Build, Finish, Treble, Speed, Punch, Looks, Dynamics, Resolution, Grip.

Can sound bright, harsh and tinny if not matched to suitable electronics not only of high quality but also of the right timbre of sound (I would say they need warmer electronics like NAD, QUAD, PRIMARE, Tube gear etc) to tame them down unless someone likes a very revealing and bright in your face sound.

Excellent looks & finish. Well Built. I have the Cherry Veneer in which it looks very contemporary coupled with the luxury of a wood finish. My speakers have now broken in for approx. 50 hours and are beginning to sound good. The metal dome tweeters need an awfully long time to break in as do the Kevlar drive units. In my set-up these speakers sound a little short of excellent. I am happy I purchased them. However, they need very careful system matching to attain a sound that is both fast, detailed, punchy, transparent and crystal clear coupled with being natural, slightly on the warmer side of average and basically musically involving. At least this is what I wanted and I achieved it ... albeit after a lot of hunting around and countless demos. It has got excellent bass, both in terms of speed and definition ... as far as bass extension is concerned perhaps it lacks a little compared to other floorstanders I have heard ... but for me they have more than enough bass. Infact, these speakers seem to be quite fussy about room placement and positioning because even after being spiked the bass was resonating but after I tried various positions I found one that works well in my room. Anyway my room has a resonance/echo problem, not a huge one but still, so that also doesn't help the speaker sound its best. I think it should be sold for a couple of hundred British Pounds less, around 1,050 to make it excellent value. I have found that although they work well with all types of music, because of the prominent treble, they seem to shine with instruments and classical music. Sometimes hard rock can sound a tad bright and fatiguing to listen to for long durations. I guess that's about all I have to say. I wanted a speaker which would be both good for home theater and stereo music and in the B&W CDM-7NT's I have found a very appealing and happy compromise!

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Pro-Ac Response 1.5 (one of my all time favourites ONLY for 2-channel stereo music), B&W CDM-1NT's (slightly better than the 7NT's but with less bass so I opted for the 7NT's instead and traded-off th

Good imaging, precise, detailed. Does not require a great leap of the imagination to think you are hearing the real thing.

Bass may not be deep enough for some tasts. Many suggest using a subwoofer to round out the bottom range and seem to like it, although it would seem that you then lose some of the integrity and integration across the whole spectrum if you do this. You'd probably only use the subs if you need them for particular music, or for home theater. These speakers are a bit less forgiving with poorly recorded music than other speakers. Whether these are factors for you depends entirely on your personal taste.

I owned these speakers for a three month period. This summer I upgraded them to B&W Nautilus 804's by taking advantage of a 1-year trade up policy from the store. This was not out of disappointment with the CDM7-NT. It is actually the opposite: These speakers turned me on to the idea that there is more to music than high volume and heart-pounding bass. (Of course I always "knew" that, but such "knowledge" has a different meaning when you decide to fork over four figures of hard-earned cash into audio components...) Once I got used to the CDM7-NTs, I was able to appreciate the Nautilus 804's. Perhaps it is a bit like tasting a good Belgian ale after being used to Coors and Miller- you realize there is something better after all. But I digress... Overall these are good speakers, just like many reviewers have mentioned before me. If you are in the market for loudspeakers in this price range, then put them on your evaluation list. However you should give them a good comparison with other brands just to make sure these are the best for you. The B&W sound is often said to be a little "detailed", "dry", and "flat" which some people like and some people don't. Some people prefer other brands that are a bit more "warm". So do yourself a favor and try several different brands before you make your choice. I personally like B&W. This is obviously advice that all people in the market for speakers should heed. However it perhaps more relevant here because the store I bought them from showcased a small number of speakers from this higher end, with B&W the only brand appropriate for the type of crowd that would like these speakers. Thus one might end up buying this brand without hearing all the alternatives. (Note: B&W did have distribution practices that were considered "hard core" violations of antitrust law in the European Union. B&W stopped these practices after the EU announced these objections. This is public information- just do a google search. So I wonder if there are similar competitive practices occurring here in the U.S. that somehow influenced the selection where I bought them. This is not relevant to the sound quality of a speaker, but it *is* relevant to those wanting to make a good decision by auditioning as many brands as possible.) With the above said, here is what I personally though sounded good and bad on these speakers: Tallis Scholars (sacred choral music) sounded great. I heard the soundstage of the whole chorus. Pat Metheny Group: Sounded great. But I tend to lose imaging of high percussion on most CDs. This is probably the recording's fault. Mickey Hart's various percussion endeavors- You might think that the bass is weak on these speakers, but it is certainly tight, and you can hear drums, not just a thump-thump. The experience is moving. However some tracks that emphasized a large drum with a deep bass did sound a bit weak. Miles Davis- also sounded good. Trumpet came through nicely. For Jazz in general you can hear the twang of the bass guitar or violin, but the fundamental may be weak on some lower notes. Rock and Pop- varies across the spectrum, depending on the recording, etc. Techno/Electronic- See Mickey Hart... Better for acid jazz and ambient than for anything designed to rattle windows. Kraftwerk sounded good. Classical music- in general these speakers shine. However the sound will not be as "authoritative" or "powerful" as on most of B&W's higher line. If you like these speakers and like the B&W sound, you may also want to consider the Nautilus 805, which retails for the same price. The N805 is weaker in the bass but has a better midrange and higher-fidelity frequency response. Also you could up the budget a bit and consider the CDM9-NT, which has a better midrange driver and goes a bit deeper on the bottom end, but is not quite as precise as the N805. (The latter statement is based on second-hand advice, as I have not A/Bed the N805 vs. the CDM9-NT). Value = 3 = you get what you pay for.

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Definitive Technology BP2000TL- I started out with this because of the huge subs, but had a change of heart when I heard B&W and began to realize that "those audiophiles" are not just full of it...

Everything,detail in all the frequencies,soundstage,imaging,looks,build.

None really.

What can I add that hasn't already been said.I auditioned over a dozen speakers in this price range,and the last ones I heard were these cdm7nt's,the difference in sound heard at the dealers was incredible,wonderfully open,airy,non boxy,uncoloured sound.A pair was delivered for home dem,and thats where these babies stayed! After a few weeks of running in,they just got better in all respects,so much so that all upstream electronics had to be upgraded to do the speakers justice! I was running an old Marantz cd through a fifteen odd year old Pioneer A8 amp,ok, but i knew it could be a whole lot better,so this year got a Meridian 588 cd (superb,see separate review) playing through Chord CPA2200 pre amp,and Chord SPM600 power amp.Special mention has to be made here about these Chord amps,as there isn't a review slot here for them yet,the build quality and finish are exemplary,they look stunning with the optional integra legs,and above all they just sound so transparent,so right. Anyway,back to the speakers,build quality and finish is superb,the cherry veneer cabinetry is exquisite.Its worth spending some time experimenting with speaker positions,and the listening seat position.My room is 20ft x 12ft,the speaker baffles are nearly 3ft off back wall,and they are 9ft apart,the speakers fire down the length of the room.I used to sit about 13ft away,where I enjoyed deep,extended bass,but soundstage and imaging was poor,now I sit in an equilateral triangle,where each side of the listening triangle is equal,now the soundstage and imaging is pinpoint and precise,the downside being i've lost the deep extended bass (due to room modes in my particular room,a very indepth subject),but i'm perfectly happy rediscovering the vocal imagery in my Yes cd's,and the glorious soundstages of say Mike Oldfield's Tubular bells 2.If i want to listen to some deep pipe organ,i sit further back! Well recorded cd's played on the system are stunning,so much detail in the mid,treble and even in the bass. My long suffering partner rarely gets to see her tv much these days,as i'm spending every spare minute foot tapping away to the music! The only speakers i've heard that offer a significant improvement are the Nautilus 802's at a much higher price!This makes the cdm7nt's an absolute steal.

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Monitor audio gr20,PMC FB1,Kef model one-two,Proac studio 125.

Imaging to die for. Stunning detail. Super fast Bass. Effortless, sweet highs. Super clean Midband. Gorgeous woodwork and elegance.

After over one year, I am still searching.

It has now been 16 months since my original review on this Loudspeaker, and it has improved even further in it's performance. As I mentioned in my original review, I worked for B&W as a Research and Design Engineer in Worthing, and never dreamed that one day this level of performance could be acheived at this price point. I do not receive any kind of endorsement from the Factory for this review. The styling is quite stunning in my book, and the woodwork is beautifully done. Mine are in the dark red cherry finish, and look richer now as they have received a few coats of fine furniture wax. The sound has become so sweet in the last 6 months or so, that all my music has a wonderfully textured detail. I can listen for hours upon hours, and at quite high levels, and never feel any listener's fatigue. The bass has become richer, and sounds even more detailed too, with a superb pace and timing. Midrange, which was initially a little strong is now perfectly balanced, with a finesse and character that makes voices so lifelike, that one sometimes has to look around the room for the person. I did find that bi- wiring with high quality cable is a must. I also found spending an afternoon positioning the speakers carefully, paid of huge rewards in pinpoint imaging. If your choice for a loudspeaker is a neutral sounding beauty, then you have found your pot of gold with this superb product.

Gorgeous fit and finish. Excellent deep fast bass. Sweet, detailed mids and highs, and fantastic imaging.

My credit card balance.

In a word....Exquisite! Even before the break in is completed they sound superb. I have the latest production run of these, and I suspect they have the latest tweeter for SACD as they sound sweeter than the ones I have heard in the Stores. Woodwork is jewel like. I bought the natural cherry finish. The sound can be best described as fast, neutral, and so accurate. Imaging will give you goosebumps. It is pointless to go on and on, a classic!

Natural sound, detail, soundstage. Clean bass. Excellent construction (heavy, heavy).

None from my perspective, other than price maybe. $500 less would truly make them king of the hill.

This is a review for people who want to upgrade from consumer-grade speakers to the next level. True audiophiles will probably scoff (or worse, laugh) at this review. My criteria: upgrade from Bose to something more natural sounding, under $1500 and just for stereo listening. I also wanted something with a good sensitivity because I intend to run my low power HK receiver into the ground. I listened to various speakers such as PSB, Definitive Technologies, B&W, Canton, Polk, etc. all in the $1000-$1500 range. While they all sounded better than my Bose, none of them really jumped off the scale like I imagined a good speaker should. I almost bought the DefTechs 2006, because of their tremendous soundstage and impressive low end. But something was missing here, no real clarity. I listened to the CDM7NT on a whim, knowing full well they were out of my self-imposed budget. I had a Dire Straights album with me at that time and the CDMs changed the listening experience. Mark Knopfler suddenly stepped into the listening the room and I could hear every tiny hit, squeak and pinch of his fingers on the guitar. I was sold on the spot, I just could not endure to go back to the other "lesser" speakers. I took a sample pair home, hooked them up and was blown away by the new sound. They have enough bass for me and I find the detail and clarity of their midrange and highs is unbelievable . True to the cliche, I started going through all my CDs just to see what sounds I had been missing. As other reviewers pointed out, bad recordings are revealed in all their ugliness, whereas good ones will make your eyes water. Eric Clapton's Unplugged is a sample of the latter ones, it simply left me speechless. Even though I'm using a humble low end HK receiver these speakers still make a huge difference. I did find that out of the box they sounded a bit too harsh. I'm now close to the end of the specified break-in period and they became much better. I suspect they will reach their full potential after considerably more time than the 15 hours recommended in the manual. No matter, it will be a joy all they way. I'll just have to throw away my bad recordings and start acquiring new, good quality ones.

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None in this class.

: I posted the following review a few months ago: I am going to be honest with you all from the start. I worked for B&W in the 1970''s before coming to Canada. I was on their design team on the DM6 and some other projects. Having said that I have owned Mission in the past and Cyrus Loudspeakers. It was time for me to upgrade and I listened to many designs and Company''s products. There was something however about this machine that grabbed my ear. It is the clarity that has to be heard to understand my comments. I feel a smooth tube sound Amplifier works the best, giving a fast neutral sound. Bass is deep and so quick, with excellent power handling, and a smooth mid and high band that has an airyness that is enchanting. The styling is very eye catching, and the finish of the enclosures is truly first rate. I do not receive any endorsment fees or perks from the Factory, so what I am writing are my own unbiased feelings. In my opinion, A Hard Act to Follow! I am happy to inform readers that this model is like a fine wine and has become even more of a delight to listen too as the woofers have "run in" fully. A "must have" for any enthusiast. An error occured on my previous posting. So please take that into account when judging the overall grade of this Loudspeaker.

Beautifull detailed sound. Full soundstage. Great with classical but also know how to Rock!

None that I can see other than maybe the price (but you only get what you pay for)

These speakers replaced an ageing Pair of B&W DM4''s. After recently upgrading my CD player to a Marantz 6000 KI Signature I realised it was time to replace the old boxes. I listned to Kef Q5''s and Q7''s also B&W 603 S3''s,B&W CM4''s and the CDM 7 NT''s. The 603''s were just not in the same league. I found the Kef''s a bit sharp but that may have been because they were not run in. It was only when I heard the CM4''s that I began to like what I heard. I had brought Mory Kante (World music), Mahlers 5th Symphony and Dave Mathews Everyday as music to test. While the CM4''s were good on two out of the three styles only the CDM''s were able to produce the clarity and musicality of all three CD''s. They are especially good with Classical! I also purchased a set of QED Silver aniversary Bi cables as I reasoned my existing set would not do justice to the new boxes. Suffice to say as each day passes and the speakers get just a little more run-in I am more and more pleased with my purchase. My wife says if I smile any more my face will stay that way! I cannot reccomend these speakers highly enough!!

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CM4''s DM603 S3''s Kef Q5 and Q7''s

Highs, Smooth mids, Tight bass. Very revealing, bass is surprisingly good for a 6.5 woofer

Maybe the cost for someone who''s on a budget

Wonderful pair of speakers, clear highs, smooth midrange, and tight bass. I don''t have high end equipment but they sound great,I have them hooked up to a Harman Kardon 510. They were a bit bright at first but after the breakin (about 15hrs) the brightness was gone. I can''t wait to get the whole cdm-nt home theater setup. Couple questions someone could help me with, what is the advantage of using separates instead of a receiver for music, and why is analog used instead of digital in a high end music system. need recommendations on audio cables($100-$200)

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B&W cm4(very good, attractive), Wharfedales, Acoustic Research, Jamo

Nice detail at low listening levels.

Lacking soundstage, limited dynamics

I have auditioned these at a dealer in Israel, and was somewhat disappointed after hearing good things about them from friends. At low listening levels, the sound was detailed but the soundstage lacked depth (as with other B&W CDM models). At higher listening levels (not extremely high yet), the bass quickly became distorted. All in all, I consider this speaker to have an acceptable price-performance, but there are better speakers out there in this price range and the CDM 7 NT fails to distinguish itself above the rest.

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Too many to mention