B&W Speakers DM2-II Impressions?

[HypnoToad]

Having recently acquired a pristine pair of B&W DM-1400's from a fellow AK'er I was wondering about the DM-2 Series II.

These era B&W speakers are built like tanks and sound wonderful IMO.

The DM-2 II look similar but have a midrange and one woofer.

Has anyone got these or heard them and what are you impressions?

 

[poorman]

I am listening to mine right now. I love their wonderful, enveloping sound in my smallish living room, especially for jazz. I replaced a pair of DM-14s with them, and have absolutely no regrets. If you like your DM-1400s, I am confident you will really like the DM2 IIs.

 

[frperdurabo]

Is this the t-line DM2 with Coles/Celestion tweeter-supertweeter combo, or the later one?

 

[nclh77]

Don't underestimate the build quality of your 1400's. The woofers are cast and have a rather hefty magnet on them. Mr. Bowers (the B in Bowers and Wilkens) came out with his own speaker called the Model 1's with built in power. The Model 1 was based on the 1400 but much more expensive. Julian Hirsch said the two drivers packed nearly the punch of a 12" woofer. It may have been stretching it a bit but they are capable beyond their looks.

The DM2 II are big speakers physically and rarely seen. They take a real hefty amp to get them going. I personally would not trade the 1400's for the DM2's but if you can get them for a good price, you will have a pair of B&W's rarely seen in the US. Someone who knows more than I do, but were they officially exported here?

 

[RayW]

I design speakers for a living so I don't have many commercially available speakers around here. Right now I have 2 pairs of speakers that are not my design. One of them is a pair of DM2 Mk II. I really like them.

The Mk II are the later ones with a ported woofer.

 

[JohnVF]

Interesting that they are SO different from the DM-2a. You'd think they'd have figured out a different number. Their nomenclature makes no sense to me. I had DM-2as (the very different t-line one with the tweeter/super tweeter that the Spendor BC-1 has)..nice speaker that was easy to drive.

 

[poorman]

I run mine with a 60 wpc Pioneer integrated, and it drives them nicely. I've tried higher powered amps with them (Kenwood 600, Accuphase E-303x, and Pioneer SA-9900), but I keep coming back to the 60 watter (SA-9100). They make beautiful music together.