Three dimensional soundstage, clear, very nice bass response, well rounded

Highs not as good as Nautilus series, midrange slightly muffled when compared to Nautilus.

Its interesting to read all of the reviews posted but in a nutshell alot of speaker reviews are personal opinion. I have listened to various systems and have this to say. In a word money. For the money I don't think theres much else out there that is as refined overall as the cdms. But if you can go higher then go there. Carefully selecting your other components will greatly improve the overall sound your likely to get from these speakers. They image great, they're 3 dimensional, and they have enough bass to reduce the immediate need for a sub. All of this is very much so true if you've got an amp that can bring out the qualities of this speaker. Connecting this speaker to a reciever is generally a waste of time (unless you go high end). Seperates were this speakers intention. I can't realistically give this speaker five stars for sound quality but definately 4. Just for kicks, the nautilus sound better but not by much. I.E. in a direct comparison with nautilus 802s and these it became a question of preference not true domination. Way your decision carefully but this is by far a nice speaker that well worth the price. I've also read others say that there is going to be an upgraded version. Should that be true hold on to your cash because steeling some of the nautilus technology would be worth the wait.

Similar Products Used:

Definitives, Paradigms

Accurate, transparent, wide & deep sound stage, great bass, beautiful finish, fairly efficient

The matching center is a bit funky looking

I auditioned the CDM 7SEs today. I was truly impressed. My favorite test for true bass is Pictures At An Exhibition, transcribed & played by Jean Guillou at the Great Organ of the Tonhalle in Zurich (Dorian Recordings; DOR-90117).
In track 14, there is 16 hz material. I'm used to playing this with a Sunfire True Subwoofer MkII backing up my soon to be replaced Infinity mains. The bass was easily "felt" with the CDM 7SEs. Frankly, I was surprised. Also, the sound stage was excellent.

Similar Products Used:

PSB Stratus Silver "i", Paradigm Reference Studio (v2) 80 & 100, Klipsch (Legend) KLF 20, Klipsch (Reference) RF-3

Just bought a pair of these suckers for $950 at a place going out of business. Had to get the black, that's all they had. Too bad, the red is ravishing. I've owned a pair of 640s for 9 years, and decided it was time to get up-to-date. I kept the 640s in my home theater and put the CDM7SEs in a dedicated listening room. Like others below, I've spent some late nights just listening to old CDs that I never heard sound like this. It's like discovering my favorite music all over again.
To be honest, I didn't do a lot of comparison listening when I bought these. I've been sold on the B&Ws for years, and when I discovered this place going out of business, I just had to snap these up based on what I knew of them from reviews. I couldn't be happier. Compared to my old 640s, they are a bit tighter. The 640s in comparison have a very slight muffled feel to them. The 7SEs feel like you are right there. I still have a lot of dialing-in to do to get them just right, but so far, very impressive.

Anyone got any suggestions on amps that match up well with these? I was considering the Adcom 5802, but reviews on this board weren't good. I've got an old Yamaha RX-V1050 running them now, which was fine for the 640s, but I can tell the 7SEs deserve better.

Having recently set out to upgrade my speaker system, I brought home a set of Paradigm avtive 20's and a Reference 15 sub. After listening for a couple weeks, I was not happy with their sound. They were lacking in the midbase, something the reference 15 is not particularily good with, so there seemed to be something missing. They also sounded too bright, especially on pop and rock. I went back to my dealer and ended up auditioning the B&W's, what a difference!The B&W's had a much better mdirange and a cleaner top end, more of a 3-dimensional sound. They sounded better on a wider variety of music with a overall warmer sound. They also blended better with the Reference 15 sub.
They can also play louded than the Active 20's while maintaining a good, clean sound. I am listening to a cd by Eagle Eye Cherry as I type this thinking how glad I was I traded up to these speakers!
I also listened to the B&W's compaired to Paradigm's top of the line, the Reference 100,s. Slil no competition! The B&W's had better bass than these monsters and sounded all around better also. Highly reccomended!

My review of the B&W CDM 7SE is identical to that of Mike of Kirkland.I have been researching speakers for the last year and a half, looking for the best speaker for my money. My final contenders were the Paradigm Reference 1000, M&K THX 5000 series, Klipsch KSP 400 Premiere series, and the B&W CDM 7SE.
Out of all of them, the B&W's blew me away. The sound was extremely crisp and clear. The price in my area was very reasonable for the quality.

Very nice everything

It would be nice to have the Nautlis Tweeter

I agree with Bob. Some of the people who post reviews lack common or audio sense. I borrowed dealers Demo CDM7s and CSE before making my decision. There is quite a lot of difference in the sound of B&W speakers after 6 months of use. Can you say break-in period? All I wanted is a better 603. Yes , it's that and much more. Check back with another review in 5 months after they are broken -in and I have Marantz SR18 that' supposed to come next week.

Similar Products Used:

BA Substat7 , KEF 103.2,Stacked Advents , B&W 603s, etc.

power at all levels. Great mid band. Handles high powered amp well. Good for the value.

cabinet is not built for bass. This is a sluggish bass performer. Need to be really worn in. Heard some shrill at high treble levels. System matching important.

I have a Proceed AVP and a Bryston 9B ST. These speakers were tested in the store with Rotel 120 Watt amps. I may have chosen differently if I had driven them with other amps. I did listen to them with a Proceed HPA 250W amp and was very impressed. Obviously they need the power if they want to be pushed to challenging music (aggressive classical, hip hop, drum n bass, techno) When I plaid a Pink Floyd CD I could heard some high end shrills that really concerned me. I hope it was the media. I think a warmer amp and music that is paced slower would make a great system for anyone who has a modest sized room and loves their Jazz, vocuals., etc. The Tracey Chapman CD (DDD) is amazing on these speakers. I was really impressed, as I was when I played Christopher, track 05 from Phil Woods CD Here's to my Lady.

There were rumours last year about a new version coming out and I understand that it is true (from B&W spokesman). They will be more money. Therefore someone looking for a great Home Theatre front and rear combo if they have a good sub would be wise to check the used market for the CDM7SE II when the newer version is introduced this fall.

Enjoy your music...

Cary

Similar Products Used:

B&W 600 Series, Monitor Audio, Paradigm, B&W Nautilus

Crisp clean highs, great sounding mids. Sound is bright, pure, and as if you were sitting right in front of the performer. Listen to something like DMB or Eric Clapton unplugged and hear them rock

A little weak on the bass--especially lower frequencies 20Hz and below. Add a good sub, and it rounds out the sound--but it's absolutely not necessary

All I have to say is WOW! These speakers are probably the best sounding speakers I've ever heard. When I went to buy speakers, I looked at a lot of high end stuff--but really focused in on NHT and B&W. The BW speakers just did it for me. I closed my eyese and almost thought that I was at a concert. They are great for all types of music--but anything with a little acoustic guitar sounds incredible.

These speakers bring a brightness and a crispness to the sound, unlike anything I have ever heard. I bought mine from a high end store in Toledo. They were floor models for only a couple of weeks. Included in the price was a set of Invisible cable--which pleased me immensely. All I can say is MAN what a great sound. 100X better than the Bose setup I had before.

Similar Products Used:

Bose 501, Paradigm, NHT, Polk Audio

Imaging, Midrange/Treble, Drop-Dead Gorgeous

Placement Critical, not very forgiving of poor recordings

I've had these babies since April and I absolutely love them! When mated with my Rotel receiver, it's a marriage made in heaven. They provide a wide soundstage and if PROPERLY PLACED imaging is 3 dimensional. What impresses me the most is their accuracy across their full range. Subtle cymbal touches and light guitar chords caress, while bass riffs are tight and articulate. They are very easy to listen to without fatigue, and they handle soundtracks above low bass very well. In HT they do require a sub for low bass extension, but what loudspeaker doesn't. Their finish is furniture-like and they don't take up a lot of space, important for wife approval. Like B&W's slogan says, "listen and you'll see".

Similar Products Used:

Paradigm Studio 100, PSB Silveri, Boston Acoustics VR970

Incredible imaging and soundstage

Bass is accurate

First, let's talk about people complaining about the base. If the bass is on the record or CD it will play it. Most bass should fall within these speakers ability to reproduce it. If you want more, or use them to watch movies and listen to explosions, then get a small subwoofer.
Now, to the rest of this speaker. If you're looking for a great speaker at a great price, look no further. They will play what's on the source, and you may be surprised that you find yourself going through your music collection again to hear new sounds and different staging. The soundstage is deep and ricc; definition is great. Close your eyes and you're there.
I've had these speakers since April and they continue to amaze me each time I turn my system on. They are great.
Denon AVR-3300
Sony DVD-S7700
Synergistic Reserch for the analog connection (Sony DAC's
are wonderful for CD's).
Audioquest coaxial for the digital domain like AC-3 & DTS.
Monster Bi-Wire speaker wire and Monster THX Sub cable.