In this review, we will be comparing Windsor Earl and 607 S2 AE, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Castle and Bowers Wilkins.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Castle Windsor Earl and B&W 607 S2 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Castle Windsor Earl | B&W 607 S2 |
|---|
| Brand | Castle | Bowers Wilkins
United Kingdom · founded 1966 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.1" Soft-Dome | 1" Decoupled Double Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 6.5" Woven Polypropylene | 5" Continuum |
|---|
| Frequency response | 58-22k Hz | 52-28k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 89 dB | 84 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-100 watts | 30-100 watts |
|---|
| Weight | — | 4.70kg / 10.3lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 16-15/16" x 9-7/16" x 10-1/4"
430.0 x 240.0 x 260.0mm | 11-13/16" x 6-1/2" x 9-1/8"
301.0 x 166.0 x 232.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Castle Windsor Earl and B&W 607 S2 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 Windsor Earl |
B&W 607 S2 |
| Near-field |
Average |
Average |
| Small Room |
Good |
Good |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
Bad |
Bad |
(* 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 Windsor Earl and 607 S2 AE are 2-way speakers.
Castle Windsor EarlB&W 607 S2
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 Windsor Earl |
B&W 607 S2 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 5-inch
|
Windsor Earl features a 1.1" Micro-Fibre Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Woven Polypropylene Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2.2 kHz. On the other hand, the 607 S2 AE features a 1" Aluminum Decoupled Double Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5" Continuum Woofer.
Frequency Response
Windsor Earl has a frequency range of 58-22k Hz whereas 607 S2 AE has a frequency range of 52-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 52Hz, the 607 S2 AE can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Windsor Earl'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
Windsor Earl and 607 S2 AE have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Windsor Earl sensitivity is rated at 89 dB and the 607 S2 AE's is at 84 dB. This 5 dB difference makes the Castle Windsor Earl a more sensitive speaker compared to B&W 607 S2, 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.
Both handle the same maximum of 100 watts RMS, though Windsor Earl is rated 25-100 watts and 607 S2 AE 30-100 watts.
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
607 S2 AE features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Windsor Earl has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
B&W 607 S2's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Windsor Earl and 607 S2 AE 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 Windsor Earl's and B&W 607 S2's external dimensions. Castle Windsor Earl has external dimensions of 430.0 x 240.0 x 260.0mm (16-15/16 x 9-7/16 x 10-1/4inch) whereas B&W 607 S2 has external dimensions of 301.0 x 166.0 x 232.0mm (11-13/16 x 6-1/2 x 9-1/8inch).
Castle Windsor Earl is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 74mm wider, 129mm taller and 28mm deeper than B&W 607 S2.
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.
Castle Windsor Earl needs about 62% more floor or shelf area. Castle Windsor Earl is 28mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Castle Windsor Earl is 129mm taller.
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 Windsor Earl is approximately 624.0cm2 / 96.7inch2 and base area of the B&W 607 S2 is approximately 385.1cm2 / 59.7inch2. The Windsor Earl requires 62% more surface area than the 607 S2 AE which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
What's in the Box of B&W 607 S2?
Here are the items that come with the 607 S2 AE:
- 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