Detailed sound reproduction, hightech build

distortion through midband

These speakers have a distorted, emphasized midband to lower treble resulting in a detailed but forward and harsch sound quality. I wouldn't recommend them to anyone who likes to listen for any longer periods.

Similar Products Used:

own recipie

precise and clear mid and treble, nice design

if anything, the rather dull looking dust cover

to me, this is a perfectly balanced speaker for all acoustic and vocal music. it's even better, and much more convenient, than having the musicians in your living room (can't imagine why you ever would want that, anyway). lifelike, natural sounding vocals, and for low male voices it's astounding. the mid-tone is simply the best i've heard in its pricerange.
also good for experimental electronic music - but don't go for it if your main use is for parties. Unless you pair it up with a decent subwoofer, and you'll be blown out. probably by the landlord.

it's said that it's a bit picky about the components, but i've never had any doubts whatsoever. let's go shopping.

Similar Products Used:

b&w cdm630, psb alpha

Musical Sound, Ability to control bass output with port plugs, build quality

None

Just bought these from Audio Advice in Raleigh, great people to deal with. I am running a Cal Audio Delta/Sigma Combo into an Electrocompaniet EC-1 pre-amp into the Electrocompaniet AW65 power amp. System uses Kimber PBJ (Very small cabinet prevents use of fattter cables) cable and MIT terminator 2 bi-wire speaker cable, various power cords and Versalab wood blocks. In my small 13X13 room, the port plugs are necessary as speakers are less than 20" from side walls. These speakers are in the same quality catagory as the smaller Thiels I auditioned and only the Martin Logan Aerius has a better midrange. I didn't think the Aerius were worth the difference in cost. For $1,100 a pair, I don't know of anything better. Anyone interested in anything in the price range should hear these.

Clear Mid & Tweeter, sweetly extended sound, excelellent cabinetry

lack of bass extension

First of all, I have to agree that every components in hi-end audio depends on myriad factors. Review won't judge equipment on general.

But, I do not see that this speaker deserved to get one or even three star that some of the people gave. One or Two star will be given to many bargain speaker or Boombox.
It is not justified to give this speaker the low rating ( one or 2 star) by any standard (even for the most picky audiophile).

I myself using Dyn 1.3 SE. But I did compare CDM1 SE with Dynaudio Contour 1.1 for my second set up.

According to my observation, CDM1 SE gave smooth, natural sound which for some feel to laid back. For me, the sound is
quite perfect with the vocal,mid & treble blended together to fill the air.
The smoothness (read: resolution) is clearly its great strength.

For the weakeness, as for many monitor in general is lacking of bass extension especially for larger room.

This speaker with give its best when fed by high quality amplifier (with outstanding resolution). Using tube amplifier will reveal its true greatness ( I myself use the solid state amp...will begin trying tube base in the next few months)

For the value, it is good overall considering the good look and cabinetry.

Although, I used Dyn 1.3 SE (which is substantially more expensive which should be compare with the nautilus range), B&W CDM1 SE is a must auditioned for person in
the market for Bookshelf Monitor at $1000 price range.

I mysself decided to buy this speaker for my second set up.

I tested this speaker with various equiment to eliminate bias:

Mark Levinson 380/334 - Pre/Power combo
Linn LK 85/Kolektor - Pre/Power combo
Krell KAV 3000
Bryston B60 Integrated Amp
Marantz CD 17
Linn Ikemi CD Player
Wadia 850 CD Player
NAD 340/317 & NAD 515 CD Player (for mid price gear)
Van Den Hul The First Interconnect
Van Den Hul Revelation Speaker Cable
Atacama SE 24 Stand


Enjoy your sound...happy listening

Similar Products Used:

Dynaudio Contour 1.1, 1.3 MKII, Dynn 1.3 SE, Energy C-2, Linn Tukan, KEF RDM II, ProAc Tablette 2000, Paradigm Mini Monitor

Great detail, the best midbass that i can think of, superb finish

Require good component to bring the speaker to the fullest

Well, I am not an audiophile nor audioexpert. I am just audio enthusiast who like to hear good music from great source.

Since I spent my hard earned money to buy my gear, I did a lot of comparison and research.

My initial shorlisted include: KEF RDM II, Celestion A1 Dyanaudio Audience 50, Monitor Audio and CDM1 SE ( I was looking for stand mounted speaker within $1000 range).

After several test, I guess my last two candidates were : Dyanaudio Audience 50 & CDM1SE.
Both of them were truly great speaker. They offered excellent detail, excellent soundstaging and the best midbass that I've ever found (for the price range).
My taste of music varied from classic to rock. Both of them handle my taste very well.

I have to admit that B&W more compatible with Jass, Classic and Pop rather than Rock. They sound a little bit laid back
(which is my taste).
While the Dyn handle all type of music with same excellence.

Despite all this, I decided to take the CDM1se because the finish. Audience 50 came in vynil and I don't like that ( for the speaker costing nearly $1000).
You can argue with that but that's a matter of personal choice.

Again, with my system, my taste, my listening room, B&W CDM1 SE is the No.1 (for $1100). There are arguably comparable or maybe better speaker out there, but who has the time to auditioned all speakers in the range of $1000?

Anyhow, this speaker is clearly not deserve less than 4 star as some people mentioned in this review. (By any standard).
This speaker is purchased by more than 20000 person and get good review everywhere (ok, that might be a hype). But can you fool the ear of 20000 audio enthusiast or audiophile?

Judge yourself..audition this speaker

System:
Marantz CD 7
Marantz PM17 KI Signature
Marantz ST 17 Tuner

Audionote silver interconnect
Kimber Cable Select KS 3033


Long Live Music and happy listening

Similar Products Used:

KEF RDM II, Celestion A1, Monitor Audio, Dynaudio Audience 50

B&W Name. Nice looks.

Sizzle BOOM

I went to my local HI-FI store with a freind of mine here in Grand Rapids. And gave these speakers a A/B test. I used the song "Angel", by Sarah Mclaughlin(spelling?). and when she went to say "I need" in the song, I thought that my ear were going to be ripped off.. A BIG peak in the 1-2K range. The bass wasn't as tight as I think it shold be for a speaker about 3 times the amount of my Paradigm Mini Monitors. But the B&W's are the refined man's speaker. Sure the deaf man's speaker. I am going to agree with on of the post reviewers, no very accurate, but I guess you have to live with a musican to know. The electronics I heard these with is a Denon AVR 5700 receiver, and a Sony ES CD player and a Marantz CD-63 Cd player. Changed CD players cause I know Sony can be bright!

However I heard these with a Golden Tude SE-40. Good combination. Tubs are best with these speakers, otherwise they are too bright and boomy. SIZZLE BOOM.

Happy Listening.

DX guy

Similar Products Used:

Paradigm Mini Monitor

Coolest looking monitor I know of.

Sound has no bearing on reality.

I agree with Veda's opinion on this speaker. I owned the CDM1se for about 6 months. I was initially impressed with its richness and warmth, however I soon realized it sounds nothing like real music in terms of dynamics and pace. IMHO, music demands more grip and attack from a loudspeaker; the CDM1se is so stuffy and plodding it put to sleep (literally). Inserting the speaker into different systems offered variations on the theme.
At any rate, these are only my personal opinions; reading the reviews, this seems the perfect speaker for some people. Still, for 600 GBP there's alot out there that one might audition before deciding on these...

Similar Products Used:

Rega, Naim, Totem, ProAc speakers

Very open sound that is particularly captivating with ambient stuff or female vocals.

Placement is key for good imaging.

After months of research and time spent reading on this site, I finally settled on a pair of CDM 7SE, mostly because I was looking for an all-around excellent speaker that would show its strengths on a wide variety of music -- from bluegrass to dance music and jazz to thrash. I set them up in a sparsely-furnished living room about 13 x 17 ft, positioned about a yard out from the long wall. The sound was nearly as warm and open as it had been in the showroom -- maybe a tad harsher in the treble -- but with a resonant boominess that conducted through every floor and wall in my apartment and overwhelmed the sound(even with spikes and with the bass on my old NAD 7240 turned all the way down). I had noticed, though, when A-B'ing with other speakers in the showroom, how miraculous the little CDM 1SEs sounded with vocals and ambient pop (I think I probably had old Peter Gabriel in my sleeve of demo CDs). Particularly when you added a subwoofer, I found that the sound from the 1SEs was so open and detailed that it was difficult not to just sit there all day and listen to what all of my disks sounded like playing through them. So, when the handsome 7SE towers didn't work out, I figured the room was helping a lot with the bass and that the 1SEs on a pair of good stands would probably do the trick. Man was I right. Instantly, I remembered the feeling of wanting to hear what all of my music really sounded like. I put on Sarah McLachlan Solace that night and was transported. In the next few weeks, I listened to pretty much all of the most interesting sounds in my collection, in a variety of genres, and really felt like the speakers revealed something previously unheard in all of them. I had never really understood the concept of "listening fatigue" until I experienced its absence -- sitting with these things for hours and having each song allure me in some way. In the year since then, it seems to me that the sound from these speakers has sweetened, maybe with some incidental cost to the imaging (I am going to take one of the reviewer's tips of removing those little windguards from the tweeters & see what happens). I find, though, that the soundstage responds to fairly small changes in positioning (including the positioning of other things in the room), and so it may be that I still have some tweaking to do. Overall, a really excellent speaker for the kind of listening I do and the size room I have to work with. Also, very compelling-looking in the plain cherrywood finish.

I recently purchased a slightly used pair for $ 500. I couldn't be happier. I am using these speakers for a 2 channel office system. Was previously using NHT super 0's. The B&W's throw a deep, wide soundstage, image great, and sound wonderful through the treble and midrange. Bass is also more than adequate. Based on price performance ratio, 5 stars. In process of upgrading amplification.Would appreciate any tips or ideas, feel free to e mail me. Currently using old Sony ES receiver, Rotel RCD 971 CD player, the B&W speakers with monster cables.

I just bought the CDM 1SE's and love them. I'm driving them with an Arcam 9P Pre-Amp and the 10P Amp and they sound tremendously more expensive. The bass is full, the highs are crisp. I could not be more pleased.