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B&W DM2 info wanted

mcgarick

mcgarick

Super Member
Hello
I picked up a pair of these old DM2 from a friend for $21 he didnt know much about them.

Does anyone have spec's or any info on them??
nothing at the B&W site :no:

They're very musical speakers,that like solid state.These are some interesting speakers...They like the P-300:yes:

Thanks
 

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Those are the first series. They are like a mini transmission line type speaker. I've heard a few pairs and have been wanting to my hands on some for ages.

I'll give you $28 for them. :D
 
I've been trying MANY different amps with these, all sound good, but a NAD 3020a and and Accuphase C-200 pre and Forte 4A power amp sound fantastic.

These are really wonderful speakers,compared to vintage or new. Bass is tight and big,the mids have that magic,they are also very extended in the highs.

Outrageous for 1974!!

Two thumbs up!
 

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Great score. I'll bet those sound nice. I've had only one pair of B&W speakers and I regret selling them. It was those or my slightly larger Infinities.
 
From a B & W flyer, only in german.

Erleben Sie die Hifi-Society-Lautsprecherboxen der Fa. B & W Electronics, England. Jede einzelne Box ist handgefertigt und wird mit Bruel & Kjer Apparaturen individuell überprüft.
Das jeweilige Diagramm dieses Tests wird zusammen mit einer ausührlichen Beschreibung jeder Box beigelegt.
Allgemeine Beschreibung
Die Hifi-Lautsprecherbox DM 2 ist mit einem 3-Weg-System bestückt, bestehend aus einem hockentwickelten Tiefmittelton - Bextrene – Konuslautsprecher, einem Mittelhochtöner
und einem Superhochtonlautsprecher von 19 mm.
Die eingesetzten Butterworth Filter der 3. Generation sowie Bandausgleicheinheiten zur Erzielung einer optimalen Linearität und die von B & W Electronics eigens entwickelte rückwärtige Dämpfung
des Tieftonlautsprechers (zum Patent angemeldet) dehnen den unteren Frequenzbereich aus, bei gleichzeitiger Reduzierung der Resonanzen und des Klirrfaktors gegenüber konventionellen Materialien.
Die 3 Systeme sind jeweils in einer vertikalen Linie asymetrisch zur Mitte angeordnet zur Vergrößerung des Abstrahlwinkels und Erzielung einer optimalen Stereophonie¬ Akustik.
Systeme Die Tiefmitteltoneinheit DW-200 besteht aus einem Bextrene Konuslautsprecher
(150 mm) und einer Kalotte (54 mm).
Lange flexible Membranhalterungen ermöglichen hohe Konusschwingungen bei geringem Klirrfaktor. Die Schwingspule (38 mm) ist eine Neuentwicklung auf Aluminiumbasis, welche neue Sicherheitsmaßstäbe
setzt, da bekanntlich in der Schwingspule bei hohen Leistungen
erhebliche Wärmegrade entstehen. Eine ausgezeichnete Mitteltonlinearität und eine hohe
Leistung sind die hervorragendsten Merkmale dieser Einheit. Die Mittelhochtoneinheit
besteht aus einem HF-1300 MK 2 Lautsprecher, welcher einen breiten und ausgeglichenen Abstrahlwinkel gewährleistet.
Der Kalottenhochtonlautsprecher hat einen Durchmesser von 25 mm.
Sein Übertragungsbereich liegt über 25 000 Hz. Sämtliche Systeme werden manuell
zusammengefügt und die Membrane mit hochempfindlichem Dämpfmaterial behandelt.
Eine regelmäßige Qualitätskontrolle während der Produktion, in deren Verlauf Diagramme
mit Bruel & Kjer Apparaturen ermittelt werden, gewährleistet das hohe Qualitätsniveau
dieser Hifi-Lautsprecherbox.
Leistung Nenn-/Musikbelastbarkeit 50/60 Watt.
Anschluß an 4-8 Ohm für Verstärker 30-60 Watt je Kanal.
Gehäuse Das Gehäuse besteht aus mindestens 19 mm starkem spezialgefertigten Holz mit einer Dichtigkeit von 750.
Die Frontbespannung ist so gearbeitet, daß eine Wiedergabeveränderung nicht erfolgt.
Lieferbar sind die Ausführungen weiß, Nußbaum und Palisander.
Gewicht 23 kp

Michael-Otto
 
Very nice speakers indeed, and certainly a TL- should provide remarkably extended bass for the driver size. I might be strange in this, but I would have been happy paying 5-10x $21.

That Accuphase kit is gorgeous. I've always wanted to play with some.
 
Here is a cleaned-up translation

I used a translator and cleaned up the results for a good overview:

Experience the Hifi loudspeaker of B&W Electronics, England. Each cabinet is hand finished and is individually reviewed for sonic and visual performance. A speaker-specific frequency response chart is included with each loudspeaker.

General description
the DM2 is a 3-way System, consisting of a short cabinet, a midbass with Bextrene surround, a upper midrange and a Superhochtonlautsprecher (supertweeter?) of 19 mm. The DM2 loudspeaker system incorporates 3rd-order Butterworth crossovers as well as upper-frequency balance potentiometers to achieve the most linear in-room response possible.

The DM2 loudspeaker incorporates a B&W Electronics designed rear damping of the lower bass (transmission line is what they are trying to say I think), which results in extended bass while simultaneously reducing the resonance frequency. The 3 drive units are arranged in a vertical line symmetrical to the middle of the cabinet to allow optimal Stereophonic acoustics. The 3 drive units DW-200 consists of a Bextrene mid-bass (150 mm) and a upper midrange (or tweeter?) (54 mm). The Mid-bass voice coil (38 mm) is created of aluminum.

The aluminum voice coil allows the DM2's to sound "warm" and natural. The high frequency driver consists of a HF-1300 MK 2 which allows a wide and balanced dispersion. The high frequency has a diameter of 25 mm. It extends frequency response up to 25khz. Quality is checked regularly during the production.

Normal music programme (alright it doesnt say "programme" but t sounded British-y so I threw it in :D ) of 50/60 watt. Connection at 4-8 Ohm for amplifier 30-60 watt per channel. The cabinet consists of rigid specially finished wood at least 19mm thick. The grill fabric is designed to eliminate frequency variations.

Available finishes include white, nut tree (?) and Palisander. Weights 23 Communist Party (yes that's what the translator came up with as a unit of weight measurement :scratch2:

hope that helps
 
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I have several pairs of DM2 and DM2a. The DM2a is virtually the same as the DM2 except it has a switched attenuator so that the Celestion HF1300 tweeter level can be adjusted.

The tweeter and supertweeter (Celestion HF1300 and Coles 4001G) are identical to those used in the famous Spendor BC1 and in BC2 and B&W DM1, DM4 etc.

The Coles 4001G supertweeter should have a DC resistance of 23 Ohms. Not much comes out of these when they are working normally as the crossover frequency is quite high. However there should be some output. Speakers that use this combination of tweeters may end up with a faulty supertweeter and it may not be noticed as the Celestion HF1300 covers the majority of the treble range.

Somewhere I have the crossover circuit diagram (slightly different for DM2a).

I have found the crossover circuit diags for DM2 and DM2a and some sales info on the DM2. All are in PDF format. If anyone wants them, perhaps send me a PM with an e mail address to which I can send the info.
 
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Wow! thanks for all the info.

These have rejuvenated my taste for vintage speakers.

Both the super tweeters have some output.

These also have the switch on the back too,three position and it works great.

They must be the DM2a version then.

Look at M Jarve's IMF Studio TLS-50 speakers on his posts,(drool)

I bet they would change anyones negative view about vintage speakers. Now I know of more great stuff to be on the look out for.

There so many great discoveries in this hobby, its seems to go on and on and on. way fun...
 
Seems like as you say you have the DM2a. Early DM2a had a black painted fron baffle, later production had a veneered front baffle (and the transmission line port is a different shape).

DM2 and DM2a (as like most speakers need the tweeter(s) at ear level) and because of the upsidedown configuration of the units, needs to be raised a bit more off the ground than one would initially think.

They are very good speakers regardless of age, so are the B&W DM4 which uses the same tweeters and a similar bass/ mid (but smaller magnet and voice coil) in a smaller conventional bass reflex cabinet.

Stupid me, your pic shows the veneered front baffle, so obviously yours are the later type.
 
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I have a pair of those and have been addicted to them for 3 years now. I think they were sold more in Europe because I see them quite often here, selling for around 200-300 dollars.
I would love to " upgrade " but I find it ain't easy to find a better sounding speaker. To my ears even B&W nautilus 805 don't sound as good.

I think the only downside is they have a very small sweet spot, I really have to be in the middle or the magic is gone.

I think you're right about the solid state thing but I would love to find a tube amp that works well on them. My single ended " antique sound lab " doesn't work well. Efficiency is 84 dB, but impedance never goes below 7 ohm I've read so it should be possible.

Enjoy them !
 
For me,

in my room, with the gear, I mention, the sound is open and big with no sweet spot at all.
Of course they do sound better when your in front of them... I have them on stands that point them up, more,angled. This seems to be fine too.



"To my ears even B&W nautilus 805 don't sound as good."



I bet your right,YA, they're that good....



I'm now on a vintage high end speaker quest... I know there are others.

hummmmm IMF???? There suppose to be good.
 
mcgarick said:
For me,

in my room, with the gear, I mention, the sound is open and big with no sweet spot at all.
Of course they do sound better when your in front of them... I have them on stands that point them up, more,angled. This seems to be fine too.



"To my ears even B&W nautilus 805 don't sound as good."



I bet your right,YA, they're that good....



I'm now on a vintage high end speaker quest... I know there are others.

hummmmm IMF???? There suppose to be good.
Click to expand...

I cannot, of course, recommend IMF enough. The imaging is spooky-good, frequency range is phenomenal, and there is a natural and live quality to the midrange which has been equalled (perhaps slightly surpassed) only by the Magneplanar. And I have the "little" one. I heard a set of TLS-80's once several years back, and it will stand out as one of the best sounding speakers I've ever heard. I can only imagine in my most wild dreams what something like the Professional Monitor mk. VII can do. It's a goal that I'm still shooting for, and already there is a waiting line for my 50's for when or if I do upgrade.

For the 50's in particular, the one thing they will not do is rock-concert levels unless you have a particularly competent amp with extraordinary control over the speaker.

But, it could be worthwhile to keep an eye out for IMF's heir apparent, TDL. They were made by the same people as IMF, using the same technology. In the US, IMF's "other" child is Fried, though there is some debate as to whether Fried was a worthy successor to IMF.

In the mean time, I'll surely keep an eye out for a set of those B&W's. I've still never listened to a set (of any of their speakers) and would like to listen for a family connection, as such their might be.
 
compact1060 said:
I think you're right about the solid state thing but I would love to find a tube amp that works well on them. My single ended " antique sound lab " doesn't work well. Efficiency is 84 dB, but impedance never goes below 7 ohm I've read so it should be possible.

Enjoy them !
Click to expand...


A Radford STA25 III (EL34) tube power amp works very nicely with my B&W DM2 and DM2a speakers.
 
They thundered,I mean the bass was THUNDERING with the 20watt NAD 3020a.

you would have to hear it to believe it,thats with the bass knob at 1:30, with the loudness off. So, I if you amp has high current with low wattage,it will work great.

The Forte 4a is 50 watts pure class A,it was a smoother than the nad but not quite as dynamic. Which is better,its so hard to decide.....I like it all!!

My P-300 is sick right now with tranformer hum, that amp is like no other amp Ive heard in the bass dept,really fun to hook that one up to new speakers,it just clamps on like a vice and whips speakers into submission and commands then to put out,even small woofers,it just makes them bark.
 
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