In this review, we will be comparing 603 S3 and 703 S2, two Passive Floor-standing speakers by Bowers Wilkins.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of B&W 603 S3 and B&W 703 S2 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | B&W 603 S3 | B&W 703 S2 |
|---|
| Brand | Bowers Wilkins
United Kingdom · founded 1966 | Bowers Wilkins
United Kingdom · founded 1966 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Decoupled Double Dome | 1" |
|---|
| Midrange | 6" | 6" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6.5" Paper | 2 x 6.5" Aerofoil |
|---|
| Frequency response | 46-28k Hz | 46-28k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90 dB | 89 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 30-200 watts | 30-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 27.50kg / 60.5lbs | 25.00kg / 55lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 38.8" x 7.5" x 14.5"
985.0 x 190.0 x 368.0mm | 40.4" x 7-7/8" x 12.6"
1025 x 200 x 321 mm |
|---|
What size room are the B&W 603 S3 and B&W 703 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* |
B&W 603 S3 |
B&W 703 S2 |
| 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.
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Drivers
Both 603 S3 and 703 S2 are 3-way speakers.
B&W 603 S3B&W 703 S2
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
B&W 603 S3 |
B&W 703 S2 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6-inch |
1 x 6-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
603 S3 features a 1" Titanium Decoupled Double Dome Tweeter, a 6" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Paper Woofer. On the other hand, the 703 S2 features a 1" Tweeter, a 6" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Aerofoil Woofer.
Frequency Response
603 S3 and 703 S2 has exactly the same frequency range of 46-28k Hz.
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
603 S3 and 703 S2 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. 603 S3 sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the 703 S2's is at 89 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the B&W 603 S3 a more sensitive speaker compared to B&W 703 S2, 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.
603 S3 and 703 S2 have the same power range of 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.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Both 603 S3 and 703 S2 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
B&W 603 S3's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
B&W 703 S2's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both 603 S3 and 703 S2 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 B&W 603 S3's and B&W 703 S2's external dimensions. B&W 603 S3 has external dimensions of 985.0 x 190.0 x 368.0mm (38.8 x 7.5 x 14.5inch) whereas B&W 703 S2 has external dimensions of 1025 x 200 x 321 mm (40.4 x 7-7/8 x 12.6 inch).
B&W 603 S3 is 10mm narrower and 40mm shorter than B&W 703 S2 but it is also 47mm deeper.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of B&W 603 S3 and B&W 703 S2 in scale.
Comparison image of B&W 603 S3 and B&W 703 S2 Size and External Dimensions
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 B&W 603 S3 is approximately 699.2cm2 / 108.4inch2 and base area of the B&W 703 S2 is approximately 642.0cm2 / 99.5inch2. The 603 S3 requires 9% more surface area than the 703 S2 which gives it a small disadvantage 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 B&W 603 S3 weighs 27.50kg / 60.5lbs and the B&W 703 S2 weighs 25.00kg / 55lbs. This makes the 603 S3 10% heavier than the 703 S2.
Here is a comparison of how 603 S3 and 703 S2'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 S3?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of 603 S3:
- 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
What's in the Box of B&W 703 S2?
Here are the items that come with the 703 S2:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- Plinth (base)
- 2 Jumper-straps (pre-installed)
- Two-piece foam port plug
- 4 Rubber feet
- 4 Spike feet
- 4 Lock-nuts
- 4 Screws
- 4 Washers
- 4 Lock washers
- Hex-key
- Manual
- Bowers & Wilkins brochure
- Warranty Information
 Sensitivity |
90 dB
vs
89 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Height |
985mm
vs
1025mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Price per pair* |
2700USD
vs
5000USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Minimum Impedance |
3.1 ohms
vs
3 ohms
|
Very low impedance levels puts more pressure on amplifier |
 Base Surface Area |
642cm2
vs
699cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
Bowers & Wilkins 603 S3 |
Bowers & Wilkins 703 S2 |
| Brand |
Bowers Wilkins |
Bowers Wilkins |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
30-200 watts |
30-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
90 dB |
89 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
3 ohms |
3.1 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
46-28k Hz |
46-28k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Paper |
Aerofoil |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Decoupled Double Dome |
n/a |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
6" |
6" |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
985.0mm (38.8") |
1025.0mm (40.4") |
| Width |
190.0mm (7.5") |
200.0mm (7.9") |
| Depth |
368.0mm (14.5") |
321.0mm (12.6") |
| Weight |
27.50kg (60.5lbs) |
25.00kg (55lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Vinyl |
MDF/Lacquer |
| Available Colors |
Matte Black, Matte White, Oak, Red Cherry |
Rosewood, Gloss Black, Satin White |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
These sit in different price classes - B&W 703 S2 costs roughly 1.9x what B&W 603 S3 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 | evenly matched | Much the same reach (46Hz vs 46Hz). |
| 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 | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | depends | B&W 603 S3: bi-amping; B&W 703 S2: bi-amping. B&W 703 S2 sits in a wider range (8 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | A | B&W 603 S3 is cheaper - $2,700 against $5,000, about 46% less; arguably a different class. |
A B&W 603 S3 B B&W 703 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?
Neither runs away with it - they trade advantages. Let the "depends" rows and your own room settle it. Think about the whole system, not just the speakers: the roughly $2,300 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.