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.
| Key Specs | ELAC Carina BS243.4 | B&W 606 |
|---|
| Brand | ELAC
Germany · founded 1926 | Bowers Wilkins
United Kingdom · founded 1966 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" JET AMT (Ribbon) | 1" Hard-Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 5.25" Aluminum | 6.5" Continuum |
|---|
| Frequency response | 46-30k Hz | 52-28k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 85 dB | 88 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 30-100 watts | 30-120 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 6.70kg / 14.7lbs | 6.90kg / 15.2lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 12-5/8" x 8-1/16" x 9-11/16"
321.0 x 205.0 x 247.0mm | 13.6" 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.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both Carina BS243.4 and BW 606 are 2-way speakers.
ELAC Carina BS243.4B&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 |
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.
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
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. 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 Carina BS243.4 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
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
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 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 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
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 ELAC Carina BS243.4 weighs 6.70kg / 14.7lbs and the B&W 606 weighs 6.90kg / 15.2lbs. This makes the BW 606 3% heavier than the Carina BS243.4.
Here is a comparison of how Carina BS243.4 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 ELAC Carina BS243.4?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Carina BS243.4:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 4 Jumper straps (pre-intalled)
- Operating Instructions
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
 Low Frequency Response |
46 Hz
vs
52 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
30k Hz
vs
28k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
321mm
vs
345mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
506cm2
vs
615cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Max Input Power |
120 watts
vs
100 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
88 dB
vs
85 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
6 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
|
Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5.25 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Price per pair* |
899USD
vs
1500USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
ELAC Carina BS243.4 |
Bowers & Wilkins 606 |
| Brand |
ELAC |
Bowers Wilkins |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
30-100 watts |
30-120 watts |
| Sensitivity |
85 dB |
88 dB |
| Impedance |
6 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
n/a |
3.7 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
46-30k Hz |
52-28k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
5.25" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Aluminum |
Continuum |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
JET AMT (Ribbon) |
Hard-Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
bottom |
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 |
321.0mm (12.6") |
345.0mm (13.6") |
| Width |
205.0mm (8.1") |
190.0mm (7.5") |
| Depth |
247.0mm (9.7") |
324.0mm (12.8") |
| Weight |
6.70kg (14.7lbs) |
6.90kg (15.2lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Polymer |
MDF/Vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Satin Black,Satin White |
Black, White, Oak |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Recommended Stand Height |
24-28" |
24-26" |
| Grille |
n/a |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
3 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
3 Years |
5 Years |
These sit in different price classes - ELAC Carina BS243.4 costs roughly 1.7x what B&W 606 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 | A | ELAC Carina BS243.4 digs deeper - 46Hz against 52Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | B | B&W 606 is more sensitive (88dB vs 85dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | B | B&W 606 is the easier load at 8 ohms. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (100W vs 120W). |
| Size | depends | ELAC Carina BS243.4 is easier to place; B&W 606 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | ELAC Carina BS243.4: bi-amping; B&W 606: bi-amping. |
| Price | B | B&W 606 is cheaper - $899 against $1,500, about 40% less; arguably a different class. |
A ELAC Carina BS243.4 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 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 52Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper B&W 606 much easier to justify. Match it to your room: we rate ELAC Carina BS243.4 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.