In this review, we will be comparing 603 S3 and R700, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Bowers Wilkins and Polk Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of B&W 603 S3 and Polk R700 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 )
Polk R700 Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator Tweeter
- 6.5" Midrange
- 2 x 8" Polypropylene Woofer
- 6.5" Midrange
- 38-38k Hz Frequency Response
- 88 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:50-300watts
- Weight:35.90kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1143.8" x 12.6" x 16.9"( 1143.8 x 320.7 x 428.3mm )
What size room are the B&W 603 S3 and Polk R700 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 |
Polk R700 |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Average |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
Average |
(* 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 Polk R700 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
Both 603 S3 and R700 are 3-way speakers.
| Driver |
B&W 603 S3 |
Polk R700 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6-inch |
1 x 6.5-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 R700 features a 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator Tweeter , a 6.5" Midrange and 2 x 8" Polypropylene Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 350Hz and 2700Hz.
Frequency Response
603 S3 has a frequency range of 46-28k Hz whereas R700 has a frequency range of 38-38k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 38Hz, the R700 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 R700 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 R700's is at 88 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the B&W 603 S3 a more sensitive speaker compared to Polk R700, 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 300 watts RMS from the amp the whereas 603 S3 has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS , 100 watts less than the R700.
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 R700 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
Polk R700's Post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
603 S3 has a rear firing port whereas R700 has a bottom firing ports. Polk R700's bottom-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to B&W 603 S3 with its rear-firing port.
Polk R700 Port
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 Polk R700'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 Polk R700 has external dimensions of 1143.8 x 320.7 x 428.3mm ( 45 x 12.6 x 16.9inch) .
Polk R700 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 130.7mm wider, 158.8mm taller and 60.3mm deeper than B&W 603 S3.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of B&W 603 S3 and Polk R700 in scale.
Comparison image of B&W 603 S3 and Polk R700 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 Polk R700 is approximately 1373.6cm2 / 212.9inch2. The 603 S3 requires 49% less surface area than the R700 which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.