had joseph audio rm 7 si s these b n w cm5 s our much better . they really don t compare the cm 5 s are much better . the bass is what i like the most about them . if you are gonna get bookshelf speakers these are it .

Just wanted to add a new point of view do to direct comper to B&W 805s.
I had this for a week review in my home setup that consist of the Rotel:
rc1580
rb1582
rcd1520
and after more then 40 cd's listening from classical to jazz and prog rock,
I'v came to understand that the 805s were more natural sounding and smooth but:
that was unti the music got complex in the classical arena.
the 805s was slow to react to smooth and details of microdynamics were loss.
when the pot turnd up things became more nasty what indicate that the amp
rb1582 having hard time driving the 805s.
on paper the 805s have similar technical parameters to the CM5 but
in reality it apear not to be the case .
the resone may be more phase shift that translate or feel like more ohm drop
to the amp.
but to cut things short,after I connect back the CM5 things imedietly became better
and all in all the CM5 is more amp frendly as it shuld be.
tha amazing thing that I felt the CM5 were very close to the naturality of the 805s far more
then the money diffrences may proposed.
my feel is the CM5 giving a
better designe to upper mid budget amplification,and there for
giving superior result compare to the 805s when using this kind of electronics.
it is clear that on the other hand the 805s will be better if you add better equipment
far more expensive.
I also heard a lot the 685 monitors from the low hand but the money
diffrence between the to the CM5 is not so big and you still can get better result
with the same amplification if it's on the strong side,so it's worth the upgrade in this case
to my opinion.
if you cannot stretch your budget far away to the north the CM5 is the best
bung for the bank B&W monitor i have yet heard.

as flamenco guitar player ( hobby ) that spending time is a recordong studio
and listening to all kind of musik ( classical,flamenco,prog rock,jazz,bluz )
I was never saticfy from the results of classical music via my many many systems
at home.
I turne to look at the solutions that were use in the studio and other studio's
in the world and notice that no mater what speaker were use the amplification
for was what look like overkill.
I heard combinations of ATC scm11 that were amazing with overkill amp more
then kef 205R that were connected to an OK amp like MARANTZ pm 15 sa1.
there for I wanted to solve to things:
natural sound as I can
and never short of power or dinamicks that resone to harshness in sound.
all that without break the bunk.
so after many many listenings to diffrent setups I came to the conclusion
that the ATC aprroch (standmount monitors with killer amp) and result were what I look for,but there were no ATC dealers were I'm leaving and the ATC amp or BRYSTON
amp were to expencive for the solution I needed ( 2 systems match for main room
and bad room).
so... I took the next close thing to the ATC that Icould mach: B&W CM5
and : ROTEL pre RC1580 power RB1582 cd RCD1520
all the problems were solved!!!
1)natural speaker and very balance sound top to buttom ( as long as they have the power,
they realy shine with power ) no problem anymore!!!
2)natural deatiled amp with more the recommende power,it's never to much!!!
no problem any more!!!
3)capebility to produce classial symphonys with punch and drama and
no harshness (otjerwise this stuf is dryyy) as you miss the articulation of the
players and the subtel nuance between the lead and the other instruments.
no problem any more!!!
there are other combinations that can be use with lower or higher cost as long as
keep the basic rull:
never cut power to the speaker! (lower end amp compare to speaker demands)
if you cannot achive this gol better to cut the speaker size and demands(by turning to small monitors)
from the amplification.
all the best in your quest I'm content. (took 15 years but at last I'm there )

very nice compared to focal n lower line b&w , tight bass clean mid n a smooth tweeter