Bowers & Wilkins 685 S2
The B&W DM685 S2 speaker system is the senior bookshelf speaker in the 600 series. This is a universal model that can be used in a stereo system or in a home theater.
Double dome tweeter with decoupler
The tweeter dome must be light and stiff to accurately reproduce high notes. The Bowers & Wilkins tweeter uses a thin, lightweight aluminum dome surrounded by a thicker aluminum ring to prevent distortion. In addition, the 600 Series tweeters are acoustically decoupled from the cabinet to reduce vibration.
Mechanical decoupling
By preventing cabinet vibrations from reaching the tweeter, we achieve cleaner and more melodic sound at high frequencies. The tweeter rests on a gel ring, which acoustically decouples it from the body. The result is a more natural and spacious sound
Nautilus Load Pipes
Not all sounds are good. Radiation from the back of the driver or tweeter can reflect off the sides of the cabinet and ruin the good sounds being sent forward. Nautilus load tubes filled with absorber reduce the impact of unwanted sounds to a minimum.
Kevlar®
The properties that allow Kevlar body armor to stop bullets make it ideal for absorbing standing waves generated in a cone, which distort sound at mid-range frequencies. That's why midrange cones have been made from Kevlar since 1974. It delivers clearer sound to a wider group of listeners. The new 600 Series continues this tradition.
FST™
Kevlar FST diffusers rest on a narrow ring of foamed polymer. This “suspended” shock absorber minimizes distortion and turns unwanted vibrations from the diffuser into heat rather than sound. As a result, we get the purest midrange frequencies.
Anti-resonance caps
The 600 Series' mushroom-shaped dust caps, first introduced on the PM1 speakers, are, unlike many others, tightly inserted into the voice coil frames. This provides more piston-like movement of the cone, damping vibrations at the first resonance frequency and improving sound quality.
Double Layer Bass Drivers
In the 600 Series, the 683 S2 and HTM61 S2 feature improved bass drivers with double-layer aluminum cones similar to those found in double-dome tweeters. The new design shifts the first resonance frequency from 4 kHz to 5.5 kHz, providing richer bass response without distortion and improved midrange matching.
Flowport™
Using small dimples like a golf ball, Flowport minimizes turbulence by creating tiny vortices that keep the main airflow smooth and quiet. Bass is smooth and collected even at high volumes.
Crossover
The crossover sends the desired signal to each driver depending on the frequency. The simpler its basic components, the better. And the better the speakers, the simpler it can be. In the 600 Series speakers, the high frequencies are separated by just one capacitor.
Bookshelf speakers B&W 685 S2, review. Magazine "WHAT HI-FI?"
They have an absolutely captivating sound; Enviable power, energetic dynamics and excellent detail make you want to listen to the entire collection of music again and again. These are the speakers we'd choose to inspire our friends to love hi-fi; the new B&W 685 are great.
Save and read later -
It took B&W seven years to create the next-generation 685 speakers; and they sound great.
The previous version of the 685 was our editorial favorite for many years; in its history there have been both Award presentations and a recent drop in grade to a four when compared with young competitors.
B&W responded to this with the release of a new 600 series, which uses technologies from its High-End line, allowing the 685 S2 to hope for the return of its fifth star.
Top-of-the-line tweeter
What has changed? The main news is the improved HF emitter. The 685 S2's one-inch aluminum dome tweeter is reinforced with a thicker metal ring than the membrane itself, increasing strength and damping - this technology has already been used in the flagship B&W CM10 floorstanding AC. It takes HF audio clarity and precision to a new level.
The tweeter itself is suspended in a soft gel ring, isolating it from cabinet vibrations created by the midrange/woofer. In the new 600 series, B&W for the first time used mechanical decoupling of the tweeter from the housing.
The 16.5-centimeter midrange/bass driver remained virtually unchanged. The previous model's phase-aligning bullet has been replaced by a mushroom-shaped "dust cover" taken from the high-end B&W PM1 model and designed to provide additional damping to the speaker at certain frequencies. The new silhouette and foam reduce unwanted resonances and even out the sound in the upper range.
The robust case with rectangular ribs has become slightly thinner and taller than before (it is now 34.5 cm high and 19 cm wide), but the 600 series of B&W is unmistakably recognizable. Without the grilles, the 685 S2 also looks impressive—the uncluttered front panel and the signature yellow Kevlar mid/bass speakers are especially good.
The old asymmetrical design is a thing of the past. We were pleased to note the presence of a protective grille on the fragile tweeter dome (it also widens the angular directional pattern of the sound). Previously, the pliable membrane could be accidentally punctured or dented.
We have no complaints about the quality of the speakers, but the finishing of the cabinet could be of a higher class. The speakers look rather ordinary, especially considering the rising price (the previous version of this model can be found for $780). The 685 S2 is available in two finishes - black ash and pure white. The wood finish was not popular, so it was decided to abandon it.
Amazing sound
But enough about the design; Let's move on to the sound. It's wonderful. From the very beginning, the B&W 685 impresses with its power, clarity and agility. These exceptionally talented speakers are superior to their remarkable predecessors in many ways.
Their scale is amazing for such compact dimensions. Wide and deep music stage provides full immersion in richly detailed sound; it is distinguished by excellent coherence and fine elaboration of dynamics; the speaker is equally liked by the group Aerosmith, the singer Lorde and the soundtrack by Hans Zimmer.
Deep and elastic bass is especially good.
Bass on " Whole Lotta Love"
Led Zeppelin's bands are so powerful and rich that you might think there's a subwoofer hidden somewhere in the room.
All technological innovations work as expected, producing amazingly clear and accurate sound. Striking the piano keys of Amanda Palmer's The Bed Song
are presented softly and tenderly, the singer’s voice is rich in emotions and textures. In Radiohead's compositions, the attack and decay of each note are clearly defined, the rhythm changes are very convincing, each instrument is admired for its precision and thoroughness.
Turn up the volume for your health
These speakers are capable of exceptionally high volumes without noticeable distortion - we have rarely had such pleasure listening to music at this level. His rise while playing the superbly recorded Thirteenth Step
A Perfect Circle adds even more energy and excitement.
The slight difference in the characters of the tweeter and midrange driver, noted in the previous version of the 685 model, is much less noticeable here. These speakers don't really highlight the shortcomings of hard or bright recordings, but if you give them an album of impeccable quality, they play simply wonderfully.
It is worth paying attention to the location of the speakers and the selection of partners; As always, the 685 sounds best when placed away from a wall and facing the listener slightly.
The Roksan Caspian M2 reference components included with the B&W 685 perform fantastically, but are too expensive for these speakers. Taking our longtime favorite, the $1,500 Audiolab 8200CD turntable and the $1,130 Arcam FMJ A19 integrated amplifier, makes for a superb hi-fi system.
The speakers do a great job
Was this model worth the wait so long? It seems to us - yes. The changes may not have been huge, but they have brought B&W back into the competitive market for mid-priced bookshelf speakers.
They have an absolutely captivating sound; Enviable power, energetic dynamics and excellent detail make you want to listen to the entire collection of music again and again. These are the speakers we'd choose to inspire our friends to love hi-fi; the new B&W 685 are great.
In detail. New tweeter
| 1. The tweeter grille performs two functions: it protects the fragile metal dome and expands the angular directional pattern of the sound, making the speakers less capricious in placement. | |
| 2. The flexible rim isolates the tweeter assembly from vibrations caused by the midrange/woofer. The result is cleaner and more detailed high frequencies. | |
| 3. The metal dome and its reinforcing ring increase rigidity and improve damping. The technology is taken from the higher SM line - and it really works. | |
| 4. A conical tube, traditional for Bowers & Wilkins, is located behind the tweeter diaphragm; it absorbs rear radiation, increasing sound clarity. |
Reviewer's Notes. 5 facts about the B&W 685 S2
| Day 1. Having unpacked the speakers, we were surprised by the ordinariness of their appearance. In this category there are speakers with a much more stylish appearance, and the quality of the finish could also be higher. | Day 2: We were pleased to note that the tweeter now has a protective grille. Finally! You no longer have to be afraid that playful children’s fingers will pierce the fragile metal dome; This is great. | Day 3. Having installed the speakers on stands, we begin listening. The B&W 685 instantly impresses with its energy, agility and detail. They are good from the start, but we still recommend a couple of days of warming up. | Day 4. Favorite compositions delight with persuasiveness and power; Now we are experimenting with placement. Away from the walls and slightly turned inwards, the 685 speakers sound open, dynamic and large. | Day 5. Increase the signal level from the amplifier, and then immediately add more. These speakers are capable of very loud sound without noticeable distortion, and we listened to Led Zeppelin records all morning - very, very loud. |
The language of numbers
- Type Shelf
- Sensitivity 87 dB
- Resistance 8 ohms
- Maximum power 100 W
- Dual cable connection Yes
- Dimensions (H x W x D)
- 34.5 x 19 x 32 cm
- Weight 7 kg
| GRADE | |
| BEHIND | Scale; impeccable dynamics; clear, precise and agile sound; rich NPs; detail and meticulousness |
| AGAINST | The finishing is too simple |
| VERDICT | Speakers with excellent sound quality; something new that was worth the wait |
Prepared based on materials from the magazine “WHAT HI-FI?”, April 2014
www.whathifi.ru This review was read 19,415 times
Speaker system Bowers & Wilkins 685 S2 White
Features of the new Bowers & Wilkins 600 Series Our (FST) helps Kevlar cones perform even better. The innovative "suspensionless" shock absorber minimizes distortion and produces the clearest sound in the midrange.
What else, besides music, can calm, excite or inspire so much?
Bowers & Wilkins believes everyone should be able to experience truly great sound. That's why the 600 Series is designed to suit any application, home or budget. Now everyone can do it. The 800 Diamond Series from Bowers & Wilkins is recognized throughout the world. That's why it can be found in leading recording studios such as Abbey Road. The 600 Series was tuned by the same sensitive ears that tuned the 800 Diamond Series.
It doesn't matter where your music comes from. Some prefer classic vinyl, others FLAC files with lossless compression. All that really matters is how good the music sounds to you. With the 600 Series speakers, whatever the format, your music will sound great.
The 600 Series is designed to work everywhere, from stereo systems or home theaters with floorstanding speakers in large rooms, to bookshelf or wall-mounted compact speakers in small spaces.
Each of them will produce amazing sound quality. The new versatile 685 S2 bookshelf speaker is at home on both a shelf and a stand, delivering outstanding sound quality. Ideally sized for most rooms, it features a new mechanically decoupled dual-dome tweeter and a Kevlar cone woofer/midrange with anti-resonance caps. The new 685 S2 delivers the same great value for which the 600 series has become famous.
The mechanically decoupled double-dome tweeter found in the 685 S2 and the rest of the updated 600 Series is technology directly derived from the award-winning CM10 loudspeakers. The two-layer design consists of a thin aluminum dome for lightness and a thicker aluminum ring for rigidity. The result is stunning transparency and tonal purity of sound. This tweeter is mechanically decoupled from the main body and placed in a separate cavity on a gel pad, isolating it from vibrations. This made it possible to improve the sound image and sound dispersion, obtaining more natural and spatial high frequencies. The tweeter is reliably protected by a metal grille.
Specifications B&W 685 S2
Dual-layer aluminum dome tweeter, mechanical decoupler and Nautilus™ tube loading, Kevlar cone woofer/midrange, Flowport Description 2-way bass reflex speaker Drivers 1x ø25mm (1 in) aluminum dome tweeter 1x ø165mm (6.5 in) Woven Kevlar cone woofer/midrange Frequency response 45Hz – 50kHz, -6 dB Frequency bandwidth 52Hz – 22 kHz, ±3 dB on reference axis Dispersion Within 2 dB of reference response Horizontal: more than 60° Vertical: more than 10° Sensitivity 87 dB spl (2.83 V, 1 m) Harmonic distortion 2nd and 3rd harmonics (90 dB, 1 m) <1%, 95Hz-22kHz <0.5%, 140Hz-20kHz Nominal Impedance 8 ohms (min. 4.0 ohms) Crossover frequencies 4 kHz Recomm. Amplifier power 25W – 100W at 8 ohms, without clipping Max. rec. Cable impedance 0.1 Ohm Dimensions Height: 345 mm (13.5 in) Width: 190 mm (7.5 in) Depth: 324 mm (12.8 in) Weight 6.8 kg (14.9 lb)
