ATC SCM20PSL vs B&W 607 S2 Comparison

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ATC SCM20PSL

Passive Bookshelf | 55-25k Hz

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B&W 607 S2

Passive Bookshelf | 52-28k Hz

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ATC SCM20PSL

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B&W 607 S2

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ATC SCM20PSL

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B&W 607 S2

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ATC SCM20PSL vs B&W 607 S2 Speaker Comparison

In this review, we will be comparing SCM20PSL and 607 S2 AE, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from ATC and Bowers Wilkins.

Let's have a brief look at the main features of ATC SCM20PSL and B&W 607 S2 first before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Key Specs	ATC SCM20PSL	B&W 607 S2
Brand	ATC United Kingdom · founded 1974	Bowers Wilkins United Kingdom · founded 1966
Design	2-way	2-way
Tweeter	—	1" Decoupled Double Dome
Woofer	—	5" Continuum
Frequency response	55-25k Hz	52-28k Hz
Sensitivity	85 dB	84 dB
Impedance	8 ohms	8 ohms
Power range	75W-300W watts	30-100 watts
Weight	—	4.70kg / 10.3lbs
Dimensions (H x W x D)	—	11-13/16" x 6-1/2" x 9-1/8" 301.0 x 166.0 x 232.0mm

What size room are the ATC SCM20PSL and B&W 607 S2 speakers good for?

The size of the room in which you are planning to use these loudspeakers is an important decision factor. Here we have compared their suitability to various sizes of environments considering their size and max power parameters:

Listening Environment*	ATC SCM20PSL	B&W 607 S2
Near-field	Good	Average
Small Room	Good	Good
Mid-size Room	Average	Average
Large Room	Poor	Poor
Very Large Room	No way	Bad

(* Approximate Room sizes: Small < 100sq. ft / 9 m², Mid-size: 100-220 sq. ft / 9-20 m², Large 220-400 sq. ft / 20-36 m², Very Large: > 400 sq. ft / 36 m². Average Floor Height: 9" / 2.7m. Typical room sizes differ from country to country, and the actual listening experience changes depending on floor height, room shape, surface materials, listening position, speaker locations, etc.)

The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.

Drivers

Both SCM20PSL and 607 S2 AE are 2-way speakers.

Driver	ATC SCM20PSL	B&W 607 S2
Driver Setup	2-way	2-way
Tweeter	-inch	1-inch
Midrange	-	-
Woofer	1 x -inch	1 x 5-inch

SCM20PSL features a " Tweeter and 1 x " Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2.2kHz. On the other hand, the 607 S2 AE features a 1" Aluminum Decoupled Double Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5" Continuum Woofer.

Frequency Response

SCM20PSL has a frequency range of 55-25k Hz whereas 607 S2 AE has a frequency range of 52-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 52Hz, the 607 S2 AE can go slightly deeper then the SCM20PSL's min frequency of 55Hz.

The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Bookshelf class in our database.

Low Frequency

Bookshelf Speakers

SCM20PSL

607 S2 AE

Min

Average

Median

Neither pair reaches down to 20Hz, the usual definition of full-range, which is normal for speakers of this size. If you want the bottom octave for movies or bass-heavy music, add a subwoofer to whichever you choose. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.

Impedance and Sensitivity

SCM20PSL and 607 S2 AE have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. SCM20PSL sensitivity is rated at 85 dB and the 607 S2 AE's is at 84 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the ATC SCM20PSL a more sensitive speaker compared to B&W 607 S2, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.

Sensitivity

Bookshelf Speakers

SCM20PSL

607 S2 AE

Min

Average

Median

Power Range

Power range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. Staying within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.

SCM20PSL can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS, whereas 607 S2 AE has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS, 200 watts less than the SCM20PSL.

Note that higher power handling does not make a speaker louder: that depends mainly on sensitivity and impedance. The calculator below shows how loud each of these actually plays on a real amplifier.

Which plays louder on your amplifier?

Starting with a popular amplifier - change it to the one you own, or any you are considering, and watch both numbers move.

Amplifier - change this

Distance

Playing as

ATC SCM20PSL

B&W 607 S2

Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring

607 S2 AE features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. SCM20PSL has a 1 x Rear Panel Mounted Female XLR, pin 2 hot which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.

B&W 607 S2's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring

Physical Specs

The size of a speaker can sometimes be an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare ATC SCM20PSL's and B&W 607 S2's external dimensions. ATC SCM20PSL has external dimensions of () whereas B&W 607 S2 has external dimensions of 301.0 x 166.0 x 232.0mm (11-13/16 x 6-1/2 x 9-1/8inch).

B&W 607 S2 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 166mm wider, 301mm taller and 232mm deeper than ATC SCM20PSL.

What's in the Box of B&W 607 S2?

Here are the items that come with the 607 S2 AE:

2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
2 Grilles
2 Two-piece foam port plugs
8 Self-adhesive rubber feet
4 Jumper-straps (pre-installed)
Manual
Bowers & Wilkins brochure
Warranty Information

Reasons to choose ATC SCM20PSL over Bowers & Wilkins 607 S2 Anniversary Edition

Max Input Power	300 watts vs 100 watts	Handle more power from your amplifier
Sensitivity	85 dB vs 84 dB	Play louder with same amount of amplification power
Minimum Impedance	5.5 ohms vs 3.0 ohms	Very low impedance levels puts more pressure on amplifier
Height	0mm vs 301mm	Easier to fit in smaller spaces
Base Surface Area	0cm² vs 385cm²	Takes less floor space

Reasons to choose Bowers & Wilkins 607 S2 Anniversary Edition over ATC SCM20PSL

Woofer Size	5 inches vs inches	Larger woofer
Low Frequency Response	52 Hz vs 55 Hz	Generates deeper bass
High Frequency Response	28k Hz vs 25k Hz	Generates higher frequency
Price per pair*	799USD vs 6499USD	costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time)

ATC SCM20PSL vs B&W 607 S2 Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	ATC SCM20PSL	Bowers & Wilkins 607 S2 Anniversary Edition
Brand	ATC	Bowers Wilkins
Speaker Type	Bookshelf speakers	Bookshelf speakers
Power Range	75W-300W watts	30-100 watts
Sensitivity	85 dB	84 dB
Impedance	8 ohms	8 ohms
Impedance	5.5 ohms	3.0 ohms
Frequency Response	55-25k Hz	52-28k Hz
Drivers
Woofer Quantity	1	1
Woofer Size	"	5"
Woofer Composition		Continuum
Woofer Surround Material	n/a	Rubber
Tweeter Size	-	1"
Tweeter Type	n/a	Decoupled Double Dome
Aimable Tweeter	No	No
Midrange Driver	No	No
Crossover Frequency	2.2kHz	n/a
Firing Direction	n/a	rear
Physical Specs
Height	mm (0")	301.0mm (11.9")
Width	mm (0")	166.0mm (6.5")
Depth	mm (0")	232.0mm (9.1")
Weight	n/a	4.70kg (10.3lbs)
Enclosure	Sealed	Bass Reflex
Finish	n/a	MDF/Vinyl
Available Colors	n/a	Matte Black, Matte White, Oak, Red Cherry
Mounting Bracket		No
Recommended Stand Height	n/a	24-26"
Grille	Yes	Yes
Moisture Resistancy	No	No
Connections
Biamp Inputs	n/a	Yes
Other
Parts Warranty		5 Years
Labor Warranty		5 Years

Verdict

These sit in different price classes - ATC SCM20PSL costs roughly 8.1x what B&W 607 S2 does. Expect it to lead on paper; the question is whether the gap is audible enough in your room to be worth it.

Area	Better	Why
Bass	B	B&W 607 S2 digs deeper - 52Hz against 55Hz. A subwoofer would even that out.
Amplifier needs	evenly matched	Similar sensitivity (85dB vs 84dB) - both want much the same power.
Headroom	A	ATC SCM20PSL takes more power (300W vs 100W) - more in hand in a big room.
Cabinet	depends	Sealed vs Ported. Sealed is tighter and happier near a wall; ported digs lower but wants space behind it.
Expandability	B	B&W 607 S2: bi-amping.
Price	B	B&W 607 S2 is cheaper - $799 against $6,499, about 88% less; arguably a different class.

A ATC SCM20PSL B B&W 607 S2
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system or how you will use them. Only specs published for both speakers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.

Which should you choose?

B&W 607 S2 has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. Match it to your room: we rate ATC SCM20PSL the better fit for near-field listening; elsewhere the two are rated the same. Think about the whole system, not just the speakers: the roughly $5,700 saved by taking the cheaper pair would buy a subwoofer or a better amplifier, and either usually does more for the sound than the difference between these two.

And remember what a spec sheet cannot show: how each looks in your room and whether the finish suits it, what dealer support and warranty are like where you live, and how they actually sound to you. If you can hear them first - ideally with your own music - that will tell you more than any number above.