You are bidding on a pair of Bowers & Wilkins CM1 Bookshelf Speakers. I bought this in 2008 from Bowers & Wilkins. I had been using them in my home theater setup. I spent a fortune on my setup that utilized only B&W speakers (see my other auctions for the 4 matching speakers). These work and sound great! They have been well cared for and are in very good condition. These speakers are in great condition with only minor marks from being handled and on a bookshelf for many years. Nothing is major or very noticeable (not noticeable at all depending on your desired placement). The MSRP is $900.00 plus tax and shipping I paid. Take advantage of this deal. 

• Speaker 1: Serial #: 0036355
• Speaker 2: Serial #: 0036356
• Condition: The speakers have slight signs of wear, a few nicks, and a scratch or two. Please look at pictures. Speakers have always been kept on shelves and well cared for. Overall the speakers look great. Any blemishes tend to be on edges or bottom and not very noticable. I give it a condition rating of 9 out of 10. 

They are the dark brown "Wenge" finish. I have owned these for a number of years and treated them very well. They only have a couple minor scuffs/blemishes on a couple corners/edges and sporadic spots as would be expected (see pictures). I have added various pictures of these blemishes so you can see that its pretty inconsequential. There is a good chance that some of these things will clean/polish up. The bottoms have a few scratches from being placed on books shelves and being moved around. The tweeters are mint! They sounded fantastic in my home theater. They have good power and clarity while being compact and easy to position for best listening. The detachable (magnetic) covers all in great shape. The speakers sound really great as you would expect. They have good power and clarity while being compact and easy to position for best listening. The only reason I am selling is that I recently decided to upgrade to a different set of B&W speakers. This comes from a pet free, smoke free, and child free home. I take care of my stuff and you will be pleased with the condition.

These speakers have been enjoyed only at moderate levels. They sound amazing for the size of the speaker. They do not have the factory jumpers - I used speaker wire. All functions work great, flawless working order. No issues at all. Both the woofer and the tweeter work great. And also they look great – no pushed in dust caps/bullets, no pushed in tweeter, no broken surroundings.

NOTE: Please see my other auctions. I am selling a complete set of matching Bowers & Wilkins speakers from my home theater system. I am selling (2) pairs (4 speakers total) of the CM1, which was used for the 2 fronts and 2 rears in my media setup. I am also selling the CM Centre center speaker in my setup. Finally, I am also selling the Subwoofer. These all together make a great package. Please see my other auction which runs in parallel with this auction. I will combine shipping and even go so far as to offer a deal for multiple purchases.

SHIPPING: I am putting down an estimate price for shipping. I will ship the speakers the most economical way possible. If it is actually cheaper, I will refund you the difference via PayPal when I package and enter all the information. Alternatively, if it is only marginally more than I will absorb the cost. If for some reason it is a lot more (i.e. shipping to CA, PR, HI, etc.) then I will contact you about coming to agreed terms. This will be shipped in a well packed box (I do not have the original box), will be insured, and require signature. Local pickup is also acceptable (and encouraged) and we can settle up on any shipping that may have been paid at that time.

About:

Bowers and Wilkins' CM1 speakers are high performance, compact, stylish bookshelf speakers. They incorporate technology designed for B & W's high-end speakers for incredible value.

They may look conventional compared to some Bowers & Wilkins speakers, but they still incorporate B&W trademarks such as a Kevlar bass/mid cone and "Nautilus" tapered tube enclosure for the tweeter, which reduces errant noise and improves the detail of the speakers' output.

The B& W CM1s are attractively styled mini-monitors that will provide a rewarding listening experience. Their tweeter is the best that I have heard in the under-$1000 price range, approaching the performance of tweeters in much higher-priced speakers and validating the trickle-down claims of B&W. 

As noteworthy is the highly accomplished 5" Kevlar woofer, which lays down a foundation that is as good as that of many larger speakers. Properly positioned, the CM1s can immerse the listener in a deeply layered three-dimensional soundstage with stellar imaging, the only caveat being a slight compression of soundstage height. The midrange is rich but not overly ripe. Vocal realism is startling, creating a "they are here" feeling. The CM1s are quite forgiving, so matching with an amplifier and source is a less of an issue. 

In terms of overall value, I nominate the B&W CM1 as a contender for top honors. As the price of speakers seems to creep ever upwards, the B&W CM1 shows that there are still very accomplished speakers at the low end of the price scale.

Company History:

Bowers & Wilkins, Ltd. is a well recognized name among audiophiles and classical music aficionados. The B&W 800 series loudspeakers have long been considered preeminent studio monitors for orchestral recording sessions dating back to the launch of the original 801 in 1979. The list of recording labels and studios that have used 800 series monitors includes Philips, Decca Records, Deutsche Grammophon, and EMI’s Abbey Road Studios where, incidentally, the latest Star Wars movie, Revenge of the Sith was recorded and mixed using B&W loudspeakers. Because of the prominent use for orchestral recording, the speakers are often favored amongst avid orchestral listeners with the intent of replicating the recording session as close as possible by using the same speakers for reproduction as were used in production.

The origins of the company lie in the back room of John Bowers and Roy Wilkins hi-fi shop in Worthing, England where John began modifying and building loudspeakers due to dissatisfaction with the quality available at the time for classical music reproduction. These custom speakers developed a following that eventually lead to the founding of B & W Electronics, Ltd. in 1966. Since that time, B & W has built a reputation on quality products and a dedicated program of research and development. John Bower's close association with recording engineers who provided feedback on the designs has also lead to the widespread adoption of B & W speakers in classical music recording.

B & W has grown from speaker manufacturer into the current B & W Group. Over the years, B & W has offered amplifiers and other electronics under the now defunct Aura name and currently through such well known brands as Classe Audio and Rotel. The CM1 monitors, with the FS-700/CM stands, are the latest in a long history of loudspeaker designs by Bowers & Wilkins.

About the Wood / Color:

This made of Wenge Wood - the dark wood from Africa. This is medium-to-dark brown, sometimes with a reddish or yellowish hue, with nearly black streaks. Found in the color are streaks that resemble animal claw marks and lighter patterns that are wavy. Upon application of a wood finish (particularly an oil finish) the wood can become nearly black. As of 2014, wenge wood is on the endangered wood list, so it is hard to find and is very expensive.

Specs:

Online Description & Specifications

The CM1 ($900 USD per pair) is a minimonitor that belongs to B&W's CM series, which is described as a contemporary take on classic speaker design. I was immediately struck by the physical beauty of these speakers. The real-wood wenge finish of the review speakers was exquisite, and the clean lines and lustrous light wood exuded Scandinavian chic. The black grilles are magnetically attached to the cabinet, which eliminates unsightly holes on the front, making the CM1 one of a handful of speakers that looked finished sans grille. In addition to maple, the CM1 is also available in maple and rosenut real-wood finishes with black or dark-gray grilles. Other speakers in the CM series include the CM7 floorstander and CM Center center-channel speaker. All of the CM-series speakers are magnetically shielded to allow for home-theater use.

The CM1 is quite small at 11" high, but it is nearly as deep, 10.9", and 6" wide. The cabinet sounded solid when I rapped on it, which explained the speaker’s 15-pound weight. The bottom of the cabinet has embedded nuts for attaching the speakers to B&W's FS-700/CM stands. B&W’s signature Flowport is around back, and it incorporates dimples on its surface to reduce air turbulence. According to B&W, this eliminates "chuffing" when the speaker is moving large volumes of air.

The driver complement consists of a 1" aluminum-dome tweeter and a 5" woven-Kevlar-cone bass/midrange unit. B&W claims that the tapered-tube "tail" of the tweeter helps reduce excess sound radiation, thus aiding in imaging and preventing the speaker from sounding boxy. Additionally, the woven-Kevlar mid-woofer helps dissipate concentric standing waves that can cause colorations. The crossover frequency is 4kHz

Connection is by way of high-quality binding posts that allow biwiring, which the manual suggests improves resolution of low-frequency detail. Due to their protective caps, the binding posts can accommodate only spade connectors or bare wire. This is a EU safety requirement that forbids the insertion of plugs into binding posts, so if you have banana-plug-terminated speaker cables, you're out of luck. You can always try to pop the safety caps off, but this would have to be done very carefully to avoid damage, if it can be done at all. 

The frequency response of the CM1 is stated as 55Hz-22kHz +/- 3dB on reference axis, with 45Hz-50kHz at -6dB. The quoted sensitivity is a low 84dB (2.83V at 1m) with a nominal impedance of 8 ohms (5.1 ohms minimum). I was worried by the low sensitivity specification -- I would be using mono tube amplifiers with a moderate amount of power to drive the speakers -- but B&W advises that the power handling of these speakers is 30-100 watts at 8 ohms, so they don't require gobs of power.

Online Review Summary

Sound: “The CM 1’s revealed a rich portrayal of the trumpet, with silky-smooth treble and absolutely no trace of harshness or edginess. The notes were carved out of space, portraying a delicate airiness." "These speakers could generate prodigious amounts of low-frequency energy, and not of the slow, wooly variety either. The bass was taut, well defined and musical with accurate speed and timing." "The CM1’s painted a vivid and detailed soundstage…that far exceeded the physical locations of the speakers, which disappeared admirably into the soundstage. Width and the depth were well extended, but I felt that height was slightly lacking compared to what I normally perceive with larger speakers."

Features: The CM1 ($900 USD per pair) is a minimonitor that belongs to B&W's CM series, which is described as a contemporary take on classic speaker design." "The driver complement consists of a 1" aluminum-dome tweeter and a 5" woven-Kevlar-cone bass/midrange unit. B&W claims that the tapered-tube "tail" of the tweeter helps reduce excess sound radiation, thus aiding in imaging and preventing the speaker from sounding boxy. Additionally, the woven-Kevlar mid-woofer helps dissipate concentric standing waves that can cause colorations." 

Use: "Due to their protective caps, the binding posts can accommodate only spade connectors or bare wire. This is a EU safety requirement that forbids the insertion of plugs into binding posts, so if you have banana-plug-terminated speaker cables, you're out of luck."

Value: "As the price of speakers seems to creep ever upwards, the B&W CM1 shows that there are still very accomplished speakers at the low end of the price scale."

Please note, if you have a feedback score below 5, an unconfirmed PayPal e-mail or address, shipment will be sent 1 week (7 days) after payment received, to prevent against fraud.

NOTE: Take a look at my other auctions of high quality name brand items. This comes from a Pet and Smoke Free home. I will ship soon after receiving payment. Feel free to email any questions and I will answer the best I can. I do advise to ask questions before bidding. My Loss is your Gain!

 MSRP: $900.00

GUARANTEED 100% BOWERS & WILKINS

US bidders only please, I will not ship to international bidders unless we correspond by email prior. I have had many issues in the past with this and must be assured.

 Check out my other auctions for more luxury/quality items!

Save money by combining shipping charges.

Please e-mail me with any questions or if additional pictures are needed.  The posted photo doesn’t always reflect the truest or most accurate color of the item because of lighting and reflection.  I am currently cleaning out my closet and selling all of my brand new clothes, accessories and electronics. My loss is your gain! Most of my items tend to have original tags attached and all of my items were purchased at such department stores like Bloomingdales, Coach, Burberry, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, etc.

Look at my perfect feedback and bid with confidence.

Payment is due immediately after auction end and please only bidders with PayPal confirmed addresses.

Note: New items may not always include tags/bags/boxes/etc. Sometime they are used for purposes of pictures unless specifically stated.

Upon receiving payment, item will ship the following day. US bidders only please, I will not ship to international bidders unless otherwise agreed in email. FedEx or UPS Shipping is available for an additional charge unless otherwise noted. Sorry for any inconvenience.