In this review, we will be comparing AE309 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 AE309 and B&W 603 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | AE309 | B&W 603 |
|---|
| Brand | Acoustic Energy
United Kingdom · founded 1987 | Bowers Wilkins
United Kingdom · founded 1966 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.1" dome with waveguide | 1" |
|---|
| Midrange | 5.2" | 6" |
|---|
| Woofer | 5.2" ceramic aluminium sandwich | 2 x 6.5" Paper |
|---|
| Frequency response | 38Hz - 30kHz | 48-28k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 89 dB | 88.5 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | up to 175 watts | 30-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 22.00kg / 48.4lbs | 24.14kg / 53.1lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 35.4" x 6.9" x 10.2"
900.0 x 175.0 x 260.0mm | 38.7" x 7.4" x 13.3"
985.0 x 190.0 x 340.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the AE309 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:
| Listening Environment* |
AE309 |
B&W 603 |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
Poor |
(* 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 AE309 and BW 603 are 3-way speakers.
AE309B&W 603
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
AE309 |
B&W 603 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5.2-inch |
1 x 6-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5.2-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
AE309 features a 1.1" aluminium dome with waveguide Tweeter, a 5.2" Midrange and 1 x 5.2" ceramic aluminium sandwich Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 296Hz and 2560Hz. On the other hand, the BW 603 features a 1" Tweeter, a 6" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Paper Woofer.
Frequency Response
AE309 has a frequency range of 38Hz - 30kHz whereas BW 603 has a frequency range of 48-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 38Hz, the AE309 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the BW 603's min frequency of 48Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
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
AE309 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. AE309 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. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
BW 603 can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS, whereas AE309 has a max power handling value of 175 watts RMS, 25 watts less than the BW 603.
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.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both AE309 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
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 AE309's and B&W 603's external dimensions. AE309 has external dimensions of 900.0 x 175.0 x 260.0mm (35.4 x 6.9 x 10.2inch) 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 15mm wider, 85mm taller and 80mm deeper than AE309.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
B&W 603 needs about 42% more floor or shelf area. B&W 603 is 80mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. B&W 603 is 85mm taller.
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 AE309 is approximately 455.0cm2 / 70.5inch2 and base area of the B&W 603 is approximately 646.0cm2 / 100.1inch2. The AE309 requires 30% 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 AE309 weighs 22.00kg / 48.4lbs and the B&W 603 weighs 24.14kg / 53.1lbs. This makes the BW 603 10% heavier than the AE309.
Here is a comparison of how AE309 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 |
38 Hz
vs
48 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
30k Hz
vs
28k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
900mm
vs
985mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
455cm2
vs
646cm2
|
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 |
| General |
Acoustic Energy AE309 |
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 |
38Hz - 30kHz |
48-28k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
5.2" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
ceramic aluminium sandwich |
Paper |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
dome with waveguide |
n/a |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
5.2" |
6" |
| Crossover Frequency |
296Hz and 2560Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
900.0mm (35.4") |
985.0mm (38.8") |
| Width |
175.0mm (6.9") |
190.0mm (7.5") |
| Depth |
260.0mm (10.2") |
340.0mm (13.4") |
| Weight |
22.00kg (48.4lbs) |
24.14kg (53.1lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
high density MDF |
MDF/Vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Piano Gloss White, Piano Gloss Black, Real Walnut wood veneer |
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 |
No single best speaker here - they are built to different priorities, and the right one depends on your room, your amplifier and what you listen to.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | A | AE309 digs deeper - 38Hz against 48Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (89dB vs 89dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Amplifier match | B | B&W 603 is the easier load at 8 ohms. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (175W vs 200W). |
| Size | depends | AE309 is easier to place; B&W 603 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | B | B&W 603: bi-amping. |
A AE309 B B&W 603
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 603 has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 48Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. In a large or open-plan room, B&W 603 has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, AE309 is the easier speaker to get right.
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.