These were the first of several pairs of speakers that I brought home to audition. I installed them in a stereo setup for music only, no surround. They received ample power from a vintage Carver M1.0t amp and I auditioned them entirely with CD's of various genres. My listing space is an off-set, medium size room where the speakers are placed on a shelf just above ear level and very near the rear wall. The forward facing ports on the B&W 686 S2 certainly help with the near-wall installation in keeping the base tight. These speakers image incredibly well, particularly given the less-than-ideal conditions of my listening space. I quickly forgot that I was listening to book shelf speakers and became completely immersed in the music. The highs were crisp, the base tight, and in the middle nothing less than perfect.
So why only 4 out of 5 stars? Because as good as these are, I found that there are better speakers at a similar price point. At least better for my circumstances. If you're shopping in the $400 to $600 range I encourage you to explore your options, there are plenty. I landed on the Elac Uni-Fi UB5. Your space, your equipment, and your musical preferences are your own, so I encourage you to audition as many speakers as you can in your own home and don't pay too much attention to what everybody else likes.