In this review, we will be comparing 603 S3 and RP-8000F II, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Bowers Wilkins and Klipsch.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of B&W 603 S3 and Klipsch RP-8000F II first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
B&W 603 S3 Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" Decoupled Double Dome Tweeter
- 6" Midrange
- 2 x 6.5" Paper Woofer
- 46-28k Hz Frequency Response
- 90 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:30-200watts
- Weight:27.50kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 985.0" x 7.5" x 14.5"( 985.0 x 190.0 x 368.0mm )
Klipsch RP-8000F II Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" Tractrix Horn Tweeter
- 2 x 8" Cerametallic cone Woofer
- 32-25k Hz Frequency Response
- 98 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:up to 150watts
- Weight:28.00kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1097.0" x 10-7/8" x 17-9/16"( 1097.0 x 277.0 x 447.0mm )
What size room are the B&W 603 S3 and Klipsch RP-8000F II 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 |
Klipsch RP-8000F II |
| 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.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the B&W 603 S3 and Klipsch RP-8000F II 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
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that 603 S3 is a 3-way design whereas the RP-8000F II is a 2-way speaker. 3-way designs utilize a midrange driver in addition to the tweeter and woofer on 2-way designs. Designing a crossover for a 3-way speaker is a complicated process and generally increases the overall cost of the speaker.
| Driver |
B&W 603 S3 |
Klipsch RP-8000F II |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 8-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 RP-8000F II features a 1" titanium Tractrix Horn Tweeter and 2 x 8" Cerametallic cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 1630 Hz.
Frequency Response
603 S3 has a frequency range of 46-28k Hz whereas RP-8000F II has a frequency range of 32-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 32Hz, the RP-8000F II can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the 603 S3's min frequency of 46Hz.
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
603 S3 and RP-8000F II 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 RP-8000F II's is at 98 dB. This 8 dB difference makes the Klipsch RP-8000F II a more sensitive speaker compared to B&W 603 S3, 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. 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.
603 S3 can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS from the amp the whereas RP-8000F II has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the 603 S3.
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.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Both 603 S3 and RP-8000F II 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
Klipsch RP-8000F II's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both 603 S3 and RP-8000F II 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 B&W 603 S3's and Klipsch RP-8000F II'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 Klipsch RP-8000F II has external dimensions of 1097.0 x 277.0 x 447.0mm ( 43-3/16 x 10-7/8 x 17-9/16inch) .
Klipsch RP-8000F II is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 87mm wider, 112mm taller and 79mm deeper than B&W 603 S3.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of B&W 603 S3 and Klipsch RP-8000F II in scale.
Comparison image of B&W 603 S3 and Klipsch RP-8000F II 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 Klipsch RP-8000F II is approximately 1238.2cm2 / 191.9inch2. The 603 S3 requires 44% less surface area than the RP-8000F II which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.