B&W CM8 Floorstanding Speaker System Review

By Steve Feinstein —
B&W CM8

B&W CM8

Buy Now

Summary

  • Product Name: CM8 Floorstanding Speaker System
  • Manufacturer: Bowers and Wilkins
  • Performance Rating: StarStarStarStarhalf-star
  • Value Rating: StarStarStarStar
  • Review Date: August 02, 2012 11:00
  • MSRP: $ 1100/ea
Specifications

  • System Type: 3-way ported floorstanding speaker with Flowport™ technology

  • Frequency Response: (±3dB) 69Hz - 22kHz

  • Recommended Power Amplifier Range: 30-150 watts

  • Sensitivity: (2.83V @ 1m) 88 dB

  • Nominal Impedance: 8 ohms

  • Crossover Frequencies: 350Hz, 4000Hz. B&W specifies the CM8 as having a 1st order cross over for the tweeter. The FST midrange driver uses a 2nd order high-pass in conjunction with a 1st order low-pass design. The dual bass units use a 3rd-order low pass filter.

  • Low-Frequency Driver: Dual 5” (127mm) Paper/Kevlar

  • Midrange Driver: 5" (127mm) Kevlar FST™

  • High-Frequency Driver: 1" (25mm) aluminum dome

  • Dimensions incl base (H x W x D): 37.8" x 6.5" x 11"

  • Weight: 43 lb ea.

  • Finish of review samples: Satin White. Other finishes available are Wenge, Rosenut, Gloss Black


Pros

  • Smooth, natural sound from a compact floorstander
  • Can play very loud without audibly objectionable distortion
  • Exceptionally silky high frequencies

Cons

  • Slightly nasal character to midrange
  • Foam plugs to “seal” port do not improve sound
  • “Satin White” finish looks like counter-top Formica

Introduction

B&W is certainly a well-known name in audio, with a reputation for excellent engineering and superb built quality earned from decades of top-level accomplishment. Our review focuses on their new CM8 three-way floorstanding speaker. The B&W CM8s earned my ultimate respect for sounding quite excellent within their stated design claims. My listening tests revealed them to be a clean, honest reproducer of sound providing a fully satisfying listening experience. B&W’s reputation brings with it a commensurately high level of expectation for all their products, and I am happy to report the CM8’s live up to expectations. Living with the speakers day in and day out for an extended time revealed many hoped-for and expected strengths and a few surprises. Speakers are impossible to predict “by the numbers,” and this B&W is no exception. But….it is every bit a worthy addition to their lore.

 

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ratso posts on August 04, 2012 07:48
nice review, and yes it is nice to see some of the bigger names being reviewed here. but... i hate to say this, because it could open a big nasty can of worms. but the next time can we omit the word "chinese" being used in a derogatory way here? you could have just told us "there is good mdf and bad mdf", etc.
AcuDefTechGuy posts on August 03, 2012 09:44
Just more info:

CM8
Cartons = $54 each speaker
FST midrange = $123 each driver
Tweeter = $147 each driver
Woofers = $ 71 each driver
Plinth (body) = $117 each speaker
Crossovers = $163 each speaker
Grilles = $100 each speaker

And yes, very nice to see more reviews of the big brands.
Nuance AH posts on August 03, 2012 07:54
No measurements?
templemaners posts on August 02, 2012 13:30
I tried 2 different browsers and 2 different computers, but didn't see the jump to bar on the Intro page, but it showed up on the listening and conclusion pages Matt put up.

Thanks for the links.

Side note on the actual speakers - the press photos make them look a lot wider than 6.5".
gene posts on August 02, 2012 13:26
templemaners;898390
I don't see anything of the review past the introduction page.


anytime we change the publish date and post, it takes an hour or so for the page to cache out and show the other pages. It should appear, soon.
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