In this review, we will be comparing Tintagel 1 and 606 S3, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Castle and Bowers Wilkins.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Castle Tintagel 1 and B&W 606 S3 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Castle Tintagel 1 | B&W 606 S3 |
|---|
| Brand | Castle | Bowers Wilkins
United Kingdom · founded 1966 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.1" Soft-Dome | 1" Decoupled Double Dome Titanium |
|---|
| Woofer | 5" Advanced Fibre | 6.5" Continuum |
|---|
| Frequency response | 55-20k Hz | 52-28k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 86 dB | 88 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 30-100 watts | 30-120 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 7.30kg / 16.1lbs | 7.05kg / 15.5lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 13-9/16" x 7-5/8" x 9-15/16"
345.0 x 194.0 x 252.0mm | 13.6" x 7.4" x 12.9"
344.0 x 189.0 x 328.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Castle Tintagel 1 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* |
Castle Tintagel 1 |
B&W 606 S3 |
| 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.
Drivers
Both Tintagel 1 and 606 S3 are 2-way speakers.
Castle Tintagel 1B&W 606 S3
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Castle Tintagel 1 |
B&W 606 S3 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5-inch
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
Tintagel 1 features a 1.1" Silk Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5" Advanced Fibre Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2.2 kHz. 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
Tintagel 1 has a frequency range of 55-20k Hz whereas 606 S3 has a frequency range of 52-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 52Hz, the 606 S3 can go slightly deeper then the Tintagel 1's min frequency of 55Hz.
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
Tintagel 1 and 606 S3 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Tintagel 1 sensitivity is rated at 86 dB and the 606 S3's is at 88 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the B&W 606 S3 a more sensitive speaker compared to Castle Tintagel 1, 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.
606 S3 can handle a max power of 120 watts RMS, whereas Tintagel 1 has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS, 20 watts less than the 606 S3.
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
606 S3 features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Tintagel 1 has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
B&W 606 S3's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Tintagel 1 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
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 Castle Tintagel 1's and B&W 606 S3's external dimensions. Castle Tintagel 1 has external dimensions of 345.0 x 194.0 x 252.0mm (13-9/16 x 7-5/8 x 9-15/16inch) 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).
B&W 606 S3 is 5mm narrower and 1mm shorter than Castle Tintagel 1 but it is also 76mm deeper.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
B&W 606 S3 needs about 27% more floor or shelf area. B&W 606 S3 is 76mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall.
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 Castle Tintagel 1 is approximately 488.9cm2 / 75.8inch2 and base area of the B&W 606 S3 is approximately 619.9cm2 / 96.1inch2. The Tintagel 1 requires 21% less surface area than the 606 S3 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 Castle Tintagel 1 weighs 7.30kg / 16.1lbs and the B&W 606 S3 weighs 7.05kg / 15.5lbs. This makes the Tintagel 1 4% heavier than the 606 S3.
Here is a comparison of how Tintagel 1 and 606 S3'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 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
 Minimum Impedance |
5.2 ohms
vs
3.7 ohms
|
Very low impedance levels puts more pressure on amplifier |
 Base Surface Area |
488cm2
vs
619cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 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
55 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
28k Hz
vs
20k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
344mm
vs
345mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Price per pair* |
1100USD
vs
2749USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Castle Tintagel 1 |
Bowers & Wilkins 606 S3 |
| Brand |
Castle |
Bowers Wilkins |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
30-100 watts |
30-120 watts |
| Sensitivity |
86 dB |
88 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
5.2 ohms |
3.7 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
55-20k Hz |
52-28k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Advanced Fibre |
Continuum |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Soft-Dome |
Decoupled Double Dome Titanium |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
2.2 kHz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
345.0mm (13.6") |
344.0mm (13.5") |
| Width |
194.0mm (7.6") |
189.0mm (7.4") |
| Depth |
252.0mm (9.9") |
328.0mm (12.9") |
| Weight |
7.30kg (16.1lbs) |
7.05kg (15.5lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
Walnut veneer, Black Oak veneer |
MDF/Vinyl |
| Available Colors |
n/a |
Matte Black, Matte White, Oak, Red Cherry |
| Mounting Bracket |
|
No |
| Recommended Stand Height |
n/a |
24-26" |
| Grille |
n/a |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
n/a |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
5 Years |
These sit in different price classes - Castle Tintagel 1 costs roughly 2.5x what B&W 606 S3 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 | B | B&W 606 S3 digs deeper - 52Hz against 55Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | B | B&W 606 S3 is more sensitive (88dB vs 86dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (100W vs 120W). |
| Size | depends | Castle Tintagel 1 is easier to place; B&W 606 S3 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | B | B&W 606 S3: bi-amping. |
| Price | B | B&W 606 S3 is cheaper - $1,100 against $2,749, about 60% less; arguably a different class. |
A Castle Tintagel 1 B B&W 606 S3
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 606 S3 is the easier recommendation: it leads on most of the measured areas and costs less. Take Castle Tintagel 1 if its size, looks or fit in your room suit you better. Match it to your room: we rate Castle Tintagel 1 the better fit for near-field listening and a small room, and B&W 606 S3 for a mid-size room and a large room. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, B&W 606 S3 is the safer partner - the other will want more current or more watts to sound its best.
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.