Right off the bat, for movies only, you would have to conceed that you are not at the very pinnacle of dynamic realism, range, and power with that system -including modest senstitivity passive music speakers, the receiver pre, and modest power amp. There's some otherwise nice home audio gear in and of itself there, but what does other gear offer that yours doesn't, is what I'd ask myself if you had the bug to explore other options, upgrade performance, etc.
Also, there's no info here about the room, layout and setup..all of which have a huge impact on the performance from your system "parts". Put your loudspeakers in one room setting, and you'll get one results, another room setting, and you get an entirely differen results ...maybe even requiring you go different gear to match the layout!?
Basically, off the top, as much as you may or may not like the very popular B&W passive MUSIC speakers, they are first and foremost designed for just that -home music. So be aware.
What do other types of more dedicated "cinema" application loud speakers do, that maybe a traditional stereo music loudspeaker doesn't? Well, for one, they more often than not tend to offer higher order dynamics and even power handling (sometimes, depending) than typical home stereo gear. They also typically integrate better acoustically into room spaces, allowing less interference from the loudspeakers with the room and boundaries. In short, you hear more from the loudspeaker directly, and less from the reflecting surrounding room!
In your case, the open tweeter over midrange design, will yeild mediocre to poor relative sonic results, if you are not sitting relatively close to those speakers, or if you have low ceiling (untreated) boundaries in relative relation to the seating areas (translation, your also hearing direct reflections off the ceiling right back to the listing seat, simultaneously! - smearing image, obscuring detail, softer soundstage, weaker dynamics through the midrange and trebble, etc.)
All that's not to say you can't get acceptable sound for your applciation from your speakers, it just gets down to setup,integration and application, listening habbits and lifestly, expectations vs other comparative equipment out there, tastes, and so on. Basically, Metalica at concert levels, Transformers, and heavy dynamic content will be more forcefull and effortless dyanmically, vs the B&W's, in my experience (I used to sell the brand at two different retail spaces 10 years ago) For instance, what does a passive B&W stereo speaker offer that a large active theater horn speaker system not offer? Perhaps some refinement and transparancy?? However, garanteed, the highly efficient,sensitive, and focused designed theater loudspeakers (say, IMAX THX Active horn system?) system offers dynamics so powerful they can physically jar you out of your seat, at even low volume levels! Very engaging and thrilling in terms of impactful sonics. You can also get similar results in smaller spaces with active woofer Definitives, Klipsch horns and subs combo's, multi-driver higher sensitivity stuff..I'm just sayin.
The B&W's? Well they're a little more polite and subdued, compared to higher efficiency stuff, all things equal.
Getting active THX M&K's, Genelecs, large multi-driver higher efficiency designs, alot of horn speaker designs, and other speaker types can also move the dynamics needle further towards the ultimate, basically. So, dynamics go up from where you are at with your stuff, is what I'm saying.
I give the B&W's about a 3/5 in ultimate dyamics department. That's like comparing a BMW 525i, with a 6 cyliner engine vs the M5 550hp equivalent!!
Also, getting separates pre/pro will often offer better sonics, dynamics overall, and refinement. But, then what do you expect from your system? Maybe the picture is the most important (it is for me, now-a-days) and, the audio, bellow that in portance.
What would I do if I had your speakers to keep in my system? In a lower 8 foot high ceiling typical living room setup, I'd be having to move the couch just before or after the center line of the living room, in the short wall setup, and or going long wall setup, with the speakers spaced minimalist width, out in the room a couple few feet, and the couch not too far from the speakers, relative to the width and low ceiling! if I had high ceilings, id have more flexibility, and make sure the sidewalls are far away, or treated to break up the reflections. Then, I'd drive em at 80hz, cross to a subwoofer, and drive em with 250-500watts/ch for the mains and center! Performance from your setup is now at 3.75/5 for dyanamics, plus nice clear stereo images, detail, clarity and pretty sound, as any audiophile speaker should offer. Again, however, the system is an entry to midlevel dynamic performer for ultimate cinema! Fun, but not ultimate there, sorrry.
Lots of other things you can uprade for improving the performance and overall experience, including acoustics, lighting control, noise abatement (I have no idea what kind of space youre using), line conditioning, equipment issolation, cabling choices, maximizing seating and speaker locations vs layout and acoustics. And, yes, moving the system more towards what the best cinema theaters use for their equipment won't hurt your movie experience, highly likely.
Bottom line, if you like your stuff, and it makes a smile on your face, others like it, etc, then no problem. If you've heard other systems, that offer what your's doesn't have, then you consider changes.
It's all "stuff", and eveyone has different stuff. Still, some products simply do some things different, and sometimes better than others, in certain departments...better for some applications than others, for differing tastes, lifestyles, scenarios, etc.
What do you think about your system? That's what it gets down to. Just don't think you have the end-all-be-all movie setup, because you spent some cash on some nice cabients and technology. There's always a faster race-car to be had out there.
Also, there's no info here about the room, layout and setup..all of which have a huge impact on the performance from your system "parts". Put your loudspeakers in one room setting, and you'll get one results, another room setting, and you get an entirely differen results ...maybe even requiring you go different gear to match the layout!?
Basically, off the top, as much as you may or may not like the very popular B&W passive MUSIC speakers, they are first and foremost designed for just that -home music. So be aware.
What do other types of more dedicated "cinema" application loud speakers do, that maybe a traditional stereo music loudspeaker doesn't? Well, for one, they more often than not tend to offer higher order dynamics and even power handling (sometimes, depending) than typical home stereo gear. They also typically integrate better acoustically into room spaces, allowing less interference from the loudspeakers with the room and boundaries. In short, you hear more from the loudspeaker directly, and less from the reflecting surrounding room!
In your case, the open tweeter over midrange design, will yeild mediocre to poor relative sonic results, if you are not sitting relatively close to those speakers, or if you have low ceiling (untreated) boundaries in relative relation to the seating areas (translation, your also hearing direct reflections off the ceiling right back to the listing seat, simultaneously! - smearing image, obscuring detail, softer soundstage, weaker dynamics through the midrange and trebble, etc.)
All that's not to say you can't get acceptable sound for your applciation from your speakers, it just gets down to setup,integration and application, listening habbits and lifestly, expectations vs other comparative equipment out there, tastes, and so on. Basically, Metalica at concert levels, Transformers, and heavy dynamic content will be more forcefull and effortless dyanmically, vs the B&W's, in my experience (I used to sell the brand at two different retail spaces 10 years ago) For instance, what does a passive B&W stereo speaker offer that a large active theater horn speaker system not offer? Perhaps some refinement and transparancy?? However, garanteed, the highly efficient,sensitive, and focused designed theater loudspeakers (say, IMAX THX Active horn system?) system offers dynamics so powerful they can physically jar you out of your seat, at even low volume levels! Very engaging and thrilling in terms of impactful sonics. You can also get similar results in smaller spaces with active woofer Definitives, Klipsch horns and subs combo's, multi-driver higher sensitivity stuff..I'm just sayin.
The B&W's? Well they're a little more polite and subdued, compared to higher efficiency stuff, all things equal.
Getting active THX M&K's, Genelecs, large multi-driver higher efficiency designs, alot of horn speaker designs, and other speaker types can also move the dynamics needle further towards the ultimate, basically. So, dynamics go up from where you are at with your stuff, is what I'm saying.
I give the B&W's about a 3/5 in ultimate dyamics department. That's like comparing a BMW 525i, with a 6 cyliner engine vs the M5 550hp equivalent!!
Also, getting separates pre/pro will often offer better sonics, dynamics overall, and refinement. But, then what do you expect from your system? Maybe the picture is the most important (it is for me, now-a-days) and, the audio, bellow that in portance.
What would I do if I had your speakers to keep in my system? In a lower 8 foot high ceiling typical living room setup, I'd be having to move the couch just before or after the center line of the living room, in the short wall setup, and or going long wall setup, with the speakers spaced minimalist width, out in the room a couple few feet, and the couch not too far from the speakers, relative to the width and low ceiling! if I had high ceilings, id have more flexibility, and make sure the sidewalls are far away, or treated to break up the reflections. Then, I'd drive em at 80hz, cross to a subwoofer, and drive em with 250-500watts/ch for the mains and center! Performance from your setup is now at 3.75/5 for dyanamics, plus nice clear stereo images, detail, clarity and pretty sound, as any audiophile speaker should offer. Again, however, the system is an entry to midlevel dynamic performer for ultimate cinema! Fun, but not ultimate there, sorrry.
Lots of other things you can uprade for improving the performance and overall experience, including acoustics, lighting control, noise abatement (I have no idea what kind of space youre using), line conditioning, equipment issolation, cabling choices, maximizing seating and speaker locations vs layout and acoustics. And, yes, moving the system more towards what the best cinema theaters use for their equipment won't hurt your movie experience, highly likely.
Bottom line, if you like your stuff, and it makes a smile on your face, others like it, etc, then no problem. If you've heard other systems, that offer what your's doesn't have, then you consider changes.
It's all "stuff", and eveyone has different stuff. Still, some products simply do some things different, and sometimes better than others, in certain departments...better for some applications than others, for differing tastes, lifestyles, scenarios, etc.
What do you think about your system? That's what it gets down to. Just don't think you have the end-all-be-all movie setup, because you spent some cash on some nice cabients and technology. There's always a faster race-car to be had out there.