A friend of mine bought some B&W 600 series speakers (don't know what model - floorstanders, though, with [I think] four drivers).
I recently went to his hosue to check out his new DLP 50" set (sweet, by the way) and he cranked up his B&W system. He has an older B&W center and two surrounds - they were the definite weak link in his system. His receiver was pretty old, too and lacked some needed power. He had a brand new SVS sub (huge!). In addition, he had wall to wall carpeting in his basement (whereas I have bare hard wood floors). His set up was connected entirely digitally. My set-up, on the other hand, consists of M60s, VP100, Yamaha 750 Hsu sub -- -- I tell you this so that you can take what I am going to say in context.
We put in some old standard reference DVDs for picture and sound (Star Wars II, Gladiator). I really thought that his B&Ws lacked response, clarity and depth. I guess I should also note that his speakers were placed reasonably apart from each other such that the sonudstage should have been nice and open.
I found the B&Ws to be really unremarkable, if not somewhat of a let-down. The speakers never "came alive," like I had cotton balls in my ears, or something. This might be due to his older receiver or the relative difference between hard wood and carpet to my ears - but the speakers lacked brightness (something that I like).
On the other hand, I have auditioned the 703s - based on recommendations that I heard here regarding the similarity between it and the M60. I must say that in Myer-Emco, I was quite impressed with that speaker. It performed remarkably, and exceeded my expectations in every regard that the 600s let me down. I preferred the 703 to the 600s in every respect (except price), and also preferred to listen to music without the subwoofer. They are truly a gorgeous speaker that excels in every aspect. I can say the same thing about the M60, though too - except I prefer its price even to the 600s.
At the end of the day, I would choose the 703 if money weren't an issue. The M60 is a very close second, though. Given the difference in price (you get a pair of 703s, or a complete Axiom Home Theater, with sub and a receiver), which would you choose?
Interesting anecdote: My friend (who likes to consider himself an audiophile - but who also hates to admit that he made a poor choice) gets drunk one night while we were talking about HT and speaker related stuff and confesses to me that the M60 is the most detailed speaker he has ever heard and that he preferred the M60 to his own 600 series B&Ws (of which he is very proud). I, too, would pick the M60 every time over his 600s.
