In this review, we will be comparing 607 S3 and Theva No1, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Bowers Wilkins and Focal.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of B&W 607 S3 and Focal Theva No1 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | B&W 607 S3 | Focal Theva No1 |
|---|
| Brand | Bowers Wilkins
United Kingdom · founded 1966 | Focal
France · founded 1979 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Decoupled Double Dome Titanium | 1" inverted dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 5" Continuum | 6.5" Slatefiber |
|---|
| Frequency response | 52-28k Hz | 58-28kHz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 84 dB | 89 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 30-100 watts | 25-120 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 4.65kg / 10.2lbs | 6.82kg / 15lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 11.8" x 6.5" x 9.3"
300.0 x 166.0 x 235.0mm | 15-3/8" x 8-3/8" x 10-1/4"
391.0 x 213.0 x 261.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the B&W 607 S3 and Focal Theva No1 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 607 S3 |
Focal Theva No1 |
| Near-field |
Average |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Good |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
Bad |
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.
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Drivers
Both 607 S3 and Theva No1 are 2-way speakers.
B&W 607 S3Focal Theva No1
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 607 S3 |
Focal Theva No1 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5-inch
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
607 S3 features a 1" Titanium Decoupled Double Dome Titanium Tweeter and 1 x 5" Continuum Woofer. On the other hand, the Theva No1 features a 1" TNF Al/Mg inverted dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Slatefiber Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 3000 Hz.
Frequency Response
607 S3 has a frequency range of 52-28k Hz whereas Theva No1 has a frequency range of 58-28kHz. With a minimum frequency of 52Hz, the 607 S3 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Theva No1's min frequency of 58Hz.
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
607 S3 and Theva No1 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. 607 S3 sensitivity is rated at 84 dB and the Theva No1's is at 89 dB. This 5 dB difference makes the Focal Theva No1 a more sensitive speaker compared to B&W 607 S3, 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.
Theva No1 can handle a max power of 120 watts RMS, whereas 607 S3 has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS, 20 watts less than the Theva No1.
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 607 S3 and Theva No1 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
B&W 607 S3's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Focal Theva No1's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both 607 S3 and Theva No1 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 607 S3's and Focal Theva No1's external dimensions. B&W 607 S3 has external dimensions of 300.0 x 166.0 x 235.0mm (11.8 x 6.5 x 9.3inch) whereas Focal Theva No1 has external dimensions of 391.0 x 213.0 x 261.0mm (153/8 x 83/8 x 101/4).
Focal Theva No1 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 47mm wider, 91mm taller and 26mm deeper than B&W 607 S3.
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 607 S3 is approximately 390.1cm2 / 60.5inch2 and base area of the Focal Theva No1 is approximately 555.9cm2 / 86.2inch2. The 607 S3 requires 30% less surface area than the Theva No1 which gives it a small advantage 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 607 S3 weighs 4.65kg / 10.2lbs and the Focal Theva No1 weighs 6.82kg / 15lbs. This makes the Theva No1 47% heavier than the 607 S3.
Here is a comparison of how 607 S3 and Theva No1'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 607 S3?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of 607 S3:
- 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
 Low Frequency Response |
52 Hz
vs
58 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
300mm
vs
391mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
390cm2
vs
555cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
900USD
vs
998USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
120 watts
vs
100 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
89 dB
vs
84 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Minimum Impedance |
4.6 ohms
vs
3.0 ohms
|
Very low impedance levels puts more pressure on amplifier |
|
Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| General |
Bowers & Wilkins 607 S3 |
Focal Theva No1 |
| Brand |
Bowers Wilkins |
Focal |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
30-100 watts |
25-120 watts |
| Sensitivity |
84 dB |
89 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.0 ohms |
4.6 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
52-28k Hz |
58-28kHz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Continuum |
Slatefiber |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Decoupled Double Dome Titanium |
inverted dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
n/a |
3000 Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
300.0mm (11.8") |
391.0mm (15.4") |
| Width |
166.0mm (6.5") |
213.0mm (8.4") |
| Depth |
235.0mm (9.3") |
261.0mm (10.3") |
| Weight |
4.65kg (10.2lbs) |
6.82kg (15lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Vinyl |
n/a |
| Available Colors |
Matte Black, Matte White, Oak, Red Cherry |
Black High Gloss,Dark Wood,Light Wood |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Recommended Stand Height |
24-26" |
n/a |
| 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 |
No single best speaker here - they are built to different priorities, and the right one depends on your room, your amplifier and what you listen to.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | A | B&W 607 S3 digs deeper - 52Hz against 58Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | B | Focal Theva No1 is more sensitive (89dB vs 84dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (100W vs 120W). |
| Size | depends | B&W 607 S3 is easier to place; Focal Theva No1 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | B&W 607 S3: bi-amping; Focal Theva No1: bi-amping. |
| Price | evenly matched | Much the same money ($900 vs $998 a pair). |
A B&W 607 S3 B Focal Theva No1
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 58Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. Match it to your room: we rate B&W 607 S3 the better fit for near-field listening and a small room, and Focal Theva No1 for a mid-size room and a large room.
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.