Bowers & Wilkins 607 S2 Anniversary Edition Review

[TrevC]

Although Stereophile haven't tested the 706 S2 they have tested the 705 sig which is apparently identical apart from the outboard tweeter. https://www.stereophile.com/content/bowers-wilkins-705-signature-loudspeaker.
Interestingly the raised highs all but disappeared in the in room response. This may be Andrew Robinson's problem, he hasn't got a well furnished living room!

 

[DSJR]

Shouldn't an in-room response gently decline with increasing frequencies?

 

[thewas]

Shouldn't an in-room response gently decline with increasing frequencies?

With such classic radiation pattern loudspeakers yes, which can be seen also with the other loudspeakers room responses which have plotted in comparison:

Fig.9 Bowers & Wilkins 705 Signature, spatially averaged, 1/6-octave response in JA's listening room (red), of the Marten Oscar Duo (blue), and of the KEF LS50 (green).

Source: https://www.stereophile.com/content/bowers-wilkins-705-signature-loudspeaker-measurements

 

[TrevC]

Shouldn't an in-room response gently decline with increasing frequencies?

That would depend on the room.

 

[LTig]

That would depend on the room.

... and on the radiation pattern.

 

[TrevC]

There isn't a huge difference in responses in that graph. Myself, I like a bit of sparkle.

 

[richard12511]

Although Stereophile haven't tested the 706 S2 they have tested the 705 sig which is apparently identical apart from the outboard tweeter. https://www.stereophile.com/content/bowers-wilkins-705-signature-loudspeaker.
Interestingly the raised highs all but disappeared in the in room response. This may be Andrew Robinson's problem, he hasn't got a well furnished living room!

Damn, that's a nice looking speaker.

 

[thewas]

There isn't a huge difference in responses in that graph. Myself, I like a bit of sparkle.

5 dB over a wide range is a large difference but of course taste is an individual thing.

 

[skyfly]

Nobody makes headphones with flat raw frequency response.

Someday in the future, people may laugh at today's people aiming at flat frequency response by certain specific measurements from a multiway domestic speakers.

 

[thewas]

Nobody makes headphones with flat raw frequency response.

Some of the most used headphones targets try to imitate the sound of a neutral (i.e. flat on-axis and well behaving directivity) loudspeaker placed in a good room at the eardrum, so them having not a flat raw response is not argument that loudspeakers should be not flat on-axis.

 

[skyfly]

Some of the most used headphones targets try to imitate the sound of a neutral (i.e. flat on-axis and well behaving directivity) loudspeaker placed in a good room at the eardrum, so them having not a flat raw response is not argument that loudspeakers should be not flat on-axis.

We can see HARMAN Group loudspeaker manuals without recommendation for toe-in and with the speaker placement drawing with zero toe in, i.e. recommending uneven direct sound response curve by the mic at the listener's position.

Could tell us whether that "neutral loudspeaker" is Genelec or not?

 

[skyfly]

Some high-end audiophiles give pain to their family members. The sound from the audio system is unbearable, but the audiophile insists that it is extremely good sound we should listen to.

I guess some anti-high-end audiophiles might be giving pain to their family members, too. The sound from the audio system is unbearable, but the audiophile insists that certain specific on and off axis frequency measurement curves look nice, and thus this is the sound we all must listen to.

 

[richard12511]

We can see HARMAN Group loudspeaker manuals without recommendation for toe-in and with the speaker placement drawing with zero toe in, i.e. recommending uneven direct sound response curve by the mic at the listener's position.

Could tell us whether that "neutral loudspeaker" is Genelec or not?

Harman designed speakers are designed with very wide dispersion, which means that they are very neutral over the entire listening window, which (usually) includes no toe-in. Also, those manuals are not made by the engineers, and often have clearly different information than what the engineers actually recommend(in forums or direct message).

 

[thewas]

Could tell us whether that "neutral loudspeaker" is Genelec or not?

Not only Genelec fortunately, this forum is discussing also many other brands and models.

 

[Tonygeno]

Nobody makes headphones with flat raw frequency response.

Someday in the future, people may laugh at today's people aiming at flat frequency response by certain specific measurements from a multiway domestic speakers.

Or maybe not...

 

[skyfly]

Guessing spatial power response from two sets of families (horizontal and vertical) requires mathematics.

It does not mean the guessing is perfect. Mathematical modeling, i.e. simplification of the real sound sources is used.

 

[skyfly]

Not only Genelec fortunately, this forum is discussing also many other brands and models.

The well known and widely used target curves are determined by our forum?

My question was not about your subjective list of speaker brands and models.

Was it documented that a specific well known (well known and widely used before Audio Science Review forum was even created) target curve was made with a Genelec or other brand or model you said you liked (not because of your audition but because your eyes liked some of the Klippel curves) in this forum?

 

[thewas]

The well known and widely used target curves are determined by our forum?

My question was not about your subjective list of speaker brands and models.

Was it documented that a specific well known (well known and widely used before Audio Science Review forum was even created) target curve was made with a Genelec or other brand or model you said you liked (not because of your audition but because your eyes liked some of the Klippel curves) in this forum?

What are you talking about? Research has shown that most people prefer on-axis linear loudpeakers with smooth directivity. Also it is logical if you think that more and more studio monitors are like that, so material which is mixed and mastered to sound good on those will also sound good on hifi loudspeakers which behave like that. If some individuals prefer some deviations to that they are free to use different loudspeakers or EQ for that, but for example noone would think in the photo or video industry to make cameras or playback devices which would emphasise for example one colour over the others.

 

[skyfly]

What are you talking about? Research has shown that most people prefer on-axis linear loudpeakers with smooth directivity. Also it is logical if you think that more and more studio monitors are like that, so material which is mixed and mastered to sound good on those will also sound good on hifi loudspeakers which behave like that. If some individuals prefer some deviations to that they are free to use different loudspeakers or EQ for that, but for example noone would think in the photo or video industry to make cameras or playback devices which would emphasise for example one colour over the others.

Thank you for clarifying that you do not exactly know how the headphone target curves were determined. I fully respect your naïve guess.

 

[thewas]

Thank you for clarifying that you do not exactly know how the headphone target curves were determined. I fully respect your naïve guess.

??? Now you are suddenly talking about headphones? Of course I know how the Harman headphone targets were determined, but you were talking till now about loudspeakers! Also better let the readers decide who writes naive guesses and who doesn't.