Clear crisp and well balanced sound.

At $420, you must be kidding

The best value for money by far. These monitors beats anything in their price range hands down. Even though they are still very new, I cannot praise these new 602 S3 speakers enough. They deliver crisp, clear and well balanced reproduction for any music from classics to jazz and 70s/80s rock & pop. They are a great upgrade to my 601s and I'm sure I will enjoy them for many years to come.

Similar Products Used:

Technics, B&W 601s

Very detail, clarity, punchy bass. Nice appearance for sorrento colour. Good value at its price

Makes me want to upgrade my amp to NAD S300!

I just bought these speakers a couple months ago replacing my JBL and Bose bookshelf. It turned out that I love these speakers so much for audio listening. It gives clarity, transparancy and details in singers' voice and music instrument. Moreover with these bookshelf speakers I enjoy Ms.Kralls' (Diana Krall) music more than I expected. Last week, I went back to the store and tried them with NAD S300 integrated amp, bi wire cabling and wfff! they made me smitten with the sound, the quality was just superb and fabulous ! Well NAD S300 was very much at its price so I consider to upgrade slowly and also put a consideration on NAD 370 which is more affordable hence very good combined with this 602 s3 I really recommend for new audio enthusiasts to buy these speakers. Anyway, just try them yourself!

Similar Products Used:

Marantz cd 19a player Harman Kardon AVR Pioner DV533 dvd player

Great soundstage and perspective. Excellent transparancy and transients. Quick, firm and surprisingly deep bass.

I seriously can't find any at this price.

This is a followup of an earlier review I wrote a couple of months ago. This review is my post purchase thoughts and observations. I have finally bought the speakers, and let me say that I am even more impressed with them now than when I first tried them. The kevlar membrane is harder to break in than most speakers, and it takes about 2 months of normal listening. I have placed them on Blackfoot 24" mounts, on a parquet floor and bi-wired them. Tara Labs Nexa for the treble, and TaraLabs Phase 3 for the mid/bass. The sound is now smoother and gives an increased feeling of being "in" the music. The transients are quick and clear, and the perspective and dynamics are excellent. They have maintained that neutrality and transparancy that I initially fell for, and they astound me every time I sit down and listen. The extra investment of the blackfoot mounts (180 $) are definetly worth it, since the S3 deserves proper footing. They give a solid foundation and helps the speaker maintain the quick, firm bass. I am extremely satisfied with these speakers, and I haven't had an ounce of regret. I still haven't heard a set of speakers in this price range that can match this. The B&W 602 S3 are truly a giant killer, and excellent value for the money. If you have any questions regarding these speakers, feel free to mail me.

Similar Products Used:

Dynaudio 42 (also an excellent speaker, worth a try)

Great treble, mid, and bass. Can rock the house, and can be romantic.

The terminals, hard to get banana's in there.

After a long look for new speakers since I lost mine old ones in a bitter break up. I found these wonderful speakers. I wanted something that could jam and yet provide that refinement that I was looking for. However, I was not willing to spend too much for new speakers. I looked at Klipsch RF3 MII, which were very good and in strong consideration. However after comparing them to the B&W 603 s2, I found them to be coloured. The 603 s2, were great, but not in the budget.Next the Paradigm Mini Monitor v3. I thought that these sounded not quite as good as my old Mini V1. Which were awesome. Paradigm what did you do??? Finally after listening to the 601 s3, I decided I would try the 602 S3, as well. The 602 has a more open sound, more detail, and more ease at delivering the LF goods. Which is expected out of a 7" woofer, .5" bigger than the 601, however, the 602 uses a much larger cabinet. I listen to DMB, country, classic rock, and blues. And these speakers sound great on everything I play through them. I would recommend a break in time of at least over night. Then the treble opens up softens, and give you some grerat detail. The midrange is great and voices and instruments sound very natural. System Straightwire Rhaspody interconnect Straightwire Octave 2 bi wire Sony ES Cd changer Denon DRA-395 reciever. Sanus Stands

Similar Products Used:

Paradigm Mini Monitor V1, Bose 301 series 4

very good build quality above average performance A steal at this price...

not shielded

I just want to add one more positive review for these outstanding speakers. I bought my 602s3's in Dec. 2001,I had placed my order even before B&W started shipping them, so I had to wait for 3 weeks before bringing them home. I was looking/listening to the 602s2, and was sold on them, but I was told that the series 3 were coming out soon, so I decided to wait. If you've listened to these speakers, then you know why they have gotten such good reviews, if not, then I urge you to audition these( or any other B&W speaker) before you make up your mind. I have mine mounted on Lovan 24" stands, and without using my subwoofer, they have very impressive bass for a stand mount speaker( I don't call these bookshelf ). I am driving mine with a Rotel amp (RMB-1075), using a Denon 2802 as the pre/pro. A+

Similar Products Used:

B&W DM303

Whether you enjoy listening to rock,vocal,classical or Jazz music reproduction, you can be assured of a satisfying event while listening through the DM602-S3. One must bear in mind what price point these speakers fall into before judging to harshly. Does it offer all the micro dynamics of the well respected B&W Nautilus series? NO! but is without a doubt a lucious fruit that has fallen from the same tree!

At the MSRP of $600.00 You gotta be kidding!

Let me begin this user review of the B&W DM602-S3 by acknowledging the facts. I have owned several Mid to High end loudpseakers over the years, with much satisfaction from several other MFG's, but found myself once again returning to a MFG whom always deleivers the goods! especially for the budget minded music & audio lover. The DM602-S3 has surpassed all my expectations of a bookshelf speaker, and once you factor in the MSRP of $600.00 Pr, well...its a no brainer! I have mated these wonderful speakers with The NAD C370 intergrated amp & NAD C541i CD player with amazing synergy. The B&W 602-S3 is a well resolved, yet muscle bound reproducer of music. The bass has depth with quickness and resolution. It is often reported that the high frequencies with the B&W 600 series product line can be a little intrusive. NOT THE CASE! Actually due to its ability to reproduce what is actually recorded in the upper registers in your choice of music. Be it a good or poorly recorded source material, this british gem of a loudspeaker will tell it like it is! Room Placement should be a minimal concern. For the typical head locked in place sweet spot, often demanded from other loudspeaker designs does not apply here.

Similar Products Used:

Paradigm, Mission, Kef, Magnepan, Energy,etc..

value, clarity of high end

none of the money

I just bought these yestersay after extensive listening at the shop. I narrowed down my choices to the 602's and Paradigm Studio/20's (a fairly common situation from what I have heard). What really hooked me on these was the clarity of the higher end. They had a certain ummmf on the guitar material I tested them on that that the Paradigms just didn't have. I think that was Paradigm's supposed "laid back" sound that people talk about. (I disclaim my positive spin on this by saying that that I am quite used to the B&W sound since I have had a wonderful pair of 604's for 2 years now.) The midrange and bass was more than fine given the size and price (my tin ear isn't going to tell much more than that). I think for the money they are a fine deal. Also a good choice if looking for a soild "largeish" direct radiating surround.

Similar Products Used:

Paradigm Studio/20, B&W 601 S3

Balanced and transparent. No boxiness.

None.

I bought this for my second system (Electronic Tonalities Foreplay preamp and Dyna 70 with Triode upgrade run by a Sony SCD 775). I have compared these with CDM1NT's and while that speaker has very 3D soud, the 602's are better balanced with a better bottom end. These speakers make you forget the equipment and let you enjoy the sound. Very forward sound but not harsh nor brittle. I think many prefer this to the floor standing 602.5's. Nothing beats it at this price point.

Similar Products Used:

Mission 702e B&W CDM1NT B&W 302 B&W 603S2

Nice looking,Excellent tweeter,Solid,Price.

None really except i wish they were made of the wood the cdms were but i suppose they would be more expensive.

I originally bought the 602 s2 intending to get the 604s2 when i could afford to.When i returned to check out the 604s2 i was told a series 3 had come out.I waited a few days and shopped around for clearance series 2s but learned that the series3s were better looking,had better internal bracing and an ultrasonic tweeter for future fromats.I finally purchased a pair of 602s3 and thought i could use the s2 for another room when i decided again to get the 604's.I took them home and have solid steel speaker stands which i found at a rubbish clean up which i think were used for garden pots.They weigh about 30kgs each and were covered in rust and dirt.One week of grinding and painting they came out like new and i cut the top of the stands to fit perfectly the base of the speakers.I played some music before i changed the speakers over and when i hooked up the series 3s i noticed a difference straight away.They were not even broken in and i could hear the difference in clarity over the s2's.I have had them about 4 months now and they sound excellent.I have the 602s2's at the rear and a lcr600s3 centre.The bass was ok but not for dance or techno but ok for mild rock.I added a asw100 and man now they rock big time.I have noticed though that they like to be played loud.I am gonna get the 604s3's and a 5 channel amp to run through my rxv 800 and i think then i will be even happier.Speaker cable has to be half decent though.I am very happy with these speakers.The price is not much to pay for the quality you get and i have noticed that they do sound better as the they wear in.I looked at heaps of different brands before i bought b&w and man i am so happy i made the right choice.b&w make their own speakers crossovers etc and not someone elses in a box they made.They will not become obsolete like a dvd player of receiver so speakers are better value considering how long they could last.You could find better sounding speakers but i reckon you would have to spend alot more money.Good for home theatre and just a allround good value great sounding speaker. My gear is as follows. rxv 800 receiver yamaha 520 dvd 602s3 front 602s2 rear lcr600 centre asw1000 sub monster bass 400 sub lead qed sr75 coaxil lead qed 25th anniversary bi wire silver

Similar Products Used:

JPW,Mostly disposable hifi

Tonal balance, clear highs and mids

Nothing for the price

I bought these speakers as my first foray into the world of Hi-fi after listening to my friends 602 S2's. They are an excellent product for the money and I would recommend that anyone starting out in Hi-fi should skip the entry level and go straight for these speakers. W"hile deciding which speakers to buy I listened to the 601 S3's, while they were excellent speakers, the improvement of the 602's over 601's was much more dramatic than the £50 price difference. The highs and mids are exceptionally clear, while the bass is punchy and provides a surprising amount of weight. In my opinion, a very well balanced speaker.

Similar Products Used:

B&W 601 S3 B&W 602 S2 Monitor audio silver 4i KEF Q1