probably never been
> > broken in yet.
>
> > Since setting up the speakers and bi-wiring them (and adding an
> > optical out from my CD player to the receiver) I am blown away by what
> > these speakers can do. Now I remember the reason I had bought them in
> > the first place. Amazing speakers and practically new. =A0The receiver =
I
> > bought is a lower end Onkyo but it sounds beautiful with my 601's.
> > Next year I am hoping to buy the 54" Panasonic Plasma that I've been
> > drooling over, and I'd like to use the 601's as my two fronts (need to
> > pick up some decent stands).
>
> > Having read that it is best to get matching speakers for a home
> > theater system, I am looking for suggestions for a good center channel
> > and good powered subwoofer that would compliment my B&W's. I have
> > taken a look at the new B&W centers and subwoofers and I think they
> > are a little out of my price range (and I'm not sure how different
> > they would sound with my 11 year old speakers).
>
> > I'm looking to spend up to $300 for a great sounding sub and another
> > $300 for the center channel. Can anyone tell me which brands and
> > models I should consider to keep the system as transparent as
> > possible. Thanks for the advice.
>
> > Steven
>
> Your best bet for a center speaker to match would probably be a B&W CC6.
> =A0 Several currently listed on Ebay for under $200. =A0A B&W ASW-300
> through ASW-1000 would be a pretty good match as well, and there are a
> number on Ebay as well. =A0One, an ASW-300 is under $200 buy it now, and
> that would be fine for a small to medium sized room. =A0Several others to
> choose from.
>
> Keith

I heard some pretty negative things about the CC6. Some reviewers said
that it was a pretty poor performing speaker, considering that it is a
B&W. I actually read a few scary things about it. I'll check out the
ASW-300 you mentioned. Thank you.

[Steven Sullivan]

Kalman Rubinson > wrote:
> On 10 Dec 2009 14:47:18 GMT, Steven > wrote:

> >Just bought a used 10 month old Onkyo 5.1 channel receiver TX-SR304 to
> >replace an 11 year old Yamaha 2-channel stereo that had been causing
> >crackling problems for years. Suffice it to say that I had hardly used
> >the system and my 11 year old B&W DM601's have probably never been
> >broken in yet.
> >
> >Since setting up the speakers and bi-wiring them (and adding an
> >optical out from my CD player to the receiver) I am blown away by what
> >these speakers can do. Now I remember the reason I had bought them in
> >the first place. Amazing speakers and practically new. The receiver I
> >bought is a lower end Onkyo but it sounds beautiful with my 601's.
> >Next year I am hoping to buy the 54" Panasonic Plasma that I've been
> >drooling over, and I'd like to use the 601's as my two fronts (need to
> >pick up some decent stands).
> >
> >Having read that it is best to get matching speakers for a home
> >theater system, I am looking for suggestions for a good center channel
> >and good powered subwoofer that would compliment my B&W's. I have
> >taken a look at the new B&W centers and subwoofers and I think they
> >are a little out of my price range (and I'm not sure how different
> >they would sound with my 11 year old speakers).
> >
> >I'm looking to spend up to $300 for a great sounding sub and another
> >$300 for the center channel. Can anyone tell me which brands and
> >models I should consider to keep the system as transparent as
> >possible. Thanks for the advice.

> Center is easy. Get another DM601. You will probably have to buy a
> pair but you may be lucky and find a single. This will be better than
> any so-called dedicated center speaker and match your other DM601s, of
> course. Try eBay, Craig's List, Audiogon, etc.

This would my recommendation too. For timbre matching you can't beat
*the same model*.


--
-S
We have it in our power to begin the world over again - Thomas Paine

[Fred.]

On Dec 10, 9:47=A0am, Steven > wrote:
> Just bought a used 10 month old Onkyo 5.1 channel receiver TX-SR304 to
> replace an 11 year old Yamaha 2-channel stereo that had been causing
> crackling problems for years. Suffice it to say that I had hardly used
> the system and my 11 year old B&W DM601's have probably never been
> broken in yet.
>
> Since setting up the speakers and bi-wiring them (and adding an
> optical out from my CD player to the receiver) I am blown away by what
> these speakers can do. Now I remember the reason I had bought them in
> the first place. Amazing speakers and practically new. =A0The receiver I
> bought is a lower end Onkyo but it sounds beautiful with my 601's.
> Next year I am hoping to buy the 54" Panasonic Plasma that I've been
> drooling over, and I'd like to use the 601's as my two fronts (need to
> pick up some decent stands).
>
> Having read that it is best to get matching speakers for a home
> theater system, I am looking for suggestions for a good center channel
> and good powered subwoofer that would compliment my B&W's. I have
> taken a look at the new B&W centers and subwoofers and I think they
> are a little out of my price range (and I'm not sure how different
> they would sound with my 11 year old speakers).
>
> I'm looking to spend up to $300 for a great sounding sub and another
> $300 for the center channel. Can anyone tell me which brands and
> models I should consider to keep the system as transparent as
> possible. Thanks for the advice.
>
> Steven

You would like to have a good voice match all around since some
material produces good side images. But, the image in front is most
important and requires an accurate voice match. I've done some
experimenting with my own system, which has a processor that
distributes things properly. I've found that as long as I'm sitting
in the sweet spot having the center channel in or out seems to make
very little difference. What the center channel seems to buy is a
better image when away from that position.

I agree with those who recommend using the same model. But failing
that, if this is a single listener system, and possibly if it isn't,
running quadraphonic might better than a mediocre front voice match.

Fred.