In this review, we will be comparing AE109 MII and BW 603, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Acoustic Energy and Bowers Wilkins. Let's have a brief look at the main features
of AE109 Mark II and B&W 603 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
What size room are the AE109 Mark II and B&W 603 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:
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the AE109 Mark II and B&W 603 compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
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Drivers
Both AE109 MII and BW 603 are 3-way speakers.
| Driver |
AE109 Mark II |
B&W 603 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5.2-inch |
1 x 6-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5.2-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
AE109 MII features a 1" fabric dome with waveguide Tweeter , a 5.2" Midrange and 1 x 5.2" paper cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 275Hz and 2.5kHz. On the other hand, the BW 603 features a 1" Tweeter , a 6" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Paper Woofer .
Frequency Response
AE109 MII has a frequency range of 41Hz - 26kHz whereas BW 603 has a frequency range of 48-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 41Hz, the AE109 MII can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the BW 603's min frequency of 48Hz.
Below graphs depict how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average values of the Min and Max Frequencies of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
High Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
None of these speakers achieves full range experience which is commonly agreed as 20Hz-20kHz. In order to achieve lower lows / deeper bass, we recommend you pair these with a subwoofer. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
AE109 MII is a 6 ohms speaker compared to the BW 603 which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. AE109 MII sensitivity is rated at 89 dB and the BW 603's is rated at 88.5 dB.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing Speakers
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. While using an amplifier within this range ensures the nominal performance , inputting a power that is higher than the max wattage can result in a damaged speaker.
AE109 MII can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS from the amp the whereas AE109 MII has a max power handling value of 175 watts RMS , 25 watts less than the BW 603.
Keep in mind that a higher max power handling value doesn't necessarily make that a louder speaker
compared to a lower max handling speaker. Loudness or the sound level is also impacted by parameters
such as Impedance, sensitivity and system efficiencies.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both AE109 MII and BW 603 have rear firing ports. Rear ported speakers generally need more room between the backside of the speaker and the wall compared to sealed and front/bottom ported speakers. Placing the speakers too close to the walls may cause the bass to sound boomy.
If you are limited in space and can't get the speakers away from the backwall, check our Speakers with Front Firing Ports page.
Physical Specs
Size of a speaker can sometimes become an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare AE109 Mark II's and B&W 603's external dimensions. AE109 Mark II has external dimensions of 860.0 x 165.0 x 250.0mm ( 33.9 x 6.5 x 9.8inch) whereas B&W 603 has external dimensions of 985.0 x 190.0 x 340.0mm ( 38.7 x 7.4 x 13.3inch) .
B&W 603 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 25mm wider, 125mm taller and 90mm deeper than AE109 Mark II.
Base Surface Area Comparison
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited.
The base surface area of the AE109 Mark II is approximately 412.5cm2 / 63.9inch2 and base area of the B&W 603 is approximately 646.0cm2 / 100.1inch2. The AE109 MII requires 36% less surface area than the BW 603 which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
Weight Comparison The weight of a loudspeaker can become an important factor if you need to move and reposition the unit often. Weight of a speaker can also "sometimes" be an indicator of the rigidity of the enclosure and the quality of the internal components used. The AE109 Mark II weighs 16.00kg / 35.2lbs and the B&W 603 weighs 24.14kg / 53.1lbs. This makes the BW 603 51% heavier than the AE109 MII.
Here is a comparison of how AE109 MII and BW 603's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
What's in the Box of B&W 603?
Here are the items that come with the BW 603:
Floorstanding loudspeaker Grille Plinith (base) 2 Jumper-straps (pre-installed) 4 Rubber feet 4 Spike feet 4 Hex-nuts 4 Screws 4 Washers 4 Lock-washers Two-piece foam port plug Hex-key Manual Bowers & Wilkins brochure Warranty Information
 Low Frequency Response |
41 Hz
vs
48 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
860mm
vs
985mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
412cm2 (165x250mm)
vs
646cm2 (190x340mm)
|
Takes less floor space |
 Max Input Power |
200 watts
vs
175 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
6 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
| Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5.2 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Number of Woofers |
2
vs
1
|
More woofers |
 High Frequency Response |
28k Hz
vs
26k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
| General |
Acoustic Energy AE109 Mark II |
Bowers & Wilkins 603 |
| Brand |
Acoustic Energy |
Bowers Wilkins |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
up to 175 watts |
30-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
89 dB |
88.5 dB |
| Impedance |
6 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
41Hz - 26kHz |
48-28k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
5.2" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
paper cone |
Paper |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
dome with waveguide |
n/a |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
5.2" |
6" |
| Crossover Frequency |
275Hz and 2.5kHz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
860.0mm (33.9") |
985.0mm (38.8") |
| Width |
165.0mm (6.5") |
190.0mm (7.5") |
| Depth |
250.0mm (9.8") |
340.0mm (13.4") |
| Weight |
16.00kg (35.2lbs) |
24.14kg (53.1lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
HDF |
MDF/Vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Walnut, Satin Black |
Black, White, Oak |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
n/a |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
5 Years |