In this review, we will be comparing BW 606 and Uni-Fi UB5, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Bowers Wilkins and ELAC.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of B&W 606 and ELAC Uni-Fi UB5 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | B&W 606 | ELAC Uni-Fi UB5 |
|---|
| Brand | Bowers Wilkins
United Kingdom · founded 1966 | ELAC
Germany · founded 1926 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Hard-Dome | 1" Soft-dome |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 4" |
|---|
| Woofer | 6.5" Continuum | 5.25" Aluminum |
|---|
| Frequency response | 52-28k Hz | 46-25k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 85 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 30-120 watts | 40-140 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 6.90kg / 15.2lbs | 7.48kg / 16.5lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 13.6" x 7-1/2" x 12-13/16"
345.0 x 190.0 x 324.0mm | 12.7" x 7.8" x 10.7"
324.0 x 200.0 x 273.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the B&W 606 and ELAC Uni-Fi UB5 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 |
ELAC Uni-Fi UB5 |
| 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
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that BW 606 is a 2-way design whereas the Uni-Fi UB5 is a 3-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.
B&W 606ELAC Uni-Fi UB5
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 606 |
ELAC Uni-Fi UB5 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 4-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
BW 606 features a 1" Decoupled Carbon Hard-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Continuum Woofer. On the other hand, the Uni-Fi UB5 features a 1" Soft-dome Tweeter, a 4" Midrange and 1 x 5.25" Aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 270Hz and 2700Hz.
Frequency Response
BW 606 has a frequency range of 52-28k Hz whereas Uni-Fi UB5 has a frequency range of 46-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 46Hz, the Uni-Fi UB5 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the BW 606's min frequency of 52Hz.
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
BW 606 is a 8 ohms speaker compared to the Uni-Fi UB5 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 Uni-Fi UB5 can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. BW 606 sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the Uni-Fi UB5's is rated at 85 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the B&W 606 a more sensitive speaker compared to ELAC Uni-Fi UB5, 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.
Uni-Fi UB5 can handle a max power of 140 watts RMS, whereas BW 606 has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS, 20 watts less than the Uni-Fi UB5.
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
BW 606 features Post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Uni-Fi UB5 has a Post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
B&W 606's Post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
ELAC Uni-Fi UB5's Post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both BW 606 and Uni-Fi UB5 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's and ELAC Uni-Fi UB5's external dimensions. B&W 606 has external dimensions of 345.0 x 190.0 x 324.0mm (13.5 x 7.4 x 12.7inch) whereas ELAC Uni-Fi UB5 has external dimensions of 324.0 x 200.0 x 273.0mm (12.7 x 7.8 x 10.7inch).
ELAC Uni-Fi UB5 is 21mm shorter and 51mm less deeper than B&W 606 but it is also 10mm wider.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of B&W 606 and ELAC Uni-Fi UB5 in scale.
Comparison image of B&W 606 and ELAC Uni-Fi UB5 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 606 is approximately 615.6cm2 / 95.4inch2 and base area of the ELAC Uni-Fi UB5 is approximately 546.0cm2 / 84.6inch2. The BW 606 requires 13% more surface area than the Uni-Fi UB5 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
Here is another comparison that shows both speakers on a BDI Octave Media Cabinet, next to a standard size amplifier and turntable in scale:
Size Comparison image of B&W 606 and ELAC Uni-Fi UB5 on a Media Console
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 weighs 6.90kg / 15.2lbs and the ELAC Uni-Fi UB5 weighs 7.48kg / 16.5lbs. This makes the Uni-Fi UB5 8% heavier than the BW 606.
Here is a comparison of how BW 606 and Uni-Fi UB5'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?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of BW 606:
- 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 ELAC Uni-Fi UB5?
Here are the items that come with the Uni-Fi UB5:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles
- Operating Instructions
 Sensitivity |
88 dB
vs
85 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5.25 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 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 |
140 watts
vs
120 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
|
Low Frequency Response |
46 Hz
vs
52 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
324mm
vs
345mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
546cm2
vs
615cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
499USD
vs
899USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Bowers & Wilkins 606 |
ELAC Uni-Fi UB5 |
| Brand |
Bowers Wilkins |
ELAC |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
30-120 watts |
40-140 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
85 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.7 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
52-28k Hz |
46-25k 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" |
| Tweeter Type |
Hard-Dome |
Soft-dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
4" |
| Crossover Frequency |
n/a |
270Hz and 2700Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
| Suggested Break-in Period |
allow up to a week for the temperature effects to stabilise and 15 hours of average use for the parts to attain their intended design characteristics. |
n/a |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
345.0mm (13.6") |
324.0mm (12.8") |
| Width |
190.0mm (7.5") |
200.0mm (7.9") |
| Depth |
324.0mm (12.8") |
273.0mm (10.7") |
| Weight |
6.90kg (15.2lbs) |
7.48kg (16.5lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Vinyl |
MDF/Vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Black, White, Oak |
Black |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Recommended Stand Height |
24-26" |
24-31" |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
3 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
3 Years |
These sit in different price classes - B&W 606 costs roughly 1.8x what ELAC Uni-Fi UB5 does. Expect it to lead on paper; the question is whether the gap is audible enough in your room to be worth it.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | ELAC Uni-Fi UB5 digs deeper - 46Hz against 52Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | A | B&W 606 is more sensitive (88dB vs 85dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | A | B&W 606 is the easier load at 8 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (120W vs 140W). |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | depends | B&W 606: bi-amping. ELAC Uni-Fi UB5 sits in a wider range (7 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | B | ELAC Uni-Fi UB5 is cheaper - $499 against $899, about 44% less; arguably a different class. |
A B&W 606 B ELAC Uni-Fi UB5
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?
B&W 606 is ahead, but only on 1 of the measured areas, and it costs about 80% more. That is a lot of money for a narrow margin on paper - ELAC Uni-Fi UB5 looks like the sensible buy unless something else about the B&W 606 appeals to you. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 52Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, B&W 606 is the safer partner - the other will want more current or more watts to sound its best.
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.