cm7 vs 703s

[1loudsuv 10+ year member]

what is the differences as far as sound goes? I know I should go hear for myself but I want someone coughjoetema cough with some advice... seems like they use the same tweeter and midrange but difference midbass driver.

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[bose301s 5,000+ posts]

Did you mean 704, because the 703 is somewhat different. The 703 is 3 way design like the CM7, but it uses 2 woofers instead of 1. I believe the 700 series is higher up than the CM series as it uses the Nautilus tweeter on top design. Either way you can't go wrong.

 

[joetama 5,000+ posts]

Well...

The tweeter and midrange are different. They are both the alloy and FST but they are very much different, such as the CM7 is 5 in and the 703 is 6 inch...

Anyway, the CM7 is more relaxed than the 703. Very good sounding but not as precise. The 703 will have more bass output since it has an extra bass driver, this also makes it harder to couple correctly with a subwoofer. Also, the 703 uses the 'tweeter on top' method to help phase align the tweeter and the midrange better.

The big difference is the CM7 is more traditional sounding vs the 703 being very lean almost aggressive. Personally I like the lean aggressive sound for what I listen to but people don't always like that (usually the word "bright" comes into play) and want a 'smoother' more musical sound. I guess I just like to listen technically. All the B&W are strong on the highs, very polite on the midrange, and lean on the bass (very much a 'British' sound).

I haven't listened to the CM7 vs the 600 series 4. But, a lot of people on a few other forums prefer the sound of the 683. IIRC the CM7 is $2000 for a pair and the 683 is $1500 for a pair. If you want to jump into the 700 series the 704 (less bass than the 703 and no FST, which IMO is seriously limited) is $2400 and IIRC the 703 retails at $3300.

To be honest if you are looking to replace the Def Techs I would go with the 683 or CM7.

Of if you can wait, wait till march when the CT 7 Series comes out, which is made for higher SPL 'home theater' applications. It is pretty much the 700 Series of the CT800s.

The CT7.3 has dual bass drivers, a blue FST Kevlar driver, Silk tweeter and is made for higher SPL output. The CT7.4 has dual blue Kevlar mid drivers and a silk tweeter. The first B&W silk tweeter in a long time, supposed to be rather efficient.

I think the CT 7.3 will be about $1500 each and the CT 7.4 will be about $1000 each.

Also, the HTM-7 leaves something to be desired. Which is another benefit of either waiting till the CT 7 Series comes out or going with the 600 S4 Range.

 

[bose301s 5,000+ posts]

Well...
The tweeter and midrange are different. They are both the alloy and FST but they are very much different, such as the CM7 is 5 in and the 703 is 6 inch...

Anyway, the CM7 is more relaxed than the 703. Very good sounding but not as precise. The 703 will have more bass output since it has an extra bass driver, this also makes it harder to couple correctly with a subwoofer. Also, the 703 uses the 'tweeter on top' method to help phase align the tweeter and the midrange better.

The big difference is the CM7 is more traditional sounding vs the 703 being very lean almost aggressive. Personally I like the lean aggressive sound for what I listen to but people don't always like that (usually the word "bright" comes into play) and want a 'smoother' more musical sound. I guess I just like to listen technically. All the B&W are strong on the highs, very polite on the midrange, and lean on the bass (very much a 'British' sound).

I haven't listened to the CM7 vs the 600 series 4. But, a lot of people on a few other forums prefer the sound of the 683. IIRC the CM7 is $2000 for a pair and the 683 is $1500 for a pair. If you want to jump into the 700 series the 704 (less bass than the 703 and no FST, which IMO is seriously limited) is $2400 and IIRC the 703 retails at $3300.

To be honest if you are looking to replace the Def Techs I would go with the 683 or CM7.

Of if you can wait, wait till march when the CT 7 Series comes out, which is made for higher SPL 'home theater' applications. It is pretty much the 700 Series of the CT800s.

The CT7.3 has dual bass drivers, a blue FST Kevlar driver, Silk tweeter and is made for higher SPL output. The CT7.4 has dual blue Kevlar mid drivers and a silk tweeter. The first B&W silk tweeter in a long time, supposed to be rather efficient.

I think the CT 7.3 will be about $1500 each and the CT 7.4 will be about $1000 each.

Also, the HTM-7 leaves something to be desired. Which is another benefit of either waiting till the CT 7 Series comes out or going with the 600 S4 Range.

Hmm, out of curiosity how do you know all this? I love my 603s, absolutely phenomenal sound. As for the bright high end, I disagree, the highs of the B&W speakers I have heard are airy and open, but in no way bright, especially compared to Klipsch and Paradigm models. My favorite music listening experience so far has been listening to The Wall on a pair of 802Ds supplemented buy a JL Fathom f113 and powered by 2 mono blocks, either Rotel or B&K, I can't remember which.

 

[joetama 5,000+ posts]

Hmm, out of curiosity how do you know all this? I love my 603s, absolutely phenomenal sound. As for the bright high end, I disagree, the highs of the B&W speakers I have heard are airy and open, but in no way bright, especially compared to Klipsch and Paradigm models. My favorite music listening experience so far has been listening to The Wall on a pair of 802Ds supplemented buy a JL Fathom f113 and powered by 2 mono blocks, either Rotel or B&K, I can't remember which.

I know all of it because I do... //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif

I agree with you on the old 600 Series 3/4 that they highs are really open and airy. Most of the 800 Series is this way too. However, the 703 are really lean and could be considered harsh if you were used to listening to a German or French Loudspeaker (or many DIY speakers). The 703 are pretty much you love them or you hate them.

Anyway, since you mentioned the 802D, the thing that blows me away about the 802D and the 800D is the texture. I swear to god everytime I listen to Ray Charles on my dealers 800D with Dual Classe Monoblocks, CP-700, and CDP-502 I get up and look behind the speaker to see if maybe Ray has come back from death and is hiding behind the speakers... //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/laugh.gif.48439b2acf2cfca21620f01e7f77d1e4.gif

 

[bose301s 5,000+ posts]

I know all of it because I do... //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif

I agree with you on the old 600 Series 3/4 that they highs are really open and airy. Most of the 800 Series is this way too. However, the 703 are really lean and could be considered harsh if you were used to listening to a German or French Loudspeaker (or many DIY speakers). The 703 are pretty much you love them or you hate them.

Anyway, since you mentioned the 802D, the thing that blows me away about the 802D and the 800D is the texture. I swear to god everytime I listen to Ray Charles on my dealers 800D with Dual Classe Monoblocks, CP-700, and CDP-502 I get up and look behind the speaker to see if maybe Ray has come back from death and is hiding behind the speakers... //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/laugh.gif.48439b2acf2cfca21620f01e7f77d1e4.gif

Oh I know, the depth they have is absolutely amazing, not just side to side imaging, but front to back as well as top to bottom, its a full 3d effect, and from just 2 speakers. Its also amazing how loud you can get them yet they don't seem that way, until you are yelling at the person sitting next to you at the top of your lungs and they can barely hear you, lol.

 

[joetama 5,000+ posts]

Oh I know, the depth they have is absolutely amazing, not just side to side imaging, but front to back as well as top to bottom, its a full 3d effect, and from just 2 speakers. Its also amazing how loud you can get them yet they don't seem that way, until you are yelling at the person sitting next to you at the top of your lungs and they can barely hear you, lol.

That volume thing IMO is caused by clarity.

In the Pro-PA division of the company I work for we use Meyer UPA-1P/2P for a lot of applications since they are such a powerful little speaker. But, recently we switched from a Behringer MX2642 console with outboard effects and EQ to a Yamaha DM1000 (where you don't need anything outboard).

Obviously the DM1000 is in a completely different class than the Behringer, but the difference in the SQ was dramatic. The first event we did with it was a large graduation. We used the typical 4 UPAs two per side on sticks. But, we noticed in the checking that if we ran the UPA really hard the volume didn't seem that loud, but the voice illegibility carried really far. One of the guys that was with us kept wanting us to turn it up because it didn't seem that loud at the speaker so how could it be loud at the person? Well you could hear in ever nook and cranny in that grand stand. It was amazing.

 

[bose301s 5,000+ posts]

That volume thing IMO is caused by clarity.
In the Pro-PA division of the company I work for we use Meyer UPA-1P/2P for a lot of applications since they are such a powerful little speaker. But, recently we switched from a Behringer MX2642 console with outboard effects and EQ to a Yamaha DM1000 (where you don't need anything outboard).

Obviously the DM1000 is in a completely different class than the Behringer, but the difference in the SQ was dramatic. The first event we did with it was a large graduation. We used the typical 4 UPAs two per side on sticks. But, we noticed in the checking that if we ran the UPA really hard the volume didn't seem that loud, but the voice illegibility carried really far. One of the guys that was with us kept wanting us to turn it up because it didn't seem that loud at the speaker so how could it be loud at the person? Well you could hear in ever nook and cranny in that grand stand. It was amazing.

Definitely, the reason it doesn't seem loud is the lack of distortion. Normally what tells you something is loud is the harshness you hear because of the distortion, this is also what "hurts" your ears (I am not using hurt in the sense of damaging hearing but rather bothersome because of the harshness). If that is taken away you do not realize how loud it truly is, and that's when you can run into danger of hearing damage as you just don't realize how loud it is.

 

[Mr. C 10+ year member]

If I ever get rich enough, I would upgrade to a set of 803D's. Awesome sounding speaker.

Seriously impressive staging and depth. I thought the center channel was running during the demo until he turned it face down and the sound remained the same. I was truly impressed.

They had a two channel Rotel Amp for the towers and a 5 channel amp for the center and surrounds.

I love my Definitives, but the 803's are a notch or two above. Maybe one day.