Well-known name

Bright treble, forward, harsh midrange, unclear bass.

I just spent a lot of time listening to this speaker next to NHT SB-1 speakers that are the same price. I've seen a lot of reviewers here have compared them to average or substandard speakers. The SB-1s are not and that may make the difference in how I perceived the 303s. Another is that I listen to the sound instrument by instrument and then listen to the overall sound afterwards. My friend who owns the B&Ws said "I think I still like the B&Ws". I said, "try listening to one instrument or voice at a time and then listen again to the overall sound". And his expression changed within a few switches. First of all, the B&Ws are bigger and bassier than the NHTs, but the cabinet isn't nearly as solid and the NHT's bass is far more detailed and actually, a tad deeper, largely because of the lack of the port on the NHTs. Secondly, the midrange is downright blary on the B&Ws. To the untrained ear, that may seem like "liveliness" or "openness" but it is really just artifacts of a flimsy cone material of some kind. Probably a kevlar hybrid of some kind and kevlar is an extremely flexible cloth. In any case, the NHTs imaged better and sounded clear and more accurate. The upper treble was surprisingly bright for a British speaker, much more so than the lower treble. NHT often gets accused of being bright, but certainly not next to these. My friend immediately started noticing more detail and more refinement with more intelligible vocals on the NHTs as he focused a little more. And then said he was going to sell the B&Ws. Which is not so say that the B&Ws are bad. They are probably better than or equal to many affordable speakers. I also suspect that there are others that are better, not just the NHTs. The NHTs were SO much better that I doubt they could be the only ones. I haven't heard the latest PSBs or Paradigms in this range, but I would listen to those as well before buying these. I also noticed that the B&Ws sounded their best at very low, background levels, but got very bright and harsh very quickly at anything above that. If you only listen at the softest levels (and I mean way soft), these speakers become more recommendable.

Similar Products Used:

NHT SB-1

Open sound, decent bass, good listening at low volume, light and portable,

None at the price range

First of all my thanks to this site and to its users. Helped me greatly in selecting my audio gear.

I listened to the above speakers at a couple of shops using NAD 370 amp - NAD 521 CD player combination. Ended up getting the 303. It's a steal for the price.

Now for the sound. For a bookshelf, the 303 has an open, engaging sound. It's mids and highs are clear and sweet. The bass is impressive for the size of the speaker. However you would probably want a sub if you are a bass lover like me. Even at louder volumes the music still holds together. Build quality is good, not great.

The PSBs Image 1B and 2B has excellent mids and highs. Detail and soundstage is better than the B&W 303/601 I felt. But what turned me off from this speakers is the lack of bass. But this is subjective depending on your listening preference.

I found the 601s2 to be of the same sound quality as the 303. Not much difference except perhaps the 601 has a tod bit more detail. The 602s2 is a different story. Bigger soundstage. Music is clearer and more detailed. Bass is also more precise and felt than either the 303 or 601. I ended up with the 303 because I was looking for the best sound I can get for the smallest box size. The 602 was about twice the size and weight of the 303. If not for this I would have probably got the 602 even though it was pricier.

Take note the 303 needs burning in as already mentioned by the others. I've been using mine for 1 week now and the quality of the music has improved dramatically, especially the mellowing of the highs and mids since out of the box they were a bit harsh to the ears. 303 also does not support bi-wiring as the 601 does. Though I do not know if this matters.

If you are looking for an affordable, good quality bookshelf speakers that can fill a small room or apartment with engaging music, you should audition the DM 303. If you are willing to spend a bit more for a larger bookshelf pair, the 602s2 is a must listen. For the size and price, the 303 definitely deserves a 5-star overall rating.

Noel

Similar Products Used:

B&W601s2, 602s2, PSB Image 1B, 2B

Amazing sound for the price. Good sound up and down the spectrum.

Bass is better than what you'd expect from a 2-way stand-mounted speaker, but not astonishing.

As others have noted, these are good speakers for a living room setup, which is exactly what I'm using them for. I've got them hooked up to an old Denon 2500.

These sound far better than the LM1, a lot smoother and easier to listen to. They don't sound as good as a friend's DM603S2 speakers, but the 603 is a lot more expensive. He's impressed by them, as well.

My ratings are relative to my expectation of a quality bookshelf speaker, otherwise I would give it an overall rating of 3 to 4... they aren't the mouthpiece for a choir of angles, after all.

Similar Products Used:

B&W DM602S2, B&W LM1

Undeniably fantastic bang for your buck. Very pleasurable sound.

Bass extension, but for this price and size, that's not really a weakness as a sub would be expected if you expect any real bass from bookshelves.

The DM303 was introduced to me by the wonderful sales folks at the Gramaphone which I am fortunate to live less than two miles away from. I have a small entertainment/work area set up which includes my desk, computer, and audio equipment. I had been using a pair of floorstanding speakers to the sides of the desk as my audio system... Obviously, the setup sounded ghastly as far as stereo imaging goes. I decided that it was time to invest in a pair of speakers that would last me a while until I obtained a decent cashflow (I'm a student). At $300, the DM303 not only fit my wallet, but also my entertainment/work area. Now, with the speakers in the usual equilateral triangle, my setup sounded fantastic as far as vocal and mid-range and high range sound goes. The bass, at least that which lies under 70hz, is there but barely audible. A subwoofer, probably a Definitive Technology, will be purchased shortly. The sound these speakers produce can only be described as quite pleasing. For $300 you truely get a little taste of hi-fi. The output levels go beyond that which my ears care to listen to, so power is not really an issue. What is truely very nice about this speaker is the fact that even though these are almost at the lowest end of B&W's product line, the attention to quality remains the same. The wood laminate looks very nice and came entirely unblimished out of the box. The only annoyance I found with this speaker is that it is not magnetically shielded, which was a problem since they are only about 1.5ft away from my computer monitor, but I found a position for them that satisfy the equilateral triangle setup and do not tie-die my screen. Some people have commented on the golf ball baffle design. I suppose it's a matter of personal preference because I actually like the look, although I seriously doubt that have any *real* acoustical purpose. While this speaker most certainly will not sound like a speaker twice or three times its price... One has to look at the cost. At $300 you get a *killer* pair of speakers that really blow low-cost speakers right out of the water. If you have a small room (dorm room anyone?) or don't need the loudest speaker ever designed, the 303 might just be for you.

Similar Products Used:

various mainstream bookshelf speakers

Soundstage, presence, what bass there is is very convincing

There ain't much below 70 Hz

I was idly looking for a pair of small speakers to use in my auxillary system in a small den, and I wanted them in a maple or oak finish. So, I wandered into Soundworks (nice store, nice folks, I was not dressed in my usual khaki/polo shirt (i.e. "yes I have the money to pay for this stuff and am not wasting your time") auditioning attire, and they treated me straight up.

Anyway, I poked around and the DM 303s and a similarly sized pair of Tannoy's fit the bill, so I had the fella hook them up. I had no idea how much they cost. Patricia Barber's version of "And the Beat Goes On" was all it took. (I listen to this disc a lot on my Maggie SMGas) While these speakers don't offer much under 70 Hz, the bass they do put out is extremely suggestive of what is missing. Other than that, I was very impressed with their immediacy, nearly complete "vanishing act" and the compelling presentation of Barber's voice. There is a Real Dose of the High End packed into these little boxes.

In comparison, the Tannoy's sounded like 'bookshelf speakers'. Not very lively, a little muffled.

So, on to the moment of truth - based on the sound, I was expecting to be quoted a figure in the neighborhood of $600 or $700, which might have been fair, but would have necessitated more comparison shopping. I was stunned when the salesman told me the B&Ws were $300. The Tannoy's cost about 25% MORE and sounded about %25 worse.

As I had a NHT SubOne already in situ in the den, I bought the broken-in display pair and ran out the door. A total no-brainer at $300 list.

If you're on a budget, have a small room, and either don't need a lot of bass or have a sub, you've GOT to check these out. They're a mite insensitive, probably want a bit more power than your typical tiny speaker, and as others have noted they don't get REAL LOUD. I'm running them with Adcom electronics (60W into 8 ohms) and they get sufficiently loud for personal listening, but I won't count on them to rock my house parties.

Similar Products Used:

Tannoy, NHT 1.5, Freid Q3s (15 years old), Magnepan SMGa (similar price range in the used market, very different speaker)

Soundstage. Value for the price. Looks. Bass for a bookshelf speaker. Tweeter.

None.

I spent almost two solid months researching my home theater / music room purchase. I bought 4 DM 303s and the LCR center for my second system (not my main system). I have the system powered by a Denon AVR3300. I only have connected the two front speakers to this point (have not had time - (or too lazy?) to run the wire through the attic) - but man am I impressed!

For their size, these are impressive speakers! I auditioned many different makes / models in all sizes and price range, but was impressed with the B&Ws for the size and value for the price.

I agree that they needed to be broken in - was very unimpressed after initial set-up. However, within a week they warmed up nicely.

Sound & Vision recommended them as the "living room set-up (paraphrasing)" in a recent article.

Side note - I happen to like their styling and finish is excellent.

Similar Products Used:

Polk, Infinity, Klipsch bookshelf speakers.