In this review, we will be comparing two different type of speakers by Bowers Wilkins. Bowers & Wilkins 607 is a Bookshelf speaker whereas the BW 603 is a Floor-standing speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of B&W 607 and B&W 603 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
B&W 607 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter
- 5" Continuum Woofer
- 52-28k Hz Frequency Response
- 84 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:30-100watts
- Weight:4.70kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 300.0" x 6.4" x 8.1"( 300.0 x 165.0 x 207.0mm )
B&W 603 Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" Tweeter
- 6" Midrange
- 2 x 6.5" Paper Woofer
- 6" Midrange
- 48-28k Hz Frequency Response
- 88.5 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:30-200watts
- Weight:24.14kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 985.0" x 7.4" x 13.3"( 985.0 x 190.0 x 340.0mm )
BW 607 and BW 603 are members of Bowers Wilkins's 600 series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
What size room are the B&W 607 and B&W 603 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 |
B&W 603 |
| Near-field |
Average |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Good |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Good |
| 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.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the B&W 607 and B&W 603 compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
**This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking
through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that BW 607 is a 2-way design whereas the BW 603 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.
| Driver |
B&W 607 |
B&W 603 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 6-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
BW 607 features a 1" Decoupled Carbon Hard-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5" Continuum Woofer . On the other hand, the BW 603 features a 1" Tweeter , a 6" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Paper Woofer .
Frequency Response
BW 607 has a frequency range of 52-28k Hz whereas BW 603 has a frequency range of 48-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 48Hz, the BW 603 can go slightly deeper then the BW 607'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
BW 607 and BW 603 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. BW 607 sensitivity is rated at 84 dB and the BW 603's is at 88.5 dB. This 5 dB difference makes the B&W 603 a more sensitive speaker compared to B&W 607, 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.
BW 607 can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS from the amp the whereas BW 607 has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS , 100 watts less than the BW 603.
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.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Both BW 607 and BW 603 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both BW 607 and BW 603 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
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 607's and B&W 603's external dimensions. B&W 607 has external dimensions of 300.0 x 165.0 x 207.0mm ( 11.8 x 6.4 x 8.1inch) whereas B&W 603 has external dimensions of 985.0 x 190.0 x 340.0mm ( 38.7 x 7.4 x 13.3inch) .
B&W 603 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 25mm wider, 685mm taller and 133mm deeper than B&W 607.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of B&W 607 and B&W 603 in scale.
Comparison image of B&W 607 and B&W 603 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 607 is approximately 341.6cm2 / 52.9inch2 and base area of the B&W 603 is approximately 646.0cm2 / 100.1inch2. The BW 607 requires 47% less surface area than the BW 603 which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
What's in the Box of B&W 607?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of BW 607:
2 Bookshelf loudspeakers2 Grilles2 Two-piece foam port plugs8 Self-adhesive rubber feet4 Jumper-straps Manual Bowers & Wilkins brochureWarranty Information
What's in the Box of B&W 603?
Here are the items that come with the BW 603:
Floorstanding loudspeaker Grille Plinith (base) 2 Jumper-straps (pre-installed) 4 Rubber feet 4 Spike feet 4 Hex-nuts 4 Screws 4 Washers 4 Lock-washers Two-piece foam port plug Hex-key Manual Bowers & Wilkins brochure Warranty Information
Height 
Base Surface Area 
Max Input Power 
Driver Setup 
Sensitivity 
Woofer Size