In this review, we will be comparing AE320 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 AE320 and B&W 603 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | AE320 | 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 | 2 x 5.2" ceramic aluminium sandwich | 2 x 6.5" Paper |
|---|
| Frequency response | 35Hz - 30kHz | 48-28k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90 dB | 88.5 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | up to 200 watts | 30-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 26.00kg / 57.2lbs | 24.14kg / 53.1lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 39.4" x 6.9" x 10.2"
1000.0 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 AE320 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* |
AE320 |
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 AE320 and BW 603 are 3-way speakers.
AE320B&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 |
AE320 |
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
|
2 x 5.2-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
AE320 features a 1.1" aluminium dome with waveguide Tweeter, a 5.2" Midrange and 2 x 5.2" ceramic aluminium sandwich Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 380Hz and 3400Hz. On the other hand, the BW 603 features a 1" Tweeter, a 6" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Paper Woofer.
Frequency Response
AE320 has a frequency range of 35Hz - 30kHz whereas BW 603 has a frequency range of 48-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 35Hz, the AE320 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
AE320 and BW 603 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. AE320 sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the BW 603's is at 88.5 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the AE320 a more sensitive speaker compared to B&W 603, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
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.
Both handle the same maximum of 200 watts RMS, though AE320 is rated up to 200 watts and BW 603 30-200 watts.
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 AE320 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 AE320's and B&W 603's external dimensions. AE320 has external dimensions of 1000.0 x 175.0 x 260.0mm (39.4 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).
AE320 is 15mm narrower and 80mm less deeper than B&W 603 but it is also 15mm taller.
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. AE320 is 15mm 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 AE320 is approximately 455.0cm2 / 70.5inch2 and base area of the B&W 603 is approximately 646.0cm2 / 100.1inch2. The AE320 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 AE320 weighs 26.00kg / 57.2lbs and the B&W 603 weighs 24.14kg / 53.1lbs. This makes the AE320 8% heavier than the BW 603.
Here is a comparison of how AE320 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
 Sensitivity |
90 dB
vs
89 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Low Frequency Response |
35 Hz
vs
48 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
30k Hz
vs
28k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Base Surface Area |
455cm2
vs
646cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
|
Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5.2 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Height |
985mm
vs
1000mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
| General |
Acoustic Energy AE320 |
Bowers & Wilkins 603 |
| Brand |
Acoustic Energy |
Bowers Wilkins |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
up to 200 watts |
30-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
90 dB |
88.5 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
35Hz - 30kHz |
48-28k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
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 |
380Hz and 3400Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1000.0mm (39.4") |
985.0mm (38.8") |
| Width |
175.0mm (6.9") |
190.0mm (7.5") |
| Depth |
260.0mm (10.2") |
340.0mm (13.4") |
| Weight |
26.00kg (57.2lbs) |
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 | AE320 digs deeper - 35Hz against 48Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (90dB vs 89dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (200W vs 200W). |
| Size | depends | AE320 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 AE320 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?
Neither runs away with it - they trade advantages. Let the "depends" rows and your own room settle it. 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.
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.