User manual B&W 600 SERIES S3 BROCHURE

[. . . ] The latest 600 Series features an array of drive unit improvements across the range, plus a brand new entry-level floorstander. And there is now a choice of three dedicated subwoofers, engineered to colour-match the rest of the range and designed to generate deep bass from rugged, compact, low-distortion cabinets. Our 600 Series of hi-fi and home cinema speakers has represented, for a decade, unbeatable value for money. Its sales, not to mention its numerous awards and accolades, have recognised the fact. [. . . ] Not even the experts there can say exactly why different brands of nominally identical components affect the quality of the sound or the stereo image. However, there is no doubt that each component leaves its own audible imprint on the sound. For the 600 Series 3, we have made a new selection of capacitors. We won't try and explain it scientifically ­ we just know they sound better, adding clarity and openness to audio delivery. Subwoofer Amplifiers Every 600 Series 3 subwoofer features an amplifier custom tuned to maximise the potential of each individual driver/cabinet combination and realise true bass extension in an easily accommodated package. All have adjustment to match the subwoofer to the room acoustics and to enable it to blend with a wide variety of other speakers in the installation. The most powerful of these amplifiers ­ delivering up to 500 watts for the ASW675 ­ uses a switch mode power supply and Class D configuration for maximum efficiency, ensuring cool and reliable operation. Power factor correction maintains a clean mains supply, avoiding interference with other electronic components. Create a presence A wider TV screen will offer a bigger picture, but sound is what lies at the heart of a genuinely exciting home cinema experience. Creating the right set-up for your room, with sound delivered from properly integrated, high quality loudspeakers, can truly put you in the presence of what's happening on-screen. The comprehensive range of loudspeakers in the 600 Series 3 - small bookshelf units to large floor-standers, dedicated centre speakers and subwoofers - offers numerous alternative combinations for settings from the large, open room to the typical smaller living room. All of the speakers in the range are `voice-matched' - they have a similar aural signature - to deliver a perfectly integrated and true-to-life sound. Visually, too, the 600 Series 3 offers a more integrated solution: the new, Light Oak Sorrento finish will sit very comfortably in most living rooms. Whether you are able to stay in your seat during the movie is on is out of our hands. For smaller rooms, where large speakers would be overpowering - acoustically and aesthetically - a smart solution is to use an LCR60 S3 at centre, with pairs of bookshelf units at front and rear, as shown in the main picture. Mix and match to meet your needs. Here a pair of floorstanding DM602. 5 S3 are an alternative at front to partner the LRC60 S3 centre. A pair of wall-mount DM600 S3 serve as less obtrusive surrounds and the compact ASW600 subwoofer completes the line-up. Another option, using five identical speakers offers ideal sound integration. The symmetrical design and magnetic shielding of the LCR60 S3 allows total freedom in positioning, upright or horizontally, close to or away from the TV. Again, add an ASW600 subwoofer for added bass impact. Large, spacious rooms demand a powerful set-up. Here, at centre, is our larger dedicated Home Cinema speaker, the LCR600 S3. Flanking it left and right are two floor-standing DM603 S3s, while a pair of smaller DM601 S3s provide surround sound. A larger subwoofer, either the ASW650 or the ASW675, provides the appropriate support for deep, powerful bass. The symmetrical solution for larger rooms is provided by five LCR600 S3 - equally as adaptable as the smaller LCR60 S3, but more powerful and with a more extended bass response. Once again, one of the more powerful subwoofers - the ASW650 or ASW675 - completes the set-up, delivering all the necessary bass power. Pure listening When it comes to clarity, control and the reproduction of subtle, low-level detail in audio material, the 600 Series 3 has no rival in its class. Everything that makes it such a strong contender in the creation of a home cinema set-up also applies to its use in a conventional hi-fi setting. When you want to do nothing other than listen to pure music, its qualities shine through. [. . . ] But behind the familiar moulded baffle are an amplifier and drive unit that are all its own. What it loses in volume it makes up for by other means: a higher power amplifier than normal with enough output capacity to produce the necessary low-frequency equalisation needed to overcome the restrictions of the compact cabinet, and a drive unit with extra long throw, capable of moving the required volumes of air with low distortion. A large magnet ensures high efficiency and control of the massive voice coil which, with its high thermal mass, runs cool even with the extra bass boost. And don't even worry about exceptional signals: the epoxy adhesives of this 76mm diameter voice coil can withstand temperatures of over 300C. [. . . ]