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BW HTM6 S3 vs B&W 606 S3 Comparison

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BW HTM6 S3

Passive Center Channel | 72-28k Hz

Bowers & Wilkins HTM6 S3
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B&W 606 S3

Passive Bookshelf | 52-28k Hz

Bowers & Wilkins 606 S3
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BW HTM6 S3 BW HTM6 S3
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B&W 606 S3 B&W 606 S3
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BW HTM6 S3
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B&W 606 S3
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BW HTM6 S3 vs B&W 606 S3 Speaker Comparison

In this review, we will be comparing two different type of speakers by Bowers Wilkins. Bowers & Wilkins HTM6 S3 is a Center Channel speaker whereas the 606 S3 is a Bookshelf speaker.

Let's have a brief look at the main features of BW HTM6 S3 and B&W 606 S3 first before getting into our more detailed comparison.

BW HTM6 S3 Key Specs

  • 2-way Design
  • 1" Decoupled Double Dome Tweeter
  • 2 x 5" Continuum Woofer
  • 72-28k Hz Frequency Response
  • 87 dB Sensitivity
  • Impedance: 8ohms
  • Power Range:30-120watts
  • Weight:7.70kg
  • Dimensions (H x W x D): 160.0" x 18.9" x 11.2"( 160.0 x 480.0 x 283.0mm )

B&W 606 S3 Key Specs

  • 2-way Design
  • 1" Decoupled Double Dome Titanium Tweeter
  • 6.5" Continuum Woofer
  • 52-28k Hz Frequency Response
  • 88 dB Sensitivity
  • Impedance: 8ohms
  • Power Range:30-120watts
  • Weight:7.05kg
  • Dimensions (H x W x D): 344.0" x 7.4" x 12.9"( 344.0 x 189.0 x 328.0mm )

HTM6 S3 and 606 S3 are members of Bowers Wilkins's 600 S3 series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.

Bowers Wilkins 600 S3 Series History
Model Body Frequency SensitivityImpedance Woofer
BW HTM6 S3
Center Channel 72-28k Hz 87 dB8Ω 2 x 5"
B&W 607 S3
  
Bookshelf 52-28k Hz 84 dB8Ω 1 x 5"
B&W 603 S3
  
Floor-standing 46-28k Hz 90 dB8Ω 2 x 6.5"
B&W 606 S3
Bookshelf 52-28k Hz 88 dB8Ω 1 x 6.5"

What size room are the BW HTM6 S3 and B&W 606 S3 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* BW HTM6 S3 B&W 606 S3
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.)

In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the BW HTM6 S3 and B&W 606 S3 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

Both HTM6 S3 and 606 S3 are 2-way speakers.

Driver BW HTM6 S3 B&W 606 S3
Driver Setup 2-way 2-way
Tweeter 1-inch 1-inch
Midrange - -
Woofer 2 x 5-inch 1 x 6.5-inch

HTM6 S3 features a 1" Titanium Decoupled Double Dome Tweeter and 2 x 5" Continuum Woofer . On the other hand, the 606 S3 features a 1" Titanium Decoupled Double Dome Titanium Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Continuum Woofer .

Frequency Response

HTM6 S3 has a frequency range of 72-28k Hz whereas 606 S3 has a frequency range of 52-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 52Hz, the 606 S3 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the HTM6 S3's min frequency of 72Hz.

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 Center Channel class in our database.

Low Frequency

Center Channel Speakers

HTM6 S3
606 S3
Min
Average
Max
High Frequency

Center Channel Speakers

BW HTM6 S3
B&W 606 S3
Min
Average
Max

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

HTM6 S3 and 606 S3 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. HTM6 S3 sensitivity is rated at 87 dB and the 606 S3's is at 88 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the B&W 606 S3 a more sensitive speaker compared to BW HTM6 S3 , hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.

Sensitivity

Center Channel Speakers

HTM6 S3
606 S3
Min
Average
Max

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.

HTM6 S3 and 606 S3 has the same power range of 30-120 watts.

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 HTM6 S3 and 606 S3 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.

BW HTM6 S3  Terminals
BW HTM6 S3 's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring

B&W 606 S3 Terminals
B&W 606 S3's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring

Cabinet Type and Port Position

Both HTM6 S3 and 606 S3 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 BW HTM6 S3 's and B&W 606 S3's external dimensions. BW HTM6 S3 has external dimensions of 160.0 x 480.0 x 283.0mm ( 6.3 x 18.9 x 11.2inch) whereas B&W 606 S3 has external dimensions of 344.0 x 189.0 x 328.0mm ( 13.6 x 7.4 x 12.9inch) .

BW HTM6 S3 is 184mm shorter and 45mm less deeper than B&W 606 S3 but it is also 291mm wider.

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 BW HTM6 S3 is approximately 1358.4cm2 / 210.6inch2 and base area of the B&W 606 S3 is approximately 619.9cm2 / 96.1inch2. The HTM6 S3 requires 119% more surface area than the 606 S3 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.

What's in the Box of BW HTM6 S3 ?

Here are the items that are included inside the box of HTM6 S3:
  • Center-channel loudspeaker
  • Grille (pre-installed)
  • Two-piece foam plug
  • 4 Self-adhesive rubber feet
  • 2 Jumper-straps (pre-installed)
  • Manual
  • Warranty Information
  • Bowers Wilkins brochure
  • What's in the Box of B&W 606 S3?

    Here are the items that come with the 606 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

  • Reasons to choose Bowers & Wilkins HTM6 S3 over Bowers & Wilkins 606 S3
    Minimum Impedance 4.3 ohms vs 3.7 ohms Very low impedance levels puts more pressure on amplifier
    Number of Woofers 2 vs 1 More woofers
    Height 160mm vs 344mm Easier to fit in smaller spaces
    Price per pair* 899USD vs 1100USD costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time)

    Reasons to choose Bowers & Wilkins 606 S3 over Bowers & Wilkins HTM6 S3

    Sensitivity 88 dB vs 87 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 72 Hz Generates deeper bass
    Base Surface Area 619cm2 vs 1358cm2 Takes less floor space
    BW HTM6 S3 vs B&W 606 S3 Specs Table
    Detailed comparison of specifications
    General Bowers & Wilkins HTM6 S3 Bowers & Wilkins 606 S3
    Brand Bowers Wilkins Bowers Wilkins
    Speaker Type Center channel speaker Bookshelf speakers
    Power Range 30-120 watts 30-120 watts
    Sensitivity 87 dB 88 dB
    Impedance 8 ohms 8 ohms
    Impedance 4.3 ohms 3.7 ohms
    Frequency Response 72-28k Hz 52-28k Hz
    Drivers
    Woofer Quantity 2 1
    Woofer Size 5" 6.5"
    Woofer Composition Continuum Continuum
    Woofer Surround Material Rubber Rubber
    Tweeter Size 1" 1"
    Tweeter Type Decoupled Double Dome Decoupled Double Dome Titanium
    Aimable Tweeter No No
    Midrange Driver No No
    Firing Direction rear rear
    Physical Specs
    Height 160.0mm (6.3") 344.0mm (13.5")
    Width 480.0mm (18.9") 189.0mm (7.4")
    Depth 283.0mm (11.1") 328.0mm (12.9")
    Weight 7.70kg (16.9lbs) 7.05kg (15.5lbs)
    Enclosure Bass Reflex Bass Reflex
    Finish n/a MDF/Vinyl
    Available Colors Black, White, Oak Matte Black, Matte White, Oak, Red Cherry
    Mounting Bracket No No
    Recommended Stand Height n/a 24-26"
    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

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