TAS 196: B&W CM7 and Rega RS5 Loudspeakers

Affordable and Musically Satisfying

Back in The Absolute Sound Issue 176, I wrote about a remarkable B&W speaker, the 685. A tiny $650 two-way that I thought raised the bar in its price range, the speaker had an open soundstage, excellent balance, impressive top- and bottom-end extensions, and surprising rhythmic authority. It was also very well made and finished—beyond what you’d expect for the dollars asked. As with many manufacturers, the reason B&W was able to offer such value can be summed up in a single word: China. Though the 685 was designed at B&W’s main facility in England, it was manufactured at the company’s newish Chinese factory, where, as I wrote earlier, “B&W’s engineers and factory managers spent over two years overseeing construction, and training the staff of what is said to be a state-of-the-art facility.”

B&W’s CM Series is a step up from its entry-level 600 Series. And after spending several weeks with the new model CM7 ($2000), which comes from the same factory as the 685, I’d say the venerable British firm is onto something good here. The CM7 has all of the virtues of the 685, but with a more refined presentation that includes not just deeper bass but also a richer sound, a bigger sound, and greater detail.

My one minor gripe with the 685 was a high-frequency response that, even after significant burn-in, never quite lost a bit of edginess. I’m not certain if the 1" aluminum dome Nautilus-loaded tweeter (a now ubiquitous part of all B&W designs) in the CM7 is different—I suspect it is—or if superior crossover components are responsible, or if the CM7’s greater overall richness is the key, but even in the early stages of listening I never sensed any roughness or edge to the CM7’s treble.

For example, on the Harmonia Mundi recording of Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro I discussed in the 685 review, neither the soprano of Véronique Gens (the Countess) nor the mezzo-soprano of Angelika Kirchschlager (Cherubino) had the slight raggedness I’d heard with the 685. Indeed, their beautifully captured voices were pure and smooth, blending well and nicely integrating with the orchestra’s period instruments, which, though retaining their slightly lean baroque charm, had a much greater sense of body and richness of instrumental texture than they did with the 685.

Interestingly, the incisive and lively dynamics of the 685 weren’t quite as evident here, but I believe that is more my reaction to the CM7’s deeper bass and fuller mids and upper-mids, which deemphasize the midrange snap I heard from the smaller speaker. This notion was more or less settled when I played Esoteric’s excellent LP reissue of Falla’s The Three Cornered Hat (reviewed last issue) through the CM7, which not only had the dynamic spark it takes to convey the group hand-claps and start-stop Spanish rhythms of this famous recording, but also displayed a gorgeously lush massed string sound, as well as a fine sense of three-dimensionality.

Wilco’s latest, Wilco (The Album) [Nonesuch LP], has a thicker, almost orchestral sound compared to the band’s earlier releases, and the CM7 seemed to emphasize the recording’s lushly layered tones and textures. This is where careful setup can reward you with either a slightly tighter sound or a more expansive one, depending on your personal preference. Not only does proximity to rear walls and sidewalls alter the speakers’ balance, but choosing to let the rear-firing vent operate full-bore or slightly muting it with the supplied foam plug also has significant sonic impact, with the added benefit of permitting closer-to-rear-wall placement. The accessories kit includes spikes (for carpet) and rounded knobs (for hardwood floors), which add stability and sonic purity.

The CM7 is a handsome small tower, which can be had in two authentic wood veneers—rosenut (reddish brown) or wengé (dark brown)—as well as the finish my review samples were delivered in, a lovely and contemporary looking gloss black. If you prefer to listen, as I do, with the grilles off, removing them leaves behind an unblemished cabinet rather than unsightly mounting hardware thanks to B&W’s magnetic attachment system.

Behind the grille is B&W’s trademarked Nautilus tweeter, as well as other signature touches—a 5" woven Kevlar midrange cone and a 6.5" paper/Kevlar bass driver. Attractive chrome trim highlights the 7’s functional good looks. (For more technical details I recommend checking out the company Web sites listed below.)

Overall, B&W’s CM7 is yet another example of why this company has survived good times and bad. It delivers a lot of sound, impressive engineering, and musical satisfaction at a price that, even in our still sputtering economy, can be called a genuine value.