nht sb-3 vs b&w 601


i have been searching through ebay and audiogon postings and have come up with a couple of interesting deals on speakers i have heard of but never listened to. they are the nht sb-3 and the b&w 601. i wondered if anyone had any experience with either of these spaeakers. the stores nearest me do not carry either line and i have some issues with travel. (replacement kneee surgery did not go well).i have a smaller listening room, 12x14, and have become dissatisfied with my klipsch fortes. i'll be playing the new speakers through a nad 2400 power amp, nad 1600 preamp, nad 521i cd and my trusty ar es turntable with sumiko arm (looking to replace cartridge so i won't go into that). i've read many reviews and both seem to be highly thought of a that price level. is there a clear choice here? please give me your thoughts and let me benefit from your experience. thanks,
tim

i listen to mostly rock, blues and jazz at moderate levels.
tda44

Showing 2 responses by rar1

They are both good speakers, but my preference would clearly be for the NHT SB3. The SB3 is a warmer, more musical sounding speaker than the 601. I attribute this to the NHT being an acoustic suspension (sealed box) design, as opposed to the tuned port design of the B&W. I have found that acoustic suspension designs make for tighter, more natural sounding bass. The NHT's go fairly low in bass region. I own a pair of the NHT SB2's that I have paired with a NAD C320 BEE amplifier (and a Music Hall MMF CD25 CD player) and the combination is stunning ... easy, effortless, and highly enjoyable sound. The NHT's also sound good when played at low volumes.

The B&W is slightly more detailed in the treble region than the NHT. Of the moderately priced B&W line, I feel that the 600 series is the best of the bunch. If you like how the "British" sound (neutral midrange, tipped up treble), you will like the B&W's. The B&W's also have a higher sensitivity than the NHT's... so they will play louder with less power.

Regards, , Rich
I meant to add ... I purchased both my NAD C320BEE and NHT SB2 when I was recovering from spine fusion surgery (28 screws and one rib now connect from T8 to L4). You owe yourself a gift and few gifts are more rewarding than audio gifts. Knee joint replacement is a real pain ... get well soon.

Regards, Rich