sweet highs, aesthitics, solid mids, and bass. nice soundstage. Something that has been missing from my system

very heavy

Have only had product for 2 days and it was so sweet sounding right out of the box. Im still in the break in period and will update as time goes on. This is a real to have piece. Listened to Eagles hotel california- the guitar riffs came right through the set!!!! totaly felt like I was in the house! My first movie will be tonight will keep you posted


System:
Sony reciever STR line/DTS
Sony DVD 5300
Velodyne 12" sub
B&W cdm rears
B&W cdm nt 9 fronts
Audio quest interconnects
Monster cable component and s video
RCA satelite
36" Sony Wega

Similar Products Used:

B&W cdm center

The dialogue is crystal clear and easy on the ears. Bass has outstanding kick and growl, easily dipping to 30Hz. Truly a reference piece. Perfect for a front projector setup.

Tough on the wallet. Too big for a direct view or

I owned a HTM 2 for 6 months before upgrading to the HTM 1. My reasoning for going with the HTM 2 first was: How in the world could a center channel be worth $2K?

After using the HTM 1 for a month, I finally was able to realize the entire impact and content available in the center channel track. 65% of content comes from the center channel, in a given movie. With a full range center, you are truly drawn into the movie and the right and left channels (if full range) create a much more believable, seamless and encompassing environment. The HTM 2 is a great center channel however, the surroundless midrange and two bass drivers of the HTM 1 put it in a class by itself by flawlessly delivering the two key components of a center channel, dialogue and full center screen content.

The front array consists of 804's and the HTM 1, powered by a Proceed Amp 3 with a Proceed AVP. The combination is breathtaking.

An interesting note, the HTM 1's bass was convincing and had excellent kick straight out of the box. This was not the case with the 804's which required 3 months of break in to reach their full potential. The drivers of the 804's and HTM 1 are identical leaving the unported design of the HTM 1 as the key reason for its ability to producing convincing bass from the get go.

Lastly, the construction, attention to detail and finish is fabulous. If you have the space and budget, your search is over for the perfect center.

Similar Products Used:

HTM 2

A full range center with excellent clarity and detail

None

I have this speaker to complement my Nautilus 801 as front main speakers and my Nautilus 805 as rear surround speakers.

I used to listen to 2-channel mode a lot more because if music were played on surround mode, the center speaker just didn't sound balanced to the two front main speakers.

Well, there isn't that problem any more. The HTM-1 produces pretty amazing full range sound that complements well with the N801s. Now I find myself listening to more music in surround mode.

As to home theater, this is the best center I have heard. I have used a couple of others before and have heard many others in audio showrooms, but none compares to this one.

What can I say except that I am quite pleased with it!!!

Similar Products Used:

JBL SVA-Center, B&W Matrix HTM Center

Just as beatiful to listen as it is to look at.

None.Pricey perhaps,but you get what you pay for.

On a confortable recliner close your eyes and listen to the crystaline sound,but if you have a dvd player you may want to keep them open.From the sound and sight of MY FAIR LADY, to THE GUNS OF NAVARONE ,to JAWS ,to REAR WINDOW,to THE MATRIX and to many others you will know the magical sound of the B&W HTM1.

Fabulous definition on movies, dialogue and music.

You better have a sturdy shelf and plenty of amp power for this monster.

Upgraded from HTM2 to this. What a difference. Can now run large speaker option to center from the B&K REF 20 using B&K 7520 200 watt amp. Am using Nautilus 805s for R & L channel. The major change is the elusive "soundstage". It truly was amazing on movies. The dialogue is cleaner and even subtle sound effects are able to be heard clearly. While the HTM2 is a good speaker if you can swing the HTM1 you should look at it. I had to buy mine without an audition as none were in stock. Even my wife has noticed the difference! I would put this on a very short list of top end center channels. Could only give 4 stars for value as 1800 is hard to consider a bargain.

Similar Products Used:

B&w htm2

Amazing construction quality, BEAUTIFUL SOUND!

Tweeter grill doesn't really give good protection.

I love this speaker.

I use my HTM1 in a surround system with two Nautilus 802's in front, two Revel Ultima Gems in the rear, and an ASW400 sub. It's driven with a Meridan 861, Mac C-39, and Mac 7106. It's the perfect match. When used for home theater, the HTM1 provides distinct separation of voice from surroundings without harsh high frequency colorization or bag-end boominess. I am also very pleased with the dynamic range and sensitivity. Movies with large swings, like "The Matrix" and "Terminator Two" made me wonder why we need movie theaters. The HTM1 provides better sound than any cinema.

My Mac C39 & Meridian 861 preamps allow me to configure the surround speakers for two-channel audio. When used in this mode, the HTM1 provides excellent depth and presence without robbing the L/R channel of ambience. For example, "The Calling" by Yes gains liveliness and dimension that is not realized with the standard L/R configuration.

The construction for this quality speaker is rock solid and capable of taking abuse. I know because my HTM1 survived a 5-foot fall during the Seattle earthquake. The tweeter required replacement, but the cabinet had no damage - no dings, no scratches, and no lamination separations. Hell, THE SOUND AND APPEARANCE WERE UNCHANGED!

I give this speaker my highest recommendations. You can't do much better.

Similar Products Used:

Revel, Martin Logan, etc.

If you want a center that is the best this is it it house 3 drivers and has the new FST technology by B&W it pushes 250w and is a very attractive speaker.

I finally got a listen to this speaker this past weekend. All I can say is wow. It truly left me drooling. I know this review is premature as I only listened to it for about an hour, buut I've spent significant time listening/purchasing the entire nautilus system now. I have 804's for the front and (805's on order for the rear-) currently with the htm2 and a mirage sub. Driven by rega planet, sony 7700, classe ssp25, classe 201 & cav 75 (bridged to 3 channels).
I really thought 1k for a center was more than enough, but I've been counting the days to get a listen to this center. The first thing that stands out is its size. I know of no other wood cabinet center near this size, or price for that matter (2k.)
This thing commands respect visually and then you get a listen and it blows you away. The deepest bass I've ever heard in a center. I demoed with lethal weapon (latest one), batman 3 or 4, and a stevie ray vaughan dvd. Music even sounds great in mono out of this thing. Needless to say, I put one on order as I can trade in the htm2. The only cons are obvious- price, size, and weight. You need a large tv if you're going to throw it on top. However, I suppose you could always build a shelf- which eliminates 2 of the 3 cons! Anyway, check it out if you get the chance just for kicks, if you own or are planning on setting up a nautilus home theater than you owe it to yourself to give a listen.

The most beautiful and heavy center on the planet. Sounds as good as it looks.

Need a minimum of a 32" TV to put this on or it will hang over the sides (not a weakness just the fact that its 30" wide)

If you can audition this in your home like I did, or spend some time listening to your favorite DVD in your local audio store, get ready to pull out your wallet. If your serious about movies, and realize that about 70% of all sound comes from the center, then you will realize that you don't want to get cheap on your center, save money on the rear stage if you have to. This speaker sounds sweet out of the box, B&W says 15 hours for proper break in period. I really didn't compare it accept to the cheap Polk Audio center which I have had for a couple years. The HTM2 is also a nice center but there is something special about the FDT midrange... WOW. Also note that this is not a vented box, this is the only 800 series speaker that is sealed (accept for the midrange port in the back). So it is similar to the 804, but only the drive size, not the actual enclosure.

Give it a "listen and you'll see"

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Nothing in its class

solid as a rock construction,sweet sound.

big

Iam an installer,and I get to listen to thousands of different setups and speakers,and Ican honestly say that this speaker is well worth the money!Iam using 804s in the front and rear with the htm1 and the sound is simply amazing.Because the 804s and the htm1 utilize the same drivers,its like having 5-804s.Some people still prefer bookshelf size speakers for rears,but Im here to tell you there aint nuthin like the sound of a full range surround speaker.tip,try this system with the energy 18'sub. ..ck it sounds grrrrrreat.

Similar Products Used:

htm2,