In this review, we will be comparing Opticon 1 MK2 and BW 606, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from DALI and Bowers Wilkins.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of DALI Opticon 1 II and B&W 606 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | DALI Opticon 1 II | B&W 606 |
|---|
| Brand | DALI
Denmark · founded 1983 | Bowers Wilkins
United Kingdom · founded 1966 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.125" Soft-Dome | 1" Hard-Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 4.75" Wood Fiber | 6.5" Continuum |
|---|
| Frequency response | 62-26k Hz | 52-28k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 86 dB | 88 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-100 watts | 30-120 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 4.50kg / 9.9lbs | 6.90kg / 15.2lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 10" x 6" x 9-1/4"
254.0 x 153.0 x 235.0mm | 13.6" x 7-1/2" x 12-13/16"
345.0 x 190.0 x 324.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the DALI Opticon 1 II and B&W 606 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* |
DALI Opticon 1 II |
B&W 606 |
| 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 Opticon 1 MK2 and BW 606 are 2-way speakers.
DALI Opticon 1 IIB&W 606
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
DALI Opticon 1 II |
B&W 606 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.125-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 4.75-inch
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
Opticon 1 MK2 features a 1.125" Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 4.75" Wood Fiber Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 3000Hz. On the other hand, the BW 606 features a 1" Decoupled Carbon Hard-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Continuum Woofer.
Frequency Response
Opticon 1 MK2 has a frequency range of 62-26k Hz whereas BW 606 has a frequency range of 52-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 52Hz, the BW 606 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Opticon 1 MK2's min frequency of 62Hz.
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
Opticon 1 MK2 is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the BW 606 which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms. Lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit especially when played at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the Opticon 1 MK2 can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Opticon 1 MK2 sensitivity is rated at 86 dB and the BW 606's is rated at 88 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the B&W 606 a more sensitive speaker compared to DALI Opticon 1 II, 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.
BW 606 can handle a max power of 120 watts RMS, whereas Opticon 1 MK2 has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS, 20 watts less than the BW 606.
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
BW 606 features Post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Opticon 1 MK2 has a Post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
DALI Opticon 1 II's Post terminals
B&W 606's Post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Opticon 1 MK2 and BW 606 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 DALI Opticon 1 II's and B&W 606's external dimensions. DALI Opticon 1 II has external dimensions of 254.0 x 153.0 x 235.0mm (10 x 6 x 9-1/4inch) whereas B&W 606 has external dimensions of 345.0 x 190.0 x 324.0mm (13.5 x 7.4 x 12.7inch).
B&W 606 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 37mm wider, 91mm taller and 89mm deeper than DALI Opticon 1 II.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of DALI Opticon 1 II and B&W 606 in scale.
Comparison image of DALI Opticon 1 II and B&W 606 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 DALI Opticon 1 II is approximately 359.6cm2 / 55.7inch2 and base area of the B&W 606 is approximately 615.6cm2 / 95.4inch2. The Opticon 1 MK2 requires 42% less surface area than the BW 606 which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
Here is another comparison that shows both speakers on a BDI Octave Media Cabinet, next to a standard size amplifier and turntable in scale:
Size Comparison image of DALI Opticon 1 II and B&W 606 on a Media Console
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 DALI Opticon 1 II weighs 4.50kg / 9.9lbs and the B&W 606 weighs 6.90kg / 15.2lbs. This makes the BW 606 53% heavier than the Opticon 1 MK2.
Here is a comparison of how Opticon 1 MK2 and BW 606's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
What's in the Box of DALI Opticon 1 II?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Opticon 1 MK2:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles
- 8 Rubber feet
- Quick Start Guide
- Congratulations Card
What's in the Box of B&W 606?
Here are the items that come with the BW 606:
- 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
 Height |
254mm
vs
345mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
359cm2
vs
615cm2
|
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 |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
4.75 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
52 Hz
vs
62 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
28k Hz
vs
26k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Price per pair* |
899USD
vs
1099USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
DALI Opticon 1 MK2 |
Bowers & Wilkins 606 |
| Brand |
DALI |
Bowers Wilkins |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
25-100 watts |
30-120 watts |
| Sensitivity |
86 dB |
88 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
n/a |
3.7 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
62-26k Hz |
52-28k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
4.75" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Wood Fiber |
Continuum |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.125" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Soft-Dome |
Hard-Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
3000Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
| Suggested Break-in Period |
n/a |
allow up to a week for the temperature effects to stabilise and 15 hours of average use for the parts to attain their intended design characteristics. |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
254.0mm (10") |
345.0mm (13.6") |
| Width |
153.0mm (6") |
190.0mm (7.5") |
| Depth |
235.0mm (9.3") |
324.0mm (12.8") |
| Weight |
4.50kg (9.9lbs) |
6.90kg (15.2lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
MDF/Vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Satin Black, Tobacco Oak, Satin White |
Black, White, Oak |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Recommended Stand Height |
26-28" |
24-26" |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
No single best speaker here - they are built to different priorities, and the right one depends on your room, your amplifier and what you listen to.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | B&W 606 digs deeper - 52Hz against 62Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | B | B&W 606 is more sensitive (88dB vs 86dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | B | B&W 606 is the easier load at 8 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (100W vs 120W). |
| Size | depends | DALI Opticon 1 II is easier to place; B&W 606 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | B&W 606: bi-amping. DALI Opticon 1 II sits in a wider range (6 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | B | B&W 606 is cheaper - $899 against $1,099, about 18% less. |
A DALI Opticon 1 II B B&W 606
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 is the easier recommendation: it leads on most of the measured areas and costs less. Take DALI Opticon 1 II if its size, looks or fit in your room suit you better. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 62Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. Match it to your room: we rate DALI Opticon 1 II the better fit for near-field listening and a small room, and B&W 606 for a mid-size room and a large 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.