Questions & Answers
43 Questions from the Community
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How do the MM-1 Speakers stack up against the Bose Companion 5? Is it even a comparison??
I currently have the Companion 5's and I love'em. I'm thinking about selling them to pick up a pair of the MM-1 if they are truly worth it.
If you were me, would you just stick with the Companion 5's? Would you sell the Companion 5's for the MM-1S?- Asked by Robert I from Farmers Branch
- May 2, 2010
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Best Answer
I am a 36 year professional in audio mastering, to qualify myself, and I think I can give you some insight on Bose vs. B&W. Let me qualify this by saying I haven't heard either of these speakers, but I'm sure you'll find this to be true as we're talking about the general philosophies of the two companies.
Since the original Bose speakers were introduced, Dr. Bose has striven to create the illusion that sound is coming from everywhere, and you can't pinpoint where the speakers are actually located.
B&W uses the more standard approach of endeavoring to create as accurate a soundstage as possible, with as little phase distortion as possible.
So this is what you would hear - with the Bose, the sound field is very broad, spread across the speakers and even outside the speakers themselves, but nothing in the music has a real defined placement. With the B&W, you'll get a very tight center image - the vocals, kick, snare, bass guitar etc. (on modern mixes) will appear to be coming from directly in front of you, and the other instruments will be spread across the soundstage between, but not outside of, the speakers.
So what is best? That's up to your own taste. The B&W approach is by far the most accurate, and would be the hands-down preference of true audiophiles, because the tricks Dr. Bose uses to get his sound involves things being out-of-phase, and that is not accurate. But if you like a larger-than-life, ethereal kind of sound, then that's right for you.
Also note that you have the sound-enhance feature on iTunes, so if you want the illusion that sound is coming from outside the speaker placement, you can do that with the B&W's. I wouldn't, but many do.
Again, I haven't heard either of these speakers, but I would be surprised if this is not the case.- Answered by George G from Dallas
- Dec 29, 2010
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What speakers actually sound better & have more bass? The Zeppelin Air or MM-1?
- Asked by Rowell D
- Oct 3, 2011
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Will the MM-1 work with the USB on an airport express ? Is the DAC on a airport express as good as the MM-1 DAC ?
- Asked by Colin N A P
- Apr 14, 2010
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Best Answer
The Airport Express USB port is only for USB printing. All audio data is either decoded by the Airport Express on-board Burr-Brown DAC or fed via digital optical mini-Toslink cable to another DAC-equiped device (i.e. audio/video receiver, Apple Hi-Fi). Therefore, you cannot connect the MM-1 to the Airport Express via USB.
Since the MM-1 does not have an digital optical input, you would have to rely on the Airport Express Burr-Brown DAC to decode then pass the audio to the MM-1 via analog cable, which bypasses the MM-1's on-board DAC.
The highest quality connection for these speakers is directly to computer via USB.
I could not find what DAC chip the MM-1 (or Zeppelins) use, so I can't factually answer which device has the superior DAC. I do know that the Burr-Brown PCM2705 used in the Airport Express is NOT low quality. Measured tests have shown it to be a very capable DAC.
Given my fondness for B&W speakers, I would expect that B&W also uses a good quality DAC chip.- Answered by Kyra S from Leona Valley
- Aug 23, 2010
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Comparison to Bang & Olufsen BeoLab 4. What do you think?
The BL 's appear to have a better frequency range and more wattage power... so I'm curious are these comparable.
- Asked by Justin E from Southlake
- Mar 26, 2010
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Answer
The B&Os sound better to my ears, but not $500 better. Then again, I have the original HK SoundSticks attached to one Mac and an older set of Logitech mid-range speakers attached to another Mac through a Griffin FireWave, and both solutions sound perfectly fine to me.
Your best bet would be to go to the nearest retailers so you can listen to the speakers for yourself.- Answered by Bill Y from Independence
- Dec 30, 2010
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How can i connect to the speakers if my source is an optical out?
- Asked by Chee Yong Y
- Dec 29, 2011
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I LIVE IN VETEREANS , HOSPITAL MOST THE GUYS , HAVE BOSE SYSTEM I , WANT TO SHOW THEM TRUE . MUSIC NOT JUST A NAME , SOMETHING MY EARS WILL BE PROUD !
WILL THESE SPEAKERS , GET ME A FULL SPECTRUM , THAT MY EARS KNOW , EVERY NOTE HIGHS , MIDS , LOWS , THE VOCALS MAKE ME CRY ! FROM A LAPTOP .
- Asked by Leo B from Upper Marlboro
- Jan 29, 2011
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Is the power adapter 110v/240v as I travel heaps.. Be great if they where USB powered
Need one power supply to work in countries that are 110v and others that are 240v, as per a laptop.
- Asked by Heath D from San Francisco
- Apr 29, 2010
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Answer
From specs:
"Power input voltage: 100V - 240V ac 50/60Hz on external power supply, 16V DC on product"
You would just need a cheap plug adaptor (not the expensive converter).- Answered by Michael S from Holden
- May 14, 2010
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Do these MM-1 speakers work with the Mac Pro?
- Asked by Ronald P from New York
- Mar 20, 2012
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Answer
They most certainly do work with a Mac Pro. I have had these speakers for over a year, and the sound experience has been great! I also use them with my kitchen TV--it is like having a theater in your kitchen. I also play my iPod off them.
- Answered by Marlene S. J from Grants
- Mar 25, 2012
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Best Answer
Yes.
You can use the iPad Camera Connecter USB adapter.
Plug the adapter into the iPad and then plug the USB cable into the MM-1 speaker.
This will allow you take take advantage of B&W's DAC chip, while using an iPad, etc.- Answered by Sam I from Farmers Branch
- Aug 25, 2010
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I purchased the B&W P5 Headphones & these speakers. The headphones went back. Will the speakers be limited by the poor audio set-up in the MBP w/SL?
- Asked by Kent T from Salt Lake City
- May 6, 2010
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Answer
With "Poor audio set-up" you mean the built-in sound-card? Then the answer is: NO. The B&W MM-1 have their own, very specialized sound card built-in, so when you connect via USB they will do there own analog-to-digital-conversion with much better results than with the built-in sound-cards.
- Answered by Hannes B
- Sep 17, 2011
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Best Answer
The Focal XS 2.1 speakers offer considerably more bass response for a hundred dollars more. They also have a built-in dock for quick charging or listening to your iPod library. They are, however, not as sonically nor acoustically clear as the MM-1s. Though they cannot achieve uncomfortable levels, the Focals are much, much more powerful due much to their massive subwoofer. If your main intentions are acoustic or jazz soundscapes in a tiny room, the MM-1s are desirable. If you plan on watching movies as well as music and want some major punch to your computer entertainment center, the Focals are better because their satellite speakers are still pretty slim on the desk.
- Answered by Jeffrey S from Indianapolis
- Mar 24, 2010
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Will these work with AirPort Express for remote music in another room?
- Asked by Jason P from Tallahassee
- Mar 24, 2010
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Answer
These will work fine with Airport Express: these accept a mini stereo plug for input, so you could run a male to male mini stereo cable between an Airport Express and the speakers.
- Answered by Bill R from Victoria
- Mar 25, 2010
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Will these speakers work with an LCD TV? Can I hook them up directly to the TV or would I need a receiver? Thx!
- Asked by Marietta H from New York
- Jun 17, 2010
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Best Answer
As they have a built in Amplifier they will work with any line level output, this includes your TV. Hope this helps.
- Answered by Mark T
- Aug 3, 2010
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Are these speakers compatible with Apple's AirPlay technology?
- Asked by Kevin G from San Pedro
- Dec 1, 2010
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Answer
No. The only Bowers & Wilkins product compatible with AirPlay is the Zeppelin Air.
- Answered by Liam S from Bluff Point
- Feb 8, 2011
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Will my Apple remote and keyboard control the volume for these speakers, or do I have to use the controller provided?
- Asked by Roth E from Lynnwood
- Mar 23, 2010
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Answer
You will be able to control the volume using the Apple remote and keyboard as the B&W MM-1 computer speakers become sound card.
- Answered by Frazer H from Worthing
- Apr 1, 2010
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is the speakers magnetically shielded ? can i place it close to my imac?
- Asked by Michael Sin Chan M
- Feb 21, 2010
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Answer
Yes the speakers are magnetically shielded and can be placed close to your Mac.
- Answered by Frazer H from Worthing
- Mar 4, 2010
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how do they compare to the Ferguson Hill FH007 Mini Speaker System?
- Asked by Matt B from Northampton
- Mar 24, 2010
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are these speakers compatiable with other media outlets ie dvd player/ television?
- Asked by Wayne H from Vancouver
- Mar 27, 2010
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Best Answer
All you need is a female 3.5mm to 2RCA (L&R, White+Red) output to hook it up to the "Audio Out" of the media outlet/device you prefer. Some of the devices have a 3.5mm port which you can link up directly.
- Answered by Ching Chun L from Vancouver
- Mar 29, 2010
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