In this review, we will be comparing 603 S3 and Ultra Tower, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Bowers Wilkins and SVS.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of B&W 603 S3 and SVS Ultra Tower first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | B&W 603 S3 | SVS Ultra Tower |
|---|
| Brand | Bowers Wilkins
United Kingdom · founded 1966 | SVS
United States · founded 1998 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Decoupled Double Dome | 1.0" Dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 6" | 2 x 6.5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6.5" Paper | 2 x 8.0" Polypropylene |
|---|
| Frequency response | 46-28k Hz | 28-32k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90 dB | 88 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 30-200 watts | 20-300 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 27.50kg / 60.5lbs | 34.27kg / 75.4lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 38.8" x 7.5" x 14.5"
985.0 x 190.0 x 368.0mm | 45-5/8" x 13-15/16" x 17-1/2"
1159.0 x 355.0 x 445.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the B&W 603 S3 and SVS Ultra Tower 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 |
SVS Ultra Tower |
| 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.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
**This post contains affiliate links, and we will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking
through our links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
Both 603 S3 and Ultra Tower are 3-way speakers.
B&W 603 S3SVS Ultra Tower
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 |
SVS Ultra Tower |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1.0-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6-inch |
2 x 6.5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 8.0-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 Ultra Tower features a 1.0" aluminum Dome Tweeter, a 6.5" Midrange and 2 x 8.0" Polypropylene Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 160HZ and 2000Hz.
Frequency Response
603 S3 has a frequency range of 46-28k Hz whereas Ultra Tower has a frequency range of 28-32k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 28Hz, the Ultra Tower can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the 603 S3's min frequency of 46Hz.
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 Ultra Tower 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 Ultra Tower's is at 88 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the B&W 603 S3 a more sensitive speaker compared to SVS Ultra Tower, 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.
Ultra Tower can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS, whereas 603 S3 has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS, 100 watts less than the Ultra Tower.
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 Ultra Tower 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
SVS Ultra Tower'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 B&W 603 S3's and SVS Ultra Tower'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 SVS Ultra Tower has external dimensions of 1159.0 x 355.0 x 445.0mm (45-5/8 x 13-15/16 x 17-1/2inch).
SVS Ultra Tower is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 165mm wider, 174mm taller and 77mm deeper than B&W 603 S3.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of B&W 603 S3 and SVS Ultra Tower in scale.
Comparison image of B&W 603 S3 and SVS Ultra Tower 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 SVS Ultra Tower is approximately 1579.8cm2 / 244.9inch2. The 603 S3 requires 56% less surface area than the Ultra Tower 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 B&W 603 S3 weighs 27.50kg / 60.5lbs and the SVS Ultra Tower weighs 34.27kg / 75.4lbs. This makes the Ultra Tower 25% heavier than the 603 S3.
Here is a comparison of how 603 S3 and Ultra Tower'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 SVS Ultra Tower?
Here are the items that come with the Ultra Tower:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Cloth grille
- 2 Metal grilles
- Foam port plug
- 4 Elastomer isolation feet (pre-installed)
- 4 Spike feet
- 4 Nuts
- 4 Protective discs
- 2 Terminal jumpers (pre-installed)
- Owners Manual
- SVS brochure
- Online Product Registration Card
 Sensitivity |
90 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Height |
985mm
vs
1159mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
699cm2
vs
1579cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Max Input Power |
300 watts
vs
200 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Woofer Size |
8.0 inches
vs
6.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
28 Hz
vs
46 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
32k Hz
vs
28k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Price per pair* |
2600USD
vs
2700USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Bowers & Wilkins 603 S3 |
SVS Ultra Tower |
| Brand |
Bowers Wilkins |
SVS |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
30-200 watts |
20-300 watts |
| Sensitivity |
90 dB |
88 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
3 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
46-28k Hz |
28-32k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
8.0" |
| Woofer Composition |
Paper |
Polypropylene |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1.0" |
| Tweeter Type |
Decoupled Double Dome |
Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
6" |
6.5" |
| Crossover Frequency |
n/a |
160HZ and 2000Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
n/a |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
985.0mm (38.8") |
1159.0mm (45.6") |
| Width |
190.0mm (7.5") |
355.0mm (14") |
| Depth |
368.0mm (14.5") |
445.0mm (17.5") |
| Weight |
27.50kg (60.5lbs) |
34.27kg (75.4lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Vinyl |
MDF/Oak veneer |
| Available Colors |
Matte Black, Matte White, Oak, Red Cherry |
Black Oak,Piano Gloss Black,Piano Gloss 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 |
A generation apart: B&W 603 S3 is the newer design, against a 2013 model. Newer is not automatically better, but the older one is more likely to be discounted or near run-out.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | SVS Ultra Tower digs deeper - 28Hz against 46Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | A | B&W 603 S3 is more sensitive (90dB vs 88dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | B | SVS Ultra Tower takes more power (300W vs 200W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | B&W 603 S3 is easier to place; SVS Ultra Tower is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | B&W 603 S3: bi-amping; SVS Ultra Tower: bi-amping. |
| Price | evenly matched | Much the same money ($2,700 vs $2,600 a pair). |
A B&W 603 S3 B SVS Ultra Tower
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?
SVS Ultra Tower 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 46Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. Match it to your room: we rate B&W 603 S3 the better fit for a mid-size room, and SVS Ultra Tower for a very 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.