In this review, we will be comparing Evoke 50 and BW 603, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Dynaudio and Bowers Wilkins.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Dynaudio Evoke 50 and B&W 603 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Dynaudio Evoke 50 | B&W 603 |
|---|
| Brand | Dynaudio
Denmark · founded 1977 | Bowers Wilkins
United Kingdom · founded 1966 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.1" | 1" |
|---|
| Midrange | 5.5" | 6" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 7" Magnesium Silicate Polymer | 2 x 6.5" Paper |
|---|
| Frequency response | 35-23k Hz | 48-28k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 87 dB | 88.5 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | up to 260 watts | 30-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 26.90kg / 59.2lbs | 24.14kg / 53.1lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 45-3/4" x 12" x 14-5/8"
1162.0 x 305.0 x 373.0mm | 38.7" x 7.4" x 13.3"
985.0 x 190.0 x 340.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Dynaudio Evoke 50 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* |
Dynaudio Evoke 50 |
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 Evoke 50 and BW 603 are 3-way speakers.
Dynaudio Evoke 50B&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 |
Dynaudio Evoke 50 |
B&W 603 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5.5-inch |
1 x 6-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 7-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
Evoke 50 features a 1.1" Tweeter, a 5.5" Midrange and 2 x 7" Magnesium Silicate Polymer Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 430Hz and 3500Hz. On the other hand, the BW 603 features a 1" Tweeter, a 6" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Paper Woofer.
Frequency Response
Evoke 50 has a frequency range of 35-23k Hz whereas BW 603 has a frequency range of 48-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 35Hz, the Evoke 50 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to 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
Evoke 50 is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the BW 603 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 Evoke 50 can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Evoke 50 sensitivity is rated at 87 dB and the BW 603's is rated at 88.5 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the B&W 603 a more sensitive speaker compared to Dynaudio Evoke 50, 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.
Evoke 50 can handle a max power of 260 watts RMS, whereas BW 603 has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS, 60 watts less than the Evoke 50.
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 603 features Post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Evoke 50 has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Dynaudio Evoke 50's Binding post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Evoke 50 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 Dynaudio Evoke 50's and B&W 603's external dimensions. Dynaudio Evoke 50 has external dimensions of 1162.0 x 305.0 x 373.0mm (45-7/8 x 12-1/16 x 14-3/4inch) whereas B&W 603 has external dimensions of 985.0 x 190.0 x 340.0mm (38.7 x 7.4 x 13.3inch).
Dynaudio Evoke 50 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 115mm wider, 177mm taller and 33mm deeper than B&W 603.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Dynaudio Evoke 50 and B&W 603 in scale.
Comparison image of Dynaudio Evoke 50 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 Dynaudio Evoke 50 is approximately 1137.7cm2 / 176.3inch2 and base area of the B&W 603 is approximately 646.0cm2 / 100.1inch2. The Evoke 50 requires 76% 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 Dynaudio Evoke 50 weighs 26.90kg / 59.2lbs and the B&W 603 weighs 24.14kg / 53.1lbs. This makes the Evoke 50 11% heavier than the BW 603.
Here is a comparison of how Evoke 50 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 Dynaudio Evoke 50?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Evoke 50:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- 4 Outrigger feet
- 4 Spikes
- 4 Locking nuts
- 8 Washers
- 8 Screws
- Foam port plug
- Hex-key
- Tweeter protection cover (pre-installed)
- Instructions for Use
- Important Safety Instructions
- Warranty Card
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 |
260 watts
vs
200 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Woofer Size |
7 inches
vs
6.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
35 Hz
vs
48 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Sensitivity |
89 dB
vs
87 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 High Frequency Response |
28k Hz
vs
23k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Height |
985mm
vs
1162mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
646cm2
vs
1137cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
Dynaudio Evoke 50 |
Bowers & Wilkins 603 |
| Brand |
Dynaudio |
Bowers Wilkins |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
up to 260 watts |
30-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
87 dB |
88.5 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
35-23k Hz |
48-28k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
7" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Magnesium Silicate Polymer |
Paper |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.1" |
1" |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
5.5" |
6" |
| Crossover Frequency |
430Hz and 3500Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1162.0mm (45.7") |
985.0mm (38.8") |
| Width |
305.0mm (12") |
190.0mm (7.5") |
| Depth |
373.0mm (14.7") |
340.0mm (13.4") |
| Weight |
26.90kg (59.2lbs) |
24.14kg (53.1lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood veneer |
MDF/Vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Oak (blonde) |
Black, White, Oak |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years (8 Years registered) |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years (8 Years registered) |
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 | A | Dynaudio Evoke 50 digs deeper - 35Hz against 48Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | B | B&W 603 is more sensitive (89dB vs 87dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | B | B&W 603 is the easier load at 8 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom | A | Dynaudio Evoke 50 takes more power (260W vs 200W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | B&W 603 is easier to place; Dynaudio Evoke 50 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | B | B&W 603: bi-amping. |
A Dynaudio Evoke 50 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 603 has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 48Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. Match it to your room: we rate Dynaudio Evoke 50 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.