In this review, we will be comparing BW 606 and TSi200, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Bowers Wilkins and Polk Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of B&W 606 and Polk TSi200 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | B&W 606 | Polk TSi200 |
|---|
| Brand | Bowers Wilkins
United Kingdom · founded 1966 | Polk Audio
United States · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Hard-Dome | 1" Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 6.5" Continuum | 2 x 5.25" Organic Fiber |
|---|
| Frequency response | 52-28k Hz | 50-24k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 89 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 30-120 watts | 20-150 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 6.90kg / 15.2lbs | 7.71kg / 17lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 13.6" x 7-1/2" x 12-13/16"
345.0 x 190.0 x 324.0mm | 15.4" x 8.0" x 11.7"
392.1 x 203.2 x 298.5mm |
|---|
What size room are the B&W 606 and Polk TSi200 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 |
Polk TSi200 |
| 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 BW 606 and TSi200 are 2-way speakers.
B&W 606Polk TSi200
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 |
Polk TSi200 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
2 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 TSi200 features a 1" Dome Tweeter and 2 x 5.25" Organic Fiber Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2500Hz.
Frequency Response
BW 606 has a frequency range of 52-28k Hz whereas TSi200 has a frequency range of 50-24k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 50Hz, the TSi200 can go slightly deeper then 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 and TSi200 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. BW 606 sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the TSi200's is at 89 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Polk TSi200 a more sensitive speaker compared to B&W 606, 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.
TSi200 can handle a max power of 150 watts RMS, whereas BW 606 has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS, 30 watts less than the TSi200.
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. TSi200 has a Pair of 5-way binding posts - Gold-plated which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
B&W 606's Post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both BW 606 and TSi200 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 Polk TSi200'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 Polk TSi200 has external dimensions of 392.1 x 203.2 x 298.5mm (15.4 x 8.0 x 11.7inch).
B&W 606 is 13.2mm narrower and 47.1mm shorter than Polk TSi200 but it is also 25.5mm deeper.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of B&W 606 and Polk TSi200 in scale.
Comparison image of B&W 606 and Polk TSi200 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 Polk TSi200 is approximately 606.6cm2 / 94.0inch2. The BW 606 requires 1% more surface area than the TSi200 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 Polk TSi200 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 Polk TSi200 weighs 7.71kg / 17lbs. This makes the TSi200 12% heavier than the BW 606.
Here is a comparison of how BW 606 and TSi200'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 Polk TSi200?
Here are the items that come with the TSi200:
- 2 Black bookshelf speakers
- Detachable cloth grille (installed)
- 8 Self-adhesive rubber feet
- Owner's Manual Online registration sheet
- Polk Audio product brochure
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5.25 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 High Frequency Response |
28k Hz
vs
24k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Height |
345mm
vs
392mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Max Input Power |
150 watts
vs
120 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
89 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
|
Number of Woofers |
2
vs
1
|
More woofers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
50 Hz
vs
52 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Base Surface Area |
606cm2
vs
615cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
279USD
vs
899USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Bowers & Wilkins 606 |
Polk Audio TSi200 |
| Brand |
Bowers Wilkins |
Polk Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
30-120 watts |
20-150 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
89 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.7 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
52-28k Hz |
50-24k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
5.25" |
| Woofer Composition |
Continuum |
Organic Fiber |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Butyl Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Hard-Dome |
Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
n/a |
2500Hz |
| 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") |
392.1mm (15.4") |
| Width |
190.0mm (7.5") |
203.2mm (8") |
| Depth |
324.0mm (12.8") |
298.5mm (11.8") |
| Weight |
6.90kg (15.2lbs) |
7.71kg (17lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Vinyl |
Wood-grain vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Black, White, Oak |
Black, Cherry |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Recommended Stand Height |
24-26" |
16-26" |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
These sit in different price classes - B&W 606 costs roughly 3.2x what Polk TSi200 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 | evenly matched | Much the same reach (52Hz vs 50Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (88dB vs 89dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | B | Polk TSi200 takes more power (150W vs 120W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | A | B&W 606: bi-amping. |
| Price | B | Polk TSi200 is cheaper - $279 against $899, about 69% less; arguably a different class. |
A B&W 606 B Polk TSi200
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. Think about the whole system, not just the speakers: the roughly $620 saved by taking the cheaper pair would buy a subwoofer or a better amplifier, and either usually does more for the sound than the difference between these two.
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.