In this review, we will be comparing 606 S2 AE and Motion 15, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Bowers Wilkins and MartinLogan.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of B&W 606 S2 and MartinLogan 15 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | B&W 606 S2 | MartinLogan 15 |
|---|
| Brand | Bowers Wilkins
United Kingdom · founded 1966 | MartinLogan
United States · founded 1982 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Decoupled Double Dome | 1.0 x 1.4" Folded Motion |
|---|
| Woofer | 6.5" Continuum | 5.25" Aluminum |
|---|
| Frequency response | 52-28k Hz | 60-25k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 92 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 5 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 30-120 watts | 20-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 6.90kg / 15.2lbs | 5.40kg / 11.9lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 13-5/8" x 7-1/2" x 12-13/16"
347.0 x 191.0 x 326.0mm | 11.4" x 6.8" x 9.4"
290.0 x 173.0 x 240.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the B&W 606 S2 and MartinLogan 15 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 606 S2 |
MartinLogan 15 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Average |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Average |
Average |
| 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.
Drivers
Both 606 S2 AE and Motion 15 are 2-way speakers.
B&W 606 S2MartinLogan 15
TweeterWoofer
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 606 S2 |
MartinLogan 15 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1.0 x 1.4-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
606 S2 AE features a 1" Aluminum Decoupled Double Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Continuum Woofer. On the other hand, the Motion 15 features a 1.0 x 1.4" Folded Motion Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" Aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2700Hz.
Frequency Response
606 S2 AE has a frequency range of 52-28k Hz whereas Motion 15 has a frequency range of 60-25k 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 Motion 15'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
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
606 S2 AE is a 8 ohms speaker compared to the Motion 15 which has a nominal impedance of 5 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. 606 S2 AE sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the Motion 15's is rated at 92 dB. This 4 dB difference makes the MartinLogan 15 a more sensitive speaker compared to B&W 606 S2, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf 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.
Motion 15 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 Motion 15.
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
606 S2 AE features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Motion 15 has a Custom 5-way tool-less binding posts which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
B&W 606 S2's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both 606 S2 AE and Motion 15 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 606 S2's and MartinLogan 15's external dimensions. 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) whereas MartinLogan 15 has external dimensions of 290.0 x 173.0 x 240.0mm (11.4 x 6.8 x 9.4inch).
B&W 606 S2 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 18mm wider, 57mm taller and 86mm deeper than MartinLogan 15.
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 606 S2 is approximately 622.7cm2 / 96.5inch2 and base area of the MartinLogan 15 is approximately 415.2cm2 / 64.4inch2. The 606 S2 AE requires 50% more surface area than the Motion 15 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 606 S2 weighs 6.90kg / 15.2lbs and the MartinLogan 15 weighs 5.40kg / 11.9lbs. This makes the 606 S2 AE 28% heavier than the Motion 15.
Here is a comparison of how 606 S2 AE and Motion 15's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
What's in the Box of B&W 606 S2?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of 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
What's in the Box of MartinLogan 15?
Here are the items that come with the Motion 15:
- Bookshelf loudspeaker
- Grille
- 4 Rubber feet
- Users Manual
- Warranty/Registration Information
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
5 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5.25 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
52 Hz
vs
60 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
28k Hz
vs
25k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Max Input Power |
200 watts
vs
120 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
92 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Height |
290mm
vs
347mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
415cm2
vs
622cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
800USD
vs
999USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Bowers & Wilkins 606 S2 Anniversary Edition |
MartinLogan Motion 15 |
| Brand |
Bowers Wilkins |
MartinLogan |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
30-120 watts |
20-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
92 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
5 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.7 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
52-28k Hz |
60-25k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
5.25" |
| Woofer Composition |
Continuum |
Aluminum |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1.0 x 1.4" |
| Tweeter Type |
Decoupled Double Dome |
Folded Motion |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
n/a |
2700Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
| Suggested Break-in Period |
n/a |
Allow 72 hours of break-in at 90 dB |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
347.0mm (13.7") |
290.0mm (11.4") |
| Width |
191.0mm (7.5") |
173.0mm (6.8") |
| Depth |
326.0mm (12.8") |
240.0mm (9.4") |
| Weight |
6.90kg (15.2lbs) |
5.40kg (11.9lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Vinyl |
Piano Lacquer |
| Available Colors |
Matte Black, Matte White, Oak, Red Cherry |
Gloss Black, Matt White, Red Walnut |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Recommended Stand Height |
24-26" |
24-30" |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Yrs w/ Registration |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Yrs w/ Registration |
A generation apart: B&W 606 S2 is the newer design, against a 2014 model. Newer is not automatically better, but the older one is more likely to be discounted or near run-out.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | A | B&W 606 S2 digs deeper - 52Hz against 60Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | B | MartinLogan 15 is more sensitive (92dB vs 88dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | A | B&W 606 S2 is the easier load at 8 ohms. |
| Headroom | B | MartinLogan 15 takes more power (200W vs 120W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | MartinLogan 15 is easier to place; B&W 606 S2 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | B&W 606 S2: bi-amping. MartinLogan 15 sits in a wider range (18 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | B | MartinLogan 15 is cheaper - $800 against $999, about 20% less. |
A B&W 606 S2 B MartinLogan 15
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. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 60Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper MartinLogan 15 much easier to justify. In a large or open-plan room, B&W 606 S2 has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, MartinLogan 15 is the easier speaker to get right.
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.