In this review, we will be comparing 702 S2 and BW 603, two Passive Floor-standing speakers by Bowers Wilkins.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of B&W 702 S2 and B&W 603 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | B&W 702 S2 | B&W 603 |
|---|
| Brand | Bowers Wilkins
United Kingdom · founded 1966 | Bowers Wilkins
United Kingdom · founded 1966 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" | 1" |
|---|
| Midrange | 6" | 6" |
|---|
| Woofer | 3 x 6.5" Aerofoil | 2 x 6.5" Paper |
|---|
| Frequency response | 46-28k Hz | 48-28k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90 dB | 88.5 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 30-300 watts | 30-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 29.50kg / 64.9lbs | 24.14kg / 53.1lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 42.8" x 7-7/8" x 14.3"
1087 x 200 x 364 mm | 38.7" x 7.4" x 13.3"
985.0 x 190.0 x 340.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the B&W 702 S2 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 702 S2 |
B&W 603 |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
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 702 S2 and BW 603 are 3-way speakers.
B&W 702 S2B&W 603
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 702 S2 |
B&W 603 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6-inch |
1 x 6-inch |
|
Woofer
|
3 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
702 S2 features a 1" Tweeter, a 6" Midrange and 3 x 6.5" Aerofoil Woofer. On the other hand, the BW 603 features a 1" Tweeter, a 6" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Paper Woofer.
Frequency Response
702 S2 has a frequency range of 46-28k Hz whereas BW 603 has a frequency range of 48-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 46Hz, the 702 S2 can go slightly deeper then the BW 603's min frequency of 48Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing 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
702 S2 and BW 603 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. 702 S2 sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the BW 603's is at 88.5 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the B&W 702 S2 a more sensitive speaker compared to B&W 603, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing 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.
702 S2 can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS, whereas BW 603 has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS, 100 watts less than the 702 S2.
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 702 S2 and BW 603 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
B&W 702 S2's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both 702 S2 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
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 702 S2's and B&W 603's external dimensions. B&W 702 S2 has external dimensions of 1087 x 200 x 364 mm (42.8 x 7-7/8 x 14.3 inch) 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 702 S2 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 10mm wider, 102mm taller and 24mm deeper than B&W 603.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of B&W 702 S2 and B&W 603 in scale.
Comparison image of B&W 702 S2 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 702 S2 is approximately 728.0cm2 / 112.8inch2 and base area of the B&W 603 is approximately 646.0cm2 / 100.1inch2. The 702 S2 requires 13% more surface area than the BW 603 which gives it a small disadvantage 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 702 S2 weighs 29.50kg / 64.9lbs and the B&W 603 weighs 24.14kg / 53.1lbs. This makes the 702 S2 22% heavier than the BW 603.
Here is a comparison of how 702 S2 and BW 603's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
What's in the Box of B&W 702 S2?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of 702 S2:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- Plinth (base)
- 2 Jumper-straps (pre-installed)
- Two-piece foam port plug
- 4 Rubber feet
- 4 Spike feet
- 4 Lock-nuts
- 4 Screws
- 4 Washers
- 4 Lock washers
- Hex-key
- Manual
- Bowers & Wilkins brochure
- Warranty 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
 Max Input Power |
300 watts
vs
200 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
90 dB
vs
89 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Number of Woofers |
3
vs
2
|
More woofers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
46 Hz
vs
48 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
985mm
vs
1087mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
646cm2
vs
728cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
Bowers & Wilkins 702 S2 |
Bowers & Wilkins 603 |
| Brand |
Bowers Wilkins |
Bowers Wilkins |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
30-300 watts |
30-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
90 dB |
88.5 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.1 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
46-28k Hz |
48-28k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
3 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Aerofoil |
Paper |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
6" |
6" |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1087.0mm (42.8") |
985.0mm (38.8") |
| Width |
200.0mm (7.9") |
190.0mm (7.5") |
| Depth |
364.0mm (14.3") |
340.0mm (13.4") |
| Weight |
29.50kg (64.9lbs) |
24.14kg (53.1lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Lacquer |
MDF/Vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Rosewood, Gloss Black, Satin White |
Black, White, Oak |
| 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 |
Both are Bowers Wilkins, from different ranges - so the house sound is shared and the differences are mostly in scale, engineering and price.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | evenly matched | Much the same reach (46Hz vs 48Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (90dB vs 89dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | A | B&W 702 S2 takes more power (300W vs 200W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | depends | B&W 702 S2: bi-amping; B&W 603: bi-amping. B&W 702 S2 sits in a wider range (8 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
A B&W 702 S2 B B&W 603
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 702 S2 has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. Match it to your room: we rate B&W 702 S2 the better fit for a very large room, and B&W 603 for a mid-size 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.