In this review, we will be comparing 606 S3 and P300, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Bowers Wilkins and Buchardt.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of B&W 606 S3 and Buchardt P300 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
B&W 606 S3 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" Decoupled Double Dome Titanium Tweeter
- 6.5" Continuum Woofer
- 52-28k Hz Frequency Response
- 88 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:30-120watts
- Weight:7.05kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 344.0" x 7.4" x 12.9"( 344.0 x 189.0 x 328.0mm )
Buchardt P300 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 0.74" aluminum waveguide Tweeter
- 6" paper Woofer
- 37-40k HZ Frequency Response
- 86 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:50 - 200watts
- Weight:6.30kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 365.0" x 7" x 11"( 365.0 x 180.0 x 280.0mm )
What size room are the B&W 606 S3 and Buchardt P300 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 S3 |
Buchardt P300 |
| 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.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the B&W 606 S3 and Buchardt P300 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 606 S3 and P300 are 2-way speakers.
| Driver |
B&W 606 S3 |
Buchardt P300 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
0.74-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 6-inch
|
606 S3 features a 1" Titanium Decoupled Double Dome Titanium Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Continuum Woofer . On the other hand, the P300 features a 0.74" Custom fine weave soft fabric textile with CDC aluminum waveguide aluminum waveguide Tweeter and 1 x 6" paper Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2900Hz.
Frequency Response
606 S3 has a frequency range of 52-28k Hz whereas P300 has a frequency range of 37-40k HZ. With a minimum frequency of 37Hz, the P300 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the 606 S3's min frequency of 52Hz.
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 Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
High Frequency
Bookshelf 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
606 S3 is a 8 ohms speaker compared to the P300 which has a nominal impedance of 4 ohms. Lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit especially when played at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the P300 can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. 606 S3 sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the P300's is rated at 86 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the B&W 606 S3 a more sensitive speaker compared to Buchardt P300, 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. 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.
606 S3 can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS from the amp the whereas 606 S3 has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS , 80 watts less than the P300.
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.
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 606 S3's and Buchardt P300's external dimensions. B&W 606 S3 has external dimensions of 344.0 x 189.0 x 328.0mm ( 13.6 x 7.4 x 12.9inch) whereas Buchardt P300 has external dimensions of 365.0 x 180.0 x 280.0mm ( 14.4 x 7 x 11inch) .
Buchardt P300 is 9mm narrower and 48mm less deeper than B&W 606 S3 but it is also 21mm taller.
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 S3 is approximately 619.9cm2 / 96.1inch2 and base area of the Buchardt P300 is approximately 504.0cm2 / 78.1inch2. The 606 S3 requires 23% more surface area than the P300 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.