In this review, we will be comparing Novus N6SS 6.5" Tripolar Surround and 606 S2 AE, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Aperion and Bowers Wilkins.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Aperion Novus N6SS 6.5" Tripolar Surround and B&W 606 S2 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Aperion Novus N6SS 6.5" Tripolar Surround | B&W 606 S2 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" | 1" Decoupled Double Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 6.5" | 6.5" Continuum |
|---|
| Frequency response | 60-30k Hz | 52-28k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90 dB | 88 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-100 Watts watts | 30-120 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 5.90kg / 13lbs | 6.90kg / 15.2lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 12" x 9.5" x 5.4"
304.8 x 241.3 x 137.2mm | 13-5/8" x 7-1/2" x 12-13/16"
347.0 x 191.0 x 326.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Aperion Novus N6SS 6.5" Tripolar Surround and B&W 606 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* |
Aperion Novus N6SS 6.5" Tripolar Surround |
B&W 606 S2 |
| Near-field |
Good |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Good |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
No way |
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.
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Drivers
Both Novus N6SS 6.5" Tripolar Surround and 606 S2 AE are 2-way speakers.
Aperion Novus N6SS 6.5" Tripolar SurroundB&W 606 S2
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Aperion Novus N6SS 6.5" Tripolar Surround |
B&W 606 S2 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
Novus N6SS 6.5" Tripolar Surround features a 1" Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Woofer. On the other hand, the 606 S2 AE features a 1" Aluminum Decoupled Double Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Continuum Woofer.
Frequency Response
Novus N6SS 6.5" Tripolar Surround has a frequency range of 60-30k Hz whereas 606 S2 AE has a frequency range of 52-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 52Hz, the 606 S2 AE can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Novus N6SS 6.5" Tripolar Surround's min frequency of 60Hz.
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
Novus N6SS 6.5" Tripolar Surround
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
Novus N6SS 6.5" Tripolar Surround is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the 606 S2 AE which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms. Lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit especially when played at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the Novus N6SS 6.5" Tripolar Surround can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Novus N6SS 6.5" Tripolar Surround sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the 606 S2 AE's is rated at 88 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Aperion Novus N6SS 6.5" Tripolar Surround a more sensitive speaker compared to B&W 606 S2, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf Speakers
Novus N6SS 6.5" Tripolar Surround
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.
Novus N6SS 6.5" Tripolar Surround can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS, whereas 606 S2 AE has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS, 80 watts less than the Novus N6SS 6.5" Tripolar Surround.
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.
Aperion Novus N6SS 6.5" Tripolar Surround
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
606 S2 AE features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Novus N6SS 6.5" Tripolar Surround has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
B&W 606 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 Aperion Novus N6SS 6.5" Tripolar Surround's and B&W 606 S2's external dimensions. Aperion Novus N6SS 6.5" Tripolar Surround has external dimensions of 304.8 x 241.3 x 137.2mm (12 x 9.5 x 5.4inch) whereas B&W 606 S2 has external dimensions of 347.0 x 191.0 x 326.0mm (13-5/8 x 7-1/2 x 12-13/16inch).
Aperion Novus N6SS 6.5" Tripolar Surround is 42.2mm shorter and 188.8mm less deeper than B&W 606 S2 but it is also 50.3mm wider.
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 Aperion Novus N6SS 6.5" Tripolar Surround is approximately 331.1cm2 / 51.3inch2 and base area of the B&W 606 S2 is approximately 622.7cm2 / 96.5inch2. The Novus N6SS 6.5" Tripolar Surround requires 47% less surface area than the 606 S2 AE 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 Aperion Novus N6SS 6.5" Tripolar Surround weighs 5.90kg / 13lbs and the B&W 606 S2 weighs 6.90kg / 15.2lbs. This makes the 606 S2 AE 17% heavier than the Novus N6SS 6.5" Tripolar Surround.
Here is a comparison of how Novus N6SS 6.5" Tripolar Surround and 606 S2 AE's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
Aperion Novus N6SS 6.5" Tripolar Surround
What's in the Box of B&W 606 S2?
Here are the items that come with the 606 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
 Max Input Power |
200 watts
vs
120 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
90 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 High Frequency Response |
30k Hz
vs
28k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
304mm
vs
347mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
331cm2
vs
622cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
949USD
vs
999USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Low Frequency Response |
52 Hz
vs
60 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
| General |
Aperion Novus N6SS 6.5" Tripolar Surround |
Bowers & Wilkins 606 S2 Anniversary Edition |
| Brand |
Aperion |
Bowers Wilkins |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
20-100 Watts watts |
30-120 watts |
| Sensitivity |
90 dB |
88 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
n/a |
3.7 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
60-30k Hz |
52-28k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
|
Continuum |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
n/a |
Decoupled Double Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
304.8mm (12") |
347.0mm (13.7") |
| Width |
241.3mm (9.5") |
191.0mm (7.5") |
| Depth |
137.2mm (5.4") |
326.0mm (12.8") |
| Weight |
5.90kg (13lbs) |
6.90kg (15.2lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Acoustic Suspension |
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 |
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 |
B |
B&W 606 S2 digs deeper - 52Hz against 60Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs |
A |
Aperion Novus N6SS 6.5" Tripolar Surround is more sensitive (90dB vs 88dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match |
B |
B&W 606 S2 is the easier load at 8 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom |
A |
Aperion Novus N6SS 6.5" Tripolar Surround takes more power (200W vs 120W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size |
depends |
Aperion Novus N6SS 6.5" Tripolar Surround is easier to place; B&W 606 S2 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| 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 606 S2: bi-amping. |
| Price |
evenly matched |
Much the same money ($949 vs $999 a pair). |
A Aperion Novus N6SS 6.5" Tripolar Surround
B B&W 606 S2
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, placement 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 606 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. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 60Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. Match it to your room: we rate Aperion Novus N6SS 6.5" Tripolar Surround the better fit for near-field listening and a small room, and B&W 606 S2 for a mid-size room and a large room.
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.