appearance, build quality, well balanced sound, good amount of bass for a bookshelf

silk dome tweeter is not as 'bright' as metal domes

I am very happy with these. I disagree that the bass output is lacking or that it is muddled. In my room with a Yamaha 100 watt AV receiver, I measure the -3db point at just above 40Hz, very close to the rated response. Bass is tight and well defined. If you can't hear bass below 80Hz with these speakers, you must have bass management on your receiver set to 'small'. Vocals on these speakers are the most natural sounding I have heard. Imaging is very good with a solid center stage right in front. They are a little inefficient at 86db, I noticed I had to turn up the receiver a few notches higher to get the same output as my older DefTechs. But there is headroom to spare with the receiver I have; I can reach high volume levels easily.

Sometimes speakers will perform better reproducing certain types of music, but these play everything well. I attribute that fact to their natural response; there doesn't seem to be any frequency region that is exagerated or attenuated enough to detract from the music.

Movies are excellent as well, although a subwoofer would help with LFE channel. I have an MC500 for center channel, but will more than likely exchange it for another M80 to get a better match up front. The MC500 is good, but not quite an exact match. As someone mentioned earlier the MC300 sounds a little brighter, and the MC500 does as well. Since the MC speakers are designed to match the Newton towers, that's not a surprise.

These are a good deal, especially if you catch them on sale.

Similar Products Used:

Boston, DefTech, Paradigm

Looks

lacks definition in low bass. Does not get very low

I had originally purchased these because I thought they'd be good for music (without the need for a subwoofer), and they looked nice. But, unfortunately, I found out that they did get as low as I has hoped, and I still needed to use a subwoofer for home theatre and music. That's okay, but then I noticed that the speakers sounded very different with music CD's. At first I thought it was my receiver (a Marantz SR4200 - 70 watts RMS), so I did a comparison test. I hooked up my CSW MC300 as my front L, and my M80 as my front R. The highs were sharper with the MC300, AND the bass was much more well-defined with the MC300's as well. Granted, the M80's did seem to manage to give a deeper sound, but the low-end bass was very muddled, and I wouldn't guess (just by hearing), that these speakers went below 80 MHz. So, if you're using a subwoofer, I would HIGHLY suggest that you go with the MC300 (or the MC200) as your mains. You'll notice voices will come out more clearly, and the bass is much more well-defined.

Similar Products Used:

CSW m60's, CSW MC300

Low price, good mids and good highs

Low end bass is lacking definition

Many of the above reviews spend a great deal of time talking about the "look" of these speakers. Who cares? It's about sound, and don't let the nice mahogany look of these speakers fool you. These speakers can take a great deal of punishment. I'm using a Marantz SR4200 receiver (only 70 watts, but it's 70 RMS watts, so not too shabby). For movies, these speakers are great. But, for music, I thought these speakers lacked the full, deep, well-defined bass. I was listening to rap (A Tribe called Quest), and some more progressive music (Sea & Cake), and even some jazz (Getz & Gilberto). The jazz came out the best, but the other music sounded flat, and not as rich and soft as I would prefer. These speakers handle mid to high range sounds very well, but I'm still not convinced that you can use these speakers without a subwoofer. Vocals come out very nicely though. In conclusion, these speakers are well worth the $300 I paid for them, but I'm just not happy with the bass clarity.

Similar Products Used:

CSW M60's

Unbelievable balance between mids and highs, deep, accurate bass Great for music and HT

NONE

Like the last reviewer said, the appearence, the enclosures,and design of these speakers look so much more expensive than what they really cost. I have them, also, in Mahogany. The sound, well, is quite perfect to me. Just listen to Eagles HFO- tequila sunrise, hotel california, take it easy. The sound of the acousitic guitar, the cymbols, and the bass create a spacious, 3-d enveloping sound across the room. I have the speakers toed in, hooked up to monster Z1's, so that might make a slight difference. The sound is so smooth and finely detailed, yet when action/epic movie-tracks come, it handles them with precision and ease. The tonal quality these speakers have is truly outstanding. Voices are accurately reproduced, w/o brightness or warmness. Also, the bass extension, down to 40hz. The blending of the well defined bass, with the mids is so natural. One thing i must say, the sensitivtiy of these speakers is 86db, but trust me, a good amp will be good enough to power these speakers to insane levels. I can honestly say, these speakers are not even worth close to what you pay for them, maybe in the $600-1000 range. These speakers and all the M series bookshelfs are probably the most overlooked and unheard of speakers around. All the people looking to buy Klipsh, PSB, Paradigm, Def Techs, you might wanna take a look here also, to CSW.

Denon AVR-2802
CSW M80's
Polk CS-245i
upgrading rear speakers to CSW M50
Sony DVP-560D
All monster cables for hookups

Similar Products Used:

CSW M-50, RT-35i,

Sound quality and looks

non,especially at this price

It took almost two months for me to receive these speakers because they were on back order.The company actually sold out and more had to be built.Let me give a description of their physical features.These Cambridge m80's are simply gorgeous to look at.I have the ones with the mahogany finish.They have the look,feel and smell of truly expensive speakers.Mine smelled like fine oil was on the cabinets when I opened the sealed plastic wrap.Upon further inspection you soon notice that their are no cabinet joint gaps anywhere to be found on the speakers.You find these build tolerances on speakers priced in the thousand dollar plus range.Certainly not at the price I paid for these!These would'nt look out of place sited next to a pair of Spendors' or Totem Manis'.Connections for the speakers feature all plated metal binding posts(gold colored).The speakers come with their own special tools if you ever need to remove a driver.A set of hex wrenches.You know curiosity always kills a cat.I opened the speakers and noticed that the tweeter and midrange driver have their own sealed airtight compartment.They'll never experience back wave problems linked to their woofer system.Expensive looking blue wire connects the drivers that are covered with a clear bubble at contact point( serious stuff!).I had to take a look at the woofer also(same thing).This speaker has the largest woofer magnet I've ever seen in a speaker featuring an 8inch woofer.This magnet is huge! and heavy!Must be five or six inches in diameter.I opened the speakers because I intend to keep the them.No returns here baby!Also don't do it because you'll void your warranty.I'll now describe how they sound to these ears.I lived with a pair of JBL s38's and I thought they sounded great.They can play very loud with hardly no strain to their sound.The typical party speaker but not the colored sound of JBL's of yore.The M80's are more neutral from top to bottom.They can play just as loud but I value my hearing.I purchased these for their sound quality.I listen to all types of music and these sound like expensive speakers.They have that warmth that the JBL's,Cambridge model six and the Alesis mkII don't have but all Spendors and others do( big buck speakers that is).I love the way they rendor the sound of the acoustic guitar.My cd's by Brian Hughes and Ray Obeido sound vibrant,clear and non etched,very natural!These speakers wouldn't be out of place in a studio.They have that same clear ,neutral sound only warmer.Reference grade sonics! How do they do it at these prices?Classical music,jazz, movie sound tracks,rock or whatever your musical taste.Everything sounds so smooth,clear and balanced with these.Excellent stereo imaging also.I love these speakers I'am glad I let the JBL s38's go.They are nice but they just don't do it for me for serious listening like the Cambridge M80's can.I can't believe that the JBL s38's is a home version of their pro LSR 32's.The s38's are much more hi fi-ish sounding than the pro monitor.Nothing neutral about this speaker when compared to this pro LSR32 speaker system.Cost no object speakers tend to sound or are designed to be as neutral as possible.They don't sound like your typical hi fi loudspeaker.I would recommend the M80 speakers to any serious listener who like the sound of truly hi end audiophile loudspeakers but just can't foot the cost of such loudspeaker systems.They look like you absolutely can't afford them !And sound the same way(like you can't afford them).I have normal hearing and I don't think I could have done better at two or three times the cost I paid.Cambridge Sound Works in home trial can't be beat.I knew I was going to keep these the minute I saw them.Hearing them just sealed the deal.Where can you get speakers in a mahogany finish this gorgeous and sounds this good at this price? Highly recommended three-way loudspeakers for the true audiophile on a budget.

Similar Products Used:

Cambridge model six,Alesis mkII monitors

Price, amazing for the price sound, design and truly amazing craftmanship.

nada

Well, how happy am I, huh? Very!!! From the second I opened the box, I knew these were keepers. You see, I'm one of those who likes to LOOK at the speakers before I fire em' up. Kinda smell them. Pop of the speaker covers and just look at them. My wife just doesn't get it. My 15 month old Son doesn't seem to either for that matter!

Enough already. I could not be more pleased w/ the purchase! And since they were purchased during CSW's crazy speaker sale, I almost feel guilty of ripping THEM off. I welcome any audio enthusiast to email me w/comments that are not positive about the m80's or m50's. Amazing crispness, detail, tonally neutral type of sound. Did I really pay 3 bills for these?!

As a guy who has been through Boston's, Paradigm, Energy, Wharfedale and others, these shine the brightest. I hope that all you so-called audio know-it-alls give these guys a listen. With a 45-day "tryout" you may as well throw the box away. I did.

Similar Products Used:

m50's for surround, m500 center, Energy Sub.

Fit & finish, workmanship, bi-wire capability, price/performance ratio.

Binding posts do not accept banana plugs, my preferred method of connection.

These speakers were purchased for rear L/R surround use in anticipation of current and future 5/6/7 channel discrete formats. Never having owned or listened to Cambridge Soundworks speakers, I relied on the return guarantee (45 days) as a good way of auditioning the Cambridge sound into my listening environment. Through the years I've always chosen to compromise a speaker's utilitarian finish and appearance in order to save a few dollars in the bottom line, and since the M80's were on sale at a fraction of the cost of some of the pairs of speakers I've owned and currently own, I didn't expect to be impressed with the M80"s fit and finish right out of the box. But I was. In the Mahogany finish, at least, the workmanship and attention to detail seems to be of handcrafted furniture grade, and the graceful curves and fine fabric of the grille enhance its appearance, though even with the cover off the speaker looks superb on a stand--please don't hide this speaker in a cabinet or on a bookshelf surrounded by other objects.

As for the sound, after lengthy two channel listening/comparison with my current main speakers (NHT 2.9's) my preference is still with the 2.9's, although the M80's do have a more natural midrange and obviously less low bass. But this difference in sound does not reflect the price differential of the two pairs. I paid nearly 10x more for the NHT's! I was unable to do a blind comparison, however. Who knows which pair I would have chosen in that case. I think I didn't want to find out. What I did find out, though, is that the M80 is more than just a remarkable value: The Cambridge Newton Series M80's are beautiful in appearance and sound. I could listen and look at them for hours on end.

Similar Products Used:

Boston Acoustics, NHT, ADS, Advent, Infinity, & EPI bookshelf speakers.