In this review, we will be comparing BW 606 and Diamond 220, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Bowers Wilkins and Wharfedale.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of B&W 606 and Wharfedale 220 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | B&W 606 | Wharfedale 220 |
|---|
| Brand | Bowers Wilkins
United Kingdom · founded 1966 | Wharfedale
United Kingdom · founded 1932 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Hard-Dome | 1" Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 6.5" Continuum | 5" Woven Kevlar |
|---|
| Frequency response | 52-28k Hz | 56-20k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 86 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 30-120 watts | 25-100 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 6.90kg / 15.2lbs | 5.32kg / 11.7lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 13.6" x 7-1/2" x 12-13/16"
345.0 x 190.0 x 324.0mm | 12.4" x 6.8" x 10.0"
315.0 x 174.0 x 255.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the B&W 606 and Wharfedale 220 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 |
Wharfedale 220 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Average |
| Small Room |
Average |
Good |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Average |
| Large Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
Bad |
(* 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 Diamond 220 are 2-way speakers.
B&W 606Wharfedale 220
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 |
Wharfedale 220 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 5-inch
|
BW 606 features a 1" Decoupled Carbon Hard-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Continuum Woofer. On the other hand, the Diamond 220 features a 1" Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5" Woven Kevlar Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2200Hz.
Frequency Response
BW 606 has a frequency range of 52-28k Hz whereas Diamond 220 has a frequency range of 56-20k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 52Hz, the BW 606 can go slightly deeper then the Diamond 220's min frequency of 56Hz.
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 Diamond 220 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 Diamond 220's is at 86 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the B&W 606 a more sensitive speaker compared to Wharfedale 220, 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.
BW 606 can handle a max power of 120 watts RMS, whereas Diamond 220 has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS, 20 watts less than the BW 606.
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 BW 606 and Diamond 220 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
B&W 606's Post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Wharfedale 220's Post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
BW 606 has a rear firing port whereas Diamond 220 has a bottom firing ports. Wharfedale 220's bottom-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to B&W 606 with its rear-firing port.
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 Wharfedale 220'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 Wharfedale 220 has external dimensions of 315.0 x 174.0 x 255.0mm (12.4 x 6.8 x 10.0inch).
B&W 606 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 16mm wider, 30mm taller and 69mm deeper than Wharfedale 220.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of B&W 606 and Wharfedale 220 in scale.
Comparison image of B&W 606 and Wharfedale 220 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 Wharfedale 220 is approximately 443.7cm2 / 68.8inch2. The BW 606 requires 39% more surface area than the Diamond 220 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 Wharfedale 220 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 Wharfedale 220 weighs 5.32kg / 11.7lbs. This makes the BW 606 30% heavier than the Diamond 220.
Here is a comparison of how BW 606 and Diamond 220'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 Wharfedale 220?
Here are the items that come with the Diamond 220:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles (pre-installed)
- 8 Self-adhesive rubber feet
- User's Manual
- Installation Guide
 Max Input Power |
120 watts
vs
100 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
88 dB
vs
86 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
52 Hz
vs
56 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
28k Hz
vs
20k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Minimum Impedance |
4.1 ohms
vs
3.7 ohms
|
Very low impedance levels puts more pressure on amplifier |
 Height |
315mm
vs
345mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
443cm2
vs
615cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
249USD
vs
899USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Bowers & Wilkins 606 |
Wharfedale Diamond 220 |
| Brand |
Bowers Wilkins |
Wharfedale |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
30-120 watts |
25-100 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
86 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.7 ohms |
4.1 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
52-28k Hz |
56-20k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Continuum |
Woven Kevlar |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Hard-Dome |
Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
n/a |
2200Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
bottom |
| 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") |
315.0mm (12.4") |
| Width |
190.0mm (7.5") |
174.0mm (6.9") |
| Depth |
324.0mm (12.8") |
255.0mm (10") |
| Weight |
6.90kg (15.2lbs) |
5.32kg (11.7lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Vinyl |
MDF/Wood veneer |
| Available Colors |
Black, White, Oak |
Black, White, Walnut |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Recommended Stand Height |
24-26" |
24" |
| 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 |
These sit in different price classes - B&W 606 costs roughly 3.6x what Wharfedale 220 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 | A | B&W 606 digs deeper - 52Hz against 56Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | A | B&W 606 is more sensitive (88dB vs 86dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (120W vs 100W). |
| Size | depends | Wharfedale 220 is easier to place; B&W 606 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | B&W 606: bi-amping; Wharfedale 220: bi-amping. |
| Price | B | Wharfedale 220 is cheaper - $249 against $899, about 72% less; arguably a different class. |
A B&W 606 B Wharfedale 220
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?
The usual trade-off: B&W 606 measures better, Wharfedale 220 costs about about 3.6x the price% less. Whether that gap is worth the money is the call only you can make - and in a normal room it is often smaller than the numbers suggest. Match it to your room: we rate B&W 606 the better fit for a mid-size room and a large room, and Wharfedale 220 for near-field listening and a small room. In a large or open-plan room, B&W 606 has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Wharfedale 220 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.