685

The multi-award winning 685 is a standmount loudspeaker capable of providing a clear and refined performance in both stereo or home theatre systems in small to medium sized rooms.

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685

For hi-fi or home cinema in small to medium-sized rooms, you need a loudspeaker that doesn’t take up floor area, but whose sound can still command the space. You’ll find the 685, which can sit on a shelf, table, stand or wall-mount, an inspired choice.

Its 165mm diameter Kevlar® cone bass/midrange is based on a tried-and-trusted Bowers & Wilkins design, but its new fixed centre bullet helps to smooth the response in upper frequencies. Also, by setting the bass/midrange closer to the tweeter than in equivalent earlier speakers, we have improved the integration and vertical dispersion of sound from the two units. The Nautilus™ tube-loaded, aluminium dome tweeter, featuring a new surround material to improve spaciousness and imaging, adds needle-sharp top end all the way to 50kHz and beyond.

The improvements to the drive units in the new 600 Series make it possible, for the first time, to introduce a minimalist crossover to the range. The use of components that are fewer in number but higher in quality – hand-picked in exhaustive listening tests – reduces the degradation of the signal significantly. So, whether you’re enjoying hi-fi or home cinema, what you hear is that much closer to what was recorded.

685
Woven Kevlar
Crossover Tuning
Nautilus Tapering Tube
Flowport
Technical features Nautilus™ tube loaded aluminium dome tweeter

Kevlar® brand fibre cone bass/midrange

Flowport™
Description 2-way vented-box system
Drive units 1x ø25mm (1 in) aluminium dome high-frequency

1x ø165mm (6.5 in) woven Kevlar® cone bass / midrange
Frequency range -6dB at 42Hz and 50kHz
Frequency response 49Hz - 22kHz ±3dB on reference axis
Dispersion Within 2dB of reference response

Horizontal: over 60º arc

Vertical: over 10º arc
Sensitivity 88dB spl (2.83V, 1m)
Harmonic distortion 2nd and 3rd harmonics (90dB, 1m)

<1% 100Hz - 22kHz

<0.5% 150Hz - 20kHz
Nominal impedance 8Ω (minimum 3.7Ω)
Crossover frequency 4kHz
Crossover filters 1st Order – tweeter
Recommended amplifier power 25W - 100W into 8Ω on unclipped programme
Max. recommended cable impedance 0.1Ω
Dimensions Height: 340mm (13.4 in)

Width: 198mm (7.8 in)

Depth: 331mm (12.3 in)
Net weight 7.0kg (15.4 lb)
Finishes Black Ash

Red Cherry

White

EISA Compact Loudspeaker Award August 2007
"Near the top Euro price level, B&W's 685 is hard to beat"
Read the full review

The Absolute Sound Golden Ear Award 2008
The 685 won the prestigious Absolute Sound Golden Ear 2008

The Absolute Sound November 2007
Raising the bar in affordable Loudspeakers"
Read the full review

What Hi-Fi? Sound & Vision October 2009
"Smart, original styling coupled with impressive build; smooth, musical, fast sound; tiny sub packs power and punch; loads of detail"
Read the full review

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