In this review, we will be comparing Carina BS243.4 and BW 606, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from ELAC and Bowers Wilkins.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of ELAC Carina BS243.4 and B&W 606 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
ELAC Carina BS243.4 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" JET AMT (Ribbon) Tweeter
- 5.25" Aluminum Woofer
- 46-30k Hz Frequency Response
- 85 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 6ohms
- Power Range:30-100watts
- Weight:6.70kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 321.0" x 8-1/16" x 9-11/16"( 321.0 x 205.0 x 247.0mm )
B&W 606 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter
- 6.5" Continuum Woofer
- 52-28k Hz Frequency Response
- 88 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:30-120watts
- Weight:6.90kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 345.0" x 7-1/2" x 12-13/16"( 345.0 x 190.0 x 324.0mm )
What size room are the ELAC Carina BS243.4 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* |
ELAC Carina BS243.4 |
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.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the ELAC Carina BS243.4 and B&W 606 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 Carina BS243.4 and BW 606 are 2-way speakers.
| Driver |
ELAC Carina BS243.4 |
B&W 606 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
Carina BS243.4 features a 1" JET AMT (Ribbon) Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" Aluminum Woofer . On the other hand, the BW 606 features a 1" Decoupled Carbon Hard-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Continuum Woofer .
Frequency Response
Carina BS243.4 has a frequency range of 46-30k Hz whereas BW 606 has a frequency range of 52-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 46Hz, the Carina BS243.4 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the BW 606's min frequency of 52Hz.
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 Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
High Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
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
Carina BS243.4 is a 6 ohms speaker compared to the BW 606 which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Carina BS243.4 sensitivity is rated at 85 dB and the BW 606's is rated at 88 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the B&W 606 a more sensitive speaker compared to ELAC Carina BS243.4, 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. 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.
Carina BS243.4 can handle a max power of 120 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Carina BS243.4 has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS , 20 watts less than the BW 606.
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 Carina BS243.4 and BW 606 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
ELAC Carina BS243.4's Post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
B&W 606's Post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Carina BS243.4 has a bottom firing port whereas BW 606 has a rear firing ports. ELAC Carina BS243.4's bottom-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to B&W 606 with its rear-firing port.
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 ELAC Carina BS243.4's and B&W 606's external dimensions. ELAC Carina BS243.4 has external dimensions of 321.0 x 205.0 x 247.0mm ( 12-5/8 x 8-1/16 x 9-11/16inch) whereas B&W 606 has external dimensions of 345.0 x 190.0 x 324.0mm ( 13.5 x 7.4 x 12.7inch) .
ELAC Carina BS243.4 is 24mm shorter and 77mm less deeper than B&W 606 but it is also 15mm wider.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of ELAC Carina BS243.4 and B&W 606 in scale.
Comparison image of ELAC Carina BS243.4 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 ELAC Carina BS243.4 is approximately 506.4cm2 / 78.5inch2 and base area of the B&W 606 is approximately 615.6cm2 / 95.4inch2. The Carina BS243.4 requires 18% less surface area than the BW 606 which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
Here is an 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 ELAC Carina BS243.4 and B&W 606 on a Media Console