Excellent transparency, clear high frequencies with lots of air, truly revealing, warm and clean midrange, no boxiness, self-effacing, pin point imaging, layered soundstage and punchy bass with nice dynamics. Communicative. Stylish look.

Limited bass extension , soundstage could be a tad bigger, harmonics a little restrained, ability to fill the room (weight and scale), coherence...but please see article as the speakers are not yet fully broken in.

Hi to all. I've been in the market looking for 2000-2500$(US) speakers for severals months as I wanted to upgrade my B&W 602S2 wich were the weakest link in my system.

With the kindness of different dealers from the Montreal area I had the opportunity to bring home the speakers cited above and test them in my room's acoustic, with my electronics. I finally ended up buying the B&W CDM7 NT and here's why...

First, I think it is of primary importance to anyone considering the acquisition of a new audio gear to take into account ALL the components within his sound system. From source to speakers, EVERY component has a particular effect on the sound finally flowing through the room. And the latter is certainly not to be disregarded. Room acoustic is of capital importance. In fact, a killer system at your local audio dealer might not sound as astonishing once sitted at your place...or it might even not be to your likings...That is why I suggest bringing the stuff home if at all possible.

From there, let me introduce my system so you'll have a better understanding of the pros and cons of my review.

Arcam FMJ CD-23 cd player
Arcam FMJ A-22 integrated amplifier
Arcam FMJ P-25 power amplifier
PS Audio Powerplant with multiwave (ac conditioner)
B&W CDM7 NT speakers
Transparent Cable MusicLink Ultra interconnects
Monster Cable Z1R Reference (speaker cables for HF)
Monster Cable Z2R Reference (speaker cables for LF)

The Monsters will be replace in a near future. All gears (except speakers ;-) ) are placed on an audio shelf and have their own 3/4" thick plate of marble on wich they are sitting. The CD-23 also has one on top of it and the other gears support smaller pieces of the same material. Audioquest sorbothane feet are used for damping the CD-23 while other components are damped through Black Diamond Racing Pyramid Cones. Audioprism Cd Cleaner and Cd Stop Light are used fo cds. The room is 14' by 16' with a 10' ceiling and a wooden floor. Speakers are 3 1/2' from rear walls and 8' apart. I sit 8' away from speakers.

For the tests, I listened to all kind of music. From Massive Attack to Mozart and from Patricia Barber to Radio Head.

REMEMBER THAT THE CDM7 NT ARE NOT EVEN PROPERLY BROKEN IN. THEY HAVE PLAYED FOR 30 HOURS OR SO (WITH 15 HOURS OF PINK NOISE) AND WILL CONTINUE TO IMPROVE OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS.


My comparaisons began with(chronologicaly)the Dynaudio Contour 1.3 MKII. It had the best dynamics of them all. Excellent transparency altough not as good as the Nautilus' but with 85db at 6 0hms these are very power-hungry and I felt my gears were unable to throw the big sounstage and full-bodied sound that these speakers are capable of. Compared to the CDM7 NT, the Dynaudio had slightly better harmonics and coherence but less details and air in the high frequencies. Bass and soundstage was about on par with the CDM7 NT but because of the higher sticker price (I could have them for 2100$ US), the need to buy high quality stands (another 300-600$ US) and their need for very high quality power amplification, the Dynaudio lost the battle. I still think these are wonderful speakers for those of you not short of power.

Second contester was the Totem Model 1 Signature. The Model 1 altough also power-hungry at 86db threw in a bigger but less layered soundstage than the Dynaudio and the CDM7 NT. Imaging was also very stable (as with the CDM7 NT) and vocals were excellent though not as airy as with the B&Ws. I found the speakers smoother and a little more laid back and less communicative. Upper midrange was a little too present for my taste while the bass was impressive but seemed to suffer from an upper low frequencies boost. Therefore, bass wasn't as punchy and clean as with the CDM7 NT. For those of you who like cute little bookshelf speakers that can throw a smooth, laid back sound with surprising amount of bass and that through a big soundstage, these might just be the ticket. But remember they need real power. Again at 1300$ US (2000$ CAN retail)...yes that's their price in Canada...these are a very good deal.

Third contester was Revelation Audio Lyra III floorstanding speakers wich at 1600$ US retail are built here in Montreal (like the Totems). These are very stylish real wood mahogany speakers but they were -unfortunately for them- destroyed in every sound aspects by the CDM7 MT. And at 86db into 4 ohms efficiency was a huge load for my Arcams. End of story.

Next contesters were the B&W Nautilus 804 and 805 in A/B comparaisons. Both showed exceptionally clear, clean and transparent midrange and HF . The upper register had lots of air, delicacy and refinement with loads of details. The bass was tight and punchy, never muddied. Dynamics were handled in a fast, crisp manner. Imaging was very strong and stable. Soundstage was decent in that I could pinpoint instruments placement in space but depth and width were not staggering. Harmonics were very good. Between 804 and 805...I would go for the 805. A little bit more focus, coherence and very slightly more self-effacing and IMHO a better overall speaker than its bigger brother (bass extension aside). It is also cheaper...wich helps !! How do the Nautilus' compare to the CDM7 NT ? Well they beat it in nearly every aspects (by a small margin) but you can have the latter at half the price of the 804 ! And the 805 ? War is open !

Placing the 805 in A/B against the ProAc Response 1SC, I will not describe the sonics of the Nautilus but the 1SC...WOW what a magician !! It portraied the essence of music as it is meant to be. It went straight to the heart. I found myself sank into the music as never before as I went into an orgy of disc pulling. No boxiness at all. The speakers totally disappeared. They threw a HUGE layered, holographic soundstage that went behind the back and side walls. Very impressive ! Vocals were suspend so high in air as if "toward the almighty" (to quote Stereophile). Imaging was excellent altough not as stable as with the Nautilus and CDM7 NT. HF and midrange were incredibly clean but not as informative as the B&Ws. Dynamics were very good but not as communicative as the latters. Harmonics were excellent and the 1SC had -of all the contenders- the best ability to fill the room with a warm, rich and full sound. A serious drawback however was the need to significantly increase the volume to get decent bass...and on hard material, that caused the woofers to kinck. Ouch !! Anyway,I felt in love...a sensual speaker!

After that, in came the Sonus Faber Concerto wich I found not very appealing both visually and sonically. They are very rich and warm sounding. Vocals are a thing of beauty on these ones. Soundstage was also impressive and about on par with the Totem Model 1 Signature but still falling behind the incredible Response 1SCs. The Concertos had a fabulous coherence and integration but were way too dull and laid-back for my tastes. Rhytmically and dynamically it just wasn't up to the rest of the pack. And that wasn't my cup of tea.

Finally I gave the ProAc Response 1.5SC a listen. Basically it has the same sonic signature as the 1SC but with better bass extension and a fuller sound. On the other hand, the soundstage was not as big and delineated and the speakers not as self-effacing as his little brother the 1SC. Overall still an excellent speaker but a little overpriced for my wallet at the moment.


Well, that does it. All the contenders had their shot. They were all hooked up to the same components, in the same environnement. They all had the opportunities of showing their pros and cons.

Some were dismissed because of their hefty price of admission (Nautilus 804 and ProAc Response 1.5SC at 3000$ US)even if excellent. Others, such as the Dynaudio Contour 1.3 MKII, because they needed real high quality power to express themselves properly. Power that my gears couldn't supply. The Totem Model 1 Signature and Sonus Faber Concertos were too laid back to my likings. Again, the Revelation Audio Lyra III was not up to the rest of the pack as far as sonic performances were concerned and was a huge load for my amps.

Survived the ProAc Response 1SC and B&W Nautilus 805 and CDM7 NT. All outstanding value for money. To be honest, I was sold on the 805 until I heard the 1SC. Then I was more confused then ever on wich to choose. I knew the 805 were 80-90% broken in (according to the dealer). And that a 10-20% improvement could be very significant. But again I was still under the charm of the sensuous ProAcs. What to do ?

Then the !@#$%^&*.... ;-) wife factor came to play. My wife put to my attention that the CDM7 NT was offering at least 90-95% of the bests in any sonic areas at a fraction of the price and that I could invest the rest of the money on better speaker cables that would also improve the sound...UUHHMMM !! Interesting !

Every speaker had its strenghts and drawbacks and when the CDM7 NT was beaten in a particular area it was always by a very slight margin and it often fought back by beating the other speaker on something else. Thank you B&W for putting the full Nautilus tweeter down the CDM's line. In fact, it is its near ideal sonic capabilities -whithin the 2000-2500$ US- that proves the CDM7 NT such an outstanding value. IMHO it offers 90-95% of the 804 performance at half the price. AND IT IS STILL FAR FROM ITS FULL POTENTIAL AS BREAK-IN WILL CONTINUE ITS EFFECTS...

Given the trade-in the dealer gave me for my B&W 602S2, I ended up paying 1150$ US (plus tax). That was the end of it. These babies were sold.

Again, choosing audio components comes down to a matter of tastes and opinions. IMHO B&W CDM7 NTs offer big bang for the buck. In my room, hooked to my gears they are nothing short of magical, especially for the price I paid.

Fellow readers with their different gears and rooms might choose otherwise and that's perfect with me. This is the essence of our hobby and one of the reasons why review sites like this do exist. There is no absolute truth here but only a bunch of different opinions from wich to built on...


Best regards,
Marc-André

Similar Products Used:

B&W Nautilus 804 and 805, ProAc Studio 125, ProAc Response 1SC and 1.5SC, Revelation Audio Lyra III, Dynaudio Contour 1.3 MKII, Sonus Faber Concerto and Totem Model 1 Signature.

Well rounded - strong prescence.

Bass response.

Very nice speakers at this price range. These are the only speakers I've listened to that make me smile. I've compared these speakers to similar speakers in it's price range for a few months. But these are incredible. They blow the paradigm Reference Studio 100($2300)away..unless you like to listen to RAP.

Similar Products Used:

NHT, ProAc, Solioquy

Exposes the flaws in poor recordings (like all real hi fi products)

I was shopping around for speakers in the $1000 range, but opted to bust my budget for these after I heard them in A/B tests alongside the CDM 1NT's & various speakers from KEF & others that couldn't really hold a candle to the clean, rich, detailed sound and multi-dimensional soundstage of the 7NT's.

Also went to other stores and listened to my demo CD's with comparably priced floorstanding speakers from Vienna Acoustics, Klipsch (boomy bass), and Sonus Faber(boxier sound), but wasn't as impressed by any of them as I had been with the 7NT's.

Took the plunge and bought them, though I didn't know how I'd feel about them once I connected them to my mid-range Marantz receiver & CD-player (as opposed to the Linn Ikemi player, Adcom amps & preamps, & God-knows what overpriced cables they were using in the store). Much to my surprise, they sounded warm & wonderful with my Marantz components (especially after burning-in for a few days), and have revitalized my awareness of the role of music in my life. I have spent euphoric hours reviewing my whole CD collection, listening to tracks I haven't heard in years and experiencing them anew as revelations. Again and again, I find that I hear elements in songs I thought I knew well that I'd never noticed earlier - from the subtleties of exhaled breaths to particular instruments and back-up singers that had never really been made fully present before. I have never once regretted my decision to invest so much in a pair of speakers, since my everyday quality of life has been measurably enhanced ever since. Sometimes I just want to hug them for all the joy they've brought me :-).

Although I'm sure I'll get even more out of the B & W's once I can afford to upgrade my components (I have my eyes on a VTS tube pre-amp and Goldmund amp, as well as the Linn player - a delicious combo with the 7NT's), I want to emphasize for those out there who *can't* afford a $10,000 system just yet that these speakers can also elicit the best possible performance from selected mid-range sources (from what I understand, they need to be partnered carefully).

As many have noted before me, you should definitely bi-wire these, and take the time to move them around your listening room & try different toe-in angles to maximize the soundstage.

I don't know that I've ever had fewer regrets after making an unanticipated multi-thousand dollar purchase than I have with these beauties. When the Visa bill came, I just smiled nostalgically, remembering the day I first took them home...

Similar Products Used:

Vienna Acoustics Mozart, Klipsch, Sonus Faber, KEF

Midrange, soundstage, aesthetics

This is an open, refined speaker with a deep and wide soundstage. After waiting for the CDM7 SE's I previously owned to "open up" after burn in for 3 months, it obviously wasn't happening. While auditioning an Arcam CD-23 CD player, I discovered that B&W had improved the line and introduced the CDM7 NT. I listened to it with the Arcam, and was initially afraid the difference I was hearing was just the CD-23. It was unbelievable.

I bought the CD-23, and upgraded to the CDM7 NT's. First thing I did once I got them home was to test the speakers with my previous CD player (Denon). I quickly discovered that at least half of what I heard in the store was the NT's. They had none of the "boxiness" that I suffered with the SE's, and a wider and deeper soundstage. Combined with the tight bass and the invisibility of the speakers, I couldn't believe the difference. Once I added the CD-23, the effect was complete.

100 hours burn in made serious improvements in treble (harsh at first) and subtle improvements elsewhere.

I have auditioned a lot of speakers, and for the money, the only thing that comes close is the Thiel 2.5, but it is a different sound, and is much less efficient the the NT's

Similar Products Used:

B&W CDM7 SE, ProAc 125, Sonus Faber, KEF, Polk, Paradigm, Thiel

Linear response, excellent separation and articulation

wood laminate/aesthetics (wood grain is a bit distracting compared to the nautilus series for example)

Excellent reproduction. Sound staging is best when sitting directly in front of speakers, but the stage is good enough to spread through an entire room quite well (without loosing details). Low frequency response is restrained and clear; no bloating...but one can still feel it in your body...it's not overpowering. Mid and highs sound very natural (although the first few days of use the highs seem a bit sharp....I suspect them to 'calm down' after a break-in period).

I absolutely adore the sound from these speakers. I'm often in front of near-field monitors (Tannoy PBM 8s, Alesis, etc) and these make my ears and body feel great.

Yours,
Juhan

Similar Products Used:

Tannoy PBM8 (studio monitors), Tannoys, NHT, Cambridge Soundworks, Boston Acoustic

Clarity. Looks

None thus far

Went in to store all set to purchase B&W 604S2's. The salesman suggested that I give a listen to the 7NT's. After sitting there for about a half an hour and switching between the two it became blatantly obvious that the hands down winner was the 7NT's. The 604's sounded decent but in comparison slightly muffled. I believe as others do that you will need a subwoofer with these speakers as they do not reach the low end as such. Believe it or not my wife sat with me in the listening room and also could tell the difference in clarity. Another kicker is that the 7NT's have a unique design and were more appealing aesthetically to me. My system consists of:
Onkyo TX-DS787 receiver
Paradigm PS-1000 Subwoofer
B&W CDM 7NT Fronts
B&W CDM CNT Center channel(absolutely love it...blows away LCR6S2)
Polk fx 500 surrounds

Very open clear detailed sound. Bass is tight and deep with excellent detail. Excellent styling and finish.

A little pricey in Canada, but wait till you see them in your living room!

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!

Similar Products Used:

Harmon Kardon, Marantz, Sony Wega.

Great imaging and clarity, stylish looks, bass extension

The price

I recently upgraded to these from the B&W 603 S2. To begin with I was impressed with the B&W 603 S2 and was reluctant to proceed with this upgrade since the price difference was nearly a grand!! Boy was I wrong! This speaker excels in every aspect of music and HT performance. It has decent bass, and of course crystal clear highs given the Nautilus tweeter on top. The sound is so revealing in detail that it gives an eerie feeling some times.

This speaker rivals the N805 in midrange and highs and to me it seems a better value than the N805 since the bass is better. I must admit though that it is slightly overpriced considering what you get with the 603s.

Similar Products Used:

B&W 603 S2, B&W CDM1 NT

Clarity, looks, high-end freq.

goofy looking tweeter.

I read a lot here and listened to a few different brands before settling on this speaker as my fronts in a HT setup. There are right out of the box so they aren't 'warmed' up yet.

These speakers are AMAZING! Great, detailed sound. I can crank up my Onkyo receiver with no boominess or clipping or harshness. I am using a Klipsch sub and will buy the CDM CNTR channel to match the fronts.

This is my first step into higher-end equipment and so far i am very happy. I think you will want a seperate sub for punch or get the 9NTs. I have listeneed to rock, classical, etc. and the sound is so rich and full. I hear all the music. Highly recommended. PS: I am using mid-range Onkyo HT receiver and it is holding its own. I need to max out the volume for loudness but it is still very clear. I thought i would need seperates to go with the speakers but not so.
Now, how do i bi-wire speakers?

Excellent allround HT and audio speaker. Incredibly clear and crisp.

A tad on the bright side. (may still need a little more
breaking in)

I agonized whether to purchase these or the Monitor Audio
Silver 9i's. I went back to the same dealer on 3 different
occasions with different CD's to do blind testing.

The Silver 9i's were more musical and filled the room better. Detail and midrange were slightly better as well.
However, this was only when playing jazz and classical.

I listen to a wide range of music from Gypsy Kings to Metallica. The B&W's could play everything well, not so for
the 9i's.
The fit and finish - build quality of the B&W's appeared
substantially better.
2 months after my purchase I am very happy. I could trade
them and get what I paid on any Dynsaudio, Proac, Monitor Audio or Theil. But that wont be happening :)

Similar Products Used:

many